We all know that Manchester and bees go hand in hand.
Bees have been an emblem for our city for over 150 years, so it’s fair to say that we’re quite-rightly proud of our links to this hard-working insect.
It all started in 1842 when, as part of a traditional Victorian branding exercise, the early city fathers had to decide on a coat of arms that would tell the world who Manchester was, so they settled upon including a globe with seven worker bees in to show how hard Mancunians worked, and then traded it across the seven seas.
The Manchester bee was born of industry, and the city’s people have fought to make this place thrive.
While there is said to be over 250 species of ‘solitary bee’ buzzing around in Britain, Manchester’s worker bee reflects the city as a hive of activity, and represents a sense of unity at times when it’s needed most.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mancunians are pretty fond of our bees, which is why when it was announced last month that the UK government had bowed to pressure from the National Farmers Union and agreed to authorise the use of the highly-damaging neonicotinoid thiamethoxam – also known as bee-killing pesticides – for the treatment of sugar beet seed in 2021, it got many up in arms.
Prior to this decision, bee-killing neonicotinoids had been banned across Europe since 2013.
ADVERTISEMENT
Environment Secretary George Eustice made the decision to authorise the use of the neonicotinoids in response to the potential danger posed from beet yellows virus, but this was despite a similar application being refused in 2018 by the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides due to “unacceptable environmental risks”.
In 2018, the UK government supported restrictions on the neonicotinoid pesticides across the European Union, due to the very clear harm that they were causing to bees and other wildlife, with the then-Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, promising that the government would maintain these restrictions, unless the scientific evidence changed.
But the evidence has not changed, and this has lead to many campaigners speaking up and taking action.
The Wildlife Trusts have spoken out against the approval, saying: “The devastating impact this group of pesticides is having on our wildlife has increased, and hardly a month goes by without yet more evidence of the wider ecological crisis”.
Joan Edwards – Director of Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts – also personally added that: “The Secretary of State’s decision to authorise the use of an environmentally devastating chemical to increase production of a crop with no nutritional value is madness… [and] the UK Government cannot claim to be a ‘world-leader’ on protecting and restoring nature, whilst supporting the use of these damaging pesticides.”
Academic and author, Professor Dave Goulson, has warned that one teaspoon of neonic is enough to kill 1.25 billion honeybees, which is equivalent to four lorryloads.
And Greenpeace UK has branded the decision as “posing a lethal threat to bee populations”.
The latter of the those parties has taken it once step further though – and this is where Mancunians can step in to help save the insects that mean so much to our city.
ADVERTISEMENT
The UK arm of global non-governmental environmental organisation Greenpeace – who’s aim is to “defend the natural world, and stand for a green and peaceful future” – has launched a petition to urge Environment Secretary George Eustice to reverse this decision.
The government has given the green light for bee-killing pesticides to be used in the UK.
George Eustice has the power to change all of this.
The petition description reads: “Bees are essential for our survival.
“They pollinate much of what we eat and play a critical role in sustaining ecosystems around the world, but the last decade has been devastating for insect populations, and bees have been hit hard – with populations shrinking by a third in the UK.
“Bee-killing neonicotinoids have been banned across Europe since 2013, but the UK government has just approved these deadly chemicals for emergency use, posing a lethal threat to bee populations.”
It continues: “George Eustice has the power to change all of this.”
ADVERTISEMENT
“As Environment Minister, he can show he’s on the side of nature by enforcing a total ban on bee-harming pesticides. He’s approved this emergency use of a deadly pesticide, but we need to remind him that we’re in the middle of a climate and nature emergency [so] if lots of people sign this petition, we can pile pressure on the government to quickly reverse its decision and keep bee-killing pesticides away from our environment”.
The organisation is fighting to “enforce a total ban on bee-killing pesticides”, and is therefore encouraging both Mancunians and people all across the UK to “get the Environment Minister to act fast” with their signatures.
Manchester’s libraries to become ‘warm spaces’ with free hot drinks and WiFi this winter
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s libraries are set to become ‘warm welcome spaces’ offering free hot drinks and internet access to those in need again this winter.
After millions of local residents visited the ‘stigma-free safe spaces’ to escape and take refuge from the cold each year since they were first introduced in 2022, Manchester City Council has decided to reintroduce its popular ‘Warm Welcome Spaces’ scheme again this year during the chillier months.
