Calling all schools – win a bee garden here

Schools across the country are offered the chance to win their very own bee garden courtesy of The Centre, Livingston following the success of its Summer Garden Festival to raise awareness of bee conservation.

Visitors to the Festival, which included a children’s animal trail with 6ft grass sculptures, had the chance to ‘Meet the Beekeeper’ to learn more about the positive impact of bees on the environment, observe the inner workings of a beehive and taste the honey.

Shoppers also had the opportunity to adopt a bee for £1 which will pay for the donation of the school bee garden, featuring bee-friendly plants which are rich in pollen and nectar.

The winning school will also have the chance to ‘Meet the Beekeeper’ with his glass beehive, taste the honey and take part in activity sessions to help them understand how important bees are to the ecosystem and the effects of a declining bee population.

Ashley Bisland Deputy Director at The Centre said: “Our Summer Garden Festival was a huge success this year and we are delighted that our shoppers donated enough money by sponsoring a bee to allow us to donate a bee garden to a lucky school, which is a great way for children to learn why bees are so important for the environment.”

As part of The Centre’s ongoing commitment to bee conservation, a bee garden with two beehives has been installed on the mall’s rooftop, each containing 50,000 bees, which travel over a five-kilometre radius pollinating gardens, parks and woodlands in the area.

Parents, carers, teachers and children are invited to apply as follows :

Ashley Bisland Deputy Centre Director, ashley.bisland@thecentrelivingston.com or apply online via The Centre website, www.thecentrelivingston.com stating why they should be picked as the lucky school to receive the bee garden.

Deadline is 27th October.