Appointment of BBKA General Secretary
Published Jun 29, 2008
Mike Harris takes up his appointment as General Secretary of the BBKA on 1st July 2008.
Mike was introduced to beekeeping in Hampshire by a family friend who, through a back injury, needed urgent help recovering very full, and very heavy, supers from his numerous out apiaries scattered around Alton. Mike was instantly stung and when an early retirement package was accepted in 2002 he was able to indulge his passion to the full. A move to the North Shropshire countryside to set up a Bed & Breakfast business saw two colonies become sixteen with four regular farmers markets being serviced. In the following year Mike was elected Secretary of North Shropshire BKA and editor of the revamped Newsletter, posts he held up until his recent move to Herefordshire. During his time in Shropshire he became active in the Bees & Honey section of the Shrewsbury Flower Show and is looking forward to continuing this association as well as being more involved in the BBKA national events.
Mike is very active in delivering bee-related presentations to the general public raising their awareness to the important role bees’ play in the pollination process. He has been heartened of late by the increased knowledge displayed by many in the audience and their concern over the impending plight of the Honey Bee. Mike believes this is the direct result of the initiative and hard work the BBKA Executive has undertaken with the media over recent months and a reaction on which we must capitalise. Mike is a great believer in education, understanding the theory behind the practice of beekeeping, and was awarded the BBKA Intermediate Certificate last year. He is presently awaiting this year’s exam results to determine next winter’s study schedule to complete his senior certification. Mike has been married to Wendy for 42 years and their only son, Andrew, remains in Alton.
Mike is excited by the challenging times ahead and is looking forward to working with the BBKA Executive team, delivering an exceptional level of service to the membership and, hopefully, leaving him enough time to continue his passion for bee keeping.
You can contact Mike on 024 7669 6679 or
generalsecretary @ britishbeekeepers.com. (anti-spam remove spaces and last dot)