BEES

29/05/2026

One of the most special things about BEES is the calming influence our animals have on both young people and staff.

Animals have a wonderful way of helping us slow down, observe, connect and be present in the moment.

And something incredibly exciting will be waiting for our young people when they return after the school holidays…

Our lovely ferrets, Dinky and Stinky, are now both proud new mothers!

Many of our young people knew the girls may have been pregnant, and they have been brilliant at following instructions, giving the mothers space and understanding that sometimes the kindest thing we can do is not disturb an animal at all.

Dinky, the smaller of the two, kept us guessing right until the end and has had one beautiful baby. Stinky, who looked as though she had swallowed a watermelon, has had an impressive litter of eight!

It hasn’t all been plain sailing.

The recent heatwave caused a few anxious moments, as heat can be extremely dangerous for ferrets, especially newborn kits. We had a rather panicked phone call when Dan arrived to find that Stinky had moved all of her babies out of the nest box and dotted them around the enclosure.

After a few phone-a-friend moments, we headed to the farm with extra water drinkers and frozen bottles to help keep everyone cool.

Stinky’s response was incredible.

The frozen bottles seemed to provide exactly what she had been looking for. She even rested her chin on one of them for a while.

What was remarkable was what happened afterwards. Once she appeared satisfied that the babies had cooled down, she carefully gathered each of them and moved them safely back into the nest box.

What an amazing mother.

We are delighted to say that all nine babies are doing well, and the cooling bottles are now very much appreciated by both mums.

What has touched us most is how mindful and caring our young people have already been. These moments encourage real engagement at BEES. For some young people, a tiny ferret kit, a proud mother, a careful instruction followed, or a quiet moment of observation can become the doorway into communication, confidence, responsibility and participation.

It is amazing to see young people excited to come back to BEES after the school holidays.

I’m not sure I ever felt like that when I was at school.

That excitement tells us something important. It tells us they feel safe, valued and connected.

The ferrets have always been firm favourites here, and their playful, curious nature never fails to bring smiles around the farm.

Before long, these tiny kits will have their eyes and ears open and will be exploring the world for the first time.

We can’t wait to share that journey with our young people.

Watch this space for more updates soon.

Sometimes the most meaningful learning starts with something as simple as caring for another living thing.

29/05/2026

Every young person at BEES is unique, and we believe that should be celebrated.

Our role is not to force young people into a particular mould. Instead, we create safe, structured opportunities for them to explore the world around them through play, creativity, collaboration and hands-on learning.

One thing we have learned through our work is that the size of the challenge matters.

For many young people, the difference between curiosity and anxiety can be surprisingly small. That is why we focus on learning in manageable, bite-sized steps. Small enough to feel safe. Small enough to reduce the fear of failure. Small enough to make early success possible.

Those early wins are incredibly important.

A young person who was hesitant to try something new suddenly discovers, “I can do this.”

A young person who doubted themselves realises, “I’m actually quite good at this.”

A young person who never imagined a future pathway begins to wonder, “Could I do something like this as a job one day?”

These moments may look small from the outside, but for young people who have experienced barriers to learning, they can be significant steps towards confidence, engagement and positive future outcomes.

Before half term, our fantastic staff team and young people started work on painting a beautiful carved sculpture that was kindly donated to us. What began as a creative activity quickly became another opportunity to build confidence, develop practical skills, work alongside others and take pride in creating something special.

The project is not finished yet, but we are excited to pick up where we left off and see the final results. Sometimes the journey is just as important as the finished piece, and this project has already created plenty of opportunities for creativity, conversation, teamwork and achievement.

We cannot wait to share the completed sculpture with you.

For now, take a look at the progress so far and see what our amazing young people have been creating.

10/05/2026

I remember a turning point in my life where I finally stopped accepting the labels of being “different” or “difficult”.

The truth was simply that I learned differently. I experienced and processed the world differently.

It took me years to unpick some of the damaging words and limiting assumptions that can so easily stay with a child long after they leave the classroom.

What is genuinely encouraging now is that there is a far greater understanding than ever before that we are all different, and that people experience, process and navigate the world in very different ways. There is a growing recognition across education, health and wider society that some children and young people may need different approaches, environments and support in order to thrive.

In the workplace, we rightly recognise the importance of making reasonable adjustments to support employees to thrive. It is genuinely encouraging to see more of that same inclusive and relational thinking continuing to develop within education too.

