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Chair’s AGM Report 2021

This is essentially an overview of 2021 for the HWBKA picking out some of the highlights … and lowlights. More detail can be found in each of the committee members reports which you also have received.

Starting with the ‘lowlights’ we are obviously still being impacted by COVID although not as severely as in 2020 when almost everything stopped.

On more positive notes the Association continues strongly with 247 members, only one down on last year.

Finances are still strong with a healthy balance of ≈£21k although this would have been even greater had we been able to run the course last year in 2020. It is still our hope and intention to be able to fund an Apiary with a permanent Club House and we are slowly building funds to accomplish that.

Despite the BBKA increasing their charges last year, when we had to absorb the cost as we could not do anything about it until the following AGM, we have decided again to maintain our current level of subscriptions and absorb that cost increase once more. Most of your dues do go to the BBKA and for BDI as can see in Peter Halford’s and Rob’s reports. It was for this reason that we changed our rules and constitution to enable us to increase dues by whatever the BBKA impose should we need to, without having to wait for the following years AGM to pass a resolution or hold an EGM.

At the beginning of 2021 it was not at all certain we would be able to run the Beginner’s Course. It represents a major revenue for the Association both financially and in terms of new members. In anticipation of future difficulties, we setup an education sub-committee, an objective for which would be the generation of a comprehensive course manual, and this was completed during the bleak mid-winter and early spring.  Armed with this document we felt that in the worst case we might be able to run the course on a one-to-one basis or in much smaller groups depending on prevailing lockdown criteria at the time. This would of course require a greater number of tutors who may well need the manual for reference. In the event the first 2 classroom-based sessions were held on Zoom and the initial ‘in-the-field’ events one to one with the very much increased number of tutors in their own apiaries. Our tutors did sterling work, and we are very appreciative of their efforts on behalf of the beginners. This all worked well and then in July we recommenced group events. The manual will stand us in good stead for the future and all new beekeepers on the course get a copy to keep so they get our association’s view and are not too confused by all the sometimes-conflicting advice they might get in books and on-line

We held the Taster Day this year in June at my apiary and had a most enjoyable day with 11 participants, including Peter Halford and Talha Dinc who came long to help.

Following on from a laudable initiative from Malcolm 2 years earlier to encourage people through their Basic Assessment, we finally managed to hold the assessment, again in my apiary to better facilitate necessary teas, coffees, brandies etc. 5 people, 4 from HWBKA and one who came up from Hastings and Rother took part. Mike Cullen, a Master Beekeeper from Hastings took us through quite gently. My guilt at not doing it earlier in my beekeeping career finally got the better of me and I too took the test of ‘beekeeping manhood’.

In terms of other events held throughout year they have been quite severely curtailed. Committee Meetings have been held on Zoom as Peter Leswell has had to maintain a strict isolation regime. There were no country fayres we could attend. BeeBanter was off the menu until it re-commenced in the latter half of the year. Attendance at BeeBanters has been somewhat down compared to the past, no doubt because of people’s legitimate concerns over either getting infected or spreading infection. Last month Talha managed to organise a very successful wax workshop which Helen Hadley led, and Sandy Infield hosted in her spacious studio. On the 8th December he has organised our annual Christmas Dinner at the Middle House in Mayfield. We hope you will be able to attend.

Our Association Apiaries are in mostly good fettle, although it has been a tricky year for many beekeepers as indicated in Keith & Steve’s report about Slab Castle. We heard in Jonathan Coote’s Apiarist article about the winter losses. We had a warm February causing the colonies to build quickly and early, followed by a colder dry spell and then a colder wet spell and some colonies never really got up to speed. My own honey crop as with the Associations was less than half the usual.   

Nonetheless Slab Castle is going into the winter with 10 colonies and much work has been done over the year maintaining it and the equipment.

Our lease from WDC for the Horsted Green Apiary was increased to 12 colonies in exchange for which they wanted our assistance with promotion, and you may have seen articles in Ashdown Living Sussex Country Living. I took over from Steve running the Apiary mid-way through the year as the combination of running Slab Castle and Horsted with all the travel that entailed was getting too much. Steve was very largely responsible for setting up the splendid facilities at Horsted for which we owe him a debt of gratitude. There was a very successful queen rearing activity held at Horsted and led by Helen Hadley and Malcolm. We used a particularly vigorous colony of nice gentle bees and produced some 30 or so queens which were given out to various members. We plan to hold something similar next year with more emphasis on teaching the craft. We will also be raising 10 nucs of bees with the very generous assistance of John Miller, to supply future new beekeepers on the course. A small part we can play in reducing the need to import bees from abroad along with whatever plague they might bring in with them.

