Chairmans letter – March 2022

Dear Kennet BeeKeepers, 

This coming Wednesday 2nd March we have a face to face talk from the Buckfast BeeKeepers Clare Densley and Martin Hann on Preparing for Spring.  This should be an excellent presentation, not to be missed and I hope to see many of you there.  Bishops Cannings village hall,  SN10 2LA doors open from 7.00 pm talk starts at 7.30 pm.  

 On 8th March the WBKA meeting will hold a vote on whether to become a charity or not and the Kennet committee offer their full support of this conversion. It should prove beneficial to all members across Wiltshire not least that KBKA should benefit with our subscriptions being eligible for gift aid. In readiness for a positive outcome on 8th March I have been asking for volunteers who would be interested in standing as a Kennet Trustee. KBKA will need two Trustees, one trustee will be represented by the club chairperson and the other will be open to any voting member from across the KBKA membership. 

I have had several people approach me about becoming a trustee for KBKA and I am just reminding our membership that this is the last call for anyone else who wishes to offer their services as a KBKA trustees. The post will be for three years and for this year only the KBKA committee will vote on who we select. This post will be held for three years but in future every third year we will vote on our Trustees at the KBKA AGM.  I don’t think the task will be too hard and it will only be on WBKA matters that our trustees will be voting.  Obviously, we would want the trustees to be aware of the direction and the thoughts of the  KBKA committee,  so the person selected will be invited to attend KBKA committee meetings as an observer but will have no voting rights at KBKA committee.  I hope I have been able to clarify what will be happening should the WBKA vote be positive to convert to a charity, but if you have any questions or need more information please call me. Don’t forget your vote matters on 8th March, please use it in person or via zoom.  

Saturday 11 June.  Apiary Safari.  This is a new event for the club. The idea is that we visit two apiaries in the morning have a picnic lunch in someones garden, or pub lunch, and visit another apiary or two that afternoon.  I am looking for volunteers who have the space for about 20 people to visit their apiary and are reasonably close to others who volunteer their apiary. The idea is that you show us your bees and you, or I if you prefer, do an inspection of your hives and comment on all things that are found. Hopefully plenty of good and not too many bad!  In practice this should be an enjoyable social day out and the volunteer beekeepers should benefit from some advice if there are problem hives to inspect.  Clean bee suites is a must and new gloves at each apiary.  Can I hear from you if you would like to invite us to your apiary and see bees.    

Equipment Assembly afternoon Saturday 19th March, from 12.00 pm at Bishops Cannings village hall we are holding a equipment and frame assembly session.  If you have a ‘workmate bench” plus hammer, pliers and/or sash clamps it will help if you can bring them along. We will be demonstrating and assembling equipment that has been brought in flat pack and needs putting together.  We will also be making up frames.  Can you let Emma know if you wish to attend.  emma@thebeeskneeshoney.co.uk

Basic study group: A few places still remain. The five study sessions will take place via Zoom on Wednesday evenings through March/April/May with practical sessions in May.  Taking the assessment is not essential, at the very least the course will cement your beekeeping knowledge and make you a more confident beekeeper. Please let Emma know if you would like to join the group: emma@thebeeskneeshoney.co.uk

Alan Wadsworth is the maker of the excellent ASA floors and I wondered if any other members would be interested.  These are the special floor we have at the apiary.  The price should be around £50 each – the cost of wood is rising almost daily!! Anybody interested please contact Rachael on rachael.banyard@gmail.com or phone 01249 892 289 

All best wishes 

Robert 

Chairman Kennet Beekeepers Association