Obsession with bees becomes a business

A FORMER engineer obsessed by bees, changed career overnight.

After 30 years as an engineer and following two strokes, Nigel Collier said he knew he needed to look for a new career and turned a hobby into a career.

The 52-year-old from Measham launched Temple Bees in 2020.

“I woke up one day and knew I had to keep bees, it was something I had got to do. Now I’ve become obsessed. No two hives are the same, no two years are the same,” he said.

“You will never taste anything like the first jar of honey from your own bees. It’s the best I have ever tasted and I don’t particularly like honey that much. I love bees.

“My bees have everything they need apart from satellite TV. They get pampered. I would keep bees even if they didn’t make honey because they are fascinating.”

Nigel secured a £5,000 business startup grant from North West Leicestershire District Council in November.

The money, in partnership with Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, was accompanied by support including workshops and coaching sessions.

The funding allowed him to buy 35 hives, which now support some of the 120 colonies on farms and in woodlands across Leicestershire, including Packington, Measham, Moira, Farm Town, Normanton, Staunton Harold, Newtown Linford and Mountsorrel.

The majority of Temple Bees’ honey is sold locally.

Nigel said; “I try to supply the honey from the apiary to the nearest shop, so when you buy my honey it will taste different depending on where it was made.

“I have 20 colonies next to ancient woodland in Newtown Linford and that honey has a unique flavour.

“It’s a lot harder work than I thought it would be, long days and you go home tired. I love it, it’s great, it’s the best thing I have done.”

Councillor Tony Gillard, portfolio holder for business, said: “It’s exciting to see businesses thriving and to know we are able to support them to expand.”

NIGEL GAVE UP ENGINEERING AND NOW HAS 120 COLONIES