All 22 of Manchester‘s public libraries are, once again, taking part in the scheme this time around.
Designed to ‘provide support to people who need it’ over some of the most challenging months of the year when temperatures drop, the Council’s scheme is offering a range of different services – and they’re all for free of charge.
Free hot drinks, WiFi and internet access, data SIM cards, and newspapers are just some of the things people can make the most of inside these ‘warm spaces’, as well as get access to information, advice, and extra signposting to other support services they made need in the city.
Manchester’s libraries will become ‘warm spaces’ with free hot drinks and WiFi again this winter / Credit: Haydon Waldeck | koolshooters (Pexels)
There will be age-friendly spaces to connect with others, story times once a week at 11am for children under five, and even weekly digital drop-ins too.
Manchester Central Library, Miles Platting Community Library, Hulme High Street Library, Beswick Library, Longsight Library, and Abraham Moss Library are just some of the libraries taking part this winter.
All 22 libraries will be free to enter, and the Council says people can stay in them ‘for as long as you like’.
“For many years, the Council has been a proud supporter of the Warm Welcome Spaces initiative,” explained Councillor Thomas Robinson, who is the Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care at Manchester City Council.
“In Manchester we have been all too aware of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and the hardships people have suffered as a result.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say this work has the potential to be lifesaving. The simple act of offering a person a safe place where they can interact with other Mancunians, to not feel alone or get the help they need, can have a lasting and meaningful impact.”
Find your local free ‘Warm Welcome Space’ in Manchester here.
Featured Image – RawPixel
Trending
Jürgen Klopp reveals the main reason he turned down the Manchester United job
Danny Jones
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has revealed one of the main reasons he turned down the Manchester United job more than a decade ago.
The ex-Borussia Dortmund boss turned Merseyside hero spent nine years at Anfield, going on to win a Champions League, Premier League, and a collection of cups.
It’s also worth noting that this all came in the years following the departure of legendary Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, but there could have been an alternate reality where Klopp carried on where ‘Fergie’ left off, as the now 58-year-old says the club spoke to him during that time.
With Sir Alex leaving in 2013 after the best part of 30 years, Klopp told Steven Bartlett on his most recent Diary of A CEO episode that “of course, they were interested.”
OUT NOW!
💥Jürgen Klopp on The Diary Of A CEO
Some of the topics we cover:
•His surprise at Liverpool’s £450m transfer window and why he didn’t get the same money
•He says a return to Liverpool is possible – but he couldn’t ask for just one year off
Admitting that the interest was mutual “at one point”, the prospect of joining Liverpool‘s historic rivals clearly appealed to him.
Noting that he was flourishing as an up-and-coming coach (aged 46 back then) in charge of an impressive Dortmund team – adding that even some of his then future players to be at Liverpool flew to watch them play in the Champions League – it’s clear he had plenty of suitors.
However, the retired German footballer turned ‘Gegenpressing’ tactician goes on to explain that despite United trying to poach him from the Bundesliga, it was “the wrong time, wrong moment for me.”
Crucially, he says that some aspects of the conversations between him and the club at the time proved to be a turn-off rather than an incentive, citing talk of ‘the biggest club in the world’ and supposedly “signing any player we want.”
In short, Klopp says that, crucially, it didn’t sound like it would have been his project, drawing parallels to the board wanting to bring back players like Paul Pogba, with arguably similar ‘mistakes’ being made with the return of Cristiano Ronaldo. In his eyes, looking backwards simply “never helps”.
You can see the clip in full here:
Had he not turned down the offer, do you think Klopp could have helped rebuild Man United?
According to Klopp, after negotiations seemed to revolve primarily around the kind of players they were going to bring in, he decided the opportunity wasn’t for him.
Nevertheless, it looked like things worked out for Merseyside’s biggest club, at least, as he went on to become one of the most successful managers in the Premier League, managing to break up the long period of dominance overseen by both Manchester United and, most recently, Man City.
As for the red half of Manchester, they at the very least had a good weekend as they finally ended their long wait for a win away against Liverpool.
In case you missed it, you can watch the highlights – including another big clutch goal from Harry Maguire – down below.