## **The Bee Sanctuary Movement** Charity No: 1187263 Annual Report and Final Accounts: 08/01/2020 to 05/04/2021 ## **CONTENTS** ## **1. Opening Comments** **2. Report of Nicole Henry: Chair** **3. Report of Brian McGill: Treasurer** **4. Report of Sheila Standard: Co-ordinator** **5. Report of Robin Wright: Trustee** **6. Report on Research Garden** **7. Park User Survey Results** **8. Receipts and Payments Account** **9. Statement of Assets and Liabilities** **Email** : BeeSanctuary@outlook.com **Telephone** : +4475023 90065 **Website:** BeeSanctuaryMovement.org ## **Opening comments** The first year of our Charity has been very successful. We decided that we would be frugal in our use of money, but not to stint on our investment in the Bee Sanctuary..... tools, tool hire, equipment, seeds, bulbs, sand gravel, pond liners etc. We have also helped to establish another project on Highfield Bluebell Pond, and on Chapel Street Park....The Bluebell Green growing project. We have made links with other groups and worked on other areas, including Pink Bank Woods and around the Secret Lake. Our education and research includes Bee Talk, educational signs, a Fence Exhibition, work with Lancashire Wildlife Trust, and a “Bee Research Garden”. Finally it is worth mentioning that, we have entered into a partnership with MCC and FOHCP and Lancashire Wildlife Trust to develop a Management Plan for Highfield as a Local Nature Reserve, and increase its biodiversity. We would like to thank everyone who has volunteered, clocking up over 3000 volunteer hours, to create the most blessed of Sanctuaries.... and the work goes on. Abbie, Leo, Adam, Anita, Angel, Barbara, Brad, Brian, Cheryl, Liz, Emily, Bob, Fran, Heather, Helen T, Helen S, Jean, Julia, Karen, Laura, Ellie, Edwina, Maeve, Marcel, Mirsab, Nasir, Nicole, Nina, Nina's Friends, Olivia, Sonny, Mel, Steph, Tim, Jass, Sheila, Robin, Jac, Anita, Leo, Tony, Rachel, Lizzie M, Lizzy, Monica, Tom, Prince, Vicky, Ruth, Ida, Ricky, Hannah Jacqui, Edwina..... We would like to thank - Each of the Trustees for their unique input.(see more in the reports) - Karen McCartney for providing specialist knowledge and education about Wild Bees. - Pam Wright who volunteered her professional skills to create our wonderful website - Leo Woodfelder (Tree Surgeon) for the logs and chippings that made our paths possible. - MCC officers Declan Kelly and Mel Kirby for ongoing support - Noah from Buzz(NHS) for helping get Chapel Street Park project up and running We would also like to thank everyone who has donated money, special thanks to the friends and relatives of Bee for 'Bee's Wild Flower Fund', and to the Charity 'Gables End', for a major donation that enabled spending through our general fund. There were individual donations large and small, and this has been brilliant, because we have not been held back from projects such as pond building. Finally thank you to our Funders MCC Neighbourhood Investment Fund, We Love Mcr Charity, and ARIS. All this, and a Park User Questionnaire during the Covid Pandemic...... ## **The Bee Sanctuary Movement,** ## **- Chairs Report 2021 Nicole Henry.** ## **My Year as Chair** Since my initial idea for this project a couple of years back, it has progressed from a relatively small-scale bee sanctuary project, to a now registered charity and active community volunteering group. My role as chair started when we decided to become an o�cial organisation back in October 2019 when we had our �rst o�cial meeting, which is where the journey to becoming a registered charity came in. After contacting MACC, and communicating with them, they advised me throughout the process of application. Throughout the year it has been my duty to make sure myself and my fellow trustees are acting responsibility and collectively working to our organisational goals. Although none of us could have imagined where our journey would take us, as a team we have thrived even with a year of a pandemic. Below are examples of some of my activities. ## **Charity commission and constitution** In October 2019, my soon to be fellow trustees started to discuss the di�erent options we had to make our organisation o�cial. It led us to deciding that becoming an o�cial charity would be the most suitable option for our community organisation. We decided that becoming an CIO(foundation) would be the most suitable path for us. I worked on creating a constitution for our group. I was in contact with MACC during the application process, which was a great source. I completed necessary paperwork for the Charity Commission application and made sure my soon to be trustees were happy with everything prior to application too. After a couple of months deciding and working on the application, I submitted on 17[th] December 2019. We became successful