CorpComms Magazine

Irish cider company Magners has launched a competition to train 25 fans to become urban beekeepers as part of a Facebook campaign to save British and Irish bees.

The 'Magners Bee Aid' campaign aims to save 1.5 million bees by encouraging people to learn the art of urban beekeeping.

The cider company has joined forces with the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) and the Federation or Irish Beekeepers Association (FIBKA) in an effort to save the bee.

Players must visit Magners' Facebook page and explain in 100 words why they should win the chance of being an urban beekeeper. The most enthusiastic entries will go forward to the next stage of the conference.

Tim Lovett, director of public affairs at the BBKA, said: 'Because honey bees pollinate many of our crops...losing bees is a serious threat to our economy and wellbeing.'

Lovett believes that training more people about how they become a successful beekeeper can help stem the decline. And the Magners Bee Aid campaign is making steps towards this goal.

London already houses more than 2,500 bee hives. Kirsty Hunter, head of marketing at Magners, said: 'Magners understands just how important honey bees are. After all it's the bees that pollinate the apples in the Magners' orchards which are blended to give Magners its unique taste.'

Magners has launched a new free app alongside the scheme, the 'Magners Bee Beard', where the user can play a fictional bee keeper that has a virtual beard of bees. The bee beard comes in various different designs.

share me: del.icio.us | digg | reddit | Tweet