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Southport
Family and friends of Bebe King remember her on World Bee Day
1 hour ago
Remembering and celebrating Bebe King on World Bee Day provides her family with ‘pockets of joy’ – and turns the light on in the dark.
Lauren, mother of Bebe King, says:
“This is a forever journey of grief but in every day there are always pockets of joy and we make the most of them.
“Bebe wouldn’t want it any other way.”
She adds:
“Things like celebrating Bebe on World Bee Day help get us through and it’s a little bit of sunshine in people’s lives – just like she was.
“It’s really humbling. People’s kindness has been unbelievable.”
Lauren, 42, is calling on everyone to wear yellow and remember her little girl on this year’s World Bee Day tomorrow, the theme for which – appropriately – is Bee Together for People and the Planet – A partnership that sustains us all.
Bebe’s family has set up Bebe’s Hive CIC, a creative grief support service that aims to help children find healing and comfort through art, play and imagination.
And it was after it was first launched last year that Lauren came up with idea to mark the global celebration with an event closer to home.
Lauren explains:
“It was a really random idea,”
“We had just registered the CIC and launched Bebe’s Hive on Instagram on May 1, and it seemed like a really good fit.”
“I was looking for branding for Bebe’s Hive and she’d been associated with bees because of her name – even before she was born we would get her stuff with bees on – and because of her kind nature; she’d never leave anybody out and if someone was alone at a party she’d go and bring them over and make them feel involved.”
“It’s how we got the name and because we wanted Bebe’s Hive to be for children who go through bereavement and grief and often get ignored when they should be included.”
“I’d researched bees and hives and how they look after each other and work together – and when I noticed it was World Bee Day I came up with this idea, because everyone was showing so much support, that would anyone wear a bright colour on World Bee Day?”
“I put it to a couple of nurseries and companies who knew Bebe and they rolled with it – and the next thing I knew the whole of Southport turned yellow.”
“I was on holiday and I started getting tagged in pictures and there’s yellow bows around Churchtown, people making cakes with bees on, nurseries doing bee-based activities and schools all in yellow.”
“It’s nothing to do with the Hive itself, but to remember Bebe’s, and my aim wasn’t to fund raise but to wear yellow and think of Bebes and what a gorgeous kid she was.”
Lauren goes on:
“We did do t-shirts this year because people wanted to find a yellow t-shirt so we put her name on and #celebrateBebe (around 1,000 were sold online) but it’s just about remembering what a kind-hearted inclusive little girl she was.
Lauren smiles:
“And maybe give the bees a bit of a plug because they’re intrinsic to our survival,”
“Bees look after each other which is the whole ethos of Bebe’s Hive.”
It’s a simple day, a simple idea – but with huge meaning to Bebe’s family.
She continues:
“Because of the tragic circumstances surrounding how she died, and for all the girls, we have worked really hard for them not to be defined by that.”
“These three girls were incredible little humans and they need to be celebrated. We had Bebe for six years but they were six beautiful years, and I know from Elsie’s parents Jen and David, and Alice’s mum and dad, Alex and Sergio, our girls were extra special and brought so much to the little community that was around them.”
“Bebe had this light, this charisma, even at the tender age of six, and this emotional intelligence where she’d always be so kind and confident and help other kids; once we lost her we had people messaging us with stories of her helping their daughter when she was too nervous to start school or go into a class.”
“The impact she had was so big and as a mum I’m so proud of that I want shout it from the rooftops.”
“She has a lasting legacy of encouraging people to be kind. Bebe was going to move mountains and we are going to carry on her incredible nature and create kindness and positivity in her name.”
“It’s helped me through my grief, it’s helped our family.”
“We have a lot of volunteers who’ve helped us create this and people who are passionate about Bebe’s Hive, and the community since Day Dot has been incredible.”
Through the support group and through celebrating Bebe on World Bee Day, Lauren says Bebe King can still be a part of her family’s life and have a positive and powerful effect.
Lauren says:
“The most important thing for me is I can still maintain a relationship with Bebe through this,”
“I think about her every day and she’s involved in things every day, so although it’s not the relationship I want to have, she still moves through me.”
“I miss her terribly and I have got to live this life for her and do her justice.”
“Celebrating World Bee Day and wearing yellow brings everyone together and makes everyone feel better, and it’s just nice. We’ve got driving schools wearing yellow, nail places doing bee nail art …”
“So be kind, wear yellow and please, think of Bebe.”
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