Honey Hollow: the St Teath project swapping fear for fascination

Plenty of people take a step back when they hear a hive. At a smallholding near St Teath, children are being invited to step closer.

The Acrewood Project has received funding from National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) to create a new space called Honey Hollow, giving children and young people in North Cornwall the chance to discover the world of bees and pollinators.

Acrewood is an alternative education provider. It uses nature and practical activities to support children who may have SEND, anxiety, sensory differences or difficult experiences of school.

What Honey Hollow will offer

Children will be able to observe hive life up close, learn why bees and other pollinators matter, and get involved in protecting their habitats.

The money comes from NGED’s Community Matters Fund. It will go towards improvements to Acrewood’s bee area, pollinator-friendly planting, practical equipment and accessible beekeeping activities.

It will also help pay for an emergency anaphylaxis kit and appropriate training, so the sessions can be as safe and inclusive as possible.

Learning outside the classroom

Bees are the newest addition to a long list. Acrewood’s approach mixes learning with nature and hands-on experience, from animal care and wildlife to carpentry and smallholding skills.

For children who have struggled in conventional education settings, it offers a way to rebuild confidence and find new interests.

The Acrewood Project began in 2024 at an off-grid smallholding in North Cornwall. It has since become a registered charity and an approved alternative education provider.

Why the fund backed it

The Community Matters Fund supports grassroots organisations delivering positive change in the communities NGED serves.

Andlyn White, NGED’s social impact lead, said: “The Acrewood Project is a wonderful example of how green spaces can be used to bring learning to life and give young people opportunities to build confidence, curiosity and new skills.”

“Even the smallest creature”

Sian Hewett, co-founder of The Acrewood Project, said: “We hope the project will replace fear with fascination and give children a lasting sense that even the smallest creature has an important place in the world, just as they do.

“Grant funding is enormously important to Acrewood. It allows us to build things properly, reach children whose families might not otherwise be able to access support, and turn hopeful sketches into real, useful spaces. It also helps us create projects with lasting value.

“At Acrewood, funding never feels like numbers on a spreadsheet for very long. It becomes a child safely opening a beehive, cooking lunch over a fire, finding calm beside a goat or proudly completing a certificate they never thought they could achieve. Each grant sends a ripple far beyond the item it buys.”

📷Credit: The Acrewood Project