Over the summer, the streets and parks of Chelmsford have been transformed into an outdoor gallery by colourful giant and smaller mini bee sculptures on the Buzz in the City art trail.
Thousands of people have admired them – they have been turning heads and raising smiles across the city from 5 July. After the trail closes on 9 September, there will be a final chance to see them all together at a family-friendly Farewell Event in Broomfield, Chelmsford on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September.
Buzzing about the Bees – Joseph Orrin & Riley Fosker.
Enjoying the Art Trail – Harry and Jack Williams
Each giant bee has been individually designed and decorated by a talented artist to raise money for Farleigh Hospice. The charity provides compassionate hospice care to adults with a life-limiting illness and their families across mid Essex and also offers information and support to bereaved children and adults. It makes no charge for any of these much-needed services.
Farleigh has been working with Chelmsford For You – the City’s Business Improvement District – to organise Buzz in the City, with the support of Chelmsford City Council. The art trail’s headline sponsors are Fisher Jones Greenwood Solicitors and Teledyne e2v.
Jennifer Flint decorating the mini bee for the art trail prize draw
Chelmsford artist Jennifer Flint, from Artists at the Meadows, has two sculptures on the trail – ‘Busy Bee’ at Chelmsford College and ‘I Love Bs’ outside the offices of Benefit Cosmetics in New Street. She has also created a unique mini bee which can be won in the Buzz in the City prize draw.
Jennifer said, “I wanted to take part because I loved the idea of bringing a bold, colourful trail to our home city and bringing art into people’s everyday lives. Buzz in the City has encouraged people to get active, explore different parts of the city, and connect with art in a really accessible way, whilst also raising valuable funds for Farleigh.”
On Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September, all of the giant and mini bees will be on display together in the gardens of Farleigh Hospice in Broomfield, Chelmsford, before the giant bees are sold at auction.
This is the last opportunity to see the bees for a final, joyful farewell and to collect any missing codes on the Buzz in the City mobile app to enter competitions and claim rewards. The Chelmsford Beekeepers will be there to talk about real bees and there will be bee products to buy, plus a refreshment stall. You can also buy prize draw tickets to win Jennifer Flint’s colourful mini bee.
Jennifer added, “I think it’s going to be magical to see the entire swarm together, a real celebration of creativity and community spirit. It’s a unique opportunity for people to admire every sculpture side by side before they’re auctioned off, and I hope it inspires even more people to get involved and bid for their favourites.”
Entry to the Farewell Event costs £2.50 per person (free for under 5s) with free parking at the hospice. It is by timed ticket only which can be purchased at www.buzzinthecity.co.uk/farewell .
The giant bees will be sold at auction to raise money for Farleigh Hospice on 17 September at 7pm at the Channels Estate in Chelmsford. The auction will be hosted by popular auctioneer and television antiques expert, James Lewis of Bamfords Auctioneers.
Anyone interested in going to the auction to buy one of these exclusive works of art should go to www.buzzinthecity.co.uk/auction
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Featured Image:‘I Love Bs’ giant bee sculpture by Jennifer Flint
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About Farleigh Hospice
Farleigh Hospice provides specialist palliative and end of life care to adults with a life-limiting illness and their families and carers, across mid Essex, including in Maldon and the Dengie peninsula, Braintree, Chelmsford, Halstead and Witham.
This care includes nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, counselling and family support, both in their homes and in its Inpatient Unit at its hospice in Broomfield, Chelmsford.
Farleigh cares for adults living with any life-limiting illness including cancer, heart disease and chronic pulmonary disease, multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease.
Farleigh also offers information and support to bereaved children and adults.
It makes no charge for any of these much-needed services.
In the 2024/25 financial year, Farleigh Hospice:
- received 23,360 calls to its Clinical Advice Line
- cared for 1,944 patients in the community
- cared for 256 patients in its Inpatient Unit at its hospice in Broomfield, Chelmsford
- provided specialist counselling to 454 adults and 197 young people
- received 850 referrals to its bereavement services.
It costs over £21,270 every day for Farleigh Hospice to provide its services.
Farleigh Hospice is a charity and relies on the kind support of the local community to help fund its care through appeal donations, gifts in wills and money raised from fundraising activities.
About Teledyne e2v
Teledyne e2v is a trailblazer in advanced technology with a deep-rooted history in Chelmsford. They are the largest private employer in Chelmsford with over 800 employees based at their 24-acre facility. Since the 1940s, they have been designing and manufacturing a range of world-leading radio frequency (RF) power and microwave products at their city centre location, where they first built radar equipment during World War II.
Their RF product portfolio and the diversity of applications has grown steadily since, particularly in the healthcare market, where they are now proud to supply crucial components to 90% of the world’s radiotherapy systems.
Their Space Imaging CCD (Charge Coupled Device) and CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) devices have spent nearly 3,000 years in space, having been developed by their teams of specialist scientists and engineers in Chelmsford for organisations such as the European Space Agency (ESA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
About Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP:
Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP, a member of Lawfront since 2021, is a prominent law firm offering a comprehensive range of legal services to corporate, public and private clients from its offices in Essex, Suffolk and central London.
With the added strength and resources of the central team at Lawfront, and an unwavering commitment to providing legal advice and representation with a conscience, Fisher Jones Greenwood LLP delivers exceptional support with integrity and care.
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