With bees under significant threat in the UK from our changing landscape, The Big Bee Project has been set up by Manchester Arndale to inspire Mancunians to make their gardens, streets and communities more bee-friendly.
Take the whole family to visit their Instagram-worthy installation until Sunday 28 April to capture bright and beautiful photos, learn all about bees, and help make a difference to one lucky, local community group.
Wander through a pretty pergola of flowers whilst reading about why bees are important, why they are at risk and how you can help save them at home. Then pop over to the giant honeypot to vote for your favourite community group to win a bee-friendly garden makeover. As a thank you for voting, you’ll get a packet of wildflower seeds to plant at home
Following the initial nomination and judging process, the three groups up for the public vote are:
- Caring for our Common Home at Wardley Hall in Salford
- Clayton Hall Living History Museum
- Glodwick Infant and Nursery School
Caring for our Common Home at Wardley Hall
Located in the grounds of Wardley Hall, which is the home of the Bishop of Salford, this project will soon offer a range of educational activities to people of all faiths and non-religious beliefs across Greater Manchester, including our schools.
As well as forestry, bat conservation and recycling projects, the team wants to create a brand new educational space to attract bees. This will include planting a range of bee-friendly trees and plants, and installing six bee hives.
Clayton Hall Living History Museum
The museum and surrounding gardens in Clayton is open to the general public twice a month. Schools and community groups from across Greater Manchester are also welcomed throughout the month to learn about local history and our environment.
After taking part in Manchester’s Bee in the City trail, the museum team now wants to make a bee-friendly area in the garden for visitors to enjoy. This will include adding a range of new plants to create a wildflower meadow, and building three bee hives.
Glodwick Infant and Nursery School
The school in Oldham has over 360 pupils from a range of different cultures and faiths. It is located in an urban area that has limited natural greenery, and so the school’s garden provides a fantastic sensory space for outdoor learning, as well as special family events to bring the local community together.
The school wants to make the garden more bee-friendly by adding a diverse range of plants to attract bees throughout the year, and building ‘bee hotels’ and ‘bee nests’ using recycled materials.
The Big Bee Project event is on until Sunday 28 April outside Topman on the lower mall.