with our application on 8th January 2020. Using the foundation model CIO means that decisions are made solely by the trustees, and as we are/were a small team just starting out, I think this has suited us well and enabled our productivity. For the future we have discussed the idea of allowing members and voting, which would be switching to the association model. This may be necessary if we continue to grow. ## **Meetings Minutes and Agendas** Since then, I have chaired meetings every month, now via Zoom due to Covid19 and not being able to meet together outside. However we have managed to miss only two, whilst we worked out how to do things digitally. I have created agendas and keep minutes of meetings, this was up until Brian kindly took over this role. All minutes are kept in a shared �le on Google Docs. ## **Policies and important documents** In addition to our constitution, I have put in place a code of conduct for my fellow Trustees, Rules of constitution and a Con�ict of Interest Policy. Throughout the year I have made sure that we have to correct documents and policies in place for our registered charity and volunteers. These include Expense Policies both Trustee and Volunteer, Con�dential Information, Anti-harassment and Bullying, Whistleblowing and Equal Opportunities. Brian completed our Data Protection Policy and Privacy Statement, and is also our Webmaster, all of our policies are available on our website. DBS checks have been completed as well as other necessary requirements to ensure our organisation works smoothly and within the law. ## **Funding and Finances** Despite slight worry at the beginning due to being new, our �nances throughout the year have stayed very strong. During the year we have been successful with four di�erent grants and funding pots, through NIF grants and others. I managed to make two successful bids for funding for our project, one via ARIS Fund, for a shipping container toilet and handwashing station. The other being an ILoveManchester Grant for The Bluebell Allotments. We’ve been successful with generous donations too. I have also set up a PayPal account in order to receive donations online and via our website simply. Sheila has also been active in pursuing bids and funding, which has been great. The accounts are managed by our treasurer Brian, he worked hard at setting up our bank account when we �rst started, and since then has continued with good management of our accounts. ## **Logo and Website** I also worked to complete and create an educational website with Pam, our website designer, which will be a great tool for information, tips and up to date news and updates on our projects. I created the majority of the text and content on the website and have now also learnt how to update the website pages and blog posts. We also have our hugely successful Facebook page thanks to Sheila and robin updates and activity. We also worked with an illustrator Bryonie Fenn for our logo at the same time as working on the website. ## **Activities on The Bee Sanctuary** Throughout the year on the ground at The Bee Sanctuary HQ High�eld, we have cleared a huge amount of space from bramble, nettles and other grown areas from invasive and non-native species. We’ve created 3 wildlife ponds, planted thousands and seeds, bulbs and whips. We have created wild�ower areas, raised beds including with non-native bee friendly garden plants and a vegetable bed. We’ve freed trees, created 100’s of meters of eco paths, educational signs and an exhibition for the railings. I also began to collect data for the Bee Walk Database, but had to stop the Bee walks due to Covid-19. We keep up to date with research and make conscious decisions about the choices of materials and products we buy and use to ensure we work safely and e�ectively for longevity and that we are as sustainable and organic as possible. I have been involved and love being involved in many jobs and tasks on the ground at the Bee Sanctuary, including path building, sowing, bulb planting, digging and weeding alongside traditional chair duties. But the e�orts and success on the ground is mainly due to Sheila, Robin and our fantastic team of volunteers. We now have around 50 people in our WhatsApp group of volunteers. ## **Bluebell Green/Chapel Street Park** After being encouraged to help transform this neglected space from an overgrown bowling green into something the local community could be involved in, we jumped at the chance. After communicating with Mark from the Blue bell Pub, his great idea of a children’s allotment was perfect. From there I began clearing rubbish from the site, along with other locals that were tidying up the space. We arranged a day of awareness for the project and encouraged people to come down and start preparing the space. I also began