Mick has recently retired from TFL, he lives in Greenwich and has been keeping bees for twelve years. Mick has apiaries in New Cross and Blackheath and is a member of the Bromley Branch BKA. He got into beekeeping by accident after taking over his former girlfriend’s bees and equipment which included two colonies and an extractor for the sum of £250 (a bargain even at today’s prices).

I had arranged to meet Mick for his interview at an address in Streatham on a February morning. Mick was keen to show me the apiary he volunteers at once a week. The location was kept secret until the last minute, I was greeted by Mick waiting outside the apiary’s location known locally as BEE HQ. It was a sunny day and I was armed with my pen & notebook, Sony digital camera and with an open mind.

The apiary was in the back garden of a large house run by the Kairos Community Trust (more about the charity later).

I was introduced to two other beekeepers who help Mick run the apiary.

Neil aged 56 was in his second year of beekeeping and wants to do something for the environment, he finds beekeeping wacky and loves honey and burning candles.

Justin is a beekeeper volunteer who has completed one full season, has interests in bee plants and enjoys the risky nature of beekeeping.

Grace is another volunteer beekeeper who wasn’t there that day.

Kairos Community Trust do amazing work with the homeless and those with drug and alcohol addiction problems, they offer a safe and supportive environment for which to recover. They do this through abstinence-support hostel, rehab programmes and a network of 29 supported move-on houses, most of which are in south London.

Kairos have strong green credentials and believe in teaching beekeeping for therapy as it takes you back to nature and is good for human wellbeing, helping recovery back to independent living.

I was impressed by the facilities the apiary offered. Mick showed me around the brand-new bee building/shed complete with tea making facilities, fitted out workshop and storage.

Mick has plans to expand the apiary to more than ten hives, all Nationals. He prefers to over winter on open mesh floors with an empty super underneath the brood to reduce wind chilling.

By clever design the hive stands have built in frame holders.

Chatting to Mick over a cup of tea I can see great enthusiasm working with the Kairos Community Trust. It’s a sustainable beekeeping project benefiting those struggling with addiction problems.

If you would like more information about the Kairos Community Trust please visit their website: https://www.kairoscommunity.org.uk

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Author: Steven Turner