In celebration of World Bee Day, Avanti West Coast has hosted a Wine, Bees, and Cheese evening to raise money for a conservation charity.

The event, held in Highfield Country Park in Levenshulme, featured live music from local artists, as well as talks about the work of conservation and protecting bees.

The event took place in collaboration with the Manchester-based charity Bee Sanctuary Movement, with attendees donating to support the charity’s work. Bee Sanctuary Movement aims to support the conservation and protection of bees, which are vital to the survival of many ecosystems.

The event, which was in part the result of work by Avanti West Coast’s Community and Sustainability Champions, was attended by around fifty people, and raised over £200 for Bee Sanctuary Movement.

With growing concern around climate change and its impact on the environment, many rail organisations are taking a proactive role in conservation. On Tuesday, the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) launched a Sustainable Rail Blueprint with the goal of providing a framework for environmental protection throughout Britain’s rail industry.

Avanti West Coast has previously worked with Bee Sanctuary Movement in other initiatives. Last year the pair marked World Bee Day with a series of interactive sessions to help local schoolchildren learn about bees and their importance to the environment.

Avanti West Coast is not the only rail operator to partner with a charity. Last month, South Western Railway continued its partnership with the charity Missing People to create a new ‘Safe Way Home’ campaign to help reunite missing family members.

Bee Sanctuary Movement’ has been Avanti West Coast’s chosen charity for two years. Its primary mission involves rewilding neglected green spaces, helping local wildlife to thrive and supporting local bee populations.

Speaking of the Wine, Bees, and Cheese evening, Avanti West Coast community manager Joanna Buckley said:

“Through our involvement with Bee Sanctuary Movement, we’ve seen the charity grow from a small volunteer-led project to housing its own visitor centre. We want to continue to support the charity’s work and help it forge links with the wider community – especially as it relies entirely on volunteers. We’d like to thank everyone who attended the evening and hope it will inspire more people to protect pollinators and boost wildlife in their local area.”

Bee Sanctuary Movement’s Sheila Standard echoed these words, saying:

“Avanti West Coast have been brilliant in helping to get more people interested in the Bee Sanctuary Movement. They bring schoolchildren to the park and support our events to attract people to volunteer, as well as spend time with nature. This place is about being in nature and highlighting how precious it is. If you don’t know what nature is, you’re not going to love and protect it, so by welcoming the community to experience what the charity is all about, we hope to encourage more people to play their part in supporting our work and the environment around them.”