an application for funding with ILoveMcr for £2000 to get the project started, which we were successful with. Since then, the park now has their own Park Friends Group, and they have around 35people in their WhatsApp group of volunteers. ## **Events** Back in February of 2020, I helped arrange our �rst ever educational BeeTalk, by our Bee enthusiast Karen Mcartney, which was a huge success and created a buzz around the project. We do plan to hold more of these in the future as soon as we are able to, we have decided we would like to continue to educate our local community about the Bees where ever we can, and empower other locals individuals and groups with the knowledge and in turn power to be able to help Volunteers sessions, these are been a huge success and Unfortunately much of 2020 been a year of social distancing and no events or gatherings more than 6, despite this, I think we have done extremely well to keep progressing and encouraging others locally. ## **The Friends of High�eld** I was asked to be on the committee for the Friends of High�eld as a Bee Sanctuary Representative at the end of 2020. Since then I have attended meetings and we worked to support them in gaining a bid for a management plan. ## **Security** Onsite at The Bee Sanctuary, there have been a couple of incidents of vandalism reported to our signs and Forget me Knot Wood area and ponds. This has been disappointing but it hasn’t deterred us. We �nd way to make our work strong and vandal proof where ever possible. We keep strong passwords and behave responsibly with con�dential information, we follow our data protection and con�dential information policies. We also have Public Liability and Sheds & Equipment Insurance with the RHS, which commenced in February 2021 for 12 months. ## **Future Plans** 1. Raising the pro�le of the Bee Sanctuary, making both residents and occasional visitors aware of our fantastic wildlife resource in the centre of Levenshulme and ways that they can help. 2. Exploring the ways of reaching out and educating other bodies in the local area 3. Enhance our research, our educational session’s outputs and inspirations. 4. Encouraging gifts from people who do not necessarily want to become active members or cannot, but do wish to support our aims. 5. Exploring ways of ensuring the long term e�ects of what we do on our Bee Sanctuary, in regards to sustainability, maintaining spaces and safety of volunteers and park users. 6. Increasing our membership when needed, and potentially introducing fees. Nicole Henry Chair - The Bee Sanctuary Movement Friday 14th May 2021 ## **The Bee Sanctuary Movement Treasurer’s Report** ## **The Beginning** I was out walking one day in August 2019, when I was passing Sheila and Bernadette, who were clearing away rubbish, and cutting back weeds on Cringle Road. I had never met Sheila before, but on that fateful day, I was asked if I would like to join in. Within a few weeks I was told about Nicole’s idea for creating a bee sanctuary, in Highfield Country Park, and I was press-ganged into becoming treasurer for the Bee Sanctuary Movement, with my past experience in accountancy. I re-read my textbooks on basic accounting, and decided to prepare accounts using open source software called Gnucash. I also thought it best to keep things simple, so I could show Sheila how to understand what I was doing, so I kept the accounting information in receipts and payments form, rather than the more complicated accrual form. We decided to become a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), which requires us to produce a report at the end of each financial year (5th April), and also gives the trustees limited liability. I also decided to read The Charity Treasurer’s Handbook, and Charitable Incorporated Organisations; both written by Gareth G. Morgan, from the Directory of Social Change. I got some advice from a friend of my father’s (Mike Wilbey), who has also agreed to independently examine the accounts at year end. On discovering the benefits of using google apps, after buying a chromebook, I made sure everybody in the organisation was using them to share documents. ## **The Accounts** The Accounts are in a very healthy state, at the end of the financial year, with £5,609 in monetary assets; £2,217 of which is unrestricted. We have also gathered a variety of gardening tools, over the last fifteen months, including two mowers, and a Chromebook for Robin to use. This has all been possible due to a donation from a charity of £3000, £1500 from the ARIS proceeds of crime fund, and a grant of £1,994 from the We Love Mcr fund. We have also received some very generous donations from private individuals, together with a grant from the Neighbourhood Investment Fund. A special fund was created in honour of a friend of