East Grinstead legal firm launches project to save the bees

The Willing Bees campaign, launched by Just Wills and Legal Services in East Grinstead, is inviting new clients to create a micro-meadow by donating a bee saving kit to each household that writes their will with the firm this summer.

The company’s pledge is ‘Willing Bees with every will we write’, and it hopes to donate as many kits as possible.

The legal firm has 1,000 kits to donate to new clients, which is enough to create enough wildflower habitat to fill nearly eight allotments, 40 London buses, or 10 average UK gardens.

David McMaster, Just Wills and Legal Services CEO and founder, said: “When you make a will you leave a legacy to your loved ones, which is important to protect the things you’ve worked hard for all your life and those you care about.

“Equally, the Willing Bees’ eco-campaign has been launched to leave a lasting legacy to the nation by helping Britain’s declining bee population, providing wildflower pollen sources so desperately needed to help bees and other insects thrive, which is crucial for the survival of our bees, planet and future generations.”

The Willing Bees campaign addresses the call by conservationists for more flowers for urban and rural areas in the UK where 35 bee species are currently at risk from extinction, in addition to the 13 species lost already.

The campaign is the company’s response to help create more flowers and food sources for bees, and it hopes as many new clients will take part as possible.

The campaign launch also coincides with World Bee Day which took place on Thursday.

Designated by the United Nations, the observation aims to raise awareness of how vital bees are, the threats they face and how critical their contribution is to the sustainability of our environment and food sources.

The company’s eco-mission was inspired by the setting of their East Grinstead office, aptly named ‘The Hive’.

It is there that a beekeeper keeps 12 beehives in the field immediately next to the company’s headquarters.

Knowing how vital it is to support the delicate ecosystem that bees need to thrive in, the company was keen to develop an initiative that others could participate in too, which is how the Willing Bees campaign came to light.

The bee saving kits contain thousands of native wildflower seeds, which have been approved by the Royal Horticultural Society as ‘Perfect for Pollinators’.

When sown, the seed will bloom into a floral micro-meadow, blossoming into 21 square feet of bee-friendly habitat.

The bee saving kits are also easy to grow, so you don’t need to be an experienced gardener to participate.

This is because unlike most wildflower seeds that come loose in a packet, the kits are high-quality seed balls, handmade in Dorset, and set in a protective soil and nurturing clay.

This means they can easily thrive in cleared ground that is kept well-watered.

It’s also an initiative that those without a garden can participate in, as the kits can be sown in a flowerpot or window box.

The company say that everyone can enjoy a blooming display of delicate wildflowers that will attract a variety of bees and other insects to their gardens, patios or even a shared community space, however choose to sow their kits.

To find out more about the Willing Bees campaign visit www.justwillsandlegalservices.co.uk/willingbees