We are very proudly affiliated with both Butterfly Conservation and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust – two very important charities that do exceptional work.
We also provide our Accredited Partners with a year of free membership (to either charity) as part of our commitment to supporting the great work that is undertaken to save our precious pollinators.
Butterflies are a beautiful and important part of the UK’s wildlife. They are highly sensitive indicators of the health of the environment and play a crucial role in the food chain as well as being pollinators of plants. Likewise, bumblebees are also great pollinators, and therefore have a key role in producing much of the food that we eat. Through the pollination of many commercial crops such as tomatoes, peas, apples and strawberries, insects are estimated to contribute over £600 million per annum to the UK economy (2015).
Despite their overwhelming importance, the ‘State of the UK’s Butterflies 2015’ report found that 76% of the UK’s resident and regular migrant butterflies declined in abundance, occurrence or both over the last four decades. Similarly, the decline of the UK’s bee population has also been well documented.
There are many ways you can get involved and help, and the websites for both charities are a great place to start.
You can find Butterfly Conservation here. The website is easy to navigate and provides a wealth of information and resources, and the handy Identification Tool is definitely one to bookmark.
You can sign up to the free e-newsletter here, or join Butterfly Conservation as a member. Membership would also make a great Christmas gift for a loved one! And on the subject of gifts, you can find a whole host of butterfly and moth related gift items in the charity’s shop.
The website also provides some very useful tips on how to garden for butterflies and suggests the best plants for attracting these gorgeous creatures into your own green space.
The website for the Bumblebee Conservation Trust can be found here and it’s your one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about these wonderful invertebrates.
There are so many ways to get involved…from volunteering and joining those who have pledged their support to the Bee The Change campaign, to contributing a donation to help fund the important work carried out by the charity.
The Learning Zone is a brilliant resource for children aged 4 to 11+ to develop their knowledge and understanding of bumblebees, and there is also a great range of items available to purchase in the lead-up to Christmas from the thoughtful gift area.
We would encourage you to consider ways you can help both these charities and do take time to visit their websites for more information.