Sheila’s, called Bee, who sadly died during the last year. This fund received generous donations from private individuals, who knew Bee, and was used to create a special garden area in Highfield Park. A special thanks go out to those individuals. The We Love Mcr Fund, will be used to redevelop the bowling green in Chapel Street park. This grant was made shortly before the creation of the Friends of Chapel Street Park. Readers of our actual accounting records, will notice the existence of funds belonging to this organisation. We are looking after these funds, until the Friends are able to open a community bank account of their own. Sadly this was not possible during the Covid-19 lockdown. I am currently acting as treasurer for the Friends, as well as the Bee Sanctuary Movement. All our funds are in a healthy state, with plenty of reserve in the general fund, in case of unforeseen expenses. I would like to point out though, that our unrestricted spending is nearly double that of our restricted spending. This is not sustainable, unless we receive similarly generous donations in the future. This is something I will keep a close eye on, during the next 12 months. ## **Website Activities** Along with a financial role for the movement, I am now acting as website administrator, and will oversee editing of our new website, (www.beesanctuarymovement.org), and will be liaising with our website consultant: Pam. Nicole, and our bee consultant Karen, have done a great job in getting the website populated with lots of facts about bees, and the movement’s activities. Both Sheila, and Nicole will be posting updates on the website in the future as well. The website was created with an open source content management system, called WordPress. I thoroughly recommend this product for the creation of websites, and have enjoyed finding out how it works. At the bottom of each website page, you will find a footer menu, where you can find along with this annual report, a data-protection policy of my own making. Surely something not to be missed! ## **Gardening Activities** Activities I participated in, outside of keeping the accounts, included cutting back brambles; both by hand, and with the aid of the brushcutter, and building paths using wood chips donated by a local tree surgeon. The most memorable activity was digging the holes for the pond, with a hired micro-digger. I can still remember being caught in a very heavy shower of rain on my own with the digger, and also the time I nearly turned the digger on its side. ## **Other Activities** With the lockdown coming into operation in March 2020, I decided to apply for a volunteer position at Central Manchester University Hospitals. After a long period of gestation, I was eventually accepted as a volunteer, and I now work there one day a week; manning the sanitization stations, encouraging people to wash their hands, and handing out face masks. I have also completed a course called Introduction to Digital Technologies with Back2Work. One of the group activities I engaged with was creating a short presentation and website for a proposed Lounge/Gym/Nightclub in the Salford Quays area. As I have previously stated, I am now involved with the Friends of Chapel Street Park, and I will continue to seek ways of contributing to the community, with my recently gathered experience. I love all genres of music, and spend a great deal of time listening to my radio or stereo. I am also a keen chess player on the Playchess server. Sadly other activities prevent me from spending too much time on this noble pursuit, A lot of my time is spent studying dvd courses released by The Teaching Company at www.thegreatcourses.co.uk. I no longer do any gardening work at Highfield Country Park, but shall remain treasurer and webmaster of the movement, for the foreseeable future. Brian McGill Treasurer and Webmaster: The Bee Sanctuary Movement. 11th April 2021 **Bee Sanctuary Movement Jan to October 2020 Coordinators Report for AGM** Sheila Standard Trustee ## **Coordinator** My role as coordinator has evolved over the 16 months since we have been registered as a charity. First a painted sign, then adopting WhatsApp to communicate with Volunteers and then Facebook to post blog updates. In August I changed the Facebook page to be a group with membership, and this means Robin could join as administrator. My role is complicated by the reality that not everyone uses social media, so there is a need to text people, email and speak on the phone, but the most important conversations often happen on the Sanctuary itself. Over this year we have created a successful network of contacts in the City Council, and in the community, and with community organisations. I have gathered this info together, and shared it with other groups setting up, including the