The Friends of Hadfield Station (FoHS) and Friends of Glossop Station (FoGS) have jointly hosted their annual Bumblebee Safari from Hadfield Station.
Part of the Buzzing Stations project coordinated by the High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership (CRP), the safari’s main aim is to raise awareness of the environmental value of station gardens and planters for bumblebees. With 97% of wild meadows lost in recent years, small, connected areas offer bumblebees the chance to continue pollinating flowers, which is vital for food production.
On Friday 15 August, the group were welcomed to the station by Joy Hallsworth of FoHS and Neil Williams of FoGS. The volunteers led a tour of the platform planters and garden at Hadfield Station, emphasising the plants that are there specifically to attract bumblebees.
As the safari continued to nearby Bankswood Park – where an extensive area is managed by High Peak Borough Council for the benefit of wildlife with no cutting of the grass – the group had their first sightings of bumblebees, and even some butterflies too.
Whilst learning more about other wild plants that attract bumblebees such as thistles, rose bay willow herb and buddleia, Neil read out some interesting facts about bumblebees.
The group then made their way back to the station, where they could catch their connecting trains home – and, of course, look for bumblebees enroute.
Volunteers also handed out copies of the High Peak & Hope Valley CRP’s latest booklet. ‘Make a Beeline for the Peak District by Train’ is designed to promote sustainable travel and increase connection with nature by highlighting 10 family-friendly walking routes from railway stations in the Peak District, where it’s likely bees and other pollinators can be spotted.
Joy Hallsworth and Neil Williams said of the event: “We would like to thank Becky Styles, community and sustainability manager at Northern, for her support of this event. We’d also like to thank the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, who inspired us and gave us the confidence to run these safaris.”
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