OUR SITE IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT
Mission
Sustainable Honey Bees CIC exists to promote genetically stable, locally adapted honey bee populations throughout England and Wales. Our core focus is on breeding and supplying native and near-native honey bees (Apis mellifera mellifera) to amateur and commercial beekeepers while fostering sustainable beekeeping practices.
Our key objectives are:
- Breeding & Rearing: Selecting and rearing locally adapted honey bees to maintain and restore the genetic integrity of native British bees.
- Sustainable Bee Sales: Providing accredited queens and nucleus colonies from sustainable breeding programs.
- Sustainable Management Practices: Promoting bee husbandry techniques that enhance colony health, genetic resilience, and environmental sustainability.
- Commercial Support: Assisting commercial beekeepers in transitioning to sustainable, native bee-focused business models.
- Scientific Collaboration: Supporting scientific research on native honey bees through partnerships and advocacy.
We aim to develop an Accreditation Scheme to ensure the integrity of sustainable beekeeping and breeding practices.
Vision
In five years, Sustainable Honey Bees CIC will be:
- The leading organisation for the selection and rearing of locally adapted native and near-native honey bees.
- A trusted provider of sustainable, accredited queens and nucleus colonies.
- A key driver of sustainable business models for commercial beekeepers using native and near-native bees.
Values
- Transformative – Empowering beekeepers to transition toward sustainability.
- Visionary – Leading the way in sustainable beekeeping with a long-term approach to honey bee conservation.
- Science-Based – Grounding our practices in the latest genetic and ecological research.
- Collaborative – Working with beekeepers, scientists, and conservation groups to build a resilient bee population.
- Influential – Advocating for sustainable beekeeping and policy changes that protect native bees.
- Conservation-Focused – Committed to restoring and protecting native British honey bee genetics.