Video and pictures: Shropshire beekeeper Alison buzzing about hobby turned business

Alison keeps 16 colonies of bees at four different locations across Telford, including at an apiary at the town's solar farm at Wheat Leasows.

Married to Steve, and the owner of two dogs, Alison's work has also seen her meet the Duchess of Cornwall.

She said: "I've turned my hobby and well as favourite pastime of 'talking' into a brilliant educational business, which has local primary school children 'buzzing' about science.

"I've been keeping bees for four years, I've studied and researched them for years but I'm a relatively new bee keeper.

"I used to be the head of a school abroad so I used my own educational experience to bring the programme together."

Alison, from Great Hay, piloted her programme at Sutton Hill Primary School about 18 months ago.

Since then she has been into 12 primary schools across Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council and has taught 1,500 children about her bees.

She also offers bespoke talks and has met with dementia patients in Market Drayton and spoken at Hoo Farm, Dudmaston Hall and for Vintage Motorcycle Clubs about her work.

She said: "I am so passionate and enthusiastic about it, it really gets me buzzing."

For the schoolchildren, she said she offers three, half-day sessions teaching pupils about keeping bees, life cycles and a range of other subjects, tailored to the national curriculum and a host of topics.

The classes are a mix of hands-on activities and work by the children.

The 49-year-old said: "Initially I approached my local primary school in order to pilot the programme, voluntarily, in order to check I'd created a viable product as well as pitched at the right level.

"The school were so impressed with the impact I had, they rewarded my work by purchasing an observation hive for use in educational situations as well as booking me to teach the entire school, on a paid basis.

"Soon word was spread amongst other headteachers and I started to take bookings from new schools.

"I do get very passionate and animated in my delivery as I feel it's so important children learn about this subject matter and engage in it as it is their future world, not mine, and their turn to look after it.

"My style, enthusiasm as well as knowledge about bees gets even the most disruptive kids engaged."

She recently won two trophies at the Shrewsbury Flower Show for a cake of beeswax and an observation hive which showed educational merit.

Anyone interested in finding out more about Alison's work should visit https://www.facebook.com/AlisonsBeeClass or can email her directly at alisonwakeman@hotmail.com