Solar so good for Darlington beekeepers

DARLINGTON’S beekeepers are buzzing after successfully installing new solar panels that will help power their growing education hub in the heart of the Denes. 

The electricity now available at the Denes Apiary means they finally have access to hot water, lighting and heating.

And that means more community visits are now possible, much to the delight of Darlington Beekeepers Association, whose chair, Victoria McCartney, says that has been the group’s ambition all along.

“We’ve always wanted to put the hives at the heart of the community, and we’re very excited about the prospect of regular school visits in particular, now that we have the panels”, she said.

“Electricity, lighting, heating, hot water – it makes it so much easier to host visits, and there’s no substitute for schoolchildren seeing the bees and the hives in action.”

Founded in 2012, the Darlington Bee Keepers Association (DBKA) manages two apiaries: one nestled in the area of the old bowling green at the Denes near Darlington centre, home to approximately 20 hives, and the other at Onpath Wind Farm near Sadberge. 

Each hive can house 30,000 to 60,000 bees during the summer months and the apiary sells its own honey and wax as a way of contributing towards funds.

The Association successfully trains dozens of new beekeepers every year, but the reliable electricity supply means it can now bring bees to the wider community with on-site power for an alarm system and a fridge to have cool water for the schools and other groups’ visits.

Victoria said: “The new solar panels give us a whole new dimension.

“They have been really efficient, and thanks to them, we’ll have more visits that I’m sure the public will enjoy.

“It’s great for people to feel part of it, seeing the hives and the honey bees, and increasing their understanding of the importance of pollinators. 

“It’s good for mental health and well-being to see the start of the food chain, and we can show people that they can play a part in looking after our plants and our planet.

“It also develops environmental awareness, which is increasingly important for everyone because all of this is interconnected – going back to nature and realising we need to protect our planet.”

The solar panels also align perfectly with the group’s environmental principles and the need to provide a clean environment for the bees. 

Victoria said: “It’s only right that we’re being powered by clean energy, which is much more beneficial for the bees.

“There’s no diesel or generator to bring any noise or pollution which would disturb the hive, just natural power provided by the sun itself – something the bees would no doubt approve of!”

The project was made possible by a £6,000 grant from Point North, funded by the renewable energy company OnPath Energy. 

A further £1,000 was granted to assist schools and other groups to bring children to the apiary.

With budgets tight, the funding helps cover transport costs, making it easier for children to experience the apiary first hand when the bees emerge from hibernation in spring. 

Victoria said: “It’s all about going into the community and educating people about honey bees.

“It’s surprising how many people are a little bit afraid at first, and it’s about getting them interested because once they lose that fear, they begin to understand and enjoy finding out about these amazing insects” 

Conduits have already been laid for the next phase, a purpose-built education suite that will allow the Association to welcome more schools, run training courses and host community groups keen to learn about beekeeping and biodiversity. 

• For more information on the Association, which has more than 70 members and provides honey and wax for purchase, go to: https://www.darlingtonbeekeepersassociation.org.uk/