new Highfields Friends, and the new Friends of Chapel Street Park. My life was made easier by Declan Kelly, our Park Ranger (up to 6 months ago). He is great at connecting people, and this taught me that we need to share our knowledge. He has been moved to Wythenshawe and wants to connect me with groups there, so we can share our skills. I was responsible for the early coordination that went into setting up the Friends of Chapel Street Park, based on our model of Painted board, Facebook Page and WhatsApp group, but have been able to quickly hand over the role to the new Friends Group, which has enormous energy, enthusiasm and more skills than me. I also put the idea into Fran’s Head to set up a project at Blue Bell Pond, but my main role has been practical support as she is very self motivated and full of ideas. ## **Organiser** We are developing our ways of working together, but I believe we have developed a strong team, both in our role as Trustees, and also the wider group of Volunteers that carry out practical work. As I am not working, I can do day to day stuff, but I liaise with the Chair Nicole if a threat or opportunity arises, and we make a decision as to who will handle it. The volunteer organising has been very easy to do in lockdown and beyond, because basically we make a list of jobs that need doing and post it on the WhatsApp. We plan to have a blackboard at the raised beds as well. Using WhatsApp, people can also message when they are going to be out and invite people to join them, and I do this frequently. I liaise with Robin over practical work, but sometimes we are working on different projects and we keep in touch by phone and facebook message. Brian is invaluable in his role as Treasurer, and he is extremely efficient, so I don’t need to worry when buying for the project that I will have to wait to get the money repaid. The Trustees have work days, which are great bonding sessions, and I will organise tool hire etc. There is a team of dedicated volunteers, and a host of other people who support us, and will come out now and then. We don’t put any pressure on volunteers, because we believe it should be a joyful experience, and give satisfaction without being stressful. If things take longer than that is how it is. ## **Project work** ## - **The Bee Sanctuary Highfield** 2020 -The work we do changes with the seasons. Upto March 31st 2020 (the start of Bee Nesting season) we were hacking down brambles and making dead hedges. During Feb/March this year we were raking/scarifying the ground and sowing the wild flower seed. I also helped Robin with the raised bed garden, making raised beds. We continued to sow seed up to May, and we also sowed wildflower seeds at home because of a 3 month drought. Most seed failed to germinate, (or got eaten by birds), because of the drought, but our efforts to clear the brambles were rewarded with surprise finds like a bed of Iris, and a bed of Meadowsweet. Lockdown affected us, because we felt we could only go out on our own for an hour at a time, until conditions eased. The main paths were laid by May, and we have found that they need maintenance on a regular basis, as do the brambles. Brambles have a two year life cycle so fingers crossed next year won’t need cutting back so much. Weeding also nettles, where they are near the 2 path, and also sweetheart which had totally colonised the wooded banks. Weeding and removing seed heads changes seasonally, and we are gaining experience. Mattocking out bramble and tree roots is also an ongoing operation. My main focus from June to August was preparing Forget -me-not Wood, an area of woodland edge. We decided to dedicate this area to everyone who has died during the Covid Pandemic, and have put some seating there, which was well received. It was a personal project for me, because my friend Bee died on 30th May. I set up a “Bees Wildflower Fund” to raise money for wild flowers and bulbs which we are planting and sowing presently. From August 8th onwards we have been working on our ponds project, in between other stuff. Swallow pond is complete and water plants have been added, Wagtail Pond is nearly finished but needs a bit of water engineering, and Robin Pond is a project to fit in between planting and sowing which is now the dominant activity. Autumn 2020 We planted several thousand bulbs of mainly English bluebell, but also specialist bulbs like Wild daffodil, Snakes head fritillary, Winter Aconite , Snowflake, Lilly of the Valley and Wood Anemone. We Autumn sowed yellow Rattle in several grassy areas that we prepared by mowing and scarifying, Some areas were also sowed with Hay meadow wild flowers. We planted several hundred hedge whips to enclose our new wild flower meadows, that we are making by clearing more bramble. Spring 2021 - We have