An eight-year-old girl named Ula Samms has successfully raised over £2,000 for St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood, near Harlow in Essex, by selling jars of honey she produced as a beekeeper. Ula, with the support of her family, donated all the proceeds to the hospice.
Expressing her gratitude, Ula mentioned that her parents have always encouraged her to educate others about the importance of bees in nature and how they are cared for. She found the experience of raising money and presenting it to the hospice team highly fulfilling.
By selling honey extracted from their family bee hives and contributing the profits to St Clare, Ula has played a vital role in aiding the hospice’s specialized care for local families coping with life-limiting illnesses.
Ellie Gale, the Relationship Fundraising Manager at St Clare, commended Ula for her exceptional fundraising efforts, which amounted to £2,228.46 over the past three years. The funds raised by Ula have facilitated the provision of comforting spaces, therapeutic activities, and special celebrations for patients and their families, offering solace during challenging times and creating lasting memories.
Ula’s father, Barry, shared that their beekeeping venture began in 2022, and the idea of selling honey originated from their surplus production for family and friends. The decision to donate the proceeds to St Clare Hospice was influenced by Ula’s school’s previous support for the charity.
St Clare Hospice, a charity offering specialized palliative care to individuals with terminal or life-limiting illnesses in West Essex and East Herts, highlighted the importance of fundraising to sustain their services, given the substantial annual operational costs exceeding £8.1 million.
Readers interested in Ula’s beekeeping endeavors can visit her website at www.ulasbees.com.