THERE'S a buzz around town.

Keighley Town Council has received a coveted accolade in recognition of its pollinator project.

The organisation has been presented with a Bees' Needs Champion Award by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Honours are awarded in recognition of "exceptional" initiatives undertaken by local authorities, community groups, farmers and businesses, to support pollinators.

The town council venture – which was funded by its events and community development committee – saw it work with primary school children in the Keighley area to help raise awareness and educate young people about the importance of pollinators and their conservation, and planting took place.

Sessions held with Oldfield and St Joseph’s primary schools included a talk by a representative of Airedale Beekeepers Association, and practical activities such as making mini planters with social enterprise the Responsible Timber Co.

Planters and sensory plants were provided at St Joseph’s, and the project – in partnership with Trees For Cities – supported locally-based co-operative Fruit Works to plant apple, pear and plum trees and a ‘jam hedge’.

Future work planned includes hop planting, pruning workshops for parents and autumn fruit juicing sessions.

In addition to the work at school sites, the town council took over the management of new planting areas in the town centre and offered sessions to primary pupils.

Ventures included the provision of five raised tree planters along the pedestrianised Low Street, and three lower-level brick planters around the nearby car park.

Schools were invited to take part in the sessions, with town council team members and gardener Steve Thorpe.

Trees, evergreen shrubs, perennials and bee-friendly bulbs were planted.

A town council spokesperson says: "The trees planted were Callery pear and the lower planting included a mix of bee-friendly evergreen shrubs such as lavender and rosemary, interspersed with flowering perennials like sea thrift, yarrow and Jerusalem sage – plus a mix of seasonal bulbs."

Councillor Andrea Walker, the town council’s climate change champion, says: "Since declaring Keighley Town Council ‘bee friendly’ we have worked on numerous programmes to support pollinators and increase diverse pollinator-friendly planting spaces across Keighley, with a long-lasting impact.

"The pollinator project, a fantastic community development initiative, has done just that but also combined the environmental element with an educational one.

"We are delighted to have been recognised as Bees’ Needs champions and want to thank all those involved in making the project a success."