Four hives of honey bees at a Gloucestershire hospice have been ‘buzzy’ making delicious honey over the past year, and are set to produce 100 jars of the delicious nectar when harvested in the next few weeks.
Hospice garden volunteer and bee keeping enthusiast Mike Sumner first installed the hives at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice in Cheltenham in 2019 after doing some work for the hospice with his production company and supporting fundraising events.
“During my many visits to the hospice I thought it would be a great location for bees,” shared Mike.
“Surrounded by ethical farming practices and free from city pollution, not only is the hospice well-sited for delicious honey production, but the surroundings have played a large part in the bees flourishing.”
“Sadly, Covid and lockdowns took its toll on my honey production plans last year, but this year the bees have fared far better as I have been able to access the hives and manage them.”
Mike is due to harvest the hives at the Sue Ryder hospice in the next few weeks. “I’m aiming for 50-100 jars of honey for the hospice this year,” Mike shared. “I’ll know exactly how much in a couple of weeks, when I take their hard earned honey. Hopefully next year there’ll be even more, as Jeremy Clarkson calls it, Bee-Juice!”
The harvested honey will be made available to Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice volunteers and staff, providing hard working hospice teams with a much needed boost of energy as they provide around the clock expert and compassionate palliative care and bereavement support for local families.
Mike hopes the hospice hives will help the environment too. “Honey bees are disappearing at an alarming rate globally, due unrelenting industrial agricultural practices, habitat loss, killer pesticides, disease and parasites,” shared Mike. “And while I recognise I can’t single-handedly solve the world bee decline, I can however nurture my bees, build up colonies and perhaps most importantly bring attention to the struggle these little creatures are facing.
“I started bee-keeping around 12 years ago, and these amazing creatures continue to fascinate me through their sophisticated social structure as well as their unrelenting drive to build their colony.
“Interestingly just one worker bee will produce just one third of a teaspoon of honey during its lifetime (six weeks) and as there are on average 60,000 bees per hive, there could be as much as 50lbs of honey produced per hive per year.
“The honey produced by urban bees is quite different to that bought in a supermarket too. The pollen collected is generally a radius of three miles from the hive, and if well sited, this could be mainly wild flower pollen, which provides a unique taste and texture to the honey. Every hive is as unique as the honey it produces.”
Mike also volunteers as a gardener at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, and he says there are plenty of bee friendly flowers, structures and of course all important wild flowers which he hopes will help give Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice’s honey a unique and delicious taste.
David Bills is head gardener at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice. He said, “Bees love Lavender and can often be found pollinating flowers on the Lavender walk at the front of the hospice. We also have an extensive hospice orchard, and the fruit trees there are a real magnet for the bees as are the wild flowers that grow here, for example on the wild meadow banks by the side of the rear lawn. We have lots and lots bee friendly flora all over the hospice grounds.”
Elise Hoadley, Service Director at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice said,
“The wildlife in and around our grounds play such an important part in boosting the wellbeing of our patients, visitors, volunteers and staff.
“Whether that’s taking some time to sit in the sun, smell the roses and the lavender, listen to the birds sing or now watch the hospice honey bees busily collecting pollen to make hospice honey! We’re really thrilled to be able to provide a home for these honey bee hives and to play our part in helping Britain’s bees.”
“None of this would be possible without our volunteers’ loving care in maintaining our hospice grounds so beautifully and Mike’s expertise, skills and time in managing the hives. We’d like to wish Mike and our volunteering gardening team a huge thank you for all they do. We’re looking forward to tasting the rewards from the first honey harvest!”
Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice currently has a number of volunteering opportunities at the hospice. For more information visit www.sueryder.org/volunteer
Pictured: Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice volunteer and bee keeping enthusiast, Mike Sumner, has been ‘buzzy’ tending the hospice hives. Soon the delicious honey will be ready to be harvested and shared with Sue Ryder staff and volunteers, giving them a much needed energy boost as they continue giving their expert and compassionate palliative care and bereavement support.
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For more information, please contact Hayley Clemmens, PR and Marketing Manager at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice hayley.clemmens@sueryder.org
About Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice:
Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice is the only palliative care inpatient unit in Gloucestershire and provides expert palliative care and support for people who are living with a life-limiting condition, as well as supporting their families.
Our 16-bed hospice is surrounded by beautiful, tranquil countryside which complements the specialist care and support we give to those with life-limiting conditions and their families.
In addition to our inpatient unit, our virtual day hospice service helps people living with long term conditions and our Hospice at Home service provides care for people in the local community who prefer to receive palliative care at home.
Our expert team includes doctors, nurses, care assistants, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and family support team. They all work seamlessly together to support people through the most difficult times of their lives.
Whether somebody is dealing with a terminal illness or the loss of a loved one, we’re there when it matters. Sue Ryder staff and volunteers provide people with the compassion and expert care they need, to help them live the best life they can.
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