There are moments in life that catch you completely by surprise.

For me, it has been this summer.

Almost every day, I find myself stopping to watch a bee. Or smiling as a butterfly drifts across my path. They seem to be everywhere. Around flower beds, parks, gardens, roadside planting and even the smallest patches of greenery.

Perhaps they have always been there.

Or perhaps there really are more of them.

Either way, they fill me with an unexpected sense of joy.

Seven years ago, if someone had told me that I would become so excited by the sight of a bee, I would probably have laughed.

Yet here I am.

Back in 2019, I had a simple idea. Could we make our borough friendlier for pollinators? Could we connect our green spaces so bees and butterflies could move more easily through an urban environment?

That idea became the RBKC Bee Superhighway.

It officially launched in 2021, but ideas do not become reality overnight. They need people who believe in them. They need patience. They need care. Above all, they need others who are willing to make them better.

Looking around this summer, I cannot help wondering whether what I am seeing is part of that story.

Not because one project can solve everything.

Not because one person can claim the credit.

But because hundreds of small actions, taken consistently over several years, really can make a difference.

Nature teaches us that.

Nothing happens instantly.

A flower blooms in its own time.

A tree grows one ring at a time.

A seed disappears underground long before anyone sees the first green shoot.

Perhaps ideas are much the same.

Politics often encourages us to think in short cycles. We want quick results, immediate headlines and instant success.

Nature doesn’t work like that.

The Bee Superhighway has reminded me that some of the most worthwhile things take years before you can truly appreciate them.

This summer, I think I am beginning to see those years reflected in the buzzing of bees and the gentle flutter of butterflies.

Whether they are there because of the Bee Superhighway or whether I simply notice them more now almost doesn’t matter.

What matters is that our borough feels richer, greener and more alive.

That is something worth celebrating.

Besides my family, helping to bring the Bee Superhighway to life remains one of the things of which I am most proud.

As I grow older, I find myself thinking more about legacy. Life isn’t measured only by what we achieve. It is also measured by what we leave behind.

Not because it is mine.

But because it belongs to all of us.

Every flowering verge.

Every pollinator-friendly planter.

Every resident who chose flowers instead of paving.

Every council officer who helped turn an idea into reality.

Every child who now grows up thinking that bees belong in our borough.

Sometimes, in public life, you never get to see the results of the seeds you plant.

Sometimes…

If you’re very lucky…

You do.

And there is no better reward than watching life return.

Today is World Bee Day. So I decided to celebrate by buying a jar of local honey and remind everybody of the importance of bees and pollinators.

For me, it all began about 7/8 years ago, on a beautiful sunny day. I was in the countryside, sitting outside surrounded by and soaking in England’s natural beauty. It was perfect, bar one thing. For almost an hour in the garden not one butterfly appeared. Even though I am not in the countryside a lot, I recalled a setting such as this will have a couple of them flying around. I spent the rest of my stay actively looking for them while outside and from inside, yet nothing. That got me thinking.

When I got home, I did a little research on why we’re not seeing butterflies like we used to? It turned out not only butterflies, but all of our pollinators are at risk and suffering from rapid decline. Because their natural habitats are being destroyed either for urbanisation or due to climate damage. These creatures mostly exist and fertilise by resting, eating and flying from flower to flower.

The loss of biodiversity was creating longer gaps between trips thus making pollinator journeys longer. Not all bugs were able to survive it. That’s when the idea of a Superhighway of connecting corridors to allow pollinators a continued and safe travel came to me.

So why Bee?

Because, in my opinion bees are the royalty of bugs and pollinators. Plus ‘The Bee Superhighway’ is catchy and has a nice ring to it.

Four years later I was elected Councillor for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. That’s when I thought now I can really do something about it. I had the platform, an audience and the resources. All I needed was the setting. Which came about the flowing year when I became Deputy Mayor in May 2019. I am very proud to say, with the backing of the then Mayor Cllr Will Pascal, I hosted an event that launched The Bee Superhighway putting it firmly on the borough’s map.

Yes, it was my idea, my vision and dream, but so many people are behind it’s success and existence. I, and the pollinators are very grateful for all of them. I am not going to mention names, because I will undoubtedly miss someone, but you all know who you are.

Today, on this World Bee Day, I and the Bees thank, appreciate and celebrate you all!

Happy World Bee Day!