Our story & impact
Bee Resilient is a grassroots New Zealand initiative that grew out of watching how naturally children take to bees, and how much a hive can teach about calm, preparation, shared resources and collective care.
From Recovery to Resilience
Following the Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle, Bee Resilient co-founder Kelly Hamilton worked alongside families and communities navigating disaster recovery. The experience raised a simple question: how can we help children build resilience before disaster strikes? Bees offered an unexpected way to connect practical preparation with wellbeing, biodiversity and community care.
Bee Resilient was co-founded by Kelly Hamilton and Grass Esposti. Leigh School, a long-standing Enviroschool in Rodney, Auckland, is our pilot – the first place the Six Resilience Labs were tested and refined. What we learn there shapes the programme we bring to other schools.
“A hive is about communication, adaptation, community and collective action. Every bee has a role, and small actions together make an enormous difference.”
— Kelly Hamilton, Co-founder
“Native bees don’t make headlines the way honeybees do, but they’re a quiet keystone of our ecosystems. Once a child learns to spot one, they start noticing nature differently for life.”
— Grass Esposti, Co-founder
“Grass’ passion and knowledge for all things bees inspired a schoolwide term-long inquiry which we called Pollinators and Petals. During this inquiry, Grass delivered a superb series of informative lessons which were interactive and made even more interesting with all of the ‘beeautiful’ hands-on materials and resources she brought with her. Grass pitches the learning perfectly for our different year levels and has a lovely way with all students.”
— Kerrin Jamieson, Principal, Leigh School
Our team
Verified biographies of our co-founders and contributors – education, science and hands-on hive experience.
Co-founder — Beekeeping & Bee Education, BeeTopia (NZ Honey Tasting Shed)
Founder of the NZ Honey Tasting Shed and co-founder of Bee Resilient. Leads hive visits and bee-education sessions, and manages the Leigh School teaching hive.
Native Bee Science — AUT · Ngāti Wai
Researches New Zealand's native bees and brings mātauranga Māori and western science together directly with students.
Co-founder & Chief Resilience Officer — Community, Grants & Media
Leads community connections, grant funding and media for Bee Resilient, and is Leigh School's point of contact for the programme.
Hands-On Support & Early Childhood Outreach, BeeTopia
Leads much of BeeTopia's outreach into early childhood centres and primary schools.
Our partners
Our pilot school – where the Six Resilience Labs were first tested.
Funds the Leigh School pilot's approved climate-adaptation activities.
Our Matakana home base, hives and learning space.
Our registered charitable umbrella.
