Hammersmith BID Seeks Backing for Town Centre Installation

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Launches fundraising drive to coincide with World Bee Day

The new interactive sculpture would be positioned on King Street

May 18, 2026

Hammersmith BID is marking World Bee Day this year by renewing its commitment to urban biodiversity and launching a community fundraising campaign to bring an interactive light-and-sound installation to the town centre.

The BID, whose “Place” programme aims to make Hammersmith a vibrant and welcoming destination, says it has spent the past eight years developing the area’s ecological resilience. One of its most visible successes has been the rooftop apiary above the Lyric Hammersmith. First installed in June 2018, the hives brought more than 180,000 Buckfast bees to the theatre roof, where they have been maintained ever since with the help of the BID’s beekeeper, Barnaby. The bees now produce the BID’s own Hammersmith honey.

World Bee Day, which falls on Wednesday 20 May, gives the BID an opportunity to highlight the importance of pollinators in the urban environment and to celebrate the fact that the hives continue to thrive in 2026. But this year the BID is going further, inviting residents, workers and visitors to help bring a new public installation to King Street.

The proposed artwork, In Bloom, is a plant-shaped sculpture that responds to touch with light and sound. Its illuminated “flowers” encourage people to interact, play and reflect on the role of pollination in sustaining ecosystems. The BID hopes the installation will act as a playful gateway to learning about biodiversity while adding a striking visual feature to the town centre.

Alongside the sculpture, the BID plans to run a bee-themed treasure trail around Hammersmith. Participants will be invited to search for hidden bees in shop windows and public spaces, unlocking answers to a biodiversity quiz as they go. Completed entries will be entered into a prize draw, with winners receiving pots of Hammersmith honey and gifts donated by local businesses.

To deliver the project, the BID is asking the community to support a fundraising appeal. Contributions of any size—from £1 to £100 or more—will help bring In Bloom to Hammersmith this summer. The BID says the installation will not only celebrate World Bee Day but also strengthen the town centre’s identity as a place that values creativity, sustainability and community participation.

Donations can be made online, and the BID will share further details about the treasure trail and installation dates once funding is secured.

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