Most schools and local authorities contact us because a child or young person is struggling in some way, but what has become increasingly heartening over the years is the genuine care, passion and determination shown by so many professionals who simply want to get the right support in place. More and more people are beginning to look beyond behaviour and ask an important question: “What might this child be communicating through their behaviour, and what support do they need?”

Eventually, I realised I had two choices. I could carry the hurt forward, or I could use those experiences to help build something better.

So that is what we did.

We built a provision informed by those experiences, but designed to deliver the exact opposite outcome. A place where children and young people are encouraged to believe in themselves rather than doubt themselves. A place where difference is understood, not treated as something that needs fixing. A place that helps adults look beyond presentation and begin understanding the person underneath it.

Like their mum and dad, both of our daughters are neurodivergent and are educated outside of mainstream schooling. We know first-hand that for many families, home education or flexible educational approaches can feel completely out of reach, even when they may be exactly what a child needs.

Part of what drives us is helping bridge that gap. Sometimes support may simply mean creating space for a young person to have a carefully supported break from school during the week. For others, it may involve a more structured bespoke intervention over several days. The key is that every young person is different, and meaningful support should reflect that.

One of the things families often tell us is that, for the first time, they feel genuinely understood. Perhaps that is because much of what shapes our provision comes not only from professional experience, but from lived experience too. We understand that behind every child is a whole family navigating challenges, worries, hopes and exhaustion of their own. Our aim has never simply been to support a child in isolation, but to help families feel heard, supported and less alone.

Although the business itself was incorporated back in 2013, in many ways we have spent years operating within limitations that restricted how far we could truly grow and evolve. Despite that, we have continued to see meaningful outcomes while supporting incredible children, young people and families along the way.

I genuinely believe in what we have built and the difference it can make. And over time, the outcomes have begun to speak for themselves.

Perhaps the greatest irony of all is that the child once labelled “difficult” has spent the last thirteen years helping build something designed for children and young people who have heard the very same thing.

Walking quietly together through a place today that felt full of possibility, it was hard not to reflect on just how far the journey has already come, and how much hope there is in what may lie ahead.

There is a moment approaching that feels like it could finally bring all of those years, lessons, setbacks, hopes and ambitions into one place.

And now, after years of persistence, lessons, growth and refusing to give up on the vision, it finally feels like we are surrounded by the right people, at exactly the right time, to build something truly extraordinary.

It feels like the beginning of a chapter we once struggled to imagine possible.

We cannot wait to share more.

Watch this space!

Nathan
BEESUK & Kula Culture

05/05/2026

A very “egg-citing” find but can’t help thinking about the poor turkey hen when she comes looking for her clutch of eggs. 🥚 🐣😢

04/05/2026

Competition Result Announcement

Did you guess it right?

The correct answer was 29 chicks.

We saw some brilliant guesses, and well done to everyone who got it spot on.

From all the correct entries, we selected a winner at random.

Congratulations to Helen Seaman, who correctly guessed 29.
Whitleigh Primary School has won 25% off an EGG-ED hatching project to use this year.

We will be in touch shortly to arrange everything.

We know it can be frustrating to miss out, so we are opening this up a little further.

For any other schools who would like to book an unforgettable experience, we are offering 10% off EGG-ED hatching projects for bookings confirmed before the end of this week.

If you know a school that would benefit from this:

Share this post and tag a Plymouth school so they do not miss out.

These hands-on experiences give young people the chance to witness life cycles up close, connect with nature, and engage in something genuinely memorable.

Thank you again to everyone who entered and supported what we are doing. Helping to keep traditional breeds going, one hatch at a time.

COMPETITION TIME!

Can you guess how many chicks are in the bucket?

A very special delivery went out today from BEESUK, and this one feels particularly special.

These are Bourbon Red turkey chicks, hatched here from our own two flocks of this brilliant rare breed. A proper heritage turkey, known for their calm nature and traditional characteristics, and something we are proud to be helping preserve.

Today, they arrived safely at Sign of the Owl Birds in Ugborough, in one rather lively bucket.

So, how many chicks do you think are in there?

Take a close look and drop your guess below.

Prize:
Win 25% off an EGG-ED hatching project for a Plymouth school of your choice.

That could be your child’s school, a school you work in, or one you would simply love to support.

To enter:
Comment your guess
Tell us which Plymouth school you would nominate

Feel free to tag them so they do not miss out.

