Meetings and Events 2025

Meetings and Events 2025

Tuesday 16th December 2025 – An Open Meeting will be held via Zoom. Martin Hann and Clare Densley from Buckfast Abbey will be doing a double act on ‘Reading the Colony‘. The talk starts at 7:30pm and there will be an opportunity for Q&A at the end. Further details will be circulated nearer the date. All are welcome.

Tuesday 4th November 2025 – An Open Meeting will be held in the form of an ‘Ask the Panel‘ session to starting 7:30pm. Questions from members are invited in advance. All are welcome.

Sunday 5th October 2025 – The annual Rachel Lowther Memorial Lecture returned after a year’s absence. The lecture was delivered by the apiarist and author Paul Honigmann on the subject of “Lessons from Low Intervention Beekeeping”. More than 50 members attended to enjoy a comprehensive and thought-provoking talk followed by the customary excellent afternoon tea.

Sunday 17th August 2025 – Our sixth Beginners’ Session #8 of the season was held at 2:00 till 4:00pm at our Teaching Apiary near Wylam.

Sunday 10th August 2025 – Our sixth Beginners’ Session #7 of the season was held at 2:00 till 4:00pm at our Teaching Apiary near Wylam.

Sunday 27th July 2025 – Our sixth Beginners’ Session #6 of the season was held at 2:00 till 4:00pm at our Teaching Apiary near Wylam. Thirteen new members attended.

Sunday 20th July 2025 – Our fifth Beginners’ Session #5 of the season was held at 2:00 till 4:00pm at our Teaching Apiary near Wylam. Eight new members attended.

Sunday 29th June 2025 – Our fourth Beginners’ Session #4 of the season was held at 2:00 till 4:00pm at our Teaching Apiary near Wylam. Eleven new members attended.

Sunday 22nd June 2025 – Our third Beginners’ Session #3 of the season was held at 2:00 till 4:00pm at our Teaching Apiary near Wylam. Eight new members attended.

Sunday 1st June 2025 – Our second Beginners’ Session #2 of the season was held at our Teaching Apiary near Wylam. Eleven new members attended.

Sunday 18th May 2025 – Our first Beginners’ Session #1 of the season was held at our Teaching Apiary near Wylam.

Sunday 11th May 2025 – Our first Skills Workshop of the season focussing on Disease Inspection was held at our Teaching Apiary near Wylam. We looked for brood diseases like Chalk Brood, Sac Brood, Bald brood and Chilled Brood as well as the more serious Foulbroods. Adult bee diseases like Nosema, Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus and Varroa were also be highlighted.

Sunday 6th April 2025 – A Frame Making session was held in Wall Village Hall, Wall, Hexham NE46 4DX Sixteen beginners attended to learn how to make frames – providing the Association with a much needed stock of new frames to see us through the season at the teaching apiary. Thanks to everyone for their efforts.

Tuesday 1st April 2025 – An Open Meeting was held in Wall Village Hall, Wall, Hexham NE46 4DX at which Sue and Ian Robinson provided a brief presentation on Swarm Control. This was followed by small groups exploring and discussing some common techniques – Queen Removal, Demaree and Snelgrove. Thirty-five members attended.

Tuesday 4th March 2025 – An Open Meeting was held in Wall Village Hall, Wall, Hexham NE46 4DX at which Rinke Vinkenoog from Northumbria University described the life cycle of common local bumblebees as compared to the honey bee. About twenty-five members attended and enjoyed Rinke’s entertaining presentation.

Sunday 2ndnd  March 2025 – A Theory for Beginners class was held at Wall Village Hall, Wall, Hexham NE46 4DX. Fourteen new beekeepers attended.

Tuesday 4th February 2025 – An Open Meeting was held in Wall Village Hall, Wall, Hexham NE46 4DX. Thorsten Rettig Master Bee Keeper gave ‘An Introduction to Bee Pests and Diseases’ and Dorian Pritchard distributed signed copies of his new book ‘Genetic Priorities for Conservation of Native Honey Bees’. Twenty-five members attended.

Tuesday 14th January 2025 – Our Annual General Meeting was held in Wall Village Hall, Wall, Hexham NE46 4DX and twenty members attended. The formal business was followed by a ‘Bring and Share’ supper which provided a welcome opportunity to socialise. The draft minutes from the meeting are available here.