When Wildlife Friendly Otley asked for help with their project to create wildlife corridors through the town, Wharfedale Men’s Shed was happy to roll up its sleeves. The brief was a bin store topped with a “green roof”, giving pollinator-friendly plants a home in one of the unlikeliest spots imaginable.
The Shed produced two designs, one for two bins and one for three. There are plenty of examples online, but our members couldn’t resist improving on them. The key change was height: each store is tall enough for the lids to open fully with the bins still in place, so nobody has to wrestle a wheelie bin out just to drop in a bag of rubbish. A small detail, but one you’ll appreciate on a wet Tuesday night.
The finished units are now installed and doing double duty, keeping the bins tidy below while feeding bees, butterflies and other pollinators above. Take a stroll along the back streets of Hamilton Terrace and Ramsey Terrace to see them for yourself.
It’s a great example of what community groups can achieve together, and proof that even a bin store can do its bit for nature. If your group has a project that could use a practical pair of hands, get in touch.