ALCESTER is now officially a bee friendly town after a unanimous vote by Alcester Town Council held earlier his month.

The proposal from the environmental sub-committee of the council aims to enhance bee diversity within and around the town as more people become worried about the decline of the black and yellow beasties.

Bees not only maintain wildlife but also pollinate plants which produce food. The government has estimate that the worth of these pollinators is worth around £5,000,000 to the UK food and fruit industries.

Alcester Councillor Nina Knapman, chair of the environmental sub-committee, said: "We want to provide more bee-friendly flowers for bees to feed upon in corridors that link around the town and to increase people’s awareness of harmful pesticides along with garden planting that is not of any use to bees.

"We want to provide an effective, user-friendly information exchange linking Alcester residents with bee friendly organisations and partners and enhance residents feeling of well-being by creating Bee Worlds and trails that encourage people to get out and enjoy walking.”

Last year a test bed of Olympic mix wild flowers was created near the community orchard on the now-called Jubilee Fields. New extension beds have been approved which will be sown with native wild flowers courtesy of Friends of the Earth this year and wild poppies will be planted around the town to commemorate the Great War.

Councillor Knapman gave a special thanks to Alcester Health Centre and master gardener and landscape designer Frances Carroll as well as the other members of the sub-committee.