SOUTHWARK’S RECYCLING FACILITY IS BUZZING……
Six beehives have been installed at the Southwark recycling and waste facility to increase biodiversity at the site and positively impact the local environment.
The facility which is situated on Old Kent Road is run by Veolia, the recycling and waste partner of Southwark Council, who plan to sell the honey to raise money for their charity partner FoodCycle.
The bees are the latest addition to the biodiversity on site, which includes a green wildflower corridor, bug hotels, stag beetle loggeries, bat and bird boxes, ten thousand bushes and over one hundred trees. The bee installation has been implemented by Veolia as part of their commitment to protect biodiversity and improve the quality of the local environment in an otherwise urban surrounding.
The new site guests are a placid breed of bees that have been chosen for their unaggressive manner. One of the hives includes bees that were recently rescued from Old Street roundabout and needed a new home.
Ian McGeough, Programme Manager for Veolia Southwark and coordinator of the bee hive installation, said “Bees are a vital part of our food chain and honey bees flourish in city environments where flowers and plants are plenty. Our site with its green corridor of wild flowers and bushes will help these bees to collect lots of food and produce honey that will be sold to raise money for FoodCycle”.
Southwark’s cabinet member for environment and the public realm Cllr Ian Wingfield said: “We want to create a greener borough for future generations to enjoy and we are pleased that our partners at Veolia are taking this pledge seriously with fantastic little projects like this that will offer several benefits for local people, from doing our bit to support this vital part of nature to raising money for a great charity that supports vulnerable people locally.”
The honey collected will be sold at this year’s Wonder Day taking place on Saturday 17 September where Southwark residents and families are invited to a free fun day out to learn about what happens to their recycling and waste. There will also be other enjoyable family activities such as face painting, a bouncy castle, an interactive recycling discovery centre and lots more.
(Source: Southwark council press release)
…..WHILE BROMLEY’S MAYOR LIKES TO STREET PARTY!
Bromley’s new Mayor Cllr Ian Payne must have a liking for jelly and cake. He plans to visit as many of the Queen’s 90th Birthday or Big Lunch street parties in the borough as he can during the weekend of 11/12 June and is up to 55 and still counting!
Bromley’s Mayor said: “It will be an absolute honour to be a part of our communities’ celebrations at this very special time. I am looking forward to meeting as many people as possible across the borough on this joyous occasion – if only for a few minutes at each location. Bromley’s deputy mayor, Cllr Hannah Gray will also be out and about over the weekend.”
The whistle-stop tour will take the Mayor, accompanied by Bromley’s Deputy Lieutenant Colonel Robert Murfin, the length and breadth of the borough from Crystal Palace to Darwin and from West Wickham to Cray Valley and Orpington where Orpington 1st is organising an exciting high street event between noon and five on Sunday, 12 June. The Mayor will be presiding over a balloon release at the event.
Bromley has helped boost the number he can visit by agreeing to waive the charge for street closures for these celebratory events.Executive member for environmental services Cllr Colin Smith said: “I am delighted that so many residents’ associations and groups took up our offer to stage a street party without the need to pay for the road closure which might be needed.
“These occasions are a fantastic opportunity to get to know neighbours more fully which really is at the heart of our Street Friends initiative. “By working together we can, and frequently do, make a real difference in our neighbourhoods.”
As well as attending most of the street parties, the Mayor will be presenting every organiser with a special certificate to thank them for bringing a little British-style fun to their neighbourhood whilst honouring the Queen on such a significant birthday.
So look out for Bromley’s Mayor, chains a-flying at a street party near you, but don’t get in his way as he’s a man with a mission as he attempts to visit every street party in the borough. (Source: Bromley council press release)