Bees’ Needs Week 2018
To celebrate the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) annual Bees’ Needs Week campaign, Carnaby helped to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and what people can do all over the country to help them thrive.
Across 14 streets, Carnaby boasts over 725 flower window boxes and 80,000 bees living across two bee hives on the roof tops.
Carnaby Street, aptly renamed 'Carnabee Street' for the event, transformed into a hive of activity. The iconic Carnaby Street Arch was decorated in a bee-theme, and a popup 'Hive' opened at 3 Carnaby Street with a host of educational and fun games, installations and talks in partnership with Defra alongside University of Reading, University of East Anglia, Grow Wild/Kew Gardens, Polli:Nation; Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Royal Horticultural Society, Royal Parks, Bumblebee Conservation Trust and many more.
As well as visiting the ‘Hive’, visitors to Carnaby were also able to follow an art trail around Carnaby with illustrated bees by London based artist Lizzie King on the window of participating shops and restaurants.
Shaftesbury were delighted to be awarded a Bees’ Needs Champions Award 2018 in recognition of their work during Bees’ Needs Week.
What can we do to help?
The event showcased the fantastic way in which individuals can support our national pollinators - vital for growing our food and contributing to our biodiversity. However, despite all they do for us, Defra’s research shows that the overall numbers of pollinating insects have declined since 1980, and globally, one in ten pollinating insects is on the verge of extinction.
There are some simple things we can all do to bring about the best possible conditions for bees and other insects to flourish.
5 key actions people can take to help our bee population:
Grow more flowers, shrubs and trees
Leave patches of land to grow wild
Cut grass less often
Do not disturb insect nests and hibernation spots
Think carefully about using pesticides
Quick Facts
Estate:
Shaftesbury
Location:
Carnaby Street
Features:
Bee hives
700+ flower window boxes
Further Information: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-pollinator-strategy-for-bees-and-other-pollinators-in-england