Support Bees & Refugees's New Farm

Hello,

We are Bees & Refugees. We recently acquired a 5-acre farm in Kent. We are looking to renovate this space, which would allow us to increase the number and range of refugees we work with and expand our number of hives but… we need your help!

This farm is central to our mission to introduce beekeeping as a craft & therapy to vulnerable communities in the UK.

Our Story:

Our founder, Ali, is a Syrian activist living in London. He arrived in 2014 to escape the brutality and destruction caused by the Syrian government and was awarded asylum. In 2019, he quit his work in London’s fashion industry to pursue beekeeping as a therapeutic intervention for his mental health as well as other refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.

Ali is trained in British beekeeping methods, with a focus on organic and natural beekeeping methods.

We need your help to reach and support vulnerable communities. We are raising funds for our farm in Kent and the money will go toward:

1. Converting the farm into a space where we can host community gatherings and workshops, and welcome refugees.

2. Installing plumbing and electricity on the farm.

3. Building an accessible toilet, to ensure we are as inclusive as possible to the communities we serve.

4. Assisting with transportation costs to the farm, including money toward our van.

Why we believe beekeeping can help:

Beekeeping is an ancient skill with therapeutic and environmental benefits.

For refugees – Beekeeping provides; a purpose and meaningful pursuit, a connection to social circles, businesses, and local communities, and improves mental health.

For bees – Due to farming practices with pesticides and herbicides many bees are endangered. Ethical beekeeping plays an important role in maintaining their health and ensuring their survival.

For local communities – Beekeeping benefits local biodiversity, supports the integration of refugees into local communities, teaches people about the importance of nature and ethical beekeeping, fosters community cohesion and offers local raw honey.

Other ways you can support:

Thank you so much for being interested in our project. If you can’t donate financially, you can also greatly support us by spreading the word.

Find out more about our work at Bees & Refugees on our:

Website: https://beesandrefugees.org.uk

Instagram: @beesandrefugees

Twitter: @RefugeesBees

Facebook: Bees & Refugees