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Project launch has Gorleston church buzzing
Project launch has Gorleston church buzzing
A new project has taken shape at St Mary Magdalene Church in Gorleston, aimed at promoting food security, wellbeing and community through beekeeping
The initiative has been launched in partnership with local Community Interest Company (CIC) Project Apis, and Jamie McBride from Project Apis, which is based in the Great Yarmouth area, explained their aims:
“We work with churches and communities to create small shared apiaries that support biodiversity, well-being, and connection with nature. Project Apis CIC was set up to make beekeeping accessible to everyone, especially in places where people might not otherwise get the chance to connect with the natural world”
Vicar Revd Matthew Price said: “We had 20 people in the initial training, with only five were from the church – the rest joined us from the wider local community. New connections were made, with one individual already becoming a member of our church family and moving towards confirmation
“The nature-connection factor was really good for people’s wellbeing; some were experiencing mental health issues and noticed a marked improvement as they engaged with the project outdoors. A sense of purpose, coupled with being outside, learning alongside others created a wonderful context to share the joy of being a part of God’s great creation
“Jamie’s enthusiasm was infectious and he helped us with the know-how and to get the project off the ground, with ongoing support. I was struck by the enthusiasm it also unlocked in some people – they got so excited about bees!”
Jamie says: “A typical community or church apiary involves an initial setup cost covering hives, bees, protective equipment, tools, and training. Depending on scale, this isn’t usually prohibitive, with ongoing costs kept relatively low once established. Where possible, we support sites to access external funding, including grants and local sponsorship, so cost is not a barrier
“My hope is to grow this across church communities in a simple, supportive way. Churches are natural community hubs, and apiaries can offer a shared, practical project that supports wellbeing, learning, and care for the environment. I’m always happy to have an informal conversation to explore whether this could be a good fit for a particular community”
To explore a possible project, contact Jamie at info@project-apis.co.uk or on 07944 69915
To chat with Matthew about how it’s working at St Mary Magdalene, contact him at: matthew.price@stmmgorleston.org.uk
For more on this, including a short video about the project, and an explanation about how beehives interact with native bees, visit: dioceseofnorwich.org
The photo of the bee-keeping team at St Mary Magdalene is courtesy of Diocese of Norwich
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Tony Rothe, 14/02/2026
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