Blooming Marvellous press release – template and guidance

You can find a template press release on pages 2-3 which you can adapt to suit your event or local campaign.

Here are a few tips for getting the press release published:

  • Before getting started, check with your local papers and publications what their deadlines are. You can do this by calling the newsdesk. A good rule of thumb would be to send your press release at least 1 week before the event, but some publications may need longer lead-in times.
  • Research publications to send it to – such as local and regional newspapers, radio, and TV news, as well as local bloggers and relevant community organisations or network that do regular newsletters or digests. Local councils sometimes have a news or announcements page also. If you have a month or more lead-in time, local magazines such as church newsletters may be able to include your event too.
  • When you call the newsdesk, you can also ask them which would be the best reporter for you to send it to – ie. who would be available and also most interested in covering the issue. If you can get their personal email address and telephone number, that’s usually better than just sending it to the generic ‘newsdesk’ email address.
  • The best way to present a press release is to copy and paste the headline into the subject line, and then paste the rest into the body of the email, not just as an attachment.
  • If you are sending it to bloggers or to other local organisations, make sure you include a weblink to more information about the event, ideally a facebook event, and of course the hashtag #BeeCause, to enable them to share it online. Also ensure the event is promoted prominently on your group’s website and social media pages.
  • A quick round of phone calls to check people have seen your press release are a good idea too, to help make sure they’ve noticed it.
  • Expect a phone call or two after you send the press release and try to be available to take it. Keep some notes handy in case they want to do a short interview or get a quote there and then.

Good luck, and we’d love to see samples of press you get - please post links or images on the hub at

Friends of the Earth [INSERT NAME OF LOCAL GROUP] press release

For immediate release, [INSERT DATE]

Contact:[INSERT CONTACT, INCLUDING NAME, 1-2 PHONE NUMBERS AND

EMAIL] – this should be someone who is available to take day & evening phone calls andpossibly also do atelephone interview if requested.

[INSERT NAME OF TOWN/COUNTY] URGED TO BE GENERATION THAT SAVES BRITISH BEES

People living in[INSERT NAME OF TOWN/COUNTY] are being urged to be the generation that savesthe area’s threatened bees at a [INSERT EVENT TITLE] organised by [INSERT NAME OF GROUP]Friends of the Earth campaigners [today/this weekend/date].

The numbers of bees have been dropping at an alarming rate over recent years, with more than 20 UK bee species already extinct and about a quarter of those remaining at risk. This is largely due to habitat loss – 97% of the UK’s wildflower meadows have disappeared in the past 60 years.The[INSERT REGIONAL BEE is particularly in need of help locally as it’s particularly dependent on habitats found in[INSERT REGION].

The [INSERT EVENT TITLE] at [INSERT VENUE DETAILS] on [INSERT DATE and TIME]is a chance for local people to work together [with organisations and councils] to plan how to provide bees with the food, shelter and nesting sites they need, as part of Friends of the Earth’s Bee Cause Campaign.

[INSERT NAME OF GROUP] Campaigner [INSERT NAME] said:
“Bees are the gardener’s friend, they keep our countryside thriving and put food on our plates – it’s time to give these vital pollinators the help they desperately need.

“Join us at [INSERT EVENT TITLE] to find out how we can make [INSERT NAME OF TOWN/COUNTY] blooming marvellous for bees – by making sure bees can find food and shelter in gardens, parks and other spaces throughout the community.”

[INSERT ANY OTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE EVENT]

Members of [INSERT NAME OF GROUP] Friends of the Earth have already [INSERT DETAILS OF PREVIOUS ACTIVITIES, eg. planted a wildflower meadow at a nearby park to provide much-needed food for the local bee population].

People concerned about the plight of bees are also being encouraged to join The Great British Bee Count, a new family-friendly citizen science surveyto help build a picture of where bees are thriving – and where they’re in trouble.A free app enables people to easily identify different bee species and log sightings. So far, 20,000 people have spotted more than 450,000 bees. Download the app at

[INSERT NAME] from [INSERT NAME OF GROUP]said:

“[INSERT PERSONAL COMMENT ABOUT THE LOCAL CAMPAIGN]. Our bees and other wild pollinators need our help as much as we need them – and everyone can get involved to be part of the generation that saves them.”

Key facts about bees:

  • Bees pollinate 75% of our main crops worldwide, including some of our favourite fruits like apples, strawberries and tomatoes, and textiles such as cotton.
  • An independent study by the University of Reading estimates that it would cost over £1.8 billion every year to pollinate UK crops by hand.
  • We have bees to thank for summer favourites from strawberries and cherries (dependent on wild bees for pollination) to cider (bees pollinate apples and boost their flavour) and gin and tonic (tonic water is flavoured with quinine, made from bee-pollinated Cinchona).

ENDS

Notes to editors

  1. Photos are available at [INSERT DATE, TIME, LOCATION] You can also include film and interview opportunities here if you wish.
  1. To find out more about the Bee Cause locally, contact[INSERT NAME OF GROUP]Friends of the Earth, [INSERT WEBSITE/CONTACT DETAILS]
  1. Friends of the Earth has led the campaign to save British bees and other pollinators since launching its Bee Cause campaign in April 2012, which convinced the Government to introduce a national Bee Action Plan (National Pollinator Strategy - NPS) by building a coalition of more than 200 MPs, businesses such as B&Q and the Co-operative, the Women’s Institute and over 70,000 individuals. The environment charity is now warning that the NPS needs to be improved to fully address all the problems bees face.
  1. Visitors to the [INSERT EVENT NAME] may also be inspired to join Friends of the Earth’s Great British Bee Count, a new citizen science project to help build a national picture of bee health that launched recently on BBC Springwatch. People are encouraged to spot bees with a special smartphone app that enables them to identify different species. So far, 20,000 people have logged more than 450,000 bee sightings. Download the app at where you can also submit sightings online. By reporting the type, numbers and locations of bees they see, people will be contributing data to the National Biodiversity Network, used by experts investigating the plight of bees and the steps needed to help them.