An Essex primary school has turned recycling into an art form by transforming old horse feed bags into a striking celebration of nature.
Pupils at St Leonard’s Church of England Primary School in Southminster — the local school to feed manufacturer Dengie — created a vibrant collage of pollinators using discarded Dengie feed bags.
The artwork supports Essex Wildlife Trust’s Nature Neighbours campaign, which encourages people to make gardens and green spaces more welcoming to wildlife.
The collage, called ‘Bursting with bees, butterflies and other invaluable pollinators,’ will be displayed on Dengie’s tradestand at upcoming events, including Burghley and Blenheim Horse Trials, and Your Horse Live.
‘We can all make a difference to wildlife’
“This wonderful artwork is exactly how we want our own green spaces to look,” explained Gemma Cosson, campaigns officer at Essex Wildlife Trust.
“We can all make a difference to wildlife, no matter the size of your garden — and that’s exactly what our Nature Neighbours campaign encourages.”
The campaign urges people to invite wildlife, from pollinators to toads and hedgehogs, into their gardens by following simple DIY guides and plotting their actions on virtual maps.
Alfalfa ‘rich in nectar’
Dengie is backing the initiative, noting that stable yards, gardens and even the smallest outdoor spaces can play a role in supporting pollinators such as bees, butterflies, beetles and ants, which are vital to both wildflowers and food crops.
The company warns that unusually wet weather over the past year has hit pollinator numbers hard.
Its own alfalfa crops, grown for horse feed, are rich in nectar for pollinators like the Lattice Heath Moth in spring and summer, and provide valuable winter ground cover for birds and insects.
Globally, alfalfa is recognised as a haven for biodiversity, with more than 1,000 insect species recorded in such fields.
