With the lazy days of summer rolling into autumn, the well-being of our bumbling friend is being called into question. Honeybees play a vital role in the up-keep of the planet through pollinating many of the fruit and vegetables that we take for granted will appear on supermarket shelves – not to mention the beloved sweet ingredient that is honey. The necessity of bees for our flourishing variety of plants and produce cannot be overstated. Sadly, the population is in rapid decline: over 25 species of bee are already extinct in the UK. Honeybees, in particular, are disappearing at an alarming rate due to harmful pesticides, habitat loss and land-use change.
Image Credit: The Conversation
That’s why we’re proud to work with country house hotel Beaverbrook in Surrey, who together with local non-profit organisation BeesMAX, are doing their bit to reverse the decline of the British honeybee population. Taking the genius concept of relocating urban swarms into designated areas of the surrounding woodlands, Beaverbrook are effectively helping boost up the declining bee colonies. If that wasn’t enough, they also take part in the National Honey Monitoring Scheme, identifying the pollen of plants that Beaverbrook bees have visited and creating artificial hibernation trials so that colonies can survive in the winter. All of this knowledge is passed on to children through regular beekeeping activities.
Taking things a step further, this Friday 16th August, on National Honey Bee Day, Beaverbrook are hosting a series of honey-inspired events to highlight their personal initiatives to help. Budding beekeepers will start the day by visiting the Beaverbrook bee garden with head gardener, Elliott Beveridge and founder of BeesMAX, Mark Gale, to gather all the knowledge needed to plant their very own garden for bees.
After a morning of close wildlife encounters, some of the more luxurious benefits of bee conservation are demonstrated in a 90-minute Honey Beauty Workshop, hosted by the founders of Therapi Honey Skincare, Tanya and Esme Hawkes. Here, it is your chance to create beauty-bee products worthy of a crown, from face masks to body scrubs.
A final honey tasting awaits, after which guests are encouraged to spend the rest of the day buzzing around the estate, experiencing a Therapi honey facial at the newly opened Coach House Health Club and Spa or taking a stroll around the 400 acres of gardens and woodland. Whichever way your day takes you, Beaverbrook will certainly grant you a buzz-worthy experience!
To book: Places on the National Honeybee Day celebrations are open to hotel guests and Beaverbrook & Coach House Members. Please contact thecoachhouse@beaverbrook.co.uk or call 01372 571306.
