Simon Lawton commenced bee-keeping as a hobby – and came to love it.
With his experience came a real grasp of the important role bees play in pollinating much of the enjoyable food that we eat . However, at the same time – it is clear that bees are under all sorts of pressure including: habitat loss, climate change, mites, viruses and Asian hornets.
It was obvious that if they are to survive and flourish they could really do with a bit of help – but how does one amateur bee-keeper leverage his knowledge and skills to provide a meaningful level of support? Simon’s solution was to create Bees ‘n’ Business where he facilitates local businesses to engage in a partnership whereby he supplies, sets up, raises and grows the hive which the companies then adopt.
So, what’s in it for the companies – apart from some jars of honey for the staff! 🙂 We live in a time when businesses are increasingly expected to demonstrate what’s known as corporate responsibility. What better way to do this than to demonstrate one’s commitment to the environment – so linking the brand to attitudes of environmental sustainability.
Simon talked us through the fascinating life-cycle of bees: they really are busy!!! He also showed us some of the equipment used and confirmed that his zealous mission to protect and nurture did not eradicate the pain of the occasional sting!
A well-recieved talk. Thank you Simon and good luck with your environmental mission. It fits well with one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus: the Environment!
Banbury Rotary Club is a club with over 50 members but we have such a full calendar of activities that we’re always looking for new active people to join. Your gender, ethnicity, job or religion is of no relevance to us but if you’re the sort of person who likes to support your community and get things done – we’d love to talk to you! Speak to a Rotary member or contact us through the website. secretary@banburyrotaryclub.org.uk