Fareham paramedic turns bee keeper to save the endangered creature

But it wasn't until 2006, when bee populations across the globe dramatically declined, did people make more of an effort to conserve the species. Sadly in 2017, bees were added to the endangered list.

However one Fareham man is working tirelessly to reverse the potentially devastating effects of bee extinction by hand- rearing more than five million honey, bumble and European black bees throughout the UK.

‘I have been beekeeping for around nine years so I have seen first-hand the decline in numbers and the rise in vandalism,’ says Richard Shaw, 38.

‘There are so many endangered species. Everyone is making an effort with white rhinos and tigers but what about the bees?’

For those unaware of their importance, more than one third of global food production is reliant on bees and a single honey bee can pollinate more than 2, 000 flowers in one day.

And it was nine years ago that Richard bought his first second-hand hive and began making a difference by beekeeping with his family friend in a Fareham farmer’s field.

In that time, he has quit his job as a paramedic, mastered the art of beekeeping and is now the proud founder of The Great British Bee Project.

Richard explains: ‘I decided to quit my job with the ambulance service and start The Great British Bee Project.

‘It was a bit of a risk. I don’t do it for honey or money. This is my hobby.

‘I have always felt like I need to make a difference.'

The Great British Bee Project is the only nationwide queen-rearing colonising programme and launched in April 2019.

Today, the project monitors, protects and cares for millions of bees.

‘I have gone from having one colony to more than 600 bee hives, covering the south coast and up to north Wales,' adds Richard.

Reversing the decline of an endangered animal sounds like a big task for one man and Richard says he couldn’t do it without the help he receives.

Alongside the volunteers that work within the project, the support from his wife Rachel and seven children has boosted his work.

And for his four-year-old son Archie, it has transformed his life.

'Archie is autistic but he is obsessed with bees,' smiles Richard.

' We call him the bee whisperer because there have been times where he goes up to the hive and handles them but has never been stung.’

Richard says many of his children go out and about with him to help the hives, but Archie in particular loves his dad's hobby.

'He's constantly reading books about them. Archie probably knows more than I do,' he laughs.

Richard insists The Great British Bee Project is not just another beekeeping association.

‘There are 100,000 beekeepers out there who don’t belong to an association. We are different to them.

‘We are more funky – we use apps, theroscopes, webcams and more updated technology to monitor our hives and bees.

‘People feel they don’t belong to a particular association, but we are the next generation of beekeepers.'

And through networking and social media, he has sourced volunteers, helpers, advise rs and an enormous amount of data.

‘Ryan Gander has been a massive help and covers a lot of hives in Hampshire. Also Lee Warren has helped me keep on top of everything.

‘Overall, we are having positive feedback,' says Richard, as he pulls up a report on his phone by a volunteer hundreds of miles away who has updated the data on one hive.

Day to day, Richard works out of his office at IncuHive, Winchester, where he watches web cam footage and uses GPS to ensure the hives aren't damaged. He says: ‘IncuHive are also helping me expand the project. The project just snowballed.

‘Through rigorous maintenance, volunteers and data collection we have managed to rear five million bees within five months.

‘We hope to have 15 times more that amount next year and move up north in spring 2020.’

Despite the fact that the buzzing business only took flight four months ago, it has already won the inspiring enterprise award from the University of Winchester.

But the ex-paramedic has given up his career to save the planet and that has come at a cost.

‘No one is salaried. I’m living off my life savings,’ he explains

‘The project is funded by membership. People can pay £3 per month and in return they are given direct links to hive webcams, newsletters, discounts on honey and tips.’

It is quite clear that beekeeping is Richard’ s passion.

Although his project has been extremely successful, he doesn't plan to keep his buzzing tactics a secret.

‘I haven’t lost a single colony yet. I believe through mass breeding, we will reverse the decline of bees,' he explains.

‘It’s not Frankenstein-type stuff to keep bees. It’ s pretty easy.

‘We never put them to sleep or drug them – it’s completely natural and we want the bees to be healthy.

‘The company motto is “the more people know, the more people care” which is why we try to get as many people involved as possible and make it educational.

‘For example, I live-streamed a whole bee inspection this morning. We have had up to 170,000 viewers at one point.’

‘I have written beekeeping courses that have gone off for accreditation. They teach people the new way of beekeeping that helps the bees and the environment.’

Richard says his eventual goal would be for DEFRA to release a report saying bees are no longer endangered.

But until then, he will continue tending to swarms, monitoring webcams or checking hives and he's always on hand to help.

‘We collect swarms from people and then look after them. Two hotspots for swarms this year seems to be Whiteley and Fareham.

‘People can contact us through our Facebook page, our 24 hotline and our website.

Richard laughs: ‘I have had calls at 3am where people have heard bees in their attic and we go to help.

'Bees are the most important living thing in the world.’

To get involved, learn more and become a member of The Great British Bee Project, go to thegreatbritishbeeproject.co.uk or call 0800 669 6790 and like their Facebook page.