Bee book project creating a buzz

A PROJECT which aims to remember a Tasmanian beekeeping stalwart and inspire the next generation of beekeepers is making a buzz in Hobart.

The Goodwood Community Centre has teamed up with the Tasmanian Junior Beekeepers and Story Island Project to create The Bee Book — a fact book about bees, by children for children. Along with passing on knowledge about beekeeping to the next generation, the book was written in memory of former Goodwood resident Fred House.

Beekeeper Jenni McLeod, who co-ordinated the project, met Mr House through her work. “Fred was in his 90s, and he had been a beekeeper for 93 years,” Ms McLeod said.

“When he found out I was a beekeeper, he started visiting me quite regularly, and we made quite a good friendship.

“He had a lot to do with here — he used to provide cheap honey to the Goodwood Community Centre.

“All Fred wanted to do was to turn 100, and about six months shy of his 100th birthday [in 2016] he passed away.”

After he died, Ms McLeod pitched the idea of writing a book to the Goodwood Community Centre, and a group of about 15 children worked on it between July last year and last month.

Participant Harry McLoughlin, 7, said it was “very cool” to be part of the program. “My favourite animal is a bee because they make one of my favourite foods — honey,” he said.

The project has started a GoFundMe page, with the aim of raising $7000 to have the book published.