Minstead Trust, a charity based in the New Forest, has thanked supporters after raising more than £10,000 in a single day. The urgent appeal was launched following a bee infestation at its headquarters, Minstead Lodge, a country house dating from the 1830s.
The bees had crammed into a ceiling, causing structural damage and dripping honey onto the reception area below. Matt Stroud, Head of Marketing, stated the infestation caused a "real problem" for operations, making the reception area unusable.
A social media fundraising campaign was initiated, leading to the successful removal of the bees and completion of masonry repairs. Mr Stroud said the funds enabled specialists to be hired to safely move the bees to a new location, with approximately 1kg of honey and honeycomb removed from the ceiling.