Banbury’s Bridge Street Community Garden was a hive of activity recently as pupils from a local primary school lent a hand in creating beautiful bee hotels.

The Year 5 and 6 pupils from St Leonard’s C of E Primary School embraced the community spirit by crafting the seven hotels.

They used wood, bamboo canes, as well as other natural materials and followed templates made by local mental health charity Restore.

The bee hotels will soon be permanently placed in the garden’s hexagonal planters, offering sanctuary for the pollinating insects.

Some of the talented pupils from St Leonard's Primary School lending a hand at the community garden. (Tila Rodriguez, Bridge St Garden Officer)

placeholder image — Some of the talented pupils from St Leonard's Primary School lending a hand at the community garden. (Tila Rodriguez, Bridge St Garden Officer)

Pupils Amelia, Faye and Rio-Zayne expressed their enthusiasm for getting outside and helping with the community garden project.

Amelia said: “I really enjoy doing this because I love wildlife, and I need to take care of it to keep having it.”

Faye said: “I love being here because wildlife and animals need homes, and I love nature.”

Rio-Zayne added: “I wanted to do this because I really like protecting and giving wildlife a home.”

The seven beautifully painted bee hotels, which will be set up in the Bridge Street Community Garden. (Tila Rodriguez, Bridge St Garden Officer)

The community garden is maintained by volunteers from the Grimsbury area and is supported by several Banbury charities and groups.

These include the Sunrise Multicultural Project, Home Start, Aspire, Banbury Woodcraft Folk, and The Hill Community Centre.

The project is funded by the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment, which has supported the addition of new recycled plastic garden beds and a wildlife-friendly pond recently.

It has also received funding from the Brighter Futures in Banbury Community Insight Fund, enabling the garden to host wellbeing sessions, yoga, tai chi, music, and art.