The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Bee Campaign Gets Buzzing

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust is asking people to help them plant one million wildflowers throughout the county to help provide food for bees.

It’s all part of an exciting new campaign called Feel the Buzz designed to help everyone understand the plight of our bees and to get the whole community active in a very hands-on way.

Carol Phillips, Corporate and Major Gifts Officer at the Trust explained ‘When we put the campaign together, we really thought about the practical things people could to do to help our bees. So we came up with the Buzz Box. It contains information about practical steps people can take to help bees, as well as a packet of wildflower seeds, an eye-spy book of wildflowers, a bee ID chart, a game and some fundraising ideas. All we are asking is a donation of £10 per box and all the money raised will be directly spent on helping our bees’.

Carol went on to explain ‘Many people are now beginning to realise that our bees are in trouble, in fact, 20 bee species are now extinct. This is due to changes in farming practice, the loss of wildflower meadows and the use of insecticides. What people may not realise though, is that the decline in bees affects us as human beings too because bees have a key role in the production of the food we eat. The decline in bees will have an impact on food prices, the availability of food and our economy.’

She further explained ‘Bees help to pollinate many wildflowers. Without this happening, many of these plants would not produce seeds, resulting in the further decline of wildflowers. As these plants are the basis of complex food chains, insects, birds and mammals will all suffer too so the larger impact is the effect on our beautiful Derbyshire countryside. People are beginning to realise the direct correlation between wellbeing, mental health and being outside in the natural landscape, so it’s not too big a jump to say that any decline in our wild places and wildlife directly affects us as human beings.’

It was thanks to a generous donation of £15,000 from Weleda (UK) based in Ilkeston that the Trust was able to start the campaign. If you would like to help our bees and get a Buzz Box visit the Trust’s website www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/feelthebuzz