Community joy as six English towns awarded  ‘Bee Friendly Town’ status.

Alresford, Essex; Arundel, West Sussex; , Kenilworth, Warwickshire; Leek, Staffordshire; Tring, Hertfordshire; and Wimborne, Dorset have all become the first towns to receive the Bee Friendly Trust’s stamp of approval for their efforts to support bees in urban areas.

The Bee Friendly Trust launched its Bee Friendly Town Awards last year, with towns around the country working hard to welcome wildlife to their streets.

From installing our floral planters at railway stations to planting up roundabouts, encouraging bee friendly activities at schools, pubs and businesses, planting wildflowers and being pesticide-free, each town met nine criteria to be selected at the nation’s first official Bee Friendly Towns.

Each town received an Award, designed by Steve Chapman, as well as a certificate. A £300 grant towards a Bee Friendly Town artwork is also on offer.

The Bee Friendly Trust launched the scheme – which aims to transform concrete jungles into wildlife havens – in 2021, with the first awards granted on World Bee Day (20 May 2022).

Dr Luke Dixon, co-founder of the Bee Friendly Trust, said, “The Bee Friendly Town Awards celebrate the coming together of communities for the important cause of saving the nation’s bees and pollinators. By increasing wildlife habitats in towns, not only are communities providing forage spots and shelters for nature but they are also making their towns greener, friendlier and more uplifting places to live.

“This year’s winners were chosen for their creative and collaborative approaches to making their towns Bee Friendly. We hope they will provide inspiration for other towns to do their bit and to enter the competition next year.”