Giant bumblebee creating a buzz at Kings Square
On Friday 17th August, Gloucester City Council will display a Bee Hotel outside Debenhams on Kings Square, Gloucester.
A giant wooden bumblebee has been made by the Fairshares community group with support from Gloucester City Council and funding from Grow Wild. The Bee Hotel is part of a project to get local people involved with nature conservation, an incentive led by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.
In the spring, wild flowers will be planted by volunteers, bringing bursts of colour to the centre of the city and a source of food for important insects, including bees. Homes for bees and other insects have also been created, by simply drilling into logs.
The fitting of the Bee Hotel will begin at 12:30pm on Friday 17th August and will take approximately two hours to complete.
Cllr Richard Cook, cabinet member for environment at Gloucester City Council said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to help the environment and enhance the appearance of Kings Square. It is so important to the environment that we provide a habitat for bees and other pollinating insects to thrive as they form a crucial part of the food chain.”
Fairshares community group, said: “It has been a privilege for our participants and volunteers to work in partnership with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and Gloucester City Council to create a unique piece for the city centre, which, not only will become a focal point on King Square, but deliver such an important environmental message.”
Grow Wild brings thousands of people together each year to transform urban and unloved spaces with UK native plants and fungi. Supported by National Lottery funding, and through private and public contributions, Grow Wild is the national outreach initiative of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.