Llanafan WI create a happy home for bees, and people

Congratulations to Llanafan WI, who have been highlighted as a great Bee Friendly initiative by the Wales Biodiversity Partnership.

Llanafan WI is one of the few properties in the UK to be owned and managed by a local branch of the WI. Its meeting room and garden was donated by the Countess of Lisburne in 1918 and ownership of the property was transferred to them in the 1950s. In 2023, WI members thought they could make better use of the garden as some areas had become inaccessible and overgrown with invasive species such as cherry laurel. They knew they had something special that already supported wildlife but wanted to develop it into a more wildlife friendly community garden. They also liked the idea that it would give their members a focus to carry out positive action for the environment while working together and with other people in the community.

Their initial garden plan formed the basis of their application for Welsh Government, Local Places for Nature funding, delivered by Keep Wales Tidy. During a site visit with Keep Wales Tidy and a member of the West Wales Wildlife Trust, further ideas were sparked. They were delighted to receive materials including sleepers, wildflower turf and habitat boxes to help them start the transformation of the garden. To carry out the work on the garden, WI members sought help from Aberystwyth Conservation Volunteers. This arrangement has worked brilliantly. Members of the WI team have worked alongside volunteers on getting on with complex jobs such as putting in steps.

WI members carry out Flower Insect Timed Counts (FIT Counts) which provide data to the UK national Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS). PoMS helps us understand how pollinator populations are changing. And now Llanafan WI wish to encourage more children to use the garden and learn how to identify insects and birds.

Although a lot of work has been done in the garden, members plan to keep scrub areas with bramble as they know these are beneficial for wildlife. There is quiet contentment in having a place which the community can share with each other while listening to the gentle burble of the neighbouring stream and enjoying the beauty of the garden they have created. The Llanafan Women’s Institute received the Green Flag Community Award and Bee Friendly status in July 2025.

What a wonderful inspirational story of working together to create something calming, beautiful, and kind of the natural environment – that can be enjoyed by all. Well done Llanafan WI!