CATCH THE BUZZ Michael Young Wins MBE

CATCH THE BUZZ

If you have attended an EAS meeting anytime in the last four or five years, you have had the privledge of meeting Michael Young. Michael has introduced EAS attendees to encaustic painting, exotic honey recipes, mead making and more stories about his travails in the world of beekeeping than you can imagine. I was privledged to travel to his home in Northern Ireland and speak to his group there, and spend time with his family and friends. He has brought to the U.S. an appreciation of honey judging that did not exist here, and his humor and good nature have produced a bond between Northern Ireleand and U.S. beekeepers that is invaluable to both. This past weekend Michael was awarded the MBE. Another friend, Michael Badger, sends along this information on the MBE Award...

The Order of the British Empire recognizes distinguished service to the arts and sciences, public services outside the Civil Service and work with charitable and welfare organizations of all kinds.

It was created during the First World War in 1917 by George V.

The King recognized the need for a new award of honour which could be more widely awarded, in recognition of the large numbers of people in the British Isles and other parts of the Empire who were helping the war effort both as combatants and as civilians on the home front.

For the first time, women were included in an order of chivalry, and it was decided that the Order should also include foreigners who had helped the British war effort.

From 1918 onwards there were Military and Civil Divisions, as George V also intended that after the war the Order should be used to reward services to the State in a much wider sense.

Today the Order of the British Empire is the order of chivalry of British democracy. Valuable service is the only criterion for the award, and the Order is now used to reward service in a wide range of useful activities.

Citizens from other countries may also receive an honorary award, for services rendered to the United Kingdom and its people. There are more than 100,000 living members of the Order throughout the world.

After some debate, St Paul's Cathedral was nominated by a special committee and approved by The Queen, as the Chapel of the Order.

As the cathedral of the capital city, it could accommodate services attended by very large congregations.

In the words of one committee member, 'St Paul's symbolised the victory of the British spirit during the war of 1939-45 in that, although badly damaged and shaken, it survived the ordeal by battle in an almost miraculous way.'

Following is what was written about Michael Yourng in his local newspaper...

A Long-standing member and former chairman of Dromore Beekeepers' Association has been awarded the MBE in the Queen's New Year Honours List.

Hillsborough man Mr. Michael William Young, sitting chairman of the Institute of Northern Ireland Beekeepers - an umbrella group for the Province's beekeepers, boasting BBC journalist and Breakfast news presenter Bill Turnbull as its president - was awarded the honour for voluntary service to apiculture (beekeeping) and conservation.

Mr. Young said he was humbled to have received the award and he paid tribute to his friends and family for all their support, also hailing the executive committee of the Institute of Northern Ireland Beekeepers as "the true hero", for all beekeepers and wider public alike.

"It is just unreal to have received this highly acclaimed award and I am still lost for words," he said. "I feel honoured and humbled to have been given this great accolade."
He added, "I am truly blessed and enriched with a bounty of friends and a beautiful family of four lovely daughters, Jodie, Jamie, Jasmin and Rachel Harley, two granddaughters, Sienna and Scarlet and of course, Rae, the Queen bee of the hive, and like any Queen, rules with a silver tongue but always warm and comforting.

"With all humility I acknowledge the support of my friends and family around me."
Mr. Young said of the INI executive committee that it spent a lot of energy promoting what he called "this man-friendly little beastie", the Honey Bee. "Only when one gets involved with the honey bee," he said, "is it possible to really appreciate the magnitude of the work done for humankind and the planet alike by this insignificant little insect, for centuries milked like cattle, sometimes ruthlessly, for their five invaluable products, honey, beeswax, propolis, royal jelly and pollen, to provide sweetness, light and healing for humankind; to them I bow in homage."
A teacher of Hospitality at Belfast Metropolitan College and Executive Chef at Malone Golf Club, where he was surrounded respectively, he said, by terrific students, exceptionally helpful and friendly colleagues, excellent managers, staff and the best clientele he had ever cooked for, Mr. Young said 2008 had been for him a very fortunate year.

His place of work gave him new ideas to pass on to his students, he said.
"As a teacher, when in class," he added, "I sometimes scan the practical kitchens where the students are busily working on their dishes.

"I imagine the students as a colony of bees within the hive; those students who are similar to the Guard Bees are always on the defensive side and looking for a bit of confrontation, ready to sting without notice; some students always keep their workstation and themselves immaculately clean, always dressed to perfection, very much like the House Bees keeping everything in order.
"Other students support and look after their peers, making sure that they are well, whilst willing to put their shoulder to the wheel to assist, no matter the burden, not unlike the Nurse Bees of the colony; others tirelessly gather all information on the course work to extend their knowledge in becoming a chef, the Forager Bees, whose job it is to gather the bounty of nectar and pollen for the wellbeing of the colony.

"The drones! Those lazy drones, always late, the class clowns, but as in the colony of bees, the drones provide a harmony, creating a spirit within the hive and they can't be done without."

Additionally, Michael has contributed an entire meal of honey recipes to the recently published book The Honey Handbook, by Kim Flottum.

Congratulations Michael.

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