THE Abergavenny Waitrose Community Matters scheme has chosen Gwent Bee Keepers Association as one of the three good causes to support this month.

A spokesman from the Gwent Bee Keepers Association (GBKA) said, "Bees are an important part of our planet's survival. There has been a huge decline in the number of bees in the county and elsewhere due to bad weather and disease.

It is widely known that the agriculture and horticulture industries throughout the world depend on bees to pollinate their crops. If there were no bees Waitrose recognises that as 40 to 60 percent of our food comes from bee pollination of flowers, fruit and vegetables its shelves would be bare."

GBKA members are continually seeking ways to improve their expertise in beekeeping by running courses in bee husbandry, Varroa control and disease elimination. They travelled to Westminster in November to lobby the government to give extra funding to the National Bee Unit for research into the health of bees.

To help safe guard the pollination process and ensure the future supply of fresh fruit and flowers please donate your green tokens to Gwent Bee Keepers Association when you next shop in Waitrose.