MAY PEN, Clarendon — The Railroad Community Council is reaping the sweet reward of hard labour after harvesting honey from its bee keeping project.

The project, which is located in the York Town community in Clarendon, was started with a grant valued at $500,000 from bauxite/alumina company Jamalco to boost social enterprise in the community and increase economic prospects for residents.

A news release said community council members are responsible for tending to the bees and reaping the honey in the scheme. Interested community residents are encouraged to learn the fundamentals of bee-keeping.

Chairman of the Railroad Community Council, David Brown, said the council will soon be on a good economic foundation thanks to the injection of capital from Jamalco. Brown explained that although most of the honey is sold for financial gain, the council will also be donating boxes of bees to residents who want to start their own bee-keeping project.

Regular inspection and on-site training are carried out by representatives from Eltham Garden Supplies in order to ensure that council members are equipped with skills and knowledge to successfully keep and care the bees.

The Railroad Community Council bee-keeping project is one of two such initiatives sponsored by Jamalco aimed at encouraging income generating activities through local community councils.