Alresford and its endeavours to support bees have led to it being one of the first in the UK to be named a ‘Bee Friendly Town’

The town was awarded the status by the Bee Friendly Trust with Alresford being one of just eight towns to gain the national accolade.

The Bee Friendly Trust launched the initiative in 2021 in order to transform concrete jungles into wildlife havens with the first awards being given recently.

Towns and villages need to meet nine criteria to be granted ‘Bee Friendly’ status including planting up roundabouts, encouraging bee-friendly schools, pubs and businesses, putting up homes for wildlife, planting wildflowers and being pesticide-free.

Alresford met these objectives by focusing on areas close to the old station house with a wildflower area which attracts bees, other habitats were also created at the village allotments and playing field. A roadside verge was also transformed with wildflower planting and a bee hotel which is mounted on the station house wall.

Alresford parish council and Greater Anglia station adopters have worked alongside the Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership, the local primary school and Cobnuts Co-operative at Alresford railway station in order to make a huge wildlife garden with a uniquely commissioned bee-friendly sculpture and planting which led to them receiving a Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) ‘Bees Needs Champions’ Award in 2020.

Parish council chairman and volunteer station adopter, Frank Belgrove, who received the award on behalf of the community, said:

“We’re so thrilled to hear this wonderful news! So many people, young and older, in the community, have played a part in encouraging pollinators to flourish in our town.

“Bees are vital to us all and this excellent award status for our community will increase awareness of their importance and help us do even more to help and support them.”

Dr Luke Dixon, co-founder of the Bee Friendly Trust, said:

“Alresford is a wonderful example of the community coming together to make their town a greener, friendlier, uplifting place to live.

“The work in and around the station, led by committed community volunteers, makes it a delightful place to step off a train, or wait for the next one to come along.”

Jayne Sumner, Essex & South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership, said:

“Congratulations to everyone involved. We are pleased to have played a part through our support of the wildlife garden at the station.

“Across Essex, rail stations are becoming very important spaces where we are supporting the volunteer station adopters in creating havens for wildlife – and Alresford station is one of the best examples of this supporting all sorts of pollinators and even becoming a refuge for slow worms.”

“We look forward to continuing to work alongside the adopters at Alresford station who have made it such a special, lovely place to be.”