Two Warwickshire cities deemed best in UK for bee conservation
A number of initiatives have run in the cities to help protect bees
Two cities in Warwickshire have been given prestigious awards recognising efforts to protect bees in the local area.
Royal Leamington Spa and Warwick Community Group - both of which located in Warwickshire - were recognised by the Bee Friendly Trust - for their initiatives to preserve the local population of bees.
The cities were two of several who were commended for gathering a variety of schemes to improve the environment for the animals, which are vital for the ecosystem and the production of food.
Both Royal Leamington Spa and Warwick were given the Bee Friendly Award, which acknowledges the construction of suitable habitats for the insects to thrive.
A variety of options had been explored among the winners, including days to raise awareness of bees' importance to the food chain, as well as bee-themed Christmas trees and self-pollination.
Other winners included community groups in Bedfordshire, West Sussex, Staffordshire and Oxfordshire.
In a post on their social media, Warwick Community Group said: "We've won! Warwick can now call itself a 'Bee Friendly Town' officially, having won the accolade from the Bee Friendly Trust.
"Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers who have helped with projects over the years and we look forward to many more."