During Sunday night’s episode of BBC’s Countryfile, presenter Adam Henson delivered a touching tribute as he introduced the three finalists competing for the Young Countryside Champion award at this year’s BBC Food & Farming Awards.
Among them, 22-year-old beekeeper Dafydd Pett from Bridgend shared an emotional story that deeply resonated with viewers. Dafydd revealed that his passion for beekeeping was inspired by his late grandfather, to whom he wanted to pay tribute through his work.
Adam opened the segment by saying, “Back in June, we asked viewers to nominate a Young Countryside Champion for the BBC Food and Farming Awards 2025 — a young person who’s making a real difference to the UK countryside. From a host of brilliant nominees, we’ve shortlisted three finalists. Let’s hear their stories. Dafydd Pett is on a mission to keep Wales buzzing, inspired by his granddad and committed to protecting pollinators.”
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Dafydd recounted how his grandfather first introduced him to beekeeping when he was just 11 years old. “At first, it was just for a day on weekends, but soon we were spending whole weekends together managing the bees. I completely fell in love with it,” he shared.
He went on to describe the challenge he faced after his grandfather’s passing in 2017. “It was an emotional time. No one else in the family was interested in the bees. If I hadn’t taken responsibility for them at the age of 14, they would have been abandoned, which wouldn’t have been what my grandfather wanted.”
Reflecting on his early experiences, Dafydd admitted, “Opening the hive for the first time alone was daunting, and I lost some confidence without him. But I stepped up and decided to manage the bees the way my grandfather would have wanted.”
He expressed pride in his role, saying, “Caring for the bees while making a positive impact on the ecosystem has been incredibly rewarding.”
Countryfile continues to showcase inspiring stories from the countryside and can be watched on BBC iPlayer.