Meet Damson

”One summer when I was little, I jumped off my trampoline right into a swarm of bees. I had bees in my hair, but I didn’t get stung. That’s my first memory of bees.

My dad was a beekeeper, so I grew up around bees, learning from him. In 2020 I set up my own business, Hive5 Manchester. I partnered with Northern Roots in 2022 and now look after 250,000 honeybees in the apiary next to the Urban Farm.

Northern Roots are a fabulous, unique bunch of people that work so well together. I feel that we have a very similar ethos – we both aim to improve the local environment and engage people with nature. Many of us are so disconnected from the beautiful world around us. I aim to help people engage with their local environment, using honeybees as a door to open people’s eyes to the world around them.

Partnering with Northern Roots has enabled me to expand my business. I can now offer pollinator workshops for schools and community groups, group and private talks and experiences, corporate away days for team building and businesses can sponsor a hive.

Part of the agreement when you set up a business with Northern Roots is social value – what you can give back to the project and the community as a business. For World Bee Day 2024 I ran a free beekeeping experience, and I have educational displays at Northern Roots events so local people can engage with them in a way they may not have otherwise. Bees are fascinating insects, who wouldn’t want to learn more about them!

I’ve had a phenomenal time partnering with Northern Roots and it’s amazing to see its progress. I’m excited to offer more educational experiences and workshops, and once the Visitor Centre opens, I’d love to get the public involved in the honey extraction process.”

Check out Hive 5 Manchester website to book fun and educational beekeeping course and experiences.