The Beehive Challenge team take to the skies

26 October 2014

A plucky team of seven UK farmers and agricultural specialists have taken their first step in a unique challenge to travel to remote Tanzania to hand build 67 beehives in aid of local communities.

The adventurous group met at Heathrow Airport on Sunday evening to set off on the first leg of their long journey to Tanzania’s Nou Forest, their new workplace and temporary home over the coming days.

The “Bee Team” will spend three days in the Nou Forest working with local carpenters and farmers building and waxing beehives which they will deliver to local families. The hives will be used to create a sustainable income from honey production without damaging the forest as part of Forest Management Project in the area.

Ally Hunter-Blair, a farmer in Herefordshire, one of Channel 4's 'First Time Farmers' and a team member reflected the team’s feelings of anticipation at Heathrow when he said, “Leaving the farm for a week is never easy, there are so many loose ends that need tidying up. There is a feeling of anxious excitement amongst the team. Now we have made it to the airport we are all keen to get to our destination.”

He continued, “I am nervous as I have no idea what to expect having never been to Africa before. My mind is also flickering back and forth from did I turn the GPS box off on the sprayer to how are we going to build so many beehives in a forest with no power tools!”

To keep up to date with the team’s day-to-day labours you can read the team’s blog or follow Farm Africa’s Twitter feed. To show your support the team’s huge efforts for Farm Africa please visit their fundraising page.