POLLENIZE CIC IS A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE BASED IN PLYMOUTH, U.K.

Pollinators play a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem and are also essential in the provision of food for wildlife and humans.

Recent studies across Europe have found that insect numbers have declined by as much as 75% due to loss of habitat through urbanisation, agriculture and the use of harmful chemicals. 

Pollenize CIC was founded by born and bred Plymouthians (and best friends) Matthew Elmes and Owen Finnie in 2018.

It started as an unassuming initiative to create better access to beekeeping equipment and local honey. Matt and Owen read that local honey was a good way to immunise the symptoms of hay fever, an allergy which they both suffer from quite severely! Without being able to find this easily, they took it upon themselves to seek out innovative and accessible ways to keep honey bees in an urban landscape.

After developing a business plan and undertaking all the relevant training in apiculture, Pollenize set up a network of 11 community apiaries (beehive sites) stocked with native honey bees across iconic sites in Plymouth. These sites include landmarks such as the National Marine Aquarium, Royal William Yard and the Devonport Column.

This way members of the public could get involved and have a share of the honey crop each year. It soon became apparent how serious pollinator decline has become and they felt an overwhelming duty to use Pollenize as an effective tool in creating a lasting positive impact in Plymouth.

Five years on since their humble beginnings, Pollenize has been catapulted on an incredible journey fuelled by a sheer fascination with bees, moths, butterflies, and all pollinators, their crucial role for a healthy planet and most importantly what we can do as humans to protect them.

Through academic partnerships, innovation and AI technology , Pollenize is developing new ways to track and improve biodiversity so insects can recover and our environment can flourish. As a result, the social enterprise has gained huge momentum, leading them to become a key player in driving environmental research and social change within the city and beyond.