Saving the Bees, Flower by Flower

Since 1950 it is estimated that in the UK we have lost 98% of wildflower meadows! Without these, our pollinators and the other creatures who feed on these (ultimately including ourselves!) cannot survive. However, with your help, we can create new mini-meadows all over the UK and bring back our wildflowers and the bees they support!

I grew up in the middle of nowhere in deepest Somerset – our village had one bus a week into the nearest town! I remember long childhood summers of climbing trees, building hay-dens and playing in the fields and wildflower meadows. Not only was this an idyllic childhood but it instilled in me a passion for our countryside and the wildlife it supports – these wildflower meadows support a whole ecosystem of pollinators (such as bees and butterflies) and other wildlife like hedgehogs, birds and bats who need who need the insects to feed on. If one group of species is in decline, that can lead to the loss of many more.

When Neve decided we should keep bees (see our story) we began really looking into some of the issues surrounding bees and other pollinators, and the flowers on which they rely – it makes rather shocking reading:

  • recent evidence suggests that number of insects worldwide may have fallen by over 50% since 1970.
  • Approximately 75% of all crop types grown by humans require pollination by insects (pretty much all of them except grasses and conifers) this means around 35% of the world’s food crops need insects to pollinate them. Without pollinators, we could not feed the human population
  • As well as losing 98% of our wildflower meadows, it’s estimated that we’ve also lost 150,000 miles of hedgerow, 50% of downland and 50% of ancient woodland in the last 70 years.

We want to help look after our fellow travellers on this planet be they flowers, bees, birds or hedgehogs, and would love you to join us 😊

But what can we do?

Neve's Bees mission -bringing back the wildflower meadows, flower by flower

There are three major threats to our pollinators:

…and this last one is where we think, with your help, Neve’s Bees can start to make a difference. 😊

  • We donate 10% of our profits to The Wildlife Trust and other local nature recovery charities to preserve our nature reserves, restore our meadows and educate children to look after nature
  • We’re working with our local Eynsham Nature Recovery group to bring back wildflower meadows along the Thames Valley and throughout Oxfordshire – watch this space for ideas and inspiration that we hope you can use too
  • Throughout the year, we give away packs of pollinator friendly wildflower seeds for you to plant in your gardens, parks, verges – or wherever you think needs some wildflowers – little patches of wildflowers throughout the country creating joined up habitats for the pollinators to flourish
  • We share hints and tips, and (hopefully!) interesting information to help you and your friends and family to be part of nature’s recovery and to feel the joy that immersion in the natural world can bring.

“Every space in Britain must be used to help wildlife” – Sir David Attenborough

Please see our products …and do please do share your wildflower pics and stories and we’ll post on our social channels.