In 2020, SuperValu became a major partner to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan by funding the Project Officer position. In doing so, they are supporting our ongoing work with communities, councils, gardeners and schools. With this support, we have been able to continue to offer guidance to Council staff, park managers, community groups and the public on how they can take actions for pollinators. We have been able to run the Green Flag for Parks Pollinator Award to recognise parks helping biodiversity and support Tidy Towns groups in getting recognition for their pollinator actions.
SuperValu want to help schoolchildren to lead the way in creating an Ireland where pollinators can thrive. Therefore, earlier this year, SuperValu launched the Save the Bees campaign in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators and to support the local biodiversity in schools and homes around Ireland. The campaign aims to educate and empower school children to make a difference.
In late February, every primary school in Ireland received a SuperValu Save the Bees Pollinator Pack. This pack contained guidebooks, posters and bookmarks, in addition to a wildflower garden kit and a garden sign, to allow every school to create their own wildflower patch.
Unfortunately due to the COVID19 outbreak and subsequent school closures, this programme has had to be put on hold for the time being, but will be relaunched in autumn 2020 when schools reopen, and these educational materials will be valuable teaching resources for many years to come.
Dr. Una Fitzpatrick, Chair of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan said, “Ireland’s wild pollinators are in serious decline, but we can change this. The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is a call to action to all of us. It is about communicating to everyone exactly how to help in the most effective way possible. The new ‘Save the Bees’ campaign epitomises this, and we are delighted to partner with SuperValu in educating and empowering over 560,000 children across 3,200 primary schools on how to help change the fate of our pollinators for the better. “
Commenting on the campaign, Des O’Mahony, SuperValu Strategy Manager said “Pollination is key for crop production, without it a number of the products, particularly in the fruit and veg section of our stores, would disappear from our shelves. In SuperValu we understand how serious the problem of pollinator decline in Ireland is and are delighted to work with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan to make change through our ‘Save the Bees’ campaign. This new initiative will help families and schools around Ireland take steps to reverse pollinator loss in their communities. SuperValu ‘Save the Bees’ packs will support awareness, education and action for school children.” For more information on the SuperValu Save the Bees campaign visit https://supervalu.ie/real-people/save-the-bees
It has been wonderful working with SuperValu on this schools campaign and we would like to sincerely thank SuperValu for supporting our wider work with communites across the island, and in allowing us to plan for an exciting phase II of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021-2025.
– Juanita Browne, All-Ireland Pollinator Plan Project Officer
