It all started with an idea…

After 27 years in the design industry, I found myself at a crossroads. I could either keep going for another 27 years or make a change. The thought of doing something completely different was exciting — though, I'll admit, a little scary. I’d worked at the same company since I left university, moving up from tea boy to MD. I was ready for a new challenge, but I wasn’t sure what that looked like yet.

Before I really knew it, I found myself in the unfamiliar position of being out of work — a pretty daunting place to be, if I’m honest. I kept busy with everyday tasks while I figured out what the next chapter of my life would be, all while trying to make sure I could still provide for my family.

One of the tasks I took on during this time was tending to my bees at the bottom of the garden. I’d started keeping bees 15 years ago to help treat my daughters' hay fever (and yes, it really works!). They’d become just another thing to check off at the end of a busy week, but over time, I started spending more and more time with them. I looked forward to it, relaxed in their presence, and slowly but surely, I fell back in love with beekeeping.

Looking back, I see how much the bees became my sanctuary. It was a place where I could quiet the voices in my head: “What am I doing?” “Why have I made this change?” Tending to 60,000 bees brings you into the moment, focuses your mind, and calms your thoughts. They became my escape, a space to pause and breathe. We hear a lot about the importance of mental health and mindfulness, and for me, this was my form of self-care. It was my off-switch, my way of being present and letting go of stress.

I remember thinking, Wow, everyone should do this. It’s brilliant for mental health, great for the environment, and a lifeline for the struggling bee population. Win-win-win, right? But then I asked myself, So why doesn’t everyone do this? Time, knowledge, fear, space, and cost... I knew these were barriers, but after working in the corporate world for so long, I also knew businesses would be eager to jump on board something like this. And that’s when the idea started to take shape.