17 hours ago
Business is buzzing for couple behind revival kits that rescue bees in need... while Wimbledon serves up an ace rival to strawberries with its very own honey
Summer gives people an excuse to show off their latest hat, handbag or sandals – but a new must-have accessory is creating a different kind of buzz.
A bee revival kit, designed to help tired, floundering insects, is driving a craze that sees the public giving them a helping hand.
The £11.99 kit, right, consists of a keyring containing a syrup to 'feed a bee in need' – the exhausted creatures often seen struggling in the grass or on the pavement.
The firm behind the concept, Beevive, consists of Faye Whitley and Jacob Powell, who appeared on Dragons' Den this year.
It was a hit with entrepreneur Deborah Meaden, who offered her support.
While the couple used to celebrate selling a dozen keyrings at an event, they now sell 'a few thousand' a week, with 130,000 snapped up in total. They secured a sought-after stall at the Chelsea Flower Show this year.
Ms Whitely said: 'It all started when Jake took me away for my birthday to Cornwall. We were out exploring and came across this tired bumblebee, and she looked really sad. She was hardly moving and we couldn't just leave her.
'We couldn't find a flower so we ended up taking her to a cafe and asking for some sugared water.
'We all gathered outside with this bee, fed her a few drops and she cleaned herself up, warmed her wings and flew away.'
Ms Whitely said 'it was the most heart-warming feeling', and realised there was a need for something people can carry around with them. She added: 'We did loads of research into bees and how they're in decline, and so we invented the bee revival kit.'
A few drops of the 'nectar' water next to a flagging bee will give it the energy to continue on its flight and carry on pollinating plants. 'It's just a little pick-me-up. Bees can't fly for 40 minutes without starving,' Ms Whitely added.
Some 13 bee species have been lost in the UK, with 35 at risk of extinction. The main cause is intensive farming, plus threats from habitat loss, climate change, pests and disease and invasive species.
The couple also sell bee 'hotels', kits that provide a safe space for female solitary bees to build nests and lay their eggs.
Wimbledon officials are hoping honey will rival strawberries and cream at this year's championships.
Ticket holders will be offered free jars of the honey from stalls across the ground. An SW19 source said: 'Wimbledon is famous for its strawberries and cream, but this year we wanted to create a buzz with honey made by our own bees. We think our bees will live up to the high standards we set ourselves.'
The honey is made at six hives – three at Wimbledon's main complex and three in nearby Raynes Park. As this is a trial run, the honey available will be limited, but there are plans to roll out production if it proves successful.
The source said: 'We hope our honey will one day become a similar staple to the strawberries and cream.'
