Newport Asda Buzzing to Save Island’s Bees with Waste Sugar Donations
Newport’s Asda store is stepping up to help the Isle of Wight’s struggling bee population — by donating waste sugar collected from the shop floor to local beekeepers.
Sweet Rescue: Waste Sugar Saved for Bees
Community champion Clare Jones and store manager Kenny Farrell recently visited the Isle of Wight Beekeepers Association, armed with buckets full of sugar rescued from spilt packets around the store.
Clare explained, “The association reached out because they were struggling to feed their bees during tough times. To support them, we save our waste sugar and deliver it every fortnight.”
Beekeepers Buzzing Over Asda’s Support
1 Cassell, representing the Isle of Wight Beekeepers, said: “Asda’s help is brilliant for a charity like us. Usually, we buy sugar and it’s a big hit on our budget.”
She added, “Sugar syrup is crucial because it encourages the queen to lay more eggs. We start with about 5,000 bees per hive and hope to grow to 60,000–80,000. Our 15 hives go through four to five kilos of sugar overnight.”
The main goal, she stressed, “is ecology, but yes, the bees do produce honey too.”
Colleagues Keep Their Eyes Peeled for Spills
Colleagues at the store are fully on board, keeping watch for any sugar spills.
They carefully sweep up the sugar and deposit it into special collection buckets. Clare then delivers these valuable treats directly to the beekeepers.
Wearing beekeeping suits, Clare and Kenny got a firsthand lesson on how the sugar helps fuel the buzzing colonies.
Thanks to Newport Asda, the Island’s bees are getting a much-needed sugar boost — helping them thrive and keep their hives humming.
