At OCS, we’re always looking for innovative ways to support sustainability, enhance wellbeing, and make a real difference in the communities we serve. One fantastic example of this is the beekeeping initiative at Culver Square Shopping Centre in Colchester, a project that’s not only supporting biodiversity but is also gaining national recognition.
Supporting Nature in the Heart of the City
Bees play a vital role in pollination and food production, yet their numbers are declining across the UK. To help address this, two of our team members from Culver Square have become certified beekeepers. Soft Services Site Lead William Graham and Facilities Supervisor Dean Webb completed the training.
They completed the Colchester Beekeepers (CBKA) Association training between January and May 2024.
Now, they are proud members of CBKA and the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA). Their passion for wildlife led to transforming an unused rooftop into a thriving space for urban pollinators.
From Rooftop to Regional Recognition
What began with two bee colonies has now grown to four, with the bees travelling up to three miles from the city centre to pollinate local parks, gardens, and public spaces. The team has also worked with a landscaping supplier to ensure pollinator-friendly planting throughout the shopping centre. They selected flowers for hanging baskets and green spaces that benefit not just the Centre’s own hives but other hard-pressed pollinators in the area.
To inspire others, the team has run interactive sessions with occupiers and local community groups at Culver Square. These “show and tell” events offered an up-close experience of hive life and urban beekeeping in action. Guests had the chance to see inside a hive and learn about the bees’ vital role in biodiversity.
Building on this momentum, the team plans to engage local schools in the next phase of the project.
Using BBKA education materials, they will support learning at Key Skills Levels 1 and 2 across the community.
Award-Winning Effort
The team’s dedication has already earned them an impressive 15 awards in their first year of entering competitions which is a phenomenal achievement for novice beekeepers.
At the 2024 Essex Honey Show, they were recognised in multiple categories:
- Four First Prizes: Beeswax cake, Honey & malted wholemeal bread, Honey fudge and 454g clear honey.
- Three Second Prizes: Beeswax cake and 454g clear honey (x2).
- Three Highly Commended Prizes: Frame of extractable honey, Pair of beeswax candles and Honey fruit cake.
- Jersey Cup
- Devall Award
- Beeswax Award
- Beeswax Block Award
Looking ahead to 2025, the team will be entering the Tendring Country Show as well as returning to the Essex Honey Show with even more ambition.
A Personal Journey with Purpose
Beekeeping has not only benefited biodiversity, it’s had a personal impact, too. As one team member shares:
Beekeeping has been a benefit to me with stress reduction even given sense of purpose. When tending to bees and the hive, which requires focused attention and patience, can help me take a break from intrusive thoughts and overthinking. The simple act of observing the bees at work can also be calming and mindful, offering a respite from daily stressors.
William Graham
Soft Services Site Lead
At OCS, we’re proud to support this initiative and celebrate the dedication of our people who go above and beyond to create sustainable, meaningful change, one bee at a time.
Contact us today to learn how we can support your destination.
