SuperValu is helping to create over 3,000 refuelling spots for busy bees across the country!
The importance of the humble bee is something we've all come to realise the last few years. For our biodiversity, our food and even our climate depend on these busy little insects, which is why it's so refreshing to see SuperValu take the threat of their extinction seriously and take action against it.
SuperValu and Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD have today launched the Save The Bees Campaign in partnership with the All-Ireland Pollinator plan and SuperValu TidyTowns. All 3,241 primary schools in Ireland will be sent a SuperValu Save the Bees Pollinator Pack so they can create their own bee-friendly garden – meaning they learn all about the importance of bees too!
This SuperValu Save the Bees Pollinator Pack was co-created with Dr Una Fitzpatrick, Head of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and is endorsed by SuperValu TidyTowns. It contains guidebooks, posters and bookmarks in addition to a pollinator-friendly garden kit with flower seeds and a garden sign. All elements of the Save the Bees Pollinator pack have been sustainably sourced and are recyclable.
To further promote awareness and action, families will receive their own Save the Bees cards in SuperValu with every spend over €30. These cards are added to each school’s Save the Bees poster, which, once completed, can be entered into a draw to win a share of €50,000 for the school – a major prize!
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD said “Protecting our pollinators helps in turn to protect our planet which is why I am thrilled to launch the SuperValu Save the Bees campaign. Educating our children and communities about the importance of pollinators is vitally important and I look forward to seeing bee-friendly school gardens pop up across the country in the coming weeks and months.”
Through the Save the Bees campaign, SuperValu will work with schools and communities across Ireland to help educate people on the very real and current threat facing Ireland’s bees. As it stands, nearly one-third of Irish bees are in danger of becoming extinct. The loss of such a large portion of our bee population would be catastrophic. More than 75 per cent of our plant species are animal pollinated. Bees are important pollinators of Irish produce like strawberries and apples and they ensure diverse wild plant communities across the countryside that help regulate climate, provide healthy spaces for recreation, and support other wildlife.
Commenting on the campaign, Ian Allen, SuperValu Managing Director said “At SuperValu, we are huge supporters of Irish producers and suppliers. We source 75 per cent of our goods in Ireland, and we want to keep buying and supporting Irish and local, which is why we are so committed to protecting pollinators. We are delighted to work with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan to make change through our Save the Bees campaign. There are simple steps we can all take to make Ireland a habitable ecosystem for bees and our SuperValu Save The Bees packs will provide support awareness, education and action for children across the country. This initiative will also give children the fantastic opportunity to win a share of €50,000 for their primary school.”
SuperValu want to help local communities, schools and families lead the way in creating an Ireland where pollinators can thrive. It is vital that bees and pollinators have enough to forage and safe places to use for nesting, among vegetation, the soil and hedges. The SuperValu Save the Bees campaign will not only help schools understand pollinators and how to protect them but also help them make Ireland more pollinator friendly.
The SuperValu TidyTowns competition also recognises the value and importance of biodiversity. Nearly half (46 per cent) of all TidyTowns committees say that biodiversity is their main priority area. More than 200 SuperValu TidyTowns committees have engaged with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and made their local areas significantly pollinator friendly. In 2021, Buncrana, Co. Donegal won the SuperValu TidyTowns’ All Ireland Pollinator Plan Local Authority Pollinator Award.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD continued “The Save the Bees campaign is a great addition to the SuperValu Tidy Towns competition which continues to bring biodiversity and sustainability to the fore. Committees around the country have been rewilding spaces and creating new green areas in our communities, not only helping our pollinators but improving our shared spaces for the whole community.”
To find out more about this super important cause, visit their website here!
