Grants for Beehives

As I mentioned in an earlier post on the plight of the bees, the loss of bees could be a blow to UK economy, that would cost up to £440m per year. I also eluded to the fact that myabe the government should provide grants to help people get started in Beekeeping.

Well, a few local authorities seem to be doing just that. I mentioned a while back that the Coop were offering start-up Beekeeping grants to people in Manchester, London and Inverness. It also seems as though Snowdonia National Park are also offering grants.

In partnership with WBKA (Welsh Bee Keepers Association) and CALU Bangor University (Centre For Alternative Land Use), the Snowdonia National Park is offering anybody attending a training course through the WBKA, the opportunity to apply for a grant through the Park in order to purchase a traditional beehive.

these schemes sound ideal and are just what the government and other interested parties should be doing to encourage people to keep bees and raise awareness of the plight of the bees. Such a grant would certainly be a help for us and with one there would be no hesitation on our part to take up bee-keeping. We want to keep bees here, but the intial set up costs are quite high. Some help towards these costs would be great.

Unfortunately we don’t live in Manchester, London or Inverness – actually, from my point of view that is fortunate, not unfortunate – but it does mean we don’t qualify for the Coop scheme. We also live just outside the Snowdonia National Park boundary. It’s probably less than a mile away as the crow flies, but I’m sure that will count us out of the Snowdonia National Park scheme as well.

Looks as though its time to get onto our local councilors, the people at the Dyfi Biosphere Project and maybe the Rural Affairs Minister to see if there are any schemes where we live and if not, encourage someone to set one up. It has to be worth a try.

3 Responses

  1. Avatar forComment Author CAT man says:

    Best person to contact is the Minister for Rural Affairs, also the AM for the areas – Elin Jones, [email protected]

    Dyfi Biosphere isn’t a project it’s only a designated zone really, I don’t think that they really ‘do’ stuff, I’m not even sure if there’s community representation at all.

  2. Avatar forComment Author Alan says:

    Thanks CAT man – I’d already looked up Elin Jones’ e-mail and had her on my list of people to contact.

    I realise that the Dyfi biosphere isn’t a project as such, but ecodyfi and the people who pushed for the ‘biosphere’ status should be doing something to preserve its status and preserve its biodiversity.

    The Dyfi Biospheres aims state:

    “The Dyfi Biosphere will be recognised and respected internationally, nationally and locally for the diversity of its natural beauty, heritage and wildlife, and for its people’s efforts to make a positive contribution to a more sustainable world. It will be a self confident, healthy, caring and bilingual community, supported by a strong locally-based economy.”

    Maybe they don’t / won’t actually do anything to help maintain this status, but I’m a person within the Dyfi Biopshere so it would be nice if they would help with my “efforts to make a positive contribution to a more sustainable world”.

    Maybe someone there should be encouraging local business (or even national businesses) to provide beehive grants for people within the ‘biosphere’. I’m sure it would be a good publicity stunt for the businesses involved as well.

    It’s unlikely to happen I know, but there’s no harm in trying to get some help to buy the necessary equipment.

    On another note, maybe I’ll be able to charge a premium for my honey as it comes from a UNESCO Biosphere! 🙂

    Al.

  3. Avatar forComment Author Alan says:

    BTW – are you associated with CAT (Centre for Alternative Technology)? – They don’t know of any bee-keeping starter grants do they?

    Al.

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Alan Cole

Alan is a Freelance Website Designer, Sports & Exercise Science Lab Technician and full time Dad & husband with far too many hobbies: Triathlete, Swimming, Cycling, Running, MTBing, Surfing, Windsurfing, SUPing, Gardening, Photography.... The list goes on.

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