Funding needed for Beekeeper - Varroa Resistance Research

Hello everyone 😊

I'd quickly like to share a little history first

My grandad Gary has had bees since he was about 12 (he's now about 83 and still going strong) he was also an apiary instructor and created a family business out of it... in later years he works alongside his son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

In 2010 my grandad and I went to England to meet business associates and learnt a lot about Varroa Mites (little flea like things that give the bees virus') and how they effected bees.

It was already in New Zealand at that stage but not in our area which was quarantined.. once we returned that changed quickly.. we had over 1000 hives that went right back down to less than 300 hives,

We then lost all except 6 of those due to a bureaucratic mistake preventing us from treating for Varroa mites. We discovered these 6 hives had no mite effects in their brood and bred a new stock from there...

we had worked back up to 300 hives and ready to expand, We lost 150 due to suspected AFB sabotage. Development Westcoast did help with a small loan to replace the lost hives.

Then here we are in 2018 .. we have found ourselves needing to look for outside help,

we have applied for various government grants to no avail. ...yet ..

This research has come at a high personal cost to him, He is now on the verge of bankruptcy and needs urgent financial support.

Government assistance is too slow and can not save his business.

Gary previously supplied queen bees to Queen Elizabeth's beekeeper, (before 2014) Gary Knows bees,

He wants to supply disease resistant bees all over NZ and the world.

I wanted to do this page so that people can donate even if they don't have much to spare 😊

Thank you