The winners of an awards scheme showcasing "bee bestie" West of England groups taking super-positive steps to support pollinators have been announced by Metro Mayor Dan Norris.

The Metro Mayor brought together local residents, companies and community groups to award the 2023 Bee Bold Awards at Hartcliffe's Heart of BS13 as part of its ‘Nature Family Fun Day'.

The unique West of England competition celebrates the amazing bee buddy groups across the West who have gone above and beyond to look after the region's busy bugs through actions like creating a blossoming community patch or nature-friendly allotments - and everything in between.

Out of the many pollinator-friendly groups who applied, Mr Norris and his pollinator expert panel of judges selected six Pollinator Champions across two categories.

These were People for Nature - awarded to groups that have created the best gardens or pollinator spaces within their workplaces, or local area - and Space for Nature - for the groups that best engaged their employees, customers or communities to create places for nature.

The Bee Bold Awards ceremony took place as part of a fun packed day of performers, live music and pollinator activities, culminating in the 2023 Pollinator Champions being crowned by the Metro Mayor in front of locals.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris said:

"Pollinators matter – in terms of helping flowers grow, but also in ensuring we can have the delicious West of England produce we're renowned for, not to mention keeping our precious countryside and other green spaces maintained and cared for. That's why I've made them a priority for my West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. I'm absolutely delighted to reveal the winners of the 2023 Bee Bold Awards – it's a pleasure meeting some of our amazing Pollinator Champions going above and beyond to support our bees, and giving them such well-deserved recognition.

"I hope these award winners inspire others to take steps to support our pollinators as well, no matter how small they seem. So, whether it be throwing away those bee-harming pesticides or taking part in things like No Mow May, I urge locals to help me make our amazing West of England region the best place in the whole country for the West of England's bee and pollinator friends."

The 2023 Bee Bold Awards winners:

Space for Nature

• Curo Social Housing - operating across Bristol, Bath and NE Somerset and South Glos, Curo have taken part in No Mow May, started a ‘Do Nothing for Nature' campaign, and planted hundreds of trees in community spaces, transforming their housing estates into pollinator-friendly green spaces

• Middle Ground Growers - an organic farm in Bath using a "regenerative pollinator-friendly" farming model including planting over four-plus acres of wildflower meadows

• The University of the West of England (UWE) – UWE Bristol's Beeline project has built a network of pollinator-friendly and edible plants across their campuses, alongside mini wildflower meadows, orchards, and new opportunities for staff and students to engage with nature

People for Nature:

• Storm Consultancy- a digital technology agency in Bath who launched the tree planting project ‘Co-Forest' to help companies invest in local biodiversity and improve the wellbeing of communities

• The LANCE Trust – based in Long Ashton, the Trust has inspired and engaged residents, including primary schools, Parish Councils, farms, universities, and local churches, among others, to improve wild spaces in the Long Ashton and other areas, and survey for bees and other wildlife

• Keynsham Girl's Brigade – from bee-friendly planting in their Church grounds to making insect ID guides and bee baths, the Girl's Brigade have been helping support local pollinators and raising awareness in their community

The Bee Bold Awards are part of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority's wider work to make the West the Bee and Pollinator Capital of the UK. For more information, see: https://www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/bee-and-pollinator-capital/