ARTISTS from Bolton and across Greater Manchester are being invited to paint bees on rocks to create a tribute on the anniversary of the Manchester Arena terror attack.

People can paint their own bee designs on pebbles along with the hashtag ‘#LoveMCRBees’ and leave them in the city centre as part of a memorial.

Rock painting groups from across the county including from Bolton, Bury and Salford, have come together to organise project.

The project was initially set up by Nikki Lunn, aged 28 of Stockport, who wanted to find a way to commemorate the anniversary of the attack on the 22 May.

The mum said: “The bombing last year affected me a lot. Not only because it’s so close to home, but also because the Arena is attached to Victoria Station, which I use regularly to go to work.

“I’d been thinking for a while how I could do something to pay tribute to all the people who died, were injured and or were affected emotionally in the attack.”

Miss Lunn came up with the idea for the #LoveMCRBees project following a surge in the rock painting trend in Manchester.

Pebbleart Rocks of Bolton and Bury, which has over 2200 members, decided to get involved.

Jenny Kilgariff, aged 34 of Bolton, admin of the Pebbleart Rocks Facebook group, said: “A number of our members asked us to organise an event last month to mark the anniversary.

“We began to plan a bee line to place in the city centre on the date of the anniversary, we then found Nikki who was organising her own event, so we decided to come together and combine.”

The group will also be handing out envelopes full of wildflower seeds at the event. These can be scattered in gardens to promote the bee population and as a tribute to the anniversary.

The main memorial will be made up of 22 rocks placed on a wall outside the arena, to reflect the date of the attack as well as the number of people who lost their lives.

Rocks can also be placed outside Manchester Town Hall or in St Ann’s Square, which became a place of reflection following the terror attack.

People can then take the rocks home as a remembrance gift.

To get involved with the #LoveMCRBees event, painted rocks can be posted directly to Miss Lunn’s home, or posted or dropped off to a collection point.

These are 77 Green Lane, Heaton Moor, Stockport, SK4 3LH, The Bank Restaurant and Grill, Market Place, Bolton, BL1 2AL, Slattery’s Chocolatier, 197 Bury New Rd, Whitefield, Manchester M45 6GE or Swinton Pet Supplies, Kiosk 6, The Parade, Swinton Square, M27 4BH.

All rocks need to be sent by the 19th May.

IMAGES:

All bee-painted rock pics courtesy of Nikki Lunn