Hi from a school in the midlands

[Richard]

Hello all,

I am yet to embark on my bee keeping journey. My aim is to start keeping bees at the secondary school I teach at as a way of engaging students in some of the science we teach and also linking with other departments (DT for building the hives and maybe making some from scratch eventually, graphics for designing packaging, food tech, business ....

There are plenty of staff interested, I'm just waiting for the head to say she is OK with the idea before going any further. In the meantime, I'm doing as much learning as I can, which is how I found this forum.

If there happens to be anyone that has done this previously in a school that could offer some advise that would be amazing.

Richard.

 

[Blunt Spike]

Hi Richard welcome. I'm sure someone on here will be able to help. If not, try The Bee Farmer | Traditional Bee Farming | Leicestershire I'm certain I've seen him tweeting about helping schools with bees. He's based in Leicestershire, so the other side of the Midlands to you, but I bet he could offer some advice.

 

[Erichalfbee]

https://bee-team.co.uk/about-us/

 

[Erichalfbee]

https://twitter.com/beekeepingkids?s=21&t=0sMFCAblI3oWVaG-LWKgTAThey are at Kirbie Kendal school in Kendal Cumbria

 

[enrico]

This lady is based at Telford and will help you out.
https://www.facebook.com/AlisonsBeeClassShe lectures schools and is a good beekeeper
Mention me to her ( Eric Martin)

 

[robinharman]

I have colonies at schools that are mine and I manage throughout the year.
I do get asked about bees being kept at other schools by the staff and my first question is 'Who will look after them from mid July until early September?'
There is often silence.
Something to consider first.

 

[Richard]

Thank you all for the suggestions of who to talk to.
Once I get the go ahead I will start contacting people, don't want to waste their time if the head says no.

Robin, this is something I've considered, I don't have a solution as yet, but a number of school staff live very locally.

I think there will be enough staff interested that we only need to cover a small part of the summer hols each.
We also have site staff that live in the school grounds who may be willing to be trained.

 

[Just Steve]

Don't know if Kidderminster Beekeepers might know someone who will help or maybe Worcestershire Beekeepers which they are affiliated to. Alisons as mentioned before are fairly local and may be able to get involved. Best of luck. Steve (in Stourbridge).

 

[Richard]

Don't know if Kidderminster Beekeepers might know someone who will help or maybe Worcestershire Beekeepers which they are affiliated to. Alisons as mentioned before are fairly local and may be able to get involved. Best of luck. Steve (in Stourbridge).

Hi Steve, I've been in touch with Stourbridge and Hagley who weren't aware of anyone locally (and asked at a national level on my behalf also).

Although I live in Kidderminster, I teach in Hagley.

The closest I've found is a private secondary school in Warwickshire, about an hour away.

 

[Just Steve]

Hi Steve, I've been in touch with Stourbridge and Hagley who weren't aware of anyone locally (and asked at a national level on my behalf also).

Although I live in Kidderminster, I teach in Hagley.

The closest I've found is a private secondary school in Warwickshire, about an hour away.

That's a bit of a jaunt. Fingers crossed for you Richard. I hope that you can get everything sorted. My secondary school had an observation hive in one of the science labs which is where my interest in honeybees began.

 

[Ian123]

Hi I’ve got bees at a school both in the grounds and hives behind and close to main building.
The ones behind the main building are run by the heads wife who I helped start a little while ago.
We created a tunnel that runs in front of the hives so children can literally walk/stand directly in front of the hives, I’ll take some photos and post. Although my new phone doesn’t appear to like loading pics on the site for some reason
Here’s the old thread
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/bee-tunnel.50357/
I really would suggest getting a competent/experienced beekeeper involved!

 

[Pembroke]

This forum won't allow me to post links to the BBKA website but if you go there and search on schools they have various documents on schools keeping bees including a model risk assessment. Or look in the section entitle 'Junior Beekeeping".

 

[Richard]

This forum won't allow me to post links to the BBKA website but if you go there and search on schools they have various documents on schools keeping bees including a model risk assessment. Or look in the section entitle 'Junior Beekeeping".

Thank you, I have already found those pages. They were really useful.

 

[Richard]

Hi I’ve got bees at a school both in the grounds and hives behind and close to main building.
The ones behind the main building are run by the heads wife who I helped start a little while ago.
We created a tunnel that runs in front of the hives so children can literally walk/stand directly in front of the hives, I’ll take some photos and post. Although my new phone doesn’t appear to like loading pics on the site for some reason
Here’s the old thread
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/bee-tunnel.50357/
I really would suggest getting a competent/experienced beekeeper involved!

This looks like a great idea.

Don't worry, I was never going to go it alone.