Names- they’re important. They shape identity, they help things and people become WHO they are. They radiate history, personality and meaning. When someone changes their name, it connects them to a new side of themselves, shaping who they are becoming, or who they already feel like they are.
So today, we answer the question “What’s in a name?”- Why did we name The Beehive… “The Beehive”, and how does that name influence and shape, who WE are as a shop, a community, and a family?
The Beehive began as a vision and a dream for Becca (our Queen Bee Boss Lady). She dreamt of a community hub; a central space for individuals, businesses and community groups, to use and grow in. Just like bees constantly dip in and out of the hive, in a flourish of productivity we wanted to be a solid base for people come in and out of. The Beehive dream was for it to be full of life and full of activity. We are grounded on the value of building people up and rejuvenating (not just our customers but our staff too) everyone who steps through our doors. In the same way that bees pollinate a garden, we wanted to give people the chance to see and reach their full potential, and then head out from the hive into Ashford and beyond, impacting people as they go.
The Beehive has many different facets- it’s safe to say, we are not just a regular old shop. Clothes, Café, Workshops, and Training are just some of what we do, and we’re ever growing and expanding.
Run predominantly by volunteers from all walks of life, we love the variety and beautiful differences that every one of our volunteers brings to The Beehive. We always aim to inspire, skill and grow the people who are giving their time, so that they get as much (if not more) out of the time they spend in our little shop. And we hope that like our namesake, The Beehive is a basis for much activity, and a very sweet outcome for many.
We look forward to welcoming you into The Beehive again soon.
Author: Karen Thatcher (“Creativity and Comms Guru”)
Karen is one of our Core Team at The Beehive. She has been with us since day one, and oversees all the design, comms and digital side of what we do. When she’s not volunteering her time at The Beehive, she is a Freelance Creative & Communications Consultant, and has a little Empathy Card Shop on the side too.