A pledge has been made by a Buckinghamshire energy plant to sponsor one million bees.

The first bees were welcomed to the Greatmoor Energy from Waste (EfW) Plant last week.

The EfW plant generates electricity from non-renewable waste as opposed to sending it to landfill. Since it opened three years ago, over one million tonnes has been processed at the plant.

To mark the anniversary, FCC Environment and Buckinghamshire County Council who run the plant have launched the TherapBEE initiative which aims to provide therapeutic sessions for armed forces personnel.

Those involved will have the chance to help sustain the one million honeybees and help produce honey.

County Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment Bill Chapple OBE said: "As visitors find out when they tour the plant, Greatmoor has totally changed the way we handle our waste in Buckinghamshire.

“Instead of burying it in the ground, we use it to generate electricity that helps reduce the need for burning fossil fuels – and at the same time it makes great cost savings for the Council.

"Working with our partner FCC Environment, in three years we've been able to set Greatmoor well on track to realising our hopes and expectations for what has been the County Council's largest ever single investment. Greatmoor is a tremendous asset to be passing on to the new unitary authority."

FCC Environment’s Steve Brown commented: "We are extremely proud of the contribution Greatmoor makes to the county of Buckinghamshire, reducing the non-recyclable waste sent to landfill and producing green energy from it instead.

“We look forward to continuing FCC's successful partnership with the County Council and its successor. Being able to support one million bees for Bucks and help those from our armed forces and emergency services is a lovely and fitting way to celebrate.”