Page 2 - Bumblebee Conservation Trust Buzzword magazine winter 2020

Winter 2020 introduction
Contents Your photo gallery
Connecting 3. Bumble blog The bumble blog If you would like to see your
photo featured in Buzzword,
please email: media@
‘The cholera most forcibly teaches us our 4. Gardening spotlight Extending the buzz into 2021 bumblebeeconservation.org
mutual connection,’ wrote Titus Salt, Mayor
of Bradford, in 1844. 6. Yellow Rattle - the meadow maker 2020 has been a tumultuous year. The Trust’s two biggest
projects, ‘Making a Buzz for the Coast’ in Kent, and
We have learned the same lesson in the 8. How one farm is supporting bumblebees ‘Pollinating the Peak’ in Derbyshire, have, like of all of us,
age of coronavirus. But the response to the had to adapt rapidly to changing circumstances. Critical
tragedy has been, as in Bradford in 1844, 10. Don’t hibernate this winter! work by staff and volunteers continued, mostly online,
one of extraordinary mutual connection. and also in carefully organised small events, including the
12. Are we overlooking the plight of the
In the street where I live, a COVID-19 Broken-belted bumblebee? creation of a wonderful piece of sand art at Botany Bay in
WhatsApp Group emerged: three months late September (see page 23).
of phone calls; delivering shopping and 14. The project effect Both projects were due to end this year. However, with
prescriptions; checking on the lonely and support and agreement from the National Lottery Heritage
the worried. 16. Your Christmas gift guide Fund, we are able to continue activities into 2021. This
It wasn’t just my local street, 4,000 of these 18. Get carder! Managing sea walls for will help the Trust build on the amazing achievements of
spontaneous ‘mutual aid groups’ were scarce bumblebees the last three years, and support the volunteers in both
set up in local communities during the areas to create a strong legacy.
lockdown, part of a general phenomenon 20. Important information for members One year old this month . . .
of neighbourliness across the country. The 21. 2020 Surveys roundup
Office for National Statistics estimates Last November, we launched our new-
that almost half of people provided help 22. Trust News look children’s magazine ‘bumble club’.
or support to someone outside of their The magazine designed by our team
household. This spontaneous support was at the Trust includes a ‘Member zone’,
seen and felt across all society. facts and figures, creative ideas, seed
packet, magnifier and more!
It’s a given that the more connected our 6 10 12 18
communities are, the better they will This past year, we have received more emails from
cope. I personally hope this new-found children than ever before, sharing their photos and
connectedness continues, and spreads. Get in touch fundraising efforts. We have had nearly 200 new youth
Like bumblebees we are social creatures, members since the launch of the new pack! Thank you to
we work better together. Post Bumblebee Conservation Trust, everyone for being part of this club. To join or send a gift
There is a lovely summary at the end of one Beta Centre, Stirling University membership, visit www.bumblebeeconservation.org/
join
of my many bumblebee books ‘Bumblebee Innovation Park, Stirling FK9 4NF
Economics’ by Bernd Heinrich:
Phone 01786 594 130
‘The bees make compromises that promote
long term success and they vary their Email
strategy to stay in tune with constantly
changing conditions. They provide an enquiries@bumblebeeconservation.org
excellent case study of the operations volunteering@bumblebeeconservation.org
of evolution and the way a cooperative membership@bumblebeeconservation.org
balance can be established
in the ecology of a media@bumblebeeconservation.org
community’.
Let’s all be more like Cover picture
bumblebees!
Moss carder bee (Bombus
2 Gill Perkins, CEO muscorum) Queen, by Saving the sound of summer! 3 3
Laura Shakespeare