BBKA President Message

December 2020

Dear Members,

Another wet and cold day here in the north; there isn’t even a breeze to help. The paving stones on my patio have not been dry now for over a month so I do hope that the bees are managing to keep their own living quarters dry.

Pam Hunter has decided not to stand again as a trustee this coming year. This is her second time as a trustee.

Pam was a trustee about 10 years ago and she holds a lot of knowledge about the organisation. I hope she won’t mind if we continue to call on her knowledge and expertise.

She was appointed to the post of manager of research, technical and environmental issues some years ago and we all hope that she will continue overseeing this work. Over the last few years, she has built links with many universities and research centres and has advanced research into all aspects of honeybees considerably. She has brought her organisational skills and her expertise as a research scientist to the BBKA and to the benefit of beekeepers, Not many people know that Pam discovered one of the main antibiotics still in use today and she has also written a book on antibiotics.

Pam will leave a vacancy for a trustee. The other vacancies are for existing trustees who are standing again and as there are the same number of applicants as there are vacancies, they will all be appointed at the ADM in January.

The Exam board is a different matter. We are short of members for this year, so again those who have applied will be voted in. If you have an interest in this aspect for beekeeping, you might want to consider if you are a master beekeeper to join this group. It is a rewarding post especially as you are able to help new and inexperienced beekeepers get onto the ladder of learning through the modules and practical assessments. I know from my own experience that this is a great help in assisting members achieve their beekeeping educational skills.

In my last letter I mentioned that the BBKA benefits when people buy through Smile at Amazon. May I add please, I am not advertising this company. I seldom use it choosing to select the stores I want for purchases. If I do need to use it, I do use the ‘smile’ option so at least the BBKA gets the benefit.

A version of the Learning portal (ARK as it was known) is going to be included in a resource area on the website. All content will be reviewed by Master Beekeepers so it will take some time before it is ready………. Watch this space.

We also have the events calendar where associations can list their talks and see what BBKA are offering.
https://www.bbka.org.uk/calendar-listing-page

Lots of thanks to Diane Drinkwater who is managing all this technology. We seem to be managing to get more and more information on our web site thanks to her efforts.

Virtual ADM practice

We have another two practice sessions lined up for the virtual ADM, the 10th and 11th December 2020. They follow the three that have already been completed. They are good sessions and have been a great learning curve for all. Martin Smith who has organised these asks delegates to try to make these sessions difficult. No one has managed to create a problem that they could not solve as yet!

Margaret Murdin has agreed to do a Christmas Lecture for children by zoom. It is on Tuesday 22nd December between 2 and 3 o’clock and will be free but limited to 500 children

It will be called “Why do the bees buzz?” Here are the contact details.

https://www.bbka.org.uk/Event/why-do-the-bees-buzz-a-christmas-lecture-with-margaret-murdin

This is the last letter before Christmas and the new year. So, I would like to say that I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and New year, hopefully in the company of family and friends. It has not been a good 2020, so let’s hope that at least this Christmas we are able to enjoy each other’s company and that 2021 will see the end of all the restrictions we have suffered in 2020.

Keep safe Margaret Wilson