The Honeysuckle Bee & Me

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I craft pure, nourishing products that celebrate simplicity, sustainability and education while sharing the beauty, connection and calm that nature offers us all.

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I’m Gwen, a beekeeper, maker and nature lover living with my family in the rolling green drumlin hills of County Down near Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland.

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My work is inspired by the beauty of our countryside, the magic of honeybees and a belief that natural ingredients and traditional skills still have an important place in our everyday lives.

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Fifteen years ago I stepped away from my career as a children's nurse to raise our four boys. During those busy years on our small holding I began learning traditional skills including aromatherapy, herbal remedies and eventually cold process soap making. What started as handmade soap for family and friends quickly grew into The Honeysuckle Bee and Me.

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Today I keep around 20–25 honeybee hives and remain deeply committed to helping other pollinators and protecting our native Irish honeybee (Apis mellifera mellifera). I am proud to support the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and also work as the beekeeper at Hillsborough Castle & Gardens where our bees help inspire community learning and engagement.

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Every product I make is inspired by nature, created in small batches using natural ingredients and sustainable materials.

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My hope is that these simple things – a bar of handmade soap, a beeswax balm or a workshop experience – can help bring a little more nature into your everyday life.

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Thank you for supporting a small, nature-inspired business.

For every product made, the wellbeing of bees and pollinators is always at the heart of what I do.

You can explore our range of natural handmade products in my shop.

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