APIARY CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

If your Club would like to learn how we have raised funds for, built and manage our apiary, or would be prepared to share with others how you have built and manage yours, sending a delegation of two or more members to this workshop could be mutually beneficial.

 Saturday, 11th February 2012

Truckhaven Conference Centre, Scotland Road, Carnforth, Lancashire, LA5 9RQ

(Close to Junction 35, M6)

9-30am to 4-30pm

Cost: £35 per person including refreshments, lunch and comprehensive notes

Programme

0930 Registration and refreshments

1000 Welcome by Martin Tovey, President elect of BBKA

1005 Introduction by Fred Ayres, Chairman of Lancaster Beekeepers

1100 Visit to Lancaster Beekeepers' Apiary

1230 Lunch

1315 Choice of

Workshop A Fund raising and income generation

Workshop B Improving forage and diversity

1415 Refreshments

1430 Choice of:

Workshop C Construction, maintenance, security and safety

Workshop D Involving members

1530 Feedback and questions

1630 Workshop closes

Morning session

The morning session comprises an overview of why we needed an apiary, our objectives for it and the challenges we faced, followed by a visit to the apiary, which is only a few minutes drive from the venue.

Afternoon session

In the afternoon delegates will be able to choose two from four workshops. Each will begin with a short introduction into what we have done at Lancaster, after which participants will be asked to share what their Club has done, or plans to do, and followed by a facilitated group discussion.

Workshop A – Fund raising and income generation

This will include

Who are making grants?

What are they making grants for?

 Who are they making grants to?

What are their conditions?

financial

geographical

social

outcomes

Making applications

Ongoing viability

Workshop B – Improving forage and diversity

This will include:

sources of information on nectar producing plants

assessing what will grow where

collecting seed and cuttings

planting strategies

hedges as windbreaks and nectar sources

benefits of improving biodiversity

Workshop C – Construction, maintenance and safety

This will include:

finding a site

planning consents

services and alternatives

low cost construction techniques

site security

site maintenance

health and safety policies and procedures

Workshop D – Involving members

Building, maintaining and running an apiary involves a surprising amount of work. This session will explore way of encouraging members to get involved in:

maintaining colonies

improving forage

site maintenance

delivering training programmes

helping with breeding programmes