Meet the Prestwich illustrator who is drawing Manchester bees to raise funds for victims of Arena attack

Myroslava Coates is going to be a busy bee on May 22 – the first anniversary of the Arena terror attack.

The Prestwich illustrator, also known as Myro, will be drawing bees on the doors and windows of Manchester businesses as a symbol of community spirit and solidarity, and to raise funds for the victims of Arena attack.

Myro’s original idea was to find 22 businesses willing to take part in the 22 Bees project. 22 bees to commemorate the terror attack on May 22 last year when 22 people died.

When she found those 22 businesses within an hour of launching the project, she decided to keep going.

So far, 139 businesses have signed up. And Myro wants even more to take part in return for a minimum donation £10 to the Emergency Fund.

She has enlisted two local illustrators, Jen and Amber, to help her. They’ll be busy drawing bees in Manchester city centre on May 22. And they’ll be doing exactly the same thing in the rest of Greater Manchester on the previous day.

Myro is an accomplished illustrator who specialises in bespoke drawings, wedding stationery, greetings cards and murals – all drawn freehand – for customers all over the world.

She started doing window illustrations at Village Greens in Prestwich around two-and-a-half years ago. Now they’re in demand and can be seen at places like Sugar Junction, Okey Pokey and Afflecks.

Myro reckons she and her two helpers can each draw 50 bees a day – a total of 300 bees. That means at least £3,000 for the Emergency Fund.

The bees will be drawn in chalk paint pen on glass. It’s a temporary paint which will last for months but can also be cleaned off if required.

And it’s not just local businesses who can take part. It’s open to schools, ambulances, buses, shops, hospitals and other institutions. All you need to take part is a window or glass door.

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