Get Beds buzzing

Have you considered a hobby that provides plenty of opportunity for fresh air, exercise and, at the end of summer, a sweet reward? Have you considered beekeeping? In recent years, beekeeping has become a popular pastime across the country with many people taking up this fascinating craft. Keeping bees is a great way to get away from the busy lives we lead and relax with nature; a great stress buster! Demand for local honey has increased recently as people realise that buying locally produced food benefits the environment. Many also find eating local honey helps to reduce hay fever symptoms. Your county needs you! Keeping bees is of huge environmental benefit. Up to a third of our food depends on or benefits from insect pollination – and honey bees are a major pollinator. But bees do not just pollinate the crops we eat. They also pollinate hedgerow plants that produce fruit and berries. Many birds and small mammals depend on this food source to survive the winter. Bedfordshire Beekeepers Association are running two courses for beginners starting in February 2023. One will be held at the Discovery Centre, Stockwood Park, Luton on Sunday mornings (6 sessions from 19th February to 26th March TBC) and the other at Moggerhanger village hall (near Bedford) on Wednesday evenings (6 sessions over the period 8th February to 29th March TBC). These courses cover the theoretical aspects of beekeeping. Practical experience in handling and managing bees is important and following the course, attendees will be offered the opportunity of hands-on experience at the Association apiaries through the beekeeping season, places and weather permitting. The cost of the course (including any practical experience) is £72 which includes a year’s membership with Beds BKA So, if you are interested follow the link below to contact Beds BKA and register your interest: https://www.bedsbka.org.uk/contact-us/