Sponsor a hive of urban bees and empower young people
The Golden Company is a social enterprise based in the heart of Hackney, East London, and is a winner of the RSA Youth Innovation Award. They were involved in the 2010 City of London Festival and had "a really good time"!
The City of London Festival gave the organisation valuable opportunities to develop their peer-led educational workshops in schools, and they also sold products at the Hampstead Heath Family Day.
They hope to build on the young people's positive experiences at both of these events during the coming year.
The Golden Company aims to empower inner city youth with the skills to develop a sustainable, environmentally focused enterprise and do this through the production of honey. Young people are empowered through opportunities to create, market and sell their own products. They receive training in urban beekeeping, permaculture, business, carpentry, natural cosmetics making and life skills. As members of the company, youth members earn money through their work and share in the running of the business.
The Golden Company is now seeking City-based companies and institutions to act as sponsors and supporters of their own individual hive of urban bees to be located at suitable locations across the City and City Fringe of London, including their own roof space.
To ensure the long term sustainability and success of the colonies, The Golden Company will plant urban wildflower meadows, bee-friendly herbs, fruit trees and green rooftops at suitable locations nearby, working closely with their partners at St Mary’s Secret Garden and River of Flowers.
The colonies will be set-up and managed by The Golden Company and will help to fund the exciting programme of work the organisation is doing with young people in the capital. At the same time, it will help to repopulate London’s declining bee population, which has decreased by around a half since 2008.
For £1,000, each sponsoring company can help to create a colony of bees near to their office, helping re-dress the UK’s collapsed bee population. Come harvest time, the sponsoring company will be offered 20% of the harvested honey for their own staff to enjoy. The profits from the remaining 80% will be re-invested in training young people in the business of bee-keeping and marketing of bee-related products.
If you would like to take part in this pioneering initiative and sponsor your own beehive please get in touch at info@thegoldenco-op.com or 07886 214329.
Download details of the beekeeping course (open to all).
- Login to post comments
