A SOLIHULL housebuilder has teamed up with West Midlands Safari Park to construct a brand-new wildlife habitat within the grounds.
David Wilson Homes Mercia has built a ‘bug hotel’ for the safari park in Bewdley, which has been designed to provide habitats for native insects and creatures including bees, butterflies, hedgehogs and many more.
The six-foot structure, created by the housebuilder’s in-house design team and built by members of its customer care team, comprises logs, hay, fir cones, twigs and branches, untreated natural pine timber and bricks, alongside a designated home for hedgehogs at ground level.
All materials were collected on site from its development at The Pearls, as well as local parks and public areas.
What’s more, the housebuilder called upon the help of Lickhill Primary School, part of Central Region Schools Trust, based close to The Pearls in Stourport-on-Severn.
The school was tasked with creating a logo and naming the bug hotel, as well as painting a range of stones to decorate the habitat with wildlife-themed designs that now take pride of place alongside the structure.
Reuben, Year 6 at Lickhill Primary School, was named the winner of the naming competition for his inventive suggestion, ‘Air Bee and Bee’. His name and logo design are now displayed alongside the habitat and David Wilson Homes has sponsored a white rhino in his name as his prize.
Kelly Rodriguez, vice principal at Lickhill Primary School said: “Members of our School Council promoted the competition to the whole school and encouraged participation. We are very proud of all the entries we received.
“Working collaboratively with David Wilson Homes fulfils and promotes the Central Region Schools Trust’s core value of ‘Community’.
“It was a great opportunity for pupils to engage with a local partner, showcase their creativity and strengthen links within the community.”
Helen Lewis, managing director at David Wilson Homes Mercia, said: “We have thoroughly enjoyed working with West Midlands Safari Park and Lickhill Primary School to bring this bug hotel to life and enhance biodiversity for our native wildlife.
“Our thanks go to our site and customer care teams for building the impressive structure, alongside everyone at West Midlands Safari Park for their assistance during the project.
“A special shoutout goes to Reuben and his fellow pupils at Lickhill Primary School for their fantastic creations!”
Dave Powner, Head of Creative at West Midlands Safari Park, said: “We’re delighted to have worked alongside David Wilson Homes Mercia to create the ‘Air Bee and Bee’ bug hotel, which provides a welcoming habitat for some of the smallest, but most important, native wildlife that live at West Midlands Safari Park.
“Projects like this are a fantastic way to encourage people to think about how they can support nature in their own outdoor spaces, while also creating a valuable refuge for pollinators and other animals.
“We hope the Air Bee and Bee will inspire visitors and local communities to give nature a helping hand and help these vital species thrive.”