finished preparing the wild flower meadows and are spring sowing these and other areas missed in the Autumn. We are also preparing some woodland edge areas for woodland wildflower seed. It takes 5 years to completely mature, so it is a long term project. Mel Kirby has entered us for the RHS Britain in Bloom Competition, and we will need to renew all of our paths, and concentrate on weeding, once the sowing is finished. We will be installing more seating as the seating we have done already is much loved. The next major project to do is to install the steel container, and disabled toilet, and campaign for disabled access. Unfortunately hit by a second dry spell in the spring, but held back some of the seed sowing until it rains. **Bee Sanctuary Children’s Allotments and Forest School Chapel Street Park** - We had been asked by Declan to help Mark Dunn from the Blue Bell Inn with his dream to create Children’s Allotments, and Forest School in the Old Bowling Green. I did some preliminary research and planning, and we presented the idea at Levenshulme’s Climate Change 3 Conversation on 14th March 2020. It was well received, but then there was a long gap because of the pandemic. I progressed the idea in September by asking my sister Liz to paint a sign, and I held up the rough at the follow on Climate Change meeting on the 14th September. Two attendees helped me, and we have set up The Friends of Chapel Street Park. Robin Nicole and I covered a couple of events and some volunteering work, and we invited people from Chapel Street Park to join us volunteering on the Bee Sanctuary. So far it is spectacularly successful, with 148 people on the Facebook Group, and 35 participants on WhatsApp. There is a solid core of organisers, and the formal arrangements are in hand. Update 2021 Unable to open up the project to get going over the lockdown, it finally got underway on March 31st 2021. We are slightly taking a background roll in this project, lending our tools, and helping as individuals, to allow new people to come through **Bluebell Pond** An occasional helping hand here, but it is more and more taking off as a sister project. ## **Website** Nicole has done most of the hard work on the website, but we have good collaboration, and thanks to Brian’s recommendation we use google docs, so it is easy to share editing. Pam Wright has produced the website with her professional skills donated to the BSM, and done a brilliant job. Brian is now the webmaster. **Funding** I have written and reported on 2 NIF bids. **Events** We have all worked on organising events including the first Bee Talk, and our Open Day which got cancelled. As a team we have helped at two events on Chapel Street Park aimed at publicising and setting up a Friends group, and also regular volunteering. We are working in partnership with Friends of Highfield to put on a major event on the park in August/September, and also working together on a management plan. **Campaigning** On behalf of the Bee Sanctuary, and representing as a Friend of Highfield, I have objected to the actions of the developer, on Nelstrop Rd North, and taken part in a consultation with Stockport MBC about the cycleway going along Nelstrop Rd North. 4 Positive and negative outcomes, but it has also brought me in contact with other green organisations, such as FLOOP, and Heaton Mersey Common Conservation Volunteers. Update. Stockport seem to be stuck on lighting units which will do major damage to wildlife because of the standards imposed. I have contacted Angeliki Stogia the lead Environment Councillor in Manchester to help get the standards changed with Chis Boardman and GM Mayor. She has responded! Looking good. ## **Networking** - **The Cuttings Club** a great grassroots Whatsapp network that keeps me in touch with other groups for example Acorn Allotments and Sustrans. - Hilary et al **Lanchashire Wildlife Trust** , “My Wild City”. We were chosen as the location for the BBC North West Tonight to film for an article about their report called ‘Nearby Nature’. Mutually supportive relationship. Recently LWT have taken up our invite to set up a ‘Training Centre for Volunteers in Biodiversity and Conservation on Highfield’ - **Friends of Highfield** Not an easy relationship but myself and Nicole have persevered, and now we Have contributed to a bid for writing a management plan through sharing access to our Park User Questionnaire, so that there is an ongoing plan for the whole of Highfield. Nicole has joined with the Friends of Highfield Management committee, so we can work closer in partnership. - **Officers of MCC** I have built positive relationships with: - a. Declan the Park Ranger, and also with the new Ranger Rob Gorvette. Rob and I have been working on issues together, and this is a Highfield wide role rather