ABKA

Avon Beekeepers Website

A Registered Charity - No. 271717
BEE ADVISED News

Bargains Requests and Information Bulletin

DEALING WITH SWARMS

Beekeeping Year

Library

Links to Beekeeping

Bees On Allotments

ABKA Handbook

Events:

Bristol Honey show Banner

(Closing date 13th August!)


Beginners Courses

Spring Day School

Local Shows

2011 AGM


Web Master

What is the Avon Beekeepers Association?

The Story of Avon

Avon Beekeepers Association (ABKA)  is a beekeeping charitable association affiliated to the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA), and its 5 branches cover, Bath and Bristol  and their surrounding districts and the local authority area of  N. Somerset. This area was the extent of the old Avon County when it was created in the 1980s, mainly from the northern districts of Somerset. Since then the county boundaries have changed again and Avon County no longer exists, but the branches within ABKA carry on under the Avon banner, as an appropriate description of the catchment area. The ABKA comprises:

Click on here for a map

Objectives

The Association is established to advance the science of Apiculture and to promote and foster the education of the public therein. To achieve this the Association may co-operate with bodies with kindred interests and make appropriate affiliations.

Members of the Executive of ABKA

Officers appointed  at AGM of the Association 

President & delegate to SWJCC
Tom Salter tel: 01275 870 295
Chairman Peter Clements tel: 01225 331568
Hon. General Secretary Jane Goodwin tel: 01225 723292
Hon. Treasurer Tony Davies tel: 01934 843 951
Education SecretaryAllen Coatestel: 01179 554 775
Publications & Public Relations OfficerNeil Redmantel: 01179 682 887
Millennium Equipment SecretaryDavid Maslentel: 01179 584 223
Delegate to BBKA ADMIvor Davistel: 01934 832 825

Members appointed at AGMs of branches

Bath Delegate Trevor Currytel: 01179 372 156
Blagdon & Clevedon Delegate Bob Southtel: 01275 463 117
Bristol Delegate Philip Boothtel: 01179 599 218
Keynsham Delegate Paule Pimbletel: 01179 868 966
Weston-super-Mare Delegate Brenda Daviestel: 01934 843 951

Branch Secretaries

Bath Glenys Lunt tel:  01225 866400
Blagdon David Welham tel: 01934 852361
Bristol Rachel McEntee tel: 0117 9594245
Keynsham Jerry Watkins tel: 01275 832067
Weston Ann Westwood tel: 01934 624092

Further Branch Contact Details

Association Diary of Events

  • Beginners Course: Late winter or early spring every year. It is usually held on three consecutive Saturdays. This course gives you a feel for what is involved in setting up and maintaining your own colony of bees. Click here for details.
  • Spring Day School: Usually in April. This provides a series of lectures for beekeepers on one day that are open to the public and can often be interesting to non beekeepers.PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE. Click here for more details.

Beekeeping Information

  • Local Shows: Branch members exhibit and/or run stands to give the public a chance to see bees in observation hives, sample local honey, and buy products such as cut comb honey and bees wax. The public can also talk to people who actually keep bees and even learn how to take up the gentle art of beekeeping. 

Advantages of Being a Member

When you become a member of one of the branches of ABKA you automatically get the advantage of being a member at three levels:

  • As a full member gain the benefits provided by BBKA: 
    • insurance cover related to beekeeping; 
    • news on British Beekeeping National events and issues; 
    • national assessments to various standards to show you have reached a defined level of competence; 
    • a route to influence British beekeeping and sponsor research on bees and bee colony management.
  • As a member of  ABKA:  
    • A handbook that includes abundant help on keeping bees.
    • Local Education events for new and seasoned beekeepers. 
    • The opportunity to shape beekeeping in the Avon area. 
    • An extensive library of beekeeping books. 
  • As a member of the local branch: 
    • Plenty of events and opportunity to meet other beekeepers. 
    • Hands on help in the art of keeping bees. 
    • Local groups for learning the basics of beekeeping .
    • Access to branch training apiaries. An invaluable supply of good tempered local queen bees. 
    • Access to a repository of equipment that can be used to enhance your own activities.   

Beekeeping Information

Ivor Davis has kindly provided a list of things the beekeeper should  do each month in  a Beekeepers Year format.

use the link to the BBKA site www.britishbee.org.uk for general information on bees and for information and advice on swarms. This is a particularly good site for beekeepers.


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