- One guess per person
- Closest guess wins

In the event of a tie, we will draw at random.

The winner announced Bank Holiday Monday evening.

Helping to keep traditional breeds going, one hatch at a time.

Let’s see who has the sharpest eye.

01/05/2026

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard!

Samuel Peeps Langford, Phil Cowell, Emzy Huish, Cindy Willcocks

01/05/2026

COMPETITION TIME!

Can you guess how many chicks are in the bucket?

A very special delivery went out today from BEESUK, and this one feels particularly special.

These are Bourbon Red turkey chicks, hatched here from our own two flocks of this brilliant rare breed. A proper heritage turkey, known for their calm nature and traditional characteristics, and something we are proud to be helping preserve.

Today, they arrived safely at Sign of the Owl Birds in Ugborough, in one rather lively bucket.

So, how many chicks do you think are in there?

Take a close look and drop your guess below.

Prize:
Win 25% off an EGG-ED hatching project for a Plymouth school of your choice.

That could be your child’s school, a school you work in, or one you would simply love to support.

To enter:
Comment your guess
Tell us which Plymouth school you would nominate

Feel free to tag them so they do not miss out.

- One guess per person
- Closest guess wins

In the event of a tie, we will draw at random.

The winner announced Bank Holiday Monday evening.

Helping to keep traditional breeds going, one hatch at a time.

Let’s see who has the sharpest eye.

30/04/2026

I first met Peter Hayford when I was just seven years old.

Nearly forty years later, that same quiet enthusiasm, generosity, and willingness to share his knowledge with younger generations remains unchanged.

Yesterday morning, Peter called.

He was just finishing his porridge, he said, and would be setting off shortly.

That was all the notice we needed.

Word travelled quickly. The young people at BEES moved with purpose, each quietly taking responsibility for their part. Gates were checked. Pens were tidied. Feed was prepared. A sense of anticipation settled over the place.

Peter arrived, as he always does, without fuss.

And with him came two beautiful quartets of Egyptian chickens: Dandarawi and Fayoumi.

They are not commercial hybrids. They are not easy birds, and have never been fashionable.

They belong to a much older story, one shaped by survival and careful preservation, and they have long been close to Peter’s heart.

The conversation that led to this began some time ago, at his farm.

A narrow, single-track lane, hedges brushing the wing mirrors as you make your way in.

Flocks of geese and ducks moving unhurriedly ahead of you, reluctant to give ground. Free-ranging poultry scattered across the yard.

And then, the familiar figure of the old collie, appearing as if from nowhere, ready to lead the way.

It is the sort of place where I have always felt entirely at home.

We sat down at the table, trays of eggs gathered around us, the quiet, steady rhythm of a place that has long been lived in and worked.

And there, in the centre of it all, lay a well-thumbed encyclopaedia of breeds and their standards.

It was then, over that cup of tea, that I asked him:

“What is your favourite breed, Peter?”

He paused before answering.

He knows better than most why some breeds never quite take hold. They are not large birds. The eggs they lay are small.

But that was never the point.

“They are hardy, wild little birds,” he said. “They would live among the Bedouin people. They would follow the camel trains and survive on almost nothing.”

“That’s incredible,” I said. “I’d love to see some in the flesh.”

He looked up, almost casually.

“Would you be interested in breeding them?” he asked. “I’d love to know that someone is going to carry on with them.”

We were simply delighted, and deeply honoured, to be considered, and trusted, to continue supporting breeds that have meant so much to him.

Peter is not simply a keeper of poultry.

He is a lifelong advocate for rare breeds in the UK. A former President of the Rare Poultry Society. A championship judge. A trusted voice within the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

For decades, he has worked quietly in the background, helping to ensure that breeds most people have never even heard of are still here at all.

Yesterday, as he spoke with our young people, you could see that same thread continuing.

Knowledge being passed on.
Curiosity being sparked.
Standards being quietly set.

Later, we gathered a small group of our own birds for him to take back, five Bourbon Red turkey, steady and good-natured.

They were loaded just as simply as everything else had been.

No discussion of value. No sense of exchange needing to be measured.

Just birds changing hands, as they have done for generations.

By the afternoon, the new arrivals had settled.

Scratching quietly beneath the fence line, pausing now and then to look up, before returning to their work.

Watch this space for further updates on how these beautiful birds settle in yo life on the farm!

Thank you for reading.

Nath Potts
BEESUK