Bartlett mitchell's 'Adopt a Beehive' gets off to flying start

The population of the British bumble bee has declined dramatically in the past 20 years. bartlett mitchell employee Sarah Prentice put forward an idea back in January to raise awareness of this issue and help protect the bumble bee in a fun way for staff and customers to all play a part in. Supported by the British Beekeepers Association, the 'Adopt a Beehive' initiative involves staff and customers from all bartlett mitchell restaurants. It features fun activities, such as competitions and prize draws, which raise the money to adopt and protect beehives in each restaurant's locality. The scheme only started in January and already 10 beehives have been adopted across the South East and London. Wendy Bartlett, managing director, bartlett mitchell, commented: "It's been great to see Sarah's initiative come to fruition so quickly. Bees have a huge impact on our food and as food lovers we should all be concerned about their future. In fact one in three mouthfuls of the food we eat is dependent on bee pollination so it's important that we help protect this species. "With our 'Adopt a Beehive' initiative we are doing our bit to help restore a thriving bumble bee population, and ensure their vital contribution to our food supplies continues."