A new project has armed young people with wildflower seedballs to help revive bees and encourage interest in environmental issues

Families across the UK are set to plant some 15 million wildflower seeds in the coming weeks, in a new drive to support and grow bee populations across the country. Since July, more than 330,000 seedballs have been given out to families via branches of Iceland supermarket and The Food Warehouse, as part of the Backyard Nature campaign. The project is the brainchild of a Liverpool-based group of young activists, the Eco Emeralds, who wanted to help stop the decline of bees in the UK. It was launched by Semble, a platform for community projects.

Good journalism about good things Rebalance your media diet with Positive News, the inspiring current affairs magazine. A carbon neutral publication, featuring stories of social and environmental progress alongside impactful photography and stunning visual design. Subscribe to Positive News magazine

According to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, 97 per cent of the UK’s wildflower meadows have disappeared in the last 80 years, leaving bees with less to eat. Mark Shearer, co-founder of Semble explained: “At its core, Backyard Nature is about inspiring young environmentalists to get their hands dirty and start to engage directly with accessible nature activities. Having thousands of ‘Backyard Nature Guardians’ come together to plant 15 million wildflower seeds will create a real environmental impact across the UK.” The campaign is being backed by funding from Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation and supported by groups including the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, The Wildlife Trusts, The National Trust and WWF as well as family activity app, Hoop. Image: Christine Wehrmeier