Contributed by committee member Viv Hill – describes Moray Beekeepers participation in the Moray Science Festival on Saturday 5th March.
Donna Clark did the most amazing work towards it with the competition – colouring various age specific papers – being the biggest hit of the day, I think it would be fair to say that about 60/70 youngsters either drew a bee-hive (of their own design) or a garden suitable for bees. The very small ones could colour in bees and hives. I am hopeful that all of those youngsters (and not so young) went home no longer worried about bees that may sting them..
Our handouts were the biggest hit too and everyone was keen to either think about bee keeping or at the very least go home and create a bee-friendly garden. I am sure that the money Donna spent on crayons and pencils and the three Easter Eggs for colouring in prizes (Winnie the Pooh and a honey pot as the egg) was very well spent.
One of the Moray College girls (thanks Lani) who had listened most carefully to what I had to say about a nucleus box and three frames at differing stages of being drawn out and then capped was able to fill in when I was busy telling folk about the posters, bee friendly gardens and how to go to Lidls (you owe us Lidls!!) and buy cheap packets of seeds for that purpose.
All in all we had the most amazingly wonderful day and came away feeling that Moray Beekeepers should be very proud of us. We were all worn out at the end but agreed that it had been the most astonishing day.
Viv Hill.
