Worcestershire Parkway Station is now home to a display of bee-friendly skeps designed by artists and local schoolchildren to promote bee conservation along rail networks.
Thanks to a partnership between Worcestershire Community Rail Partnership (CRP), Platform Rail, Great Western Railway and the Bee Friendly Trust, the Bee Friendly Skep Project has arrived at the station in the form of eight beautifully decorated bee skeps, which are bringing a warm spring welcome to visitors to the station.
A bee skep is a traditional form of beehive, typically made from wicker or straw, woven and coiled tightly into a bell-shaped or flat-topped structure.
Worcestershire CRP received £1,000 from the Community Rail Development Fund to host educational workshops for pupils from Norton Juxta Kempsey CofE Primary School and the aptly named Honeybourne Primary School.
A total of three workshops were held; two in classrooms and one at Worcestershire Parkway Station. The Bee Friendly Trust facilitated the workshops in conjunction with Platform, a rail education scheme that works with schools to empower young people in accessing the railways. Platform delivered important rail safety education and also brought children by train to the station workshop.
The station workshop featured a hive of activity where children learned about bee conservation, took part in gardening and unveiled the display of the eight uniquely designed skeps, with artistic contributions by themselves as well as professional artists.
Fiona Saxon, Worcestershire CRP officer, said: “This has been an amazing project where the children were so engaged with learning about the environment at the station. They were buzzing with excitement!”
Dr Luke Dixon, director of the Bee Friendly Trust, said: “It has been a joy to work with GWR and the supportive station team at Worcestershire Parkway Station on this project. The unique art exhibit is a wonderful addition to the environmental initiatives at the station which we have been proud to be a part of. The enthusiastic engagement of children from two local schools has made it all the more special.”
Emma Morris, Great Western Railway’s senior community impact manager, said: “This exhibition showcases Great Western Railway’s commitment to creating spaces both for wildlife to thrive and children to be educated, with the Easter holidays presenting the perfect opportunity for people of all ages to come along and enjoy it.”
Learn more about Great Western Railway’s work in the community here.
Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from Worcestershire CRP via their website.
