Why we're creating a buzz about bees!

The plight of the bumblebee has long been documented, and rightly so. In our recent survey, we found that 22% of the public now only ever see bees in the great outdoors once every six months or less, and 9% claimed they rarely ever spotted bees in the UK.

If you read our previous blog about bees, you’ll probably realise this is a cause for concern because bees play an integral part in much of the food we eat. No other insect has served the needs of man as much as the bee; they are responsible for pollinating 71% of crops which provide 90% of foods worldwide. It’s clear that man-made methods of farming and construction have taken their toll on bees’ natural habitats, which is why we are working to raise awareness of the plight of bees.

At Camping in the Forest, we’re passionate about caring for and protecting the abundance of incredible wildlife which can be found around our UK campsites. We’re joining forces with naturalist, Chris Packham to reach out to school children in the UK to help us create a buzz about bees and learn how we can protect them.

This week, we launched our ‘Bella the Bee goes camping’ competition for year three pupils across the country. The competition asks children to write a short story about Bella, and draw a picture of her adventures in the forest, while learning all about her habitat. Judged by Chris Packham, the winning school will receive a visit and wildlife assembly from Chris himself and a £500 donation will be made to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust on their behalf; while the winning child gets a week-long family camping holiday at a campsite of their choice plus £100 worth of activities.

Chris commented: “Not only are bumblebees incredibly cute but they are also integral to our ecosystem and their numbers are sadly dwindling fast. Getting kids involved in bee conservation is a great way to educate future generations on protecting these precious species and what’s more, they have great imaginations for storytelling! I’m thrilled to be working with Camping in the Forest for another year and helping to bring this campaign alive."

As such an integral part of the ecosystem, it is very important for all of us to be making an effort to help stop the decline of our bees. This campaign will not only help highlight the importance of bees, but will also help to engage and educate children from a young age in the hope that they can grow up with an awareness of the great British wildlife and its benefit to the planet.”

For more information on how to enter our Bella the Bee competition, or to request a curriculum pack, please email beekind@bright-consultancy.co.uk or call the Bee Kind team on 0121 456 5600.