Page 5 - Leighton News November 2018

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WI’S TREES & BEES DAY IN LEIGHTON
Thanks to a grant from the National Heritage Fund,
Powys Montgomery Federation of WIs recently staged a
Trees and Bees Day based at Leighton Village Hall free
for all WI members. The day started with a fascinating
walk round the Royal Forestry Society’s collection of
ancient trees.
RFS Warden David Williams, who led the walk,
described how the original 33 coastal redwoods were
transported from California and planted in Leighton in
the 1850s, with a covenant that said they should never
be felled. Mr Williams also told the story of the birth of are essential to pollinate many plants. Already major
the Leyland Cypress, which happened in Leighton
Forest when two different cypresses unexpectedly
hybridised. Although dismissed as forest trees, the
Leyland Cypress proved an instant best seller.
Most of the 70 people who attended the Trees and
Bees Day walked up to the RFS reserve and back again,
making them more than ready for the generous lunch
provided by the WI Federation Board of Trustees and
the Public Affairs Sub-Committee. Jane Walton created
beautiful table and foyer arrangements and her
grandchildren made delightful woolly pom-pom bees to
decorate the hall. After lunch Heather Fairgreaves and
daughter Siobhan, members of the Montgomeryshire
Bee Keepers Association, talked about their bees and
hives. Everyone was given a slip outlining one of the
many roles bees have in the hive, with only one slip
describing the work of the queen. By good fortune (or
could it have been sleight of hand?) this slip found its
way to the WI’s own Queen Bee, Jean Hurrell,
Chairman of the Powys Montgomery Federation of WIs,
who was awarded a jar of Hendidley Honey by the
‘Fairgreaves. A leaf and tree quiz with a cup of tea and
cake finished off a day much enjoyed by all.
Sarah Hayes, Powys Montgomery
Federation of WIs Public Affairs Sub-Committee
The trek out of the woods
The Women’s Institute is campaigning
for more wild flowers to be planted
on derelict land, roadside verges and
other public spaces to save honey bees. It is
a response to the fact that the number of bumblebees in
the UK has declined by around 70% since the 1970s and
honey bees by up to 15% in the last two years. The sudden
decline in bees has been blamed on intensive farming
techniques, climate change and a mysterious condition
known as colony collapse disorder. It could cause serious
problems for agriculture and food production since bees
organisations have called for research into the problem
and the Government has invested £10 million to tackle the
decline in bees and other pollinator insects like butterflies.
First arrivals back at Leighton Village Hall
ANOTHER BEQUEST
A Swarm of Bees* is a novel by Allan Smith, a
previous editor of the Leighton News. Based on
Allan’s researches, it’s the story of five generations of
his Lancashire family. The title come from the first
story in the 17th century where a ‘swarm of bees’ is recorded
as a legacy in someone’s will. The bee motif carries through
the next generations’ stories. Clearly the importance and
value of healthy bees has been recognised for 100s of years.
*available as a Kindle download from Amazon