Meetings
Programme
About Our Meetings
We meet in the Quaker Meeting House, Miller Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 1JD . Meetings take place on the the first Wednesday of the month with the exception of July and August at 7.30pm. This is because in the summer the bees are at their most productive and are therefore keeping the beekeepers very busy (weather permitting!). The main purpose of the meetings is to discuss and share current beekeeping issues, best practice or problems which are affecting beekeepers at both local and national levels.
The meetings are informal social gatherings and you don't have to be member to come along. You will be made very welcome as they are an ideal way to learn and meet people who have a common interest and immeasurable amounts of experience in beekeeping in a convivial atmosphere. Invited guest speakers are also invited giving presentations on varying subjects useful to beekeepers of all levels of experience ranging from bee disease treatments to feeding methods etc. Members from other beekeeping associations, particularly from South Cheshire BKA also attend the meetings to share their thoughts on what is current within their County.
Prospective beekeepers are welcome to attend their first meeting free of charge.
Tim Waye, our meetings Secretary, writes:
This year’s programme of indoor meetings is based largely on popular requests from newcomers to the association and covers beekeeping from the very basics right through to practical honey production.
Are you are simply curious about the honeybee or you have a serious intention to keep bees? Whichever the case, the first meeting ‘Keeping Bees’ on Wednesday 6th January is for you. We take a look at the role of the honeybee, drawing on media footage and the experience of existing members to explore the mysteries of this fascinating insect. This provides an opportunity to ask the panel all the questions you already have (and some you may not have previously thought of).
January’s meeting prepares the ground for a more detailed study on Wednesday 3rd February when Nick Mawby will take a more scientific and practical approach. Again, experienced beekeepers will contribute a handful of short topics in ‘A Beekeeping Miscellany’.
By now you will be buzzing to know what equipment you need to beg, borrow or adopt. Visiting speaker, Pete Sutcliffe from the South Cheshire BKA will explain the pros and cons in ‘Which Hive for Me?’ based on his experience and writings of various hive types on Wednesday 3rd March.
In April we join the SCBKA for a talk by Dave Cushman of the Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association on the subject of queen rearing problems.
On Wednesday 5th May David Cheek and David Teasdale will take us through the important topic of swarm control or how to keep bees and your neighbours! Since you will be looking forward to producing honey they will explain how to steal that liquid gold from your colonies. Unsurprisingly, their talk is entitled ‘Swarm control + Extracting Honey’.
If you take a pride in your produce you can’t do better than to enter exhibits into our October Honey Show. With their huge success in past shows, Dave Cheek will introduce you to the expectations of the show judge. Whether you prepare honey for sale to the public or aspire to the high standards of shows much of this attention to detail is equally valid.
One Saturday or Sunday in June (watch this space for date and time) we aim to have a visiting expert such as a Bee Inspector take us through the important inspections for maintaining healthy colonies at the training apiary in Longsdon. By this time you may already have spent Saturday mornings with our experts and mentors at Longsdon.
On Saturday 17th July we meet for a summer social for the opportunity to impress everybody with your homemade culinary and other delights. As an added bonus, Dave Cheek and Dave Teasdale will demonstrate honey extraction – I suspect this will be a ‘dry run’ since if done outdoors at this time of the year our attendees could swell to several thousands!
On Wednesday 1st September our SC neighbours join us at the Quaker Meeting House, topic and speaker to be announced (we sometimes enjoy keeping you in suspense).
Our 58th Honey Show is held on Wednesday 6th October, open judging by Steve Guest of South Cheshire BKA will give newcomers to showing direct comment on requirements of the very exacting aspects of preparation and presentation.
On Wednesday 3rd November we will squeeze even more out of Steve Guest when he returns with his demonstration ‘My way of making beeswax polish’ – a shining example, to wax lyrical.
Finally, Wednesday 1st December sees the start of the seasonal festivities with our Christmas Social (Pat Twigg will co-ordinate bringing your lovely buffet food). Sylvia Everitt MBE, famous for her touring displays in many museums is giving an insight into local millennium history through her talk ‘Staffordshire Embroideries’. This occasion is ideal for family members who may want their just reward for sharing beekeeping in their house but not necessarily as a hobby.