HEART of Worcestershire College (HoW) has scooped an award from a Government department for its efforts in enhancing wildlife on its campuses.
HoW College was recognised in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) Bees’ Needs Champions Awards 2025 – a scheme celebrating organisations for supporting pollinators, particularly bees.
The college group, with campuses in Bromsgrove, Redditch, Worcester and Malvern, was praised for its enhancements of pollinator friendly-habitats and biodiversity efforts.
HoW College stood out for its commitment to rewilding campuses and engaging students and the wider community in sustainability and emphasising the importance of these projects.
In 2023/24, HoW College’s Eco Group, committed to making all campuses ‘safe and nurturing places for wildlife’.
Key projects which have helped the college earn an award include planting 10 fruit trees on each campus with the aim of establishing full orchards by 2026, creating and annually resowing wildflower areas, planting a 600 tree tiny forest at the Bromsgrove campus, stopping the use of pesticides, establishing bug houses, hedgehog feeding stations and wildlife corridors and launching events, volunteer maintenance activities, and educational outreach including sessions with local nursery schools.
Peter Robinson, vice principal at HoW College, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be recognised.
“This award celebrates the collective dedication of our staff and students who believe in creating learning environments that are not only enriching for people, but for wildlife too.
“By turning our campuses into thriving ecosystems, we’re not only supporting pollinators – we’re also educating the next generation about the importance of sustainable living and shared responsibility for the natural world.”
HoW College has already achieved a Silver Award in the Hedgehog Friendly Campus Scheme and was awarded League Winner in the Planet Earth Games.
Each campus is also listed as a Natural Network in the National Education Nature Park scheme.
