Rowcroft’s volunteer beekeepers win national award for supporting honeybees
We are buzzing with pride that our amazing volunteer beekeepers have been honoured with a national award – the Bees Needs Champions Award – for their exceptional efforts in protecting, nurturing and celebrating bees.
Being heroes for our honeybees
The Bees’ Needs Champion Awards acknowledge the outstanding efforts of local people, communities, and organisations to help pollinators flourish. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs presents these awards for inspiring actions, including creating wildflower patches, educating the local community, and implementing pollinator-friendly practices.
Sweet victory
Rowcroft’s wonderful team of volunteer beekeepers was recognised alongside 45 champions across the UK. Our dedicated volunteers are the caretakers of our busy bees, ensuring their well-being by maintaining their hives, planting nectar-rich flowers, and much more. Their hard work has a significant impact at Rowcroft, not only by generating vital income through the sale of delicious honey but also by creating and running meaningful activities, such as those with our bereavement support group, Spaces for Nature.
Well-deserved recognition
“Our volunteers are a group of hard working, caring individuals,” says Alan Rowse, a passionate volunteer beekeeper at Rowcroft. “They enjoy working with the bees and contributing to Rowcroft Hospice through their efforts. Being recognised for our hard work is an important aspect of volunteering, as it involves a significant personal commitment. We are confident that the honeybees are performing a valuable role in local pollination, and Rowcroft benefits from income generated from the honey they produce.”
Alan shares that their work with the local community was one of numerous reasons for receiving this award. “We are working with ‘The Woodend Project’, a community-based initiative in the Watcombe area of Torquay,” Alan explains. “The project supports individuals with mental health conditions, and beekeeping is known to be helpful in some cases. We have also been providing free bee talks for recently bereaved individuals through the hospice and we’ve offered bee experiences as raffle prizes for hospice fundraising events.”
The importance of protecting our pollinators
Supporting bees is essential for maintaining a healthy and vibrant ecosystem. These tiny heroes are responsible for pollinating the plants that produce our fruits, vegetables, and beautiful flowers. By protecting and supporting these vital creatures, we contribute to food security, promote biodiversity, and keep our natural environment thriving. That’s why we’re so proud of our devoted beekeepers and their exceptional efforts to celebrate and support our pollinators.
To find out more about our wonderful beekeepers, take a look at this blog from Rowcroft beekeeper Alan. If you’re interested in joining our team of volunteer beekeepers, then please email us at volunteering@rowcrofthospice.org.uk or telephone us on 01803 210852. If you’d like to find out about other ways to volunteer with Rowcroft, then please see our volunteers page.