New sculpture trail has Walsall park a buzz

West Midlands-based artist, Daisy Askins, was commissioned by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to create the sculpture trail as part of their ‘Bee Inspired Walsall’ project, funded by The National Heritage Lottery Fund, celebrating the beauty of nature and the indispensable role of bumblebees in our ecosystem.

Under the auspices of Bee Inspired, Askins embarked on a residency at The New Art Gallery Walsall from July to September 2023. During this immersive period, residents and visitors witnessed the transformation of natural materials into captivating bumblebee sculptures.

The new sculpture trail, demonstrating the council’s dedication to conservation and community engagement, will serve as a focal point within Reedswood Park. The installation aims to represent the harmonious coexistence of art and nature, encouraging visitors to explore and reconnect with their surroundings.

The Bee Inspired project supports local volunteers to take action for bumblebees, as well as leaving a lasting imprint on urban habitats, ensuring a brighter future for bumblebees and the communities they inhabit.

Gurinder Atwal, Outreach and Volunteering Manager at the Trust said “The aim is to spark an interest in the importance of bumblebees and inspire conversations about our wild friends, the bumblebees. Thanks to the players of the National Lottery, this installation will provide a real talking point and encourage communities to champion the UK’s bumblebees by using the QR codes accompanying the artwork to find out more information on the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website.

This milestone wouldn’t be attainable without the unwavering support of Richard McVittie and his team for their assistance in the installation, Daisy Askins for her brilliant artwork, and the invaluable guidance from Zoë Lippett from The New Art Gallery Walsall.

Find out more about our Bee Inspired project.

For more information on Reedswood Park, such as directions, residents can visit the dedicated council webpage.

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund

As the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in the strategic plan, Heritage 2033.

Over the next ten years, the Heritage Fund aims to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring about benefits for people, places and the natural environment.

The Heritage Fund helps protect, transform and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are.

The Heritage Fund is passionate about heritage and committed to driving innovation and collaboration to make a positive difference to people’s lives today, while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy.

Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund www.heritagefund.org.uk.