Sainsbury’s Woodhall Farm has opened up a special kind of accommodation for some very busy customers.
The store is one of 107 across the country to have a ‘hotel’ placed on its roof to help the local bee population, but despite being a bee’n’bee it won’t be providing the winged guests with any breakfast.
Commercial manager at the supermarket Mike Judge organised a staff competition to come up with a name for the project, which was won by Thelma Perry who suggested Sainsbee’s Hotel, and also won her own kit. The name was chosen by judges Julie Laws and Lizzy Staincliffe of Dacorum Borough Council’s environment and sustainability department.
Robin Dean, a beekeeper taken on by Sainsbury’s to oversee the scheme, visited the store for the hotel’s unveiling on Monday.
Mike said: “With all the bad weather we have been having this year, the Bee Hotel has proven its worth with plenty of solitary bees – which do not live in colonies – using it to lay their eggs for next Spring.
“Julie and Lizzie, who made time out of their busy schedules to be there, were amazed at Robin’s knowledge and are hopeful that he could help them have similar bee hotels across Dacorum.”