Sandringham Show Story 2008

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	Links to Show details
	The Sandringham Estate website. Details here
	The Sandringham Show website. Details here

 

 

(some observations by first-timer Nicky Lister)

When we arrived at 8.45 the showground was fairly quiet but already warm with clear skies. We walked up a slope and spotted the bee tent. A fair number of people were manning the stands and at the front there was a table holding a basket of raffle goodies and, this year, the BBKA petition to the government for more money for bee research– a great idea to have this on the raffle table as many people were asked to sign the petition and then could not resist entering the draw. There was a spacious feeling inside the marquee with an improved layout and less posts in the way.

By 10 o'clock large crowds had turned out in the glorious sunshine and a light breeze and within hours news from the event was spreading round the globe. “Giant bee gives disaster warning” ran the Press Association headlines… “A man dressed as a giant bee has warned the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall that the world could be facing an "ecological disaster", as member Barry Walker donned a bee costume and explained to HRH Prince Charles the plight of bees in the UK.

Barry's presence caused Prince Charles, possibly fresh from the news story that the way bumblebees search for food could help detectives hunt down serial killers, to ask him if he was part of a new line of royal security. Once past this light hearted hurdle, Barry spent several minutes discussing the effect the varroa mite is having on bees. Prince Charles declined to sign the BBKA research funding petition but was reported as supporting the need for research. It has to be said the Charles, who keeps bees at Highgrove, is well aware of the issues and indeed commented on his concerns about his own bees.

Others in the Royal Party also seemed aware of the publicity campaign and indeed both Dame Judi Dench and veteran Shakespearean actor Keith Baxter were happy to sign the petition.

We were also host to Beecraft in the shape of reporter Sue Jakeman and photographer Sue Prime. Sue Jakeman gave a copy of Beecraft to HRH, showing Charles a picture of himself in a previous edition.

‘Your famous now' commented the Duchess wryly.