than just Bee Sanctuary. - b. Jo Fraser - River Valley and Urban Countryside Lead, Citywide Parks Team - c. Ikhlas, and Claire Troupe who are the officers in charge of the ward - d. Dave Barlow ( Biodiversity) Jo Fraser (Park Maintenance), and Mel Kirby who has offered us 2000 bulbs and 200 hedging plants. - e. Mel Kirby - who purchases bulbs plants and seed on behalf of MCC. - **Climate Change Agency** I am now on the community advisory panel of - Levenshulme Climate Change Group, with Lisa Lingard as project Manager. Lisa 5 wants to have an umbrella organisation in Levenshulme and build networks working to a similar goal of a more sustainable and climate friendly Levenshulme. - Noel Mellor **Buzz H&W (NHS)** extremely helpful and collaborating with the Chapel Street project. - Cllr Angeliki Stogia (Executive Member for Environment, Planning and Transport) Liaising over lighting. - **Friends of Chapel Street Park** Chair Lizzy Meade, ` 6 ## **Robin’s Report** I first came across the Bee Sanctuary on Highfield Park in November 2019. I found a log and woodchip path where previously there was mud, brambles being cut down, a working pattern that suited me, and Sheila! I volunteered to join in and came with ideas: * dead hedges - fedges (a fence with a hedge planted round/through it) * weaving the existing hedgerow. ## Winter 2019/20 * Cutting down brambles and making new and improving existing paths - kept us warm! * First "weave" of the hedge Early spring 2020 - raking off debris to prepare ground for sowing - locating crates, compost and plants for the bee-friendly garden - learning about bee hotels, making some and sharing knowledge at our public meeting * planning for our first Open Day. Then Covid and lockdown intervened. Late Spring 2020 - no public or organised activities for foreseeable future - carried on working alone or in pairs - made signs to explain and inspire - planted and watered seedlings through the April/May brought - started work on experimental wildlife garden at Karen McCartney's ## Mid Summer 2020 - pond digging - another bright idea - a bee bank - preparing ground at Karen's for planting. ## Autumn/early Winter 2020 - planting bulbs - some have done better than others - lessons to be learned! - planting hedge "whips" on our boundary with the new housing development - weaving the hedgerow again Late Winter/early Spring 2021 * Bee Sanctuary activities cease * start litter picking at Secret Lake in January, joined in 1st big pick in March * joined in with Keep Manchester Tidy litter pickers because they were still active, mostly in green spaces * initiated litter picking and greening initiative on Pink Bank Woods on Longsight/Gorton border That (briefly) is what I've done for the Bee Sanctuary Movement, but what has it done for me? I lost my partner of 33 years in October 2019 and really needed something positive in my life, at that time away from people who knew me. The invitation to volunteer "alone or in a group" was just what I needed. "Our" corner of Highfield has been a place of sanctuary and solace for me through hard times, and I know it has been for many others. What of the future? Since March, even more progress: - two more big picks at the Secret Lake have transformed it * repeated picks on Pink Bank Woods (about 700 bags so far) have done the same there - good contacts made with Debdale Nature Centre in Gorton - planning for a Bee Sanctuary Movement "roadshow" * learning more about bees and wasps and how we can help them, mainly through observations in Karen's garden Robin Wright 31.5.2021. ## The Research Garden Karen McCartney is the Bee Wasp and Ant Recorder for Greater Manchester. She does this as a volunteer and is incredibly supportive to the Bee Sanctuary Movement with education and specialist advice. Despite Karen's work contributing to several major organisations, she has received very limited practical support for her research. We decided to support her research, and Robin, with the support of BSM, helped Karen to create a Research Garden in her back yard. This project has been invaluable during a difficult year when Covid halted or limited other activities. We hope that this stunning garden will make a positive contribution to records for Manchester moving forward. It has certainly given us insight moving forward with our Bee Sanctuaries. Well done to Karen and Robin! _"It's been a wonderful project to share with Karen, coming up with crazy ideas and cunning plans and trying them out. The insights and experience I have gained through doing this are incredibly valuable and I echo Karen's comment that doing it was therapeutic during a difficult year…… Enjoying the results is good too!"