DORSET Wildlife Trust (DWT) was at Prince of Wales School in Dorchester last week to launch its biggest ever campaign - Get Dorset Buzzing.

The campaign is in response to the well-reported decline of pollinators nationally and aims to get over 2,000 people in Dorset pledging to do at least one thing in their garden to help create space and food for pollinators to thrive again.

Students were planting sunflower seeds and learning about the importance of bees to the environment.

Gary Spracklen, Headteacher at the Prince of Wales School, said: "We are delighted to be hosting the launch of this campaign and it is fantastic to have Dr George McGavin with us. The children are really excited him.

"As a school we like to promote a sustainable future for our children and all of us. It's really important to teach children about this."

DWT's President, TV presenter Dr George McGavin, said: "The idea is to get the whole county to help create environments in which bees and pollinators can thrive. Whether that be in your garden, window sill or down the park.

“People often ask me why we should worry about the decline of bees, and the answer is simple: bees are arguably one of the most important insect groups on earth.

"Without pollination, we would have no flowering plants, no fruits or vegetables and we’d lose all the other insects and animals that depend on those flowering plants for survival.

"One third of everything we need to live is dependant on an insect flying over there to a flower and pollinating it.

"As a rural area Dorset is lovely and green but without bees it would be all grey.

"It’s hard to imagine a world without bees and other pollinators, but it would be a pretty bleak place and it certainly wouldn’t be a place I would wish to live.”

As part of the Get Dorset Buzzing campaign, DWT will be touring Dorset with its roadshow, sponsored by Dorset Tea, for the next eight months and stopping at our visitor centres, garden centres across Dorset and other local events and venues. There are also Get Dorset buzzing inspired events at our nature reserves and centres, open gardens, talks and courses all across the county: www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/events.