Island beekeepers get a buzz from CalMac Fund

A group dedicated to conserve Cumbrae's fragile environment will soon be a hive of activity thanks to ferry operator CalMac's Community Fund.

Cumbrae Beecology is a non-profit, environmental group founded in Milllport in 2018 the group is open anyone with an interest in environmental matters who wants to make a difference on the island.

They plan to use their CalMac award to fund a new educational beekeeping experience aimed exclusively at young people on the island. 

Picture shows Lisa gives her daughter a lesson in beekeeping. 

'Our project will educate on the importance pollinators play in our environment to inspire a greater appreciation of bees and their interaction with global food production and how they help the economy. Beekeeping gets people outside and interacting with nature, which is proven to reduce stress and improve mental health. Handling bees improves confidence and gives young people a great sense of achievement,' said Lisa Christie from Beecology.

CalMac's Community Fund drives social value by supporting non profit organisations, based in a mainland port or island the company serves, delivering projects to benefit the lives of children and young people living in west coast communities. Organisations can apply for an award between £500 to £2000. 

So far the Fund has supported 76 projects from woman's football in the Outer Hebrides, to the Campbeltown Sea Cadets and a Gaelic youth club on Skye. 

Each application was judged by a screening panel of young people recruited from across the company's network, in partnership with Young Scot.

'This is a unique project that stood out as an excellent opportunity for young people living in Cumbrae to engage with. We are delighted to support such a forward thinking project that develops skills and the well being of young people living in our network,' said CalMac's Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Gordon McKillop.