Last week has been very busy chasing emails sent to schools in late January with a spectacular result. I called every school and with the exception of one, which shall remain anonymous, the response has been fantastic and I have made, as you can see from the events page, more than several bookings as a result.

It is not just about Betsie Valentine And the Honeybees, it’s spreading the word about our wonderful honeybees who work so hard to keep this planet alive and yet are struggling to stay alive themselves.

My book, so beautifully illustrated by Tegan Sharrard, is an educational, charming adventure that compliments my talks that I give to Key Stage 2 children in schools. Children are always so responsive and keen to take part during the talks and at the end I always do a question and answers session and never cease to be amazed and impressed by the questions they ask, which show how much they have listened and taken on board.

Betsie Valentine And The Honeybees is a continuation of my talk. Something the children can take home with them and enjoy all the while continuing to learn about the honeybees.

I feel very privileged to be invited in to these young children’s schools and it is my hope that as they grow up they will recall the “bee lady” who came and gave a talk to them when they were younger and this will spark off a keen interest in the honeybees and go on to create some fabulous young beekeepers. They may even go home and tell their parents all about the talk and share with them the book and they too will learn and perhaps even look in to beekeeping for themselves.

That is the ethos behind Betsie Valentine And The Honeybees. To spread the honeybee word. Create a buzz - pun intended! -

I am often asked if I am going to write another book. Will Betsie turn in to a butterfly or something else our planet relies on? My answer is, at this moment, “No.” Honeybees are my passion. I can talk to people with confidence and enthusiasm and a sound background of knowledge which always appears to rub off on to both the old and young at heart.

I love talking about the honeybees and I enjoy talking to people, combine the two and it makes for an interesting, thought provoking hour or so.

If you would like to acquire a basic knowledge of the honeybees and beekeeping, contact me through the website and I will happily, for a very nominal fee, come and talk to your school, your business, your local community or whoever it is you would like me to talk to. You too can join a local beekeeping association and become a beekeeper. Or if you do not want to go that far, learn enough to want to do more to help protect our wonderful honeybees.

I look forward to hearing from you.