Bees Needs

16 Jul 2023

In Defra’s Bees’ Needs Week we would like to shine a light and come out in support of the wonderful work that Anabel Kindersley from Neal’s Yard Remedies who is doing amazing work to help protect our bees. Here is a letter from Anabel explaining the situation and asking us all to support by writing to our local MPs:

Hello friends,
 
It’s been a while since I shared an update on the Stand By Bees campaign, and with Defra’s Bees’ Needs Week happening this week from 10-16 July, I thought now would be a good time.
 
As many of you are already aware, I have been in discussion with the Government, specifically Defra for the past year. 
 
Very recently I had the opportunity to meet with Mark Spencer, the Minister responsible for farming and pesticide use at Defra. While I wasn’t expecting any immediate action, I had hoped that the Minister would be engaged and value the opportunity to hear from a coalition of over 100 businesses and NGOs that want to ensure high standards for environmental protection in Britain.  
 
Unfortunately, this was not the case. The meeting has instead raised further concerns about the government’s willingness to address the use of toxic pesticides to protect pollinators and highlighted their reluctance to acknowledge the pressing need for action. It’s apparent that protecting our nation’s invaluable biodiversity has slipped down the agenda, with the National Action Plan on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (NAP) still yet to be published, despite its initial due date of 2018. 
 
Although this was a disappointing outcome, it shows why we need to make our voices heard through continued, collaborative efforts to make this a pressing item on the political agenda. We need to keep the pressure up and as a collective, raise awareness of the critical need to protect our pollinators. After all one in three mouthfuls of food depends on them!
 
We’ll be encouraging our customers to write to their MPs in support of this long-awaited pesticide reduction plan and ask you to do the same. Please also keep sharing on social media and with your audiences too.
 
I appreciate that this is yet another letter to write, especially on top of your already very busy lives.
 
And though these things might seem small, our collective efforts WILL make a difference. Through sustained actions we will show our government, whether it’s this one or the next, that we won’t let nature be forgotten.
 
Very best and thank you again for your support,
 
Anabel