What you can do

What You Can Do
There are a number of ways in which you can get involved in the campaign:

Bee-come an Ambassador!

We are urging members to become 'Bee Ambassadors'. Please let us know if you are interested in becoming an advocate for bees in your community, so that we can keep you updated on campaign developments nationally and on things that you can do locally.

Ways you can help:

1.Raise awareness:

    * Hold a meeting with your WI and/or local community about the threat facing the honey bees and what can be done to help. Invite a local member of the BBKA to speak about the issue.
    * Hold a coffee and honey cake morning to attract other members of your community – use the gathering to let people know about the problems facing bees across the UK and how they can help.

2.Get bee friendly:

    * Plant bee friendly blooms. If you have a garden or a window box, fill it with bee-friendly plants and flowers. Plant up a window box with asters and sunflowers, make a bee-haven out of a sunny corner with foxgloves, hollyhocks and larkspur, and choose trees such as willows and limes for bigger gardens. See the full list of bee-friendly plants in the downloads box at the top right hand corner of this page.
    * Get in touch with a local beekeeper and ask them how you can best help protect the honeybee. Beekeepers across the UK need apiary sites; offer your garden, or talk to your local allotment association and see if there is space to house a bee hive. Contact the BBKA if you know about some land which could be a home for bees.
    * Create a buzzing green space with Network Rail
The NFWI has teamed up with Network Rail to give WI members the chance to create a bee friendly green space on Network Rail land. To get involved, the first step is to identify some land that you think may be owned by the rail authority (think about areas near rail stations or near to the route of the railway in your area.) Send details of the location to the Public Affairs team so Network Rail can identify it. Once some simple paperwork is completed, you will be well on the way to creating your garden!

3.Press for change:

    * Write to your local MP to ask them to raise the plight of the honey bee with the Government.
    * Write to your local authority or parks authority and see if they have thought about planting bee-friendly plants and flowers in public spaces. Encourage them to think about the difference this small act could make to the future of Britain's honey bees.
    * Encourage your local community to plant more flowers to increase bees' food sources. If a local community group is planning to plant up an area of land, why not suggest that they use some bee-friendly flowers and shrubs?
Did you know?
All of these crops rely on honeybees for pollination:
Okra, Kiwifruit, Onion, Celery, Carambola, Beet, Rapeseed, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, Turnip, Mustard, Caraway, Safflower, Chestnut, Watermelon, Tangerine, Tangelo, Coffee, Hazelnut, Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Squash (plant), Quince, Carrot, Buckwheat, Strawberry, Soybean, Cotton, Sunflower, Walnut, Flax, Lychee, Lupine, Macadamia, Apple, Alfalfa, Cactus, Avocado, Lima bean, Scarlet runner bean, Plum, Cherry, Apricot, Almond, Pear, Boysenberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Redwood Sequoia, Tomato, Eggplant, Clover (not all species), White clover, Alsike clover, Crimson clover, Red clover, Arrowleaf clover, Blueberry, Alfalfa Broad bean, Grape, Elderberry, Black current, Red current, Pomegranate, Guava, Peach, Nectarine, Kidney bean, Haricot bean, Adzuki bean, Mung bean, String bean, Mango, Cardamom, Coconut, and more.

Imagine a world without all of those!

Beautiful cakes from Sompting WI's Bee Aware lunch
Get involved in the campaign!

Would you like to pledge your support to the campaign? If so, become a supporter.

Would you like to be contacted directly to help with letter writing, petitions or postcard campaigns? If so, become a campaigner.

Would you like to be contacted directly to get involved in campaign actions such as visiting your MP to talk about the issues, taking part in local events such as days of action, or taking part in national events? If so, become an active campaigner.

Please contact us giving your name and telephone number, stating which of the above you would like to sign up to.