Bees' Needs Week is back and Carnaby will be buzzing with action this July to raise awareness of the nation’s black and yellow pollinator friends.
The week-long takeover is in support of DEFRA's campaign to raise awareness of bees and other pollinators – and importantly, what we can do to help them thrive in the 2019 Year of Green Action. Bees are responsible for almost 90% of the wild flowering pollination that occurs in the world and play an integral part of pollinating plants, food crops and sustaining the entire food chain. Pretty important stuff. Did you know Carnaby is already home to over 850 flower window boxes with pollinating flowers and in addition to this, homes around 160,000 bees in hives across the Carnaby roof tops?
Throughout Bees’ Needs Week you’ll see a bee-themed makeover of the iconic Carnaby Street arch, plus visit our unique pop-up 'Hive' at 3 Newburgh Street for free activities and more information on how we can look after our pollinator friends. Inside, get close to the bee action with a live bumblearium from the University of Reading and an observation bumblebee colony from the University of East Anglia. You can also experience the inside of a beehive with interactive VR headsets from Kew Gardens. An array of educational games, honey tasting and microscopes to ‘meet the bees’ will also be available as well as seed sowing demonstrations.
During the week, you can enjoy exclusive bee-themed activity and promotions across Carnaby shops and restaurants. These include special offers on Joy Everley Fine Jewellers’ bee collection, with 10% of sales donated to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. For those with a sweet tooth, Whyte & Brown will be serving ‘Honey 75’ cocktails and The Rum Kitchen have created a special honey-based cocktail ‘Sweet Ting’, with donations from each cocktail going to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.
Visit the 'Hive' at 3 Newburgh Street until Saturday 13 July and don't forget to snap a picture with the 'Carnabee' arch too!
Share your Bees' Needs photos with us using @CarnabyLondon and the hashtag #BeesNeeds