Bee Mission, a Community Interest Company (CIC) on a mission to save the bees in Dorset and Hampshire, hosted an event on Thursday 15th September 2022 at The Green House Hotel in Bournemouth for local businesses giving them the opportunity to invest in the mission.
Following the CIC’s launch earlier in the year, Bee Mission has been inundated with requests for beehives from businesses and residents keen to have them installed in their grounds or gardens. Chris Bialan, Founder of Bee Mission, says: “We had no idea how many people would want to get involved until we’d launched, we were happily overwhelmed! We very quickly ran out of hives, we’ve got over 400 people on our waiting list for a hive but no hives!”
Chris and his team put their heads together and worked on some sponsorship and patron options for businesses where they could invest in the CIC providing funds to get the hives built and also land for the hives to go on: “As well as people getting in touch who want hives in their gardens, we’ve also been contacted by organisations that have a lot of land like colleges and hospitals who are keen to invest in the build of the hives and then host the hives on their land.”
The Bee Mission team quickly realised these sponsorship and patron options would be popular so organised an afternoon at The Green House Hotel where they could invite all the businesses and organisations to showcase the Bee Mission model and the invest opportunity opportunities in one afternoon. With its Eco Garden and bug hotels, The Green House Hotel was the perfect venue for the Bee Mission afternoon. Welcome drinks were served alongside delicious canapes created by the hotel’s Head Chef using the Bee Mission honey. Guests were treated to demonstrations of honey spinners and could see the inner workings of a hive as well as a video and presentation from Chris on Bee Mission’s plans for the future.
As well as installing 500 beehives, Bee Mission also plans on offering support for homeless people to upskill and retrain them on a variety of roles within the project, including becoming beekeepers. “It’s the combination of supporting local social issues, and also local environmental issues that’s been so compelling for businesses, and why we’ve had so many wanting to be involved.”
Bee Mission isn’t just about getting as many bees and beehives installed as possible, as this can have a disastrous effect on natural pollinators if there isn’t enough pollen to go around. “We’re working with bee conservationists to ensure that we also help the wild pollinators. We’re planning on planting lots of wild meadows and gardens on our own land and we’ll also encourage the communities in Dorset and Hampshire around our hives to plant as many wildflowers as possible.”
“We’ve already achieved so much since our launch in March, we’ve taken on new premises for us to cook our meals for the homeless in. This was all being cooked each week in Amy’s kitchen, and the amount she cooked was just incredible – Amy was also creating the Bee Mission chutneys and peanut butters in her kitchen too – I think she’s pleased to have her space back! We’re also in talks with a local farmer to take over his land for beehives, there’s a lot going on.”“We’ve set out with some big ideas, big targets, and a big mission for Dorset and Hampshire, but we are confident in the power of the community to help and support each other, and the bees. Next stop, Bee Mission 50,000 across the whole of the country!”
To find out more about the work that Bee Mission do, and how to foster a hive, head to www.beemission.co.uk.