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 an  area stretching from Chipping Sodbury to Weston-super-Mare and from Axbridge to Yate. 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:

• Bath branch
• Blagdon & Clevedon branch
• Bristol branch
• Keynsham branch
• Weston branch

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.

Association Executives

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. 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

• 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

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