Avon Beekeepers Website
Spring Day School
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Each year the association puts on a day of talks, usually on a Saturday, for Beekeepers and anybody interested in beekeeping. You can spend a whole day learning about recent developments in beekeeping. |
2008 Talk Details
ABKA Spring Day School5th April 2008 9.30 am – 5.00 pm Old School Rooms, Chew Magna(9 miles S E of Bristol, 14 miles W of Bath)Situated on B3130, off A37 BS40 8SH Lectures:Dr Giles Budge – "EFB and research at the Central Science Laboratory" Robert Field – "Antipodean Beekeeping" Will Messenger – "Beekeeping in Slovenia" Robert Field – "Childhood to Chairman" Free entry to members Avon Beekeepers Association and BBKA All visitors are welcome, subject to booking BOOKING ESSENTIAL - Book your place before 29th March Attendance is limited to 80 Please contact Brian Steadman Tel: Evenings/weekend 01179 445741 e-mail: bsteadman@blueyonder.co.uk Coffee & teas available with donations to ‘Bees for Development’ Lunch available at many pubs in locality |
Dr Giles Budge (A brief résumé)
Giles Budge has worked in plant pathology research and
development for 10 years. He specialises in using molecular diagnostics
to answer epidemiological questions about the pathogens under study.
Giles started working for the National Bee Unit as the research
co-ordinator in October last year. Prior to this, he was responsible
for the development of real-time PCR-based diagnostics for bee pests
and diseases and the delivery of the EFB study. Giles will cover the
results from the first year of the EFB study and some work looking at
abnormal colony losses in 2007. Finally Giles will finish with a brief
overview of other NBU research.
Robert Field (A brief résumé)
Robert Field is chairman of the British Bee Farmers'
Association that has about 300 members. He is a commercial beekeeper
from Lymington and has 500 hives tucked away in fields and woodland in
Dorset and Wiltshire.
Will Messenger (A brief résumé)
Will Messenger, a beekeeper in the North Cotswolds, began
beekeeping in Somerset and was then briefly a member of Avon BKA. His
particular interest is beekeeping history and has researched the
Stewarton Hive in depth. Apart from the routine beekeeping that he
shares with Eve, his wife, he is currently researching the history of
Gloucestershire beekeeping and the Midland & South Western Counties
Convention. This includes the complicated story of beekeeping in
Bristol and district. In addition to his talk on beekeeping in
Slovenia, Will is bringing some material linked to that and will be
pleased to meet Avon beekeepers interested in their origin.
