A group of beekeepers have come together to keep the life’s work of a local icon alive.

For years Ron Hoskins presided over an apiary at Stanton Park which was the home of a species of honey bee that is vital to the future of the planet because it is resistant to deadly mite.

However, Ron’s hard work looking after the colony, which included him bringing it back from the brink of devastation following a suspected arson attack and vandalism, came to an end on July 2, 2023 when he peacefully died in his sleep from lung and heart failure at the age of 92.

But a select group of people inspired by his efforts are now determined to keep his legacy alive by forming the Ron Hoskins Honey Bee Conservation Group.

The group is now fundraising towards a much-needed £2,000 target in order to buy bulbs, shrubs, flowering herbs and wildflower seeds to plant in the apiary and to contribute towards courses so the team is up-to-date on honeybee husbandry methods.

Kate Bowles, group secretary, said: “Ron Hoskins, the beekeeping legend passed away last year.

“He was a truly selfless person who dedicated his life to honeybees and the scientific advancement of the species, working hard to raise disease and varroa mite-resistant colonies.

“Luckily he was able to see the renovation of the site after it was destroyed by vandals during Covid-19.

“It is his legacy that we are continuing and is dear to our hearts. We are a small group of like-minded individuals who look after the honeybees and maintenance of the apiary.

“We donate our time and skills to keeping it going, and without the support of kind-hearted people like you, it is challenging to buy what is needed.”

You can donate to the Ron Hoskins Honey Bee Conservation Group via their GoFundMe page here at gofundme.com/f/ron-hoskins-honey-bee-conservation-group

Other members of the group include Maurice Ellis, Ian McWhirter, Aurelijus Tirunas, Zivile Tiruniene, Tristan Merlin and baby Hugo, all pictured and Neil Hoskins and Sarah Bowles, not pictured.

The apiary at Stanton Park has become vital to the survival of honeybees in general thanks to great grandfather Ron’s dedication to selectively breeding bees together to make them resistant to the varroa mite, which is one of the main killers of bees.

The bees have become known as the ‘Swindon F1 bee’ and they can groom fellow hive members to dislodge mites and remove pupal cells compromised by the parasite, which Ron discovered were genetic abilities passed down in a hive.