FAMILIES have learned just how important bees and other pollinators are to our food supply during the summer holidays.
A special ‘bee-less picnic’ at Dove Stone showed children and parents which everyday foods would disappear from supermarket shelves without the help of pollinators such as bees, butterflies, ladybirds and even wasps.
The eye-opening display highlighted how many fruits, vegetables and the products made from them depend on these creatures to grow and thrive.
The event was run in partnership between Ella’s Kitchen – the UK’s leading baby food brand – and nature conservation charity the RSPB.
“Our vital pollinators are in trouble from threats such as habitat loss and pesticide use and our food supply is at risk as a result,” said Miriam Biran, Lead Project Officer.
“It was fantastic to see how interested families were in learning about this in a fun way. We can all do our bit through simple actions like planting more flowers which pollinators rely on for food or leaving wild patches for pollinators to live in.”
Children also had the chance to become creative by making pollinator-themed noughts and crosses games, take part in an insect-themed quiz, go bug hunting, and plant native wildflowers – led by forest school leader and outdoor wellbeing provider Sarah Branson, through additional support from Ella’s Kitchen.
“We believe children deserve to grow up on a healthy planet that has plenty of food and is buzzing with life,” said Chris Jenkins, Head of Impact at Ella’s Kitchen.
“We know that the more time little ones spend on connecting with nature, the more likely they are to grow up loving it, and wanting to protect it.”
RSPB and Ella’s Kitchen have a national partnership to raise awareness of the threats to pollinators and restore 30 million square feet of wildflower meadow across the UK by 2030.
Five million of this is based at Dove Stone, in the Peak District National Park – a site owned by United Utilities and managed in partnership with the RSPB.
To help inspire youngsters, the RSPB team at Dove Stone is offering free wildflower planting sessions to schools, uniform groups and other local organisations, as well as running drop-in events during school holidays. Email miriam.biran@rspb.org.uk to find out more.
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