Beekeeping Taster Courses 2021

Normally we run our Taster course for prospective beekeepers in the Spring at Tilstock Village Hall. However, the lockdown ‘roadmap’ is now out and it looks like May before we can start Apiary meetings again and June/July before we are in a position to hold a physical Taster course at Tilstock. 

So, our current plan for the 2021 season is to run two courses:

• A Zoom course of seven sessions followed by a practical day when restrictions permit. Sessions will be at 7.30 pm on Wednesday evenings, starting on 17 March. The cost for this will be £60 per person or £100 for a twosome* 

• A ‘live’ course at Tilstock Village Hall over a weekend in late June/early July, restrictions permitting. The cost for this would be £80 per person, or £140 for a twosome*. N.B. We have discounted this rate as the course is later in the season.

* Will only receive one copy of handouts etc 

**must be accompanied by a full fee paying adult

 If you would like to take part in either of these courses please contact Alison Hine, the NSBKA education officer

Education Officer

The course will be both theoretical and practical, including a hands-on session at our Association apiary where you will see inside a beehive and handle the bees (weather permitting) [bee suits will be provided]

The course covers:
- Starting out in beekeeping
- Costs involved
- Beekeeping throughout the year
- Honeybee life, behaviour and colony
- Equipment, assembling hive parts
- Setting up an apiary and apiary safety
- Harvesting your honey and wax
- Forage

The association draws its educational strength from its own pool of enthusiastic and highly experienced beekeepers and master beekeepers who volunteer to give up their own free time to teach others. This can mean timings and dates have to change in response to unforeseen circumstances and in such an event, alternative dates or a refund will be offered.

Physical Taster Location:

Tilstock Bradbury Village Hall
Tilstock Lane,
Tilstock,
Whitchurch,
Shropshire,
SY13 3JL

For more information and course booking details, please contact the Association's Education Officer.

Education Officer

Once you have kept bees for a season or two we encourage all members to do the BBKA Basic Assessment which demonstrates you have attained a general proficiency in beekeeping. At the time of writing, 44% of North Shropshire members have successfully passed the basic assessment giving our association the third highest percentage in the country. 

 Joining The NSBKA

For those members who are keen to learn more we have informal tutor groups and encourage correspondence courses for the BBKA modular exams. Our Association currently has a number of Master Beekeepers and several of our members are working towards Master Beekeeper status which involves, among other things, a detailed practical assessment as well as completion of the theory modules.

We also run courses from time to time on particular aspects of beekeeping such as Queen Rearing, Food Hygiene, and Microscopy courses which enable us to examine the anatomy of the bee and diagnose adult bee diseases.

See BBKA examinations and assessments for more information etc; and contact the Association's Education Officer.

Education Officer