The Bumblebee Conservation Trust is a science-led, UK based charity established in 2006 because of serious concerns about the ‘plight of the bumblebee’. Founded by Professor Dave Goulson, it is the only UK charity dedicated to conserving bumblebees. The Trust works across the UK inspiring everyone to help our precious wild bumblebees survive and thrive. Their activities promote conservation of rare species as well as initiatives aimed at inspiring different groups to help bumblebees in their local area.
Bumblebee Conservation Trust is committed to supporting the UK’s biodiversity and natural habitat, so that bumblebees and other wild pollinators can thrive. Your support doesn’t merely address today’s challenges, it sows the seeds of transformation that create stepping stones of progress to shape a better future for nature and future generations.
For every seed packet wedding favour sold for The Bumblebee Conservation Trust, we will donate 10p to their wonderful cause.
Charity number 1115634 in England, and in Scotland SC042830.
We support Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Here is what they say:
“The team at Wildflower Favours {now Wildflower Promotions} and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust are bound by a common purpose and commitment to supporting the UK’s biodiversity and natural habitat, so that bumblebees and other wild pollinator can thrive. Your support doesn’t merely address today’s challenges, it sows the seeds of transformation that create stepping stones of progress to shape a better future for nature and future generations.”
Volunteering
Bee Inspired – Walsall.
Our nationwide Volunteering Hub is testing ways to engage volunteers within communities with little exposure to nature and conservation who can raise awareness and inspire new audiences to take action for bumblebees.
Raising awareness
- Bee the Change campaign – since 2021, the website has been visited by more than 150,000 users
- 100,00+ times our information and ‘how to’ guides have been viewed/downloaded
- bumblebee nest animation viewed almost 400,000 times since its launch in 2023
- Skills for Bees: Scotland
- Skills for Bees: Cymru
- Thousands of visitors to our ‘Diversity is Queen’ stand at RHS Chelsea Flower Show
- Over 290,000 followers across our social media platforms
BeeWalk
- The authoritative statement on how the bumblebees are doing, published annually using analysis of data from around a thousand volunteer BeeWalkers across the country.
- June 2024 – One millionth bumblebee record submitted!
- BeeWalk training programme (20-30 face-to-face training days per year) and providing ongoing support for BeeWalkers
Conservation
Regional projects across the length and breadth of the UK, focusing on the most threatened species.
Activities include BeeWalks & landscape surveys, advising on and creating/improving/restoring bee-friendly habitat, activities to raise awareness within local communities and BeeID training.
Scotland
- Great Yellows: on the Verge
- Species on the Edge
Wales
- Connecting the Carmarthenshire Coast*
- Calon Gwenyn – ‘Bee Heart’
- Natur am Byth! (Nature Forever!)*
England
- Bee Connected
- Buzzing in the East End*
- SOS (Save our Shrills): Somerset*
- Moss Carder bees of Cornwall
*Projects include implementation of the Conservation Strategy for the Shrill Carder bee covering Wales, Somerset, and Thames Estuary/East end of London
Habitat research
- Evaluating the efficacy of our habitat restoration work at Dungeness, using data on our management interventions compared to bumblebee sightings data.
- Extracting flower visitation data from BeeWalk records to allow greater understanding of species’ foraging preferences.
- Creating a standardised habitat monitoring framework for project officers to record their management interventions and surveys of habitat quality quickly and simply. Qualitative and quantitative data will enable us to assess the effectiveness of our interventions in the future.
- Climate change sea level rise & the threat to bumblebees – using bumblebee sightings data and projected climate change and sea level rise datasets to assess which species and populations are most under threat and assessing where ‘escape routes’ should be prioritised for future habitat work.
Work for Good
The Bumblebee Conservation Trust was established out of concern for the serious plight of British bees. They have a vision for a different future in which our communities and countryside are rich in bumblebees and flowers, supporting a wide diversity of wildlife and habitats for everyone to enjoy. The charity is a registered charity, No 1115634, Scottish Charity No SC042830.
We are keen to help support Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s important work, and for every relevant seed packet sold we will donate 10p to the charity via Work for Good.
We love bees – let’s help Bumblebee Conservation Trust save them!
