A former Royal Navy commander has taken on the role of chairman at Fareham and District Beekeepers’ Association.

Hampshire resident Penny Melville-Brown, who is also a barrister, was elected to the position.

Despite losing her sight while serving in the Royal Navy, Penny launched her own business and held various public and voluntary roles.

She also won an international prize for blind people, cooked around the world, published a book, and was awarded an OBE and an honorary doctorate.

Now, she will lead her local beekeeping association branch.

Her husband, Alan Baxter, is a qualified beekeeper and serves as the British Beekeepers’ Association’s Asian Hornet team coordinator for Hampshire, as well as the Fareham and District Beekeepers’ Association’s education officer.

Alan recently assisted a team from the National Bee Unit in locating and removing a large yellow-legged Asian hornet nest in Southampton.

The hives of more than 100 members of the Fareham and District Beekeepers’ Association stretch from the coast at Gosport to the countryside north of Wickham.

The association offers training and mentoring for new beekeepers, learning opportunities for the experienced, regular meetings, loan equipment, apiary visits, an annual honey show, and a supply of local honey.

Of her appointment as Chairman of FDBKA, Penny said: "I confess that I leave the bee-suit to my husband, who has all the knowledge and experience of practical beekeeping alongside his yellow-legged Asian hornet expertise.

"But I’ve learned masses and am fully involved in extracting and using the honey, making our mead and have even tried creating beeswax polish.

"Beekeeping can involve the whole family and introduces children to our natural world."

Penny is supported by a team committed to growing and strengthening the skills of association members to maintain their craft.

This is in response to challenges such as climate change and the threat from the yellow-legged Asian hornet.

The Fareham and District Beekeepers’ Association operates mainly for local beekeepers and their bees.

Their activities contribute to the pollination of local flora and increase the supply of local honey.

The association provides various services to its members, including training, meetings, and equipment loans.

It also organises events like the annual honey show.