St Werburghs City Farm is an inner-city community hub, situated 1.5 miles from Bristol city-centre. The Farm consists of more than 18 acres of green space including a 2-acre small holding, a 1-acre community garden, a 2.5-acre conservation site and 13 acres of community allotments. By understanding the importance that green space has for health and wellbeing, their work is based on strengthening the connections between land, animals, and people.
For St Werburghs City Farm, the Community Pollinator Fund was a huge opportunity to do something impactful for nature on their urban farm and engage and empower their 3,500 service users and 40,000+ visitors per year in how everyone can make space for biodiversity.
The 'Bug City' project was a community-led initiative aimed at creating a pollinator corridor that links Mina Road tunnel with Ashley Vale Allotments. The corridor, which includes several locations such as the Farm’s Propagation Place garden and the Old Bee Garden, was designed to enhance the local habitat for pollinators, encourage community involvement, and educate the public about biodiversity.
The project transformed various spaces into pollinator-friendly habitats. A disused area was converted into a wildflower meadow, and the fence line was planted with flowering climbers to create a "living wall" for pollinators. An existing pond area was revitalized with damp-loving, pollinator-friendly plants, while the Green Kitchen area was revived with large planters and flowering herbs. The Old Bee Garden was also renovated with wildflowers, trees, and new picnic benches, providing a peaceful space for visitors.
An exciting feature of the project was the installation of interactive and engaging signs for children. These signs, designed around the theme of a ‘bug city,’ provided fun and educational information about the native pollinators and the different habitats they need. Key areas, such as the bug houses (meadow and bug boxes), bug highways (climbing walls), and bug restaurants (green kitchen), were highlighted to make learning about pollinators accessible and engaging.
Key outcomes of the project included:
Volunteers played a central role in the project, helping to plant wildflower meadows, construct bug boxes, and build the Green Kitchen planters. Many of these volunteers came from the Farm’s Volunteering & Wellbeing programme, which supports individuals facing mental health challenges or long-term unemployment. The project also involved adults with learning disabilities and young people from underrepresented communities through apprenticeships, further promoting inclusivity and engagement in conservation work.
Throughout the year, significant progress was made, including the relocation of the pond to a sunnier, more accessible location. This new pond, larger and lined for better plant growth, has become a thriving hub for insects, with sightings of damselflies, dragonflies, and bumblebees. The ‘minibeast highway,’ a series of hazel tunnels and a child-friendly assault course, was also planted with climbers and pollinator-friendly herbs.
The project was marked by a successful public opening event in August, which included family activities such as bug hunting and crafts. Volunteers, youth groups, and supported adults continued to maintain the project, removing invasive plant species and adding new plants, including additional wildflowers and herbs, to ensure the corridor remains a sustainable habitat for pollinators.