Longvernal Primary School, in Midsomer Norton, has become one of just 200 sites across the UK chosen to become a wildlife haven for bees. The school joins the Bee World campaign launched by Friends of the Earth to highlight the plight of bees in the UK and provide a wildflower haven for them to feed, safe from pesticides.
The school, which provides a Forest School themed education for its children, is going to create a 30 sq metre space in a corner of their school field and transform it into a glorious wildflower area of long-lasting and beautiful flowers, providing vital food for threatened local pollinating insects.
“The children will be preparing the site over the winter and will then plant the new wildflower meadow in early spring next year,” explained Headteacher, Kerrie Courtier. “Each year, the area will be managed by the children to ensure it maximises its attraction to local bees.”
Kerrie pointed out that, “The plight of the humble bee has shot up the political agenda in recent months, and the Government has agreed to introduce a National Pollinator Strategy. Our children are very excited about the opportunities to care and observe the bees in the new area.”
Forest School Governor at Longvernal, Emma Jones, was key in gaining the haven for the school. “It’s really important that we make more spaces available like this in our communities for bees and other pollinators to feed and flourish,” she explained.
In the past sixty years, a devastating 97% of wildflower-rich meadows have been lost. As part of Friends of the Earth’s Bee Cause campaign, over 100 bee-friendly patches have already been created in towns and rural areas across the UK.