One of my favourite projects yet, the Hollywood-style bug house we've been working really hard on is now sitting in the centre of Farnham. It looks incredible!
Why did we do this?
The UK is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries. Sadly, we've lost 97% of our wildflower meadows since the 1930s, and over 60% of our flying insects since just 2004.
These dire facts made us at Green Up Britain want to do something urgently to help. We wanted to create something highly visible that would draw attention to this pressing issue and engage the local community. We know that without biological diversity (biodiversity) we’ll experience more frequent climate disasters, so it’s important to do all we can to protect it.
That's why, with the help of Farnham Town Council, our sponsors, and Men In Sheds, we've created an iconic FARNHAM bug house installation. This unique piece of art will offer a safe space for declining insects and wildflowers to flourish, and is a great practical example of how small-scale projects can help reverse our biodiversity crisis.
Each metre-tall letter is made from recycled plastic refuse and sits 80cm from the ground so as not to be obscured by the flowers we'll plant around it. There are several types of bug habitat material in each letter - hollow bamboo sticks for solitary bees, locally sourced pinecones and wood for spiders and beetles, plus wooden-fronted boxes for butterflies and lacewings. We’re really proud of our bug house, and believe it’s not only a sign of our combined efforts to protect nature, but a great example and constant reminder to all who see it. We can't wait to see how many creatures make it their home over the next few months and years.
Great publicity to promote the cause
Thanks to the local paper (Farnham Herald), local news programme (BBC South Today), the BBC website, BBC Radio Surrey and social media, a lot of people have seen or heard about our bug house installation, which has helped draw attention to the plight of declining insects.
Huge thank you to Farnham Town Council too, who combined the unveiling of the bug house with their Community Day event in Gostrey Meadow. Many local community groups, like us (see here), held free crafting stalls for the public, while the council organised community activities like litter-picking and gardening. Even though the weather was terrible, with hailstones and gale-force wind most of the day, the turn out was fantastic.
It was really lovely to be able to chat to the local community about what the bug house stands for, and to get lots of positive feedback. Hopefully we've inspired others to put a bug house or two in their own garden, and have highlighted the desperate need for bugs to be protected.
In the next few days we'll be planting wildflowers around the letters to encourage bugs to make it their home. It's going to look stunning surrounded by colourful blooms.
Hopefully this iconic installation will be enjoyed by all (people and bugs) for many years to come. Huge thank you to Farnham Town Council for supporting us and enabling this project to go ahead, Men In Sheds for crafting the letters, and our sponsors: Farnham Town Youth Football Club, St Andrew’s Parish Church, Farnham Rugby Club, St Polycarp’s Catholic
Primary School, Haskins Forest Lodge Garden Centre, All Saints C of E
Infant School in Tilford, and Tindle Newspapers Ltd.
You can help us Green Up Britain via -
Donation - every penny helps restore nature around the UK
Volunteering - join our growing list of helpers
Sponsorship - we'll plant trees on behalf of your company