Children at a primary school in Lincolnshire are ‘buzzing’ after a local housebuilder donated bee hotels and ‘bee bombs’ to support biodiversity.
The pupils at Pinchbeck East Primary Academy, part of Infinity Academies Trust, were given the gifts by Bellway Eastern Counties, which is building new homes at Pinchbeck Fields in the village.
The developer gave the school 21 bee bombs, which are wildflower seedballs containing thousands of seeds from native wildflower species, and can be scattered onto open ground.
Each bee bomb covers an area of approximately two square metres and creates a thriving wildflower habitat which helps increase nectar and pollen sources for pollinators.
Bellway also gave the school two bee hotels which are box structures specially designed to provide nesting and shelter for solitary bees.
These bees, unlike honey bees, nest independently, often in natural cavities like hollow stems or earth banks.
The bee bombs will be planted in the school’s early years garden – a dedicated outdoor space for the younger children – as well as in the nature area, a bigger area which features trees and a pond.
The school’s Green Team, comprising 20 children from various years, will be in charge of the planting. The bee hotels will be placed in the nature area.
Tracey Kirlew, a higher level teaching assistant and staff member leading the Green Team at the school, said: “The children are very excited about the very kind donations from Bellway. It is lovely that a big local company should take the time to connect with us and make such a contribution.
“We already have a bug hotel, a hedgehog hideout, tadpoles in the pond and a woodpecker nesting in one of the trees in the nature garden, so the bee bombs and bee hotels will add to that diverse wildlife habitat.
“The donations will enable us to improve the habitat and to teach the children about the importance of pollinators and how we can help them flourish.”
