Staindrop Rainbows' blooms show they are the bees' knees

TWELVE Rainbow Guides from Staindrop have planted an array of blooms at the entrance to the village Methodist church to create a flower rich environment for bumblebees. 
The group of five and six-year-olds attended two workshops delivered by the North Pennines AONB Partnership to gain their Bumblebee Champion awards. Launched in 2013 by AONB partnership, the Nectarworks project has worked to enthuse, educate and enable communities to take action for bumblebees and other pollinators by restoring and increasing flower-rich habitats across the North Pennines.
Led by Mandy Oliver, the AONB partnership’s community officer, the girls enjoyed two informative evenings learning about the importance of the bumblebee and the need to protect wild flower habitats. 
In addition to planting a large array of flowers, including lungwort, ice plant, catmint, hardy geraniums, hellebores and perennial wallflowers, the girls enjoyed songs, games and crafts.
Unit leader Judy Freeman said: “The North Pennines AONB Partnership have been very generous supplying such a large amount of plants.  As they have been selected to flower at different times of the year the girls will be able to see the results of their hard work and hopefully lots of bumblebees for many months to come.”
Ms Oliver added: “Wildflowers and bumblebees are of immense importance to us all as they are intimately bound to the production of our own food.
“We have focussed on places that are rich in wild flowers within the farmed environment and have worked with local people to create new school and community nectar gardens.”
The Rainbows meet at the Methodist church in Staindrop every Monday night at 6.15pm.