BUSY young Cumbrians have decorated a wall with floral colour to support a bee conservation project.

Youth charity Young Cumbria brought eight students together to transform the wall on a football pitch in Salterbeck, Workington.

The mural is to celebrate ‘Get Cumbria Buzzing’ a campaign from Cumbria Wildlife Trust to boost the declining numbers of thriving insects across north and west Cumbria.

Ian Alcock, Young Cumbria project worker, said: “We’re supporting Get Cumbria Buzzing as we wanted to raise environmental issues with the young people in our charity.

“Last year they created a mural about pollinators at the Florence mine in Egremont which they really enjoyed, and they followed it with this mural in Salterbeck.

“It took them about eight hours to complete and they’re keen to do more around Workington.”

Tanya St Pierre, project manager for Get Cumbria Buzzing, said: “This is a fantastic mural – a huge thanks to Young Cumbria who have done an amazing job creating this street art in Salterbeck, south Workington.

“It looks good and is a great way to raise awareness of our project which is all about helping bees and other pollinators in north and west Cumbria.”

The changing room building is owned by Impact Housing, and Sarah Boyle, of the association, added: “We’d like to thank all of the young people for their hard work and dedication that they have put into the fabulous mural.”

Get Cumbria Buzzing is a three year campaign to support the growth of insect populations in school grounds and green spaces. Cumbrian Local Nature Partnership and Cumbria Wildlife Trust are working with Allerdale and Copeland Councils as well as the National Trust, Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre and Florence Arts Centre.

Tanya said: “Pollinating insects are in trouble. More than half of UK bee, butterfly and moth species have declined in the past 50 years, and 30 species of bee face extinction.

“Youth groups, schools and communities from Workington and Whitehaven up to the Solway Coast have got on board and are busy planting flowers to help these precious pollinators. Huge thanks to everyone involved.”

Another Get Cumbria Buzzing project is set to take place in Workington, orchestrated by Allerdale Council.

The council will soon begin work on a site next to Salterbeck Pond, creating flower-rich grassland in an attempt to encourage pollinating insects.