Newsletter November 2020

Dear beekeeper, 

I hope this finds you well. Our normal meeting is cancelled, but certain things must be done.

Winter comes soon; your hard-working bees should now be well-fed & tucked up in their hives with a mouseguard or low entrance at the front & protection from woodpeckers around the exposed woodwork [or polystyrene, it’s vulnerable too!]

Check every so often that your hives are safe from strong winds, animals, vandalism etc. They should be left alone till you decide whether to do a varroa treatment in early January. If the bees are clustering near the feed hole, they may need fondant.

Consider also if you might like to become a mentor to a beginner, loan a hive as a beginner, host a summer meeting, [be optimistic!] go on the 2021 swarm collectors list.

The year moves on & it’s time for the AGM.

This is your current committee, no-one has sent me any notification of wishing to join the committee, so we shall continue, unfortunately we have had no offers to share Jackie’s burden as Exam Secretary.

Office	Current holder	Remarks
Chair	Peter Crow	willing to stand again
Vice Chair	Paula Gardner	willing to stand again
Secretary & Membership Secretary	Maggie Harrowell	willing to stand again
Treasurer	Philip Nicholson	willing to stand again
Show Secretary	Sue Court	willing to stand again
Examinations & Training Secretary	Jackie Thomas	willing to stand again
Delegate	Peter Crow	willing to stand again
Equipment Secretary	Eric Cattell	willing to stand again

As ever, best wishes & good health to you & yours,

Maggie

Newsletter May 2020

Dear beekeeper

No surprises here, our May meeting is cancelled as you will have expected.

We don't know when we will next be able to meet given the current Covid-19 pandemic, but will keep you posted via the Newsletter.

Little has changed since April, except that we are able to be out in the open air with another person not from our household. Hooray. But not quite a meeting! 

The bees have no such qualms: we've had lots of early swarms - Densole, Eythorne, Folkestone, Guston, Hythe, Martin, Ripple, River, Worth, and more. 

Most of the members on my current list have been provided for or else have had swarms turn up locally. Please let me know asap if you are looking for bees.

Note: if you want to find a swarm collector, click on the link to the BBKA Swarm Collector web page at the top right of this page. There is a swarm collector map on that page to help find someone near you.

Stay safe and enjoy your beekeeping.

Maggie.