After School Groups and Holiday Activities

BEES have run after school clubs at various primary schools for many years.

Topics have covered a variety of environmental themes but tend to focus on wildlife and nature.

Examples of projects include:

• bird identification, making bird feeders and nestboxes and taking part in RSPB big garden birdwatch
• wildflower growing and identification
• vegetable growing
• making recycled paper
• seasonal art and crafts.

Activities complement the national curriculum.

Please contact us to discuss opportunities within your setting

Community Orchards and fruit growing

Learning from our experience at Bowling Park Community Orchard and numerous sites we have supported over the years we have a wealth of knowledge on orchard development and management.

If you are planning an orchard or small fruit growing project we can advise you on choosing varieties and establishing the planting. We can support schools, community groups and businesses in planting the trees

Corporate Volunteering

We offer the opportunity for companies to carry out practical conservation work in local environmental areas.

This will support your corporate social responsibility aspirations. These activities can also contribute to team building sessions in a community setting.

We ask for a contribution to run these sessions and purchase project materials.

There is the option of working alongside our regular volunteer group on Thursdays and Fridays.

Developing and Managing School Grounds

BEES can carry out school grounds development for your school. This can vary in scope from planting a hedge or a few trees to a full scale development that could include a nature trail, planting of native hedgerows and flowering shrubs, creating a pond, wildflower meadow, bog garden, seating areas, growing beds and planting an orchard of fruit trees.

A recent example is the outdoor permaculture area created at Newhall Park Primary School which included all of the features mentioned above. This was achieved with the BEES volunteer group and pupils from school. Pictures can be viewed in the gallery. Not only does the garden provide an invaluable resource for experiential learning by the pupils but adds to the biodiversity of the local area.

BEES will support staff to develop lesson plans to make use of the outdoor features, and to develop the management plan that is essential for long term success of the developments.

BEES can also undertake regular, or one-off, management sessions in school grounds; for example pruning fruit trees, grassland and pond management, hedge laying or cutting, path clearance etc.

The costs for these services vary depending on thhe scale of the project.

Environmental Activities at Community Events

BEES can deliver activities at larger events.

We currently offer activities such as bird/bat box making, making bird feeders, wild flower seed planting, art/craft activities (these have included making ‘minibeasts’ from pompoms, creating pop-up herons, willow and tissue bees and birds) and apple juicing. Our focus is usually about engaging people in natural history but we also run recycling activities such as making musical rattles from bottle tops and purses from tetrapaks. We are able to create an activity to suit the event. We have a pole lathe and are able to offer basic demonstrations of wood turning (subject to availability of operator).

Since 2000 we have been instrumental in organising Bradford Apple Day, with other members of Bradford Apple Group. This is a celebration of the heritage of orchards and the biodiversity they contain. We currently hold the event at Bowling Park Community Orchard each October, offering a cafe, fresh juice, horticultural advice, apples and trees for sale, art and children’s activities.

Environmental Education Sessions

We manage a small urban nature reserve on the University Campus, Laisteridge Lane.

This is an ideal place for nature studies including pond dipping, woodland study and grassland observations (minibeasts, flowers, seed and seed dispersal).

The Reserve has two medium sized ponds and is home to butterflies, damselflies, dragonflies and many bird species.

The best time for these sessions is in the summer term or early autmn term, but it is possible at other times of the year as well.

Sessions can be linked to the National Curriculum for example habitat, life cycle, using keys and how plants grow.

We also deliver sessions at Bowling Park Community Orchard, BD4. The orchard can be used to explore fruit growth, healthy eating, minibeast studies and art and craft activities.

Habitat Management and Creation

We manage and create habitats for wildlife. We can offer this service or support and advise community groups and businesses.

We currently manage two of our own sites (BEES Urban Nature Reserve and Bowling Park Community Orchard) and work on behalf of the Council’s Countryside and Rights of Way team to manage areas such as Boars Well Urban Wildlife Area, Baildon Moor, Brackenhill Urban Landscape Area and Reevy Mill Dam.

Most of this work is done with the BEES Conservation Volunteer Group which meets twice a week. We are able to include new projects in this programme or work directly with other community groups to create wildlife habitats and support groups in developing a sustainable management plan for areas.

We can undertake projects of varying scope and complexity. Cost will be dictated by the scheme of work. Consideration also needs to be given to the scope for managing the project in the future.

Youth Activities

Playschemes, youth groups and visits to nature reserves – bringing nature to children and young people

We can deliver sessions for playschemes and youth and community groups. This can be at the groups own center or at one of our sites – eg pond dipping at our Urban Nature Reserve, painting or a BBQ at Bowling Park Community Orchard, a walk and games in local woods etc.