Bedford Borough Council has announced it has been awarded the prestigious Bees’ Needs Champion Award 2025, recognising the Council’s continued commitment to protecting and enhancing habitats for pollinators across the borough. This accolade follows the Council’s previous win in 2021 for the ever-popular Bugs and Bees Project.
The Bees’ Needs Champion Award 2025 celebrates the Council’s innovative work to safeguard open spaces from vehicle incursions by planting wildflower-rich landscape features along park boundaries. These corridors not only prevent damage to Bedford Borough’s open spaces from vehicles but also create vital nectar-rich habitats for bees, bugs, and other pollinators. Since 2023, these efforts have been implemented at Putnoe Park (Bowhill), Newnham Avenue Open Space, Woodcote Open Space, and Chiltern Avenue Open Space.
Funded through Council Capital Funding, the project has transformed previously intensively mown areas into thriving wildflower corridors, linking green spaces throughout Bedford Borough’s urban environment. This work supports biodiversity, enhances visitor experience, and encourages the wider community to take action in support of pollinators.
Councillor Nicola Gribble, Portfolio Holder for Environment, said, “We are delighted to receive the Bees’ Needs Champion Award once again. Protecting our pollinators is essential for a healthy environment and a vibrant borough. By creating these wildflower corridors, we are not only safeguarding biodiversity but also enriching the green spaces our community loves.
“This award recognises the hard work of our teams and the positive impact we can have when we prioritise nature in urban areas.”
Project locations with What3words:
- Putnoe Park (Bowhill): ///varieties.engage.lift
- Newnham Avenue Open Space: ///hails.odds.staple
- Woodcote Open Space: ///worth.before.plug
- Chiltern Avenue Open Space: ///jungle.lend.entire
For more information about the Bugs and Bees project and how you can support pollinators, visit www.bedford.gov.uk/BugsAndBees
