Belfast Schools Buzzing With Pollinator Initiative

Environment Minister Edwin Poots has visited a number of schools in Belfast that have benefited from his departments Schools Pollinator initiative.

Launched in spring 2022, the School Pollinator Garden scheme is delivered on the ground by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and offers grants of between £3,000 and £12,000 to successful applicants. The £2.4million scheme is specifically for schools to improve the health of our bees and pollinators and help protect our eco-systems.

Minister Poots said: "Today yet again we see the Schools Pollinator scheme bear fruit with our young people applying their environmental dedication to help improve the future environment at their schools. To date 302 schools have received offers from the Schools Pollinator schemes. Earlier in the year I saw early on the high levels of demand in the scheme and its potential so I increased the budget from £1.9-£2.4million so more schools and school children could benefit for years to come.

"I saw first-hand the benefits in action today at Fleming Fulton, Arellian Nursery and Wellington College which illustrates how a range of age-groups of school children from tots to teens are enjoying an enhanced education environment thanks to new pollinator garden facilities under the scheme at their schools."

He added: "I was struck by The level and dedication of the pupils' pollinator garden plans at Wellington and how the school has been able to integrate the scheme with many aspects of the curriculum. The students have designed their own pollinator school garden which will create a new bio-diverse outdoor green area for students to eat, break and lunch. Pollinator gardens are a fantastic asset to our schools and community alike and I've no doubt our young pollinator champions will make great use of them."