_ Robin Before After ## **Park User Questionnaire opened on 06/07/2020 ongoing** Due to Covid restrictions “The Park User Survey” has been shared on Facebook, so it is somewhat limited in its scope. ## **1. How the Park is Used** - The online Park User survey reveals that Highfields Country Park is a well used local park, (used equally by Stockport and Manchester residents),with 60.5% of respondents saying that their frequency of visits has increased since lockdown. - 60% of respondents fall within the 30 - 49yrs age group, older 34%, and younger makes up just 6% (which may reflect a reluctance to fill in surveys!). - 15% of respondents asked the question “Do you consider yourself to have a disability” said yes. (The park is not fully accessible at the moment.) - Over 80% of respondents arrive by foot, and 12.6% by bicycle, which suggests that travel has a very low carbon footprint(just 4.6% arrive by car). - Over 50% of respondents come with their family, but a significant proportion, 39.3% come alone which suggests that Highfield Country Park feels a safe space for most people. - Although it feels like it is very much a dog walker's space, in fact less than a quarter of users are dog walkers. - Walking is the chief activity(97%), but cycling(29%), and running(27%) are also significant. Unwinding and watching Nature are the most frequently sited pastimes, with picnicking(23%), and meeting up with friends(38%) also popular. Significantly this survey has been carried out during lockdown. - 20% of respondents use the park for play activities with their children, only 7% admit to using the park for educational activities, which is interesting as home schooling has dominated this period. ## 2. **Improvements** - 94% of 191 respondents have noticed improvements to Highfield Country Park, of which 57% mention the Bee Sanctuary specifically. Absence of litter has been referred to across the park, which is due to the heroic efforts of dedicated litter pickers, as well as Bluebell Pond and Bee Sanctuary Volunteers. . - More people responded to the question about what improvements they would like to see(247), which gives useful information both to the Management Plan team for Highfield Local Nature reserve moving forward, and to the Parks planning team. Of note is that 47% of respondents asked for more of Highfield to be managed like the Bee Sanctuary. Over 60% of respondents want to see Highfield managed overall for more biodiversity. ## **3. Recommending the Bee Sanctuary to others** - 63% of (209) respondents have affirmed that they have told others about the Bee Sanctuary, and nearly 60% are most likely to recommend it. ## **The Bee Sanctuary Movement reg. charity 1187263 Receipts and Payments Account 08-01-2020 to 05-04-2021** ||**General Fund (£)**|**Restricted Funds (£)**|**Total (£)**|**Total from Last Year (£)**|**Total from Last Year (£)**| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |Receipts|||||| |Gifts|5,308|803|6,111|0|| |Other Grants|0|3,494|3,494|0|| |Council Grants|0|500|500|0|| |Other|0|104|104|0|| |Sales|50|0|50|0|| |**TOTAL RECEIPTS**|**5,358**|**4,901**|**10,258**|**0**|| ||||||| |Payments|||||| |Materials and Fixings|1,042|620|1,662|0|| |Tools|1,097|0|1,097|0|| |Seed|0|929|929|0|| |Internet Services|250|0|250|0|| |Insurance|190|0|190|0|| |Plant Hire|170|0|170|0|| |Misc. Volunteer Expenses|150|0|150|0|| |DBS Checks|98|0|98|0|| |Purchases for Sales|79|0|79|0|| |Room Hire|25|0|25|0|| |**TOTAL PAYMENTS**|**3,100**|**1,549**|**4,649**|**0**|| ||||||| |**NET RECEIPTS LESS PAYMENTS**|**2,258**|**3,351**|**5,609**|**0**|| ||||||| |Transfers Between Funds|||||| |NIF 2021/13552466IU|-14|14|0|0|| |NIF 2021/24738424IU|-27|27|0|0|| ||||||| |Cash Funds from Last Year End|0|0|0|0|| |**CASH FUNDS THIS YEAR END**|**2,217**|**3,392**|**5,609**|**0**|| ## **The Bee Sanctuary Movement reg. charity 1187263 Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 05-04-2021** |||||5/4/2021||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |||||(£)||| ||Monetary Assets|||||| ||Current Asset Investments|||0||| ||Cash at Bank and in Hand|||||| |||Current Account - HSBC||5,450||| |||Cash||159||| ||Total Cash at Bank and in Hand|||5,609||| ||**TOTAL MONETARY ASSETS**|||**5,609**||| |||||||| ||Represented by Funds|||||| ||Unrestricted Funds|||||| |||General Fund||2,217||| ||Restricted Funds|||||| |||We Love Mcr||1,876||| |||ARIS Project X0016||1,500||| |||Bee's Wildflower|fund|16||| ||**TOTAL FUNDS**|||**5,609**||| |||||||| ||Non-Monetary Assets and Liabilities|||||| ||Tools|||||| |||Large Ego Mower||499||| |||Chromebook||275||| |||Small Flymo Mower||175||| |||Multi-cutter Tool||75||| |||3 Mattocks||75||| |||Loppers||23||| ||Purchases|||||| |||Good Bee Book||6||| ||Seed and Bulbs|||||| |||Seed||120||| |||Bulbs||0||| ||**TOTAL NON-MONETARY ASSETS**|||**1,248**||| |||||||| ||Debtors|||0||| ||Creditors|||0||| ||**TOTAL NON-MONETARY ASSETS**|||**1,248**|||