Join the fight to save the British Honey Bee

Save the bees

David Wilson Homes pledges 180 acres of land to help the British Honey Bee

Leading local housebuilder David Wilson Homes Southern is joining the fight to save the British honey bee, by planting more bee-friendly plants across 180 acres of gardens and open spaces, including those at its developments in Surrey and Sussex.

Teaming up with leading bee charity, the British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA), Barratt is setting out to change the way it landscapes open space and plants gardens in showhouses at 400 developments over the next three years. David Wilson Homes will be working with the BBKA on how to encourage bees and change its planting, to ensure the bees’ food supply is maximised.

The news comes as Environment Minister, Lord de Mauley, has pledged to publish a pollinator strategy and an urgent government review into the declining number of British bees by the end of 2013.

The BBKA has reported that a third of all honey bee colonies were lost in winter 2012 – more than double the losses of the previous year – and the charity is stepping up its campaign to encourage people and businesses to play their role to help save British bees.

Mark Clare, Barratt Developments Group Chief Executive commented: “For some time we’ve worked at a local level with beekeepers and planted bee-friendly plants at a small number of our developments. Today, we’re announcing our partnership with the BBKA and how, with its advice – over the next three years – bee-friendly planting will become standard practice in all our showhome gardens and open spaces. We’ll also be working with our home owners to provide help and advice in creating bee-friendly environments – whether it’s a window box, roof terrace or wild flower meadow.”

Jane Moseley, Operations Director of the British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA), added: “A third of food we eat is dependent on pollination yet last year was the worst on record for the loss of honey bee colonies. Given the amount of landscaping at its 400 developments nationally, we are delighted to be working with David Wilson Homes to raise awareness of the British honey bee. More bee-friendly space will help to increase the bee’s food supply, providing them and other pollinators with more adequate nutrition, especially pollen during the late summer when the specialised bees, which take the colony through
the winter, are born.”

David Wilson Hones developments Wickhurst Green, Horsham, and The Acres, Horley, offer luxury living in a leafy setting. Find out how you could move up to quality by speaking to one of their sales advisors today.
Call 0844 225 3944.
www.dwh.co.uk