As mentioned above, it is an awful lot of work running the association apiaries and we hope next year to be able to enlist some permanent or semi-permanent assisting teams to help share the burden and perhaps as a teaching experience too for those less experienced, to learn from the likes of Steve and Keith. There will be a form sent out and at the AGM for those who would like to express interest.

The Apiarist is going out quarterly ‘jam packed’ thanks to the sterling work of Paul with his expertise in DTP

AHAT - fortunately there has been very little activity on the Asian Hornet front, due in no small part to the continuing vigilance of beekeepers nationwide and of course FERA.

The website continues to support our activities and membership very well. The advent of booking forms for events and the eR2 system making life much easier for our Membership Secretary Peter …although it is still a great deal of work he does behind the scenes to keep our Association running smoothly.

SBKA has been quiet and similarly impacted by CV-19 and holding meetings on Zoom. There was no Bee Market this year but the Autumn Convention which was a hybrid live /Zoom meeting had some interesting talks particularly from the folks at Buckfast Abbey.

Having overstayed my statutory three term year as Chair by one year in extremis to get through the COVID crisis this has been my last year …honest!


It’s been fun, an honour and a privilege. I will still be around, however, looking after the little darlings at our Horsted Apiary.

Members of the European Parliament for Italy have pleaded with the European Commission to do more about the threat of yellow-legged hornets

24-Feb-24 – The Cooldown

France offers aid to its struggling beekeepers amid farmer protests

23-Feb-24 – Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-offers-aid-its-struggling-beekeepers-amid-farmer-protests-2024-02-23/

TATE & LYLE this week axed its 140-year-old golden syrup logo after shoppers branded it “grim”

23-Feb-24 – The Sun

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/26148776/stories-worlds-most-famous-logos/

Honey Bees Show Remarkable Heat Tolerance with Metabolic Adjustments

14-Feb-24 – Azo Life Sciences

https://www.azolifesciences.com/news/20240214/Honey-Bees-Show-Remarkable-Heat-Tolerance-with-Metabolic-Adjustments.aspx

Cultivating Wider Adoption of Biopesticides: Knowledge Exchange

12-Feb-24 – Fera blog

https://www.fera.co.uk/news/cultivating-wider-adoption-of-biopesticides-knowledge-exchange/

Lasers will target pest ravaging honey bees

12-Feb-24 – University of Auckland

https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2024/02/12/lasers-honey-bees.html

Asian hornet invasion in the UK fears as public urged to report sightings of deadly insect

10-Feb-24 – The Mirror

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/asian-hornet-invasion-uk-fears-32057767

The bees learning to fight off invasive hornets

09-Feb-24 – The BBC

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240206-the-bees-learning-to-fight-off-invasive-hornets

Asian hornet warning as bee-killers could bring ‘ecological nightmare’ to UK

07-Feb-24 – The Independent

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/asian-hornet-warning-bees-uk-b2492005.html

Newtown honey producer secures new partnership with Tesco

05-Feb-24 – Shropshire Star

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/business/2024/02/05/newtown-honey-producer-secure-new-partnership-with-tesco/

Common £8 kitchen ingredient which can make acne 'literally fade overnight'

01-Feb-24 – KentLive
https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/shopping/common-8-kitchen-ingredient-can-9072424

15 best honeys to keep in your store cupboard, according to the GHI

26-Jan-24 – Good Housekeeping

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/food/food-reviews/g46503612/best-honey/

UK Government Approves Controversial Bee-Harming Pesticide, Wildlife Trusts Raise Concerns

26-Jan-24 – Cornish Stuff

Honey from stingless bees may offer sweet perks without the tooth decay

24-Jan-24 – Nature Research aus

https://www.nature.com/articles/d42473-023-00359-3

New sustainable bee packaging creates a buzz

24-Jan-24 – Packaging Scotland

The vegan farce that is ‘bee-free’ honey will spell disaster for bees, farmers and all of us

24-Jan-24 – Country Life

Bee-harming pesticide use given emergency authorisation

23-Jan-24 – BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64380762

More flowers are ‘selfing,’ scientists say. That could spell trouble for other species

23-Jan-24 – CNN

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/23/world/flower-self-fertilization-pollinator-decline-scn/index.html

Charlottetown homeowner who refused to mow lawn receives 'excessive' bill from city

20-Jan-24 – CBC

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-grass-cutting-mike-ross-1.7090017

Suffolk divided over easing of neonicotinoid ban on beet

19-Jan-24 – East Anglian Daily Times

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/24060465.suffolk-divided-easing-neonicotinoid-ban-beet/

