New bee habitats created thanks to brick donations

Businesses, schools and community groups from across Devon  have been nominated by their local community to be given a bee brick from RGB Building Supplies so they can encourage solitary bees to outdoor areas.

For every sale over £150 during Solitary Bee Week, which took place between Monday 28th June and Sunday 4th July, RGB donated money to purchase bee bricks from Cornwall-based company Green&Blue. The builders merchant was able to buy 80 bricks, which will provide environments for bees to nest, and invited people to nominate schools, businesses, charities and community groups to receive one of the special bee houses.

Solitary bees don’t live in colonies and, as they have no honey or queen to protect, they aren’t aggressive and don’t sting. They make up 90% of the bee population and are essential for the ecosystem as they pollinate plants and crops ensuring they are healthy and productive. However, due to a loss of natural habitat, they are in decline.

Lee Kift, Branch Manager of RGB Barnstaple, commented:

“Thanks to everyone who made a purchase during Solitary Bee Week and helped us to buy bricks that we could donate to the local community. Solitary bees are so important to the ecosystem and we hope all the schools and groups who have received the special bricks enjoy watching the bees coming and going from their new habitat.”

Having been nominated to receive a bee brick from RGB, the below will be able to create a solitary bee house in their outdoor spaces:

Affinity Outdoor Adventures, Tiverton; Apple Tree Farm Services, High Bickington; Appledore Primary School; Ashleigh Primary School, Barnstaple; Berrynarbor Britain in Bloom; Bishop Tawton Primary School, Barnstaple; Bradford Primary School, Holsworthy; Countess Wear Primary School, Exeter; Early Birds Nursery, Fremington; Exmoor Forest School, Lynton; Farms for City Children, Exeter; Felicity’s Fledglings Nursery, Barnstaple; Hayward's Primary School, Crediton; Holsworthy Scout Group; Ilfracombe Junior School; Kings Nympton Primary School; Kingskerswell School, Newton Abbot; Ladysmith Infant and Nursery School, Exeter; Landscore Primary School, Crediton; Little Frogs Pre-School, Torrington; Marwood School, Barnstaple; Moorland View Ward, North Devon Hospital; North Devon Hospice, Barnstaple; Parkham Primary, Bideford; Rydon Primary School, Newton Abbot; St Catherine’s Primary School, Newton Abbot; St Margaret’s Primary School, Bideford; St Mary's Primary School, Bideford; Sticklepath Primary School, Barnstaple; Tarka Swims, Bideford; The Burton Art Gallery, Bideford; Thorne Day Nursery, Holsworthy; Wolborough Primary School, Newton Abbot.