Leading real estate advisor, GVA, has installed bee hives on three of its managed schemes in Manchester and Salford, building on its 2017 bee initiative, which saw the introduction of two hives to Ship Canal House on King Street.
As part of the initiative, hives have now been fitted on the roofs of Piccadilly Place, Piccadilly Gate and The Soapworks. With two hives containing around 40,000 bees placed on each building, it brings the total number of GVA bees in the city to around 320,000.
GVA’s hive initiative was introduced last year in response to declining bee numbers in Britain and was designed to protect the species and create new habitats.
The honey produced from the bees will be sold to the occupiers in each of the buildings, and all money raised will be donated to The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.
A trained beekeeper will visit each hive once a month, to ensure the welfare of the bees and answer any queries that occupiers might have.
Matthew Mears at GVA said: “With the ‘Bee in the City’ project currently creating a buzz throughout the city and the colourful bees getting the attention of visitors and locals alike, it’s a great opportunity to highlight the importance of the bee and its declining population.
“The bee has become a powerful symbol of Manchester’s community spirit, and our hive initiative is an extension of this, bringing the buildings’ tenants together, through events and charity fundraising.”
