{"id":30626,"date":"2025-05-29T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/?p=30626"},"modified":"2025-12-03T12:38:49","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T12:38:49","slug":"culver-square-shopping-centre-buzzing-with-beekeeping-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/culver-square-shopping-centre-buzzing-with-beekeeping-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Culver Square Shopping Centre Buzzing with Beekeeping Success"},"content":{"rendered":"
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At OCS, we\u2019re 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<\/a> in Colchester, a project that\u2019s not only supporting biodiversity but is also gaining national recognition.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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Supporting Nature in the Heart of the City<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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.<\/p>\n

They completed the Colchester Beekeepers<\/a>\u00a0(CBKA) Association training between January and May 2024.
Now, they are proud members of CBKA and the British Beekeepers Association<\/a> (BBKA). Their passion for wildlife led to transforming an unused rooftop into a thriving space for urban pollinators.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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From Rooftop to Regional Recognition<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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\u2019s own hives but other hard-pressed pollinators in the area.<\/p>\n

To inspire others, the team has run interactive sessions with occupiers and local community groups at Culver Square. These \u201cshow and tell\u201d 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\u2019 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.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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Award-Winning Effort<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The team\u2019s dedication has already earned them an impressive 15 awards in their first year of entering competitions which is a phenomenal achievement for novice beekeepers.<\/p>\n

At the 2024 Essex Honey Show, they were recognised in multiple categories:<\/p>\n