On Tuesday 22^nd January we have our Annual General Meeting. You are probably wondering if there is any connection with the above. Why did people go to fight??  I think it was for our freedom1!! Freedom, to do what??  To do and say whatever we like within the laws of the land. Freedom to choose who rules our country, the choosing involves voting at elections. Our elections at our AGM are very important to the way in which our association progresses. Because there are not dozens of members wanting to offer themselves for each post it is often done “On the nod”, but it is not democratic. This saves time and work in not having voting papers and tellers to count the result. If a paper vote is necessary then we will have one.

Our association has grown in numbers over the past few years; we have a small group of members who have kept bees for several years and many who are new to keeping bees. I am hoping that some of the newer members will consider standing for the committee. We have a chairman who is elected each year and is restricted to three years in the position, this normally happens unless they blot their copybook very badly. We do not have a vice chairman because it is considered too long for them to wait to move up. We have a secretary who changes from time to time, likewise a treasurer. John McKee has been our treasurer for several years and has expressed his desire to retire at this time next year. The job has grown from just the money to include liaising with the BBKA headquarters about member numbers and capitation fees. It is hoped that a member will come forward and work alongside John until January 2013 when they will take over the treasurer’s job completely

I am very impressed by the way that many of our members take on extra jobs and do them very well; we all owe a debt of gratitude to them.

So on the 22^nd of January please come along and use your freedom to vote in our elections. When a national general election comes round do please use your vote. A lot of our people, from all walks of life died for this freedom.

At the same time as the AGM we shall also hold our annual honey show. I ask every member who comes along to bring one, or more, exhibit. There are many classes apart from honey. Then our judge will think it is all worth while.

I WISH YOU ALL GOOD HEALTH, GOOD FORTUNE AND A HONEY CROP

 IN 2013.                                 Paul Mann.

I do appreciate that we are all individuals with our own life apart from keeping bees, I realise there are now lots of things which can occupy our time.

Sarah and I enjoy our teaching, if we did not enjoy it we would not volunteer our time. I hope we make it enjoyable for those attending the courses we cover.

I have now cancelled this course and will wait and see what develops. If you have any comments to make do please let me know.

Regards to all our members

Paul Mann.

Please let us have your comments or suggestions for future issues of the Notes or Newsletter.

WINTER 2012 – 2013

COURSE FOR MODULES 1 AND 2

This course will be held over 10 Saturday mornings, 5 before Christmas and 5 after Christmas. It is aimed at beekeepers who intend taking the Intermediate Modules 1 and 2.  However all beekeepers are welcome to come to the course and will find the content interesting.

 Dates: 

3^rd, 10^th of November 2012.

1^st, 8^th and 15^th December.

19^th and 26^th January 2013

2^nd, 9^th and 16^th February

Time:    9.00 am  -  12 am

Venue:   The classes will be held in the Wilmore Hall behind St Nicholas’s church Wareham Road, Corfe Mullen BH21 3LE.  There is ample parking.

Cost of the course,  £50.00 per person, non-refundable

Tutors:  Your tutors will be Paul Mann and Sarah Weaver.

Both tutors hold the BBKA Senior Certificate.

Exam details.

•  To be eligible to sit the exam you will need to hold a BBKA Basic Certificate and you should have kept bees for a few years.

•  Copies of the syllabus are on the BBKA website and we can supply copies.

•  Each Module is a 1 ½ hour exam and they will both be on the same day.

•  To enter for the exam you must send an application form accompanied by the entry fee of £15.00 per module [cheques payable to the British Beekeepers Association] To the local BBKA examination officer, Mrs Margaret Davies 57 Leybourne Avenue, Bournemouth, BH10 6HE, Tel 01202-526077.

•  The Intermediate Exams are written papers and we have a number of copies from past years.

If you wish to attend this course please let Paul Mann know. Email  bpmann@ntlworld.com or call 01202-773844  Thank you.

1917 – 2012

Roland was our oldest living member. He had been involved with the Bournemouth association for about 30 years, 20 of these as our treasurer. He was always very even tempered and always and a smile on his face. He was a very good friend to me during a difficult period and I valued his support. He used to sit at the back of the room with his account books open, ready to accept subscriptions etc.

He kept bees at his home in Columbia Road for much of this time and took part in all the association activities, even running an annual dinner and dance. He was a very successful ball room dancer and we learnt at the funeral that he had co-authored a manual of professional ball room dancing which is still in use. He continued to give dancing instruction until well into his 90’s.What an example to us all.

He died on Thursday September 9^th. On the following Monday his wife, Sylvia, called me to tell me of his death. She said they had not yet got a death certificate so could not arrange a funeral, she gave me her telephone number. I rang several times without a reply. On the morning of  Friday September 24^th our treasurer, John McKee rang me about another matter. I told him of Roland death but that we did not know when the funeral was to be. He told me that Roland had left us with an excellent auditor and said he would see if he could help. I gather that the auditor was away but his daughter rang back to say that the funeral was at 2.30pm that day!!  A few quick calls and eventually David and Helga Aldersey and I attended the funeral at the Bournemouth crematorium.

After the service the coffin was put back in the hearse and we all set off to the edge of the cemetery where Roland was laid to rest in a grave. At the September meeting I told those present of Roland death and we all observed a minute’s silence. Thank you all for that.

The events of the Friday made me feel that we were intended to go to the funeral.

“REST IN PEACE” ROLAND and thank you for sharing  your life with us.

Paul.

At the committee meeting on the Thursday before it was agreed that the 10 colonies would be closed up on the Friday evening and moved to the Ameysford site on the Saturday morning. I was not there but I gather they were closing colonies up in the dark!!! On Saturday several trailers arrived and the colonies were moved without incident. Congratulations.

On the Sunday morning several of us arrived with estate cars and one trailer, the shed was cleared and moved to the Ameysford site and some other sites. Afterward we had a good bonfire to dispose of the rubbish. The shed was brushed out and we are now clear of the old association apiary.

The colonies at Ameysford are in a very pleasant setting behind a lake, this should be an ideal situation for the active season next year. There is also a building about 30 feet long and 15 feet wide near the house, this has been “done up” by the owner with a wood strip floor, double glazed windows and an electricity supply, marvellous!! I think the family are to use the room for social occasions and games. We are to be allowed to use the room during association training sessions. Some of our spare equipment is in there at the moment, this is temporary.

We intend to acquire a good shed to go behind the hives as a store for spares. If anyone knows of a shed 20ft by 10 ft or thereabouts then please let one of us know. All our members owe a great vote of thanks to those who made the move possible and so successful. I am not going to put a list of names because I am not sure of all who were there, but they know who they are.

All in all we can look forward to using the new apiary site next year. Please do your part by respecting the owners when we are there, it is there home.   “THANK YO ALL AGAIN”

Paul Mann.

There is a lot of useful information available from the NBU.

P.S. Don’t forget to register on Beebase if you have one or more colonies of bees.