Chairmans Letter – November 2020

Dear Kennet Beekeeper,
My I thanks all those of you who were on our zoom AGM and for voting me back on as your Chairman.  That is very trusting of you and I will try to make this Association as useful as I can to the membership during this difficult time. Lets hope the virus is really under control when our bees wake up in March/April and we can do some real hands on teaching and give help to those who need someone to take a look at their bees.   I am aware that all new beekeepers really only join KBKA for beekeeping support and also the public liability insurance of ten million.   May I also thank those members who have already rejoined, and remind those that have forgotten to rejoin,  to do it now to get the full advantage of early membership.  Talking of joining when you pay by bank transfer, please make it clear who you are.  One kind member has appeared on the bank statement as “7*7” and we have no idea who it is!  If it was you please contact our treasure William at email:- treasurer@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk and let him know it was you.
KBKA WhatsApp group.  Many members are finding our club WhatsApp group very useful.  If you wish to join contact Elaine for details (secretary@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk)
By now you all know my feelings about the way Wiltshire BeeKeeping Association (WBKA) is being run and administered. I feel they need a change of leadership and a new treasurer who will keep their funds within a sensible limit of about £2000 – say about a years running cost and not over £11000 as it is today.  With that in mind I have written to the WBKA council and expressed my exasperation at their management.  At their next meeting on Tuesday 24 November all members of WBKA council have to stand down and be reappointed,  and it would be marvellous if we could propose a new treasurer and perhaps chair who would agree that things need to change and that WBKA need to wake up and smell the coffee.  We each pay £7.00 capitation to WBKA and this is partly our money, and our past members money, that they are sitting on.  In my view the capitation needs to be reduced to £2.00 until their reservers are substantially reduce.  Is there any one of you out there who would feel qualified to take on the role of WBKA treasure or even chair? Please email me if you would like to be put forward to take one of these important roles.   If we cannot get a resolution to this problem I will be suggesting that KBKA leave WBKA which is not my aim – I just want to get this right for all beekeepers, clubs and associations within the Wiltshire umbrella.
I would like to make you all aware of the BIBBA excellent webinars.  You can catch up and watch a recording or join them live as they come up.  Just go tohttps://bibba.com/webinars/
KBKA Christmas Zoom Quiz, Friday 4 December.  As we cannot hold our pub skittles night your committee has decided that we will have a Christmas Zoom Quiz.  This will be a fun night when I hope you will have a glass (or two) of your favourite beverage, be wearing a funny hat, and prepared to answer some easy, very easy and some hard bee related questions. Sophie has offer to arrange the Quiz and be the Quiz master,  so perhaps you could send some suggested quiz questions to her at email:- membership@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk
Finally our next Zoom meeting is on Wednesday 4 November join from 7.15 with a start time at 7.30   “The Private Lives of Bees” .  When award winning BBC film make Phil Savoie will show us the hidden lives of our common garden bees.
Time: Oct 7, 2020 07:15 PM to start at 7.30 pm prompt
Join Zoom Meeting (details within members email)
I shall look forward to seeing at lot of you at the talk.
Do keep well with this ever growing virus and look after yourself. Keep eating the Propolis and remember your bees need you!
All best wishes
Robert Carpenter Turner

Chairman Kennet Beekeepers

Tel: – 01672 852265    email:-  chairman@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk