Raising money to build a bat roof

A couple of years ago some lesser horseshoe bats were discovered in the old vernacular farmhouse on my farm. These bats are internationally protected and Ireland has a unique population that is of importance in Europe because of declining populations in many European countries. For information on this species please see the Bat Conservation Ireland website: https://www.batconservationireland.org/irish-bats/species/lesser-horseshoe-bat

They are easily identified in the roost because they are the only bat species in Ireland to cover themselves with their wings when roosting as my photo above shows.

Most species of bats can crawl which means they can more easily access roosting sites in many different locations. What makes the lesser horseshoe different is that they need to be able to fly into a roosting space through a gap large enough to accommodate their wingspan. The roost site then has to be suitable for their needs. I have been rewilding my farm so there are increased scrub, trees and wildflower meadows which are attracting more species like these important and wonderful bats. A bat roof designed for lesser horseshoes would include a gap they can fly into and a suitably constructed and insulated space that they can roost in.

As you can see, the old house is in a state of dereliction and a couple of years ago the gable end collapsed. It is just a matter of time before the roof collapses and the bats will have nowhere to roost. Obviously doing up the old house would be an expensive undertaking so I am hoping to raise funds to put a bat roof on the old outbuilding (which predates the house and appears on the first OS map, which makes it a unique building in and of itself and also important to preserve).

I have applied for a couple of grants but have not been successful thus far. Regardless, funds are required up front to start these projects which I don't have. I am increasingly concerned about the old house collapsing and I would be very grateful if you would be so kind as to consider donating towards building a bat roof. Any leftover or excess funds I would use towards digging a large wildlife pond to further enrich the habitat here for these bats as well as numerous other species.

If you cannot donate I would appreciate if you could share this fundraiser. I understand that things are tight for a lot of people at the moment. I had hoped to get funding but lots of people have suggested a fundraiser so after some consideration I have decided to give it a go. Thank you so much ❤️