Member Article

Liverpool ONE all a buzz for World Bee Day nominations sought from deserving schools

Liverpool ONE is today looking for a deserving school and its pupils to come forward and receive over 50 jars of pure honey which have been harvested at the award-winning retail and leisure destination.

As part of World Bee Day today, Thursday, the environmentally-friendly complex – the only UK retail destination with a park at its heart – is keen to form a partnership with a school which shares its environmental credentials.

The retail and leisure destination has been working hard during lockdown nurturing biodiversity in the city centre.

Liverpool ONE’s commitment to green initiatives in an urban environment has led to the honey being produced by more than 160,000 bees who have made Liverpool ONE their new home in a special urban apiary on one of the roofs.

And in addition to receiving the jars of honey, the chosen school will also be treated to a “Bee-keeping and honey-harvesting” session by bee-keeper, John Beavan.

Liverpool ONE joined forces with horticultural experts, Nurture, as part of its commitment to becoming “greener” and John, Master Beekeeper at Nurture, installed the hives on the roof above Barclays, overlooking Lord Street in the city centre, two years ago.

Donna Howitt, Place Strategy Director at Liverpool ONE, said: “Honeybees play a vital role in our eco system, pollinating flowering plants, trees and crops. They can really thrive in urban environments among plants and flowers in gardens and on roads and disused pieces of land.

“This initiative is part of Liverpool ONE’s ongoing commitment to becoming greener and ensuring we play a key role in nurturing biodiversity in the local environment.

“We are delighted to have produced our first batch of honey which have been made as a result of this pilot project and cannot think of anyone more deserving than a local school, which shares our environmental credentials, to receive it.”

Liverpool ONE is looking for schools to either nominate themselves, or individuals can also nominate a school.

The entry should be no more than 150 words on why the school is deserving and sent to: info@liverpool-one.com with the subject header ‘BEES’ by June 4th.

The winning school must be willing to take part in press photographs and interviews.*

John Beavan, Master Beekeeper at Nurture, added: “We have been incredibly inspired by Liverpool ONE’s green initiatives and it is fantastic to see the result and 80 jars of pure honey being made.

“We cannot wait for a school and its pupils to receive and taste the honey. The hives have huge benefits for the local bio-diversity and we cannot wait to harvest even more.”

The efforts of Liverpool ONE led to it winning the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Bees Needs Champions Award.

The award, hosted at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, four years ago, celebrated 17 bee boosting projects from volunteers, schools, charities and councils across the country, identified as prime examples of helping pollinators thrive both in the countryside and in our towns and cities.

In addition to the rooftop beehives, special ‘bug hotels’ have been built in Chavasse Park at Liverpool ONE, playing host to several species of insects.

Liverpool ONE’s latest arrivals follow its Green Flag Award for Chavasse Park which it has received for seven consecutive years.

The international accolade is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is maintained well and has excellent visitor facilities.

World Bee Day marks the birth of Anton Janša, in 1734. Anton was the pioneer of bee-keeping and the day is intended to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sarah Jones .