Since the 1970s Britain's bee population has plummeted by 60%. As bees pollinate about a third of the food we eat we don't want any more to buzz off.
Even in urban settings such as Ealing there's a lot we can do to bring back the bees. One easy way is to plant more wild flowers in your garden which promotes biodiversity and provides bees with food.
Or you could become a bee keeper yourself - The London Honey Company offers basic courses www.thelondonhoneycompany.co.uk or you could have a share in a hive by adopting a hive through the British Bee Keepers Association http://www.adoptahive.co.uk.
Ealing and District Beekeepers Association www.ealingbees.org.uk are always on the lookout for suitable sites for apiaries. This could be a moderately sized garden, an allotment, a patch of waste ground, or similar. It does not need to be particularly large - just sufficient for a hive or two, with reasonable access, a source of water fairly close by, and a bit out of the way. They can also put you in touch with suppliers of local honey and hold regular meetings.
