SAVE the BEES Busy bee business
by Gerry McCann
HIGHLAND entrepreneurs Mary-Ann and Stuart Thompson have a special interest in protecting Scotland’s bee population.
The former Strathclyde University chemistry graduates have built a successful business developing a range of bees-wax oil used for sports therapy, holistic and remedial massage treatments.
Operating out of their home in Nairn, near Inverness the couple, both aged 39, and their three children operate four hives of their own and buy in extra supplies from other local bee-keepers.
The success of the Highland Wax Company and their wide range of products, which are used for everything from relaxation and sport injuries to skin conditions and baby treatments , has grown rapidly. The couple are all already exporting items across the UK and beyond.
findings and suggests bees are particularly atracted to neonic-treated crops and actively prefer the taste of contaminated nectar and pollen from these flowers.
Professor David Goulson, from the University of Sussex, described the FERA report as misleading.
“They [FERA] find that 100 per cent of the time, there is a negative relationship between how much pesticides were found in the nest and how well the nest performed and they conclude that the study shows that there isn’t a significant effect of pesticides on bee colonies. It doesn’t add up,” said Prof. Gouslon.
The FERA study was rejected by the EFSA and was never published in a peer-reviewed journal. When the lead author leſt FERA just months later to work for the major pesticide producer, Syngenta, critics suggested that links between the government and the pesticide industry were too close.
The EU ban is up for review in December this year, yet it was revealed last month that Elizabeth Truss, Secretary of State, jumped the gun during secret meetings in July, liſting the ban in England and Wales for 120 days to cover the rape crop sowing period. This allows farmers to use neonic-treated seed which will produce contaminated nectar and pollen next year, in addition to the acute effects of toxic dust released by seed planting mechanisms.
Bees can travel up to three miles in search of nectar and pollen, with a typical 60,000 strong colony flying a distance equivalent to that from Scotland to the moon every day, so ensuring the organic ingredients and health of their bees is essential.
“The inspiration for our products has been influenced by many sources,” said Mary-Anne.
“We both started our careers as analytical chemists in the pharmaceutical industry in Kent before I branched out into Sports and Remedial Massage Therapies and Stuart into forestry back home in Scotland.
“A love of nature and sport, and a concern for the environment feature heavily in our lifestyle and this is reflected in our products.
“We started keeping bees, partly due to our interest in the manufacture of our prime ingredient, Scotish Beeswax, but primarily due to concern about the plight of the honeybee.
“The development of our products has allowed us to indulge our analytical chemistry experience, while looking aſter our bees has given us the opportunity to work with and look aſter nature as a family.”
All the products featured on the company website,
www.highlandwax.co.uk, are made from the finest natural ingredients and packaged with recyclable and sustainable materials.
September 2015 15
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