MEPs reject Commission proposal to allow higher pesticide level in imported foods

17-Jan-24 – Euractiv

The Nature Restoration Law: a vote on our livelihood

17-Jan-24 – The Parliament

https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/nature-restoration-law-vote-european-parliament

Mystery solved after 3 million bees are found dead in just 24 hours

15-Jan-24 – Unilad

https://www.unilad.com/news/us-news/bees-dead-san-diego-what-happened-588421-20240115

Cultivating Wider Adoption of Biopesticides: Enabling Policies

11-Jan-24 – Fera

https://www.fera.co.uk/news/cultivating-wider-adoption-of-biopesticides-enabling-policies/

The Beekeeper is exactly the Jason Statham movie you want to see

10-Jan-24 – Yahoo Movies

https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/beekeeper-exactly-jason-statham-movie-190000205.html

The surprising link between air pollution and declining honeybee populations

10-Jan-24 – Envirotech

https://www.envirotech-online.com/news/air-monitoring/6/jennifer-kingman-independent-author/the-surprising-link-between-air-pollution-and-declining-honeybee-populations/61806

Exploring Bentley’s Black Edition Label Honey

10-Jan-24 – Salon Privé magazine
https://www.salonprivemag.com/exploring-bentleys-black-edition-label-honey/

In Colombia, illegally felled timber repurposed to help bees

28-Dec-23 – Phys.org

https://phys.org/news/2023-12-colombia-illegally-felled-timber-repurposed.html#:~:text=Bees%20need%20hives%20to%20store,by%20pesticides%20and%20climate%20change.

Spiced honey rum released by Hive Mind in Monmouthshire

27-Dec-23 – South Wales Argus

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/24007415.spiced-honey-rum-released-hive-mind-monmouthshire/

Insect compasses, fire-fighting vines: 2023's nature-inspired tech

23-Dec-23 – TechExplore

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-12-insect-compasses-fire-fighting-vines-nature-inspired.html

British honey makers blast EU for 'discriminating' against them with petty new law

21-Dec-23 – The Express

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1847843/eu-honey-rules-uk-britain-european-union

Honey spirits range launched by brewery

21-Dec-23 – Insider Media

https://www.insidermedia.com/news/wales/honey-spirits-range-launched-by-brewery

Bentley celebrates sweet success with special edition honey

18-Dec-23 – UK Motor 1

https://uk.motor1.com/news/701211/bentley-black-edition-label-honey/

World’s Rarest Jar of Honey: 2050 MGO Mānuka Honey

09-Dec-23 – Salon Prive

British Sugar fails to deliver on 3-year plan to end use of banned neonicotinoids

08-Dec-23 – Suffolk Wildlife Trust

https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/news/british-sugar-fails-deliver-3-year-plan-end-use-banned-neonicotinoids

Wild birds ‘distinguish between calls made by different African tribes’ – study

07-Dec-23 – Various

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/national/23976110.wild-birds-distinguish-calls-made-different-african-tribes---study/

The smartest of their time: the Nobel prizes of 1973 - methods that honeybees use to communicate

04-Dec-23 – The Boar

What it’s like to be a bee

21-Nov-23 – Princeton University Press

https://press.princeton.edu/ideas/what-its-like-to-be-a-bee

How Kate Humble’s move to the country inspired her to get back to nature and give beekeeping a try – exclusive

30-Nov-23 – Hello!

https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/508065/kate-humble-big-give-exclusive-getting-back-to-nature-working-with-bees-for-development/

Are Percy Pigs Vegan? A Closer Look At The Iconic Treat – The problems with beeswax

28-Nov-23 – Plant Based News

Honeybees cluster together when it’s cold – but we’ve been completely wrong about why

24-Nov-23 – The Conversation

https://theconversation.com/honeybees-cluster-together-when-its-cold-but-weve-been-completely-wrong-about-why-218066#:~:text=But%20my%20study%20shows%20that,)%20colonies%20don't%20hibernate.

Lawyers warn watchdog over UK government's approval of bee-threatening pesticide

17-Nov-23 – Client Earth

https://www.clientearth.org/latest/press-office/lawyers-warn-watchdog-over-uk-government-s-approval-of-bee-threatening-pesticide/

12 animals that help people and the planet – (No.10)

15-Nov-23 – IFAW

https://www.ifaw.org/uk/journal/animals-help-people-and-planet

What You Should Know Before Heating Honey

11-Nov-23 – TastingTable

https://www.tastingtable.com/1443951/reason-never-cook-honey/

Glyphosate

30-Oct-23 – DrugWatch
https://www.drugwatch.com/roundup/glyphosate/

The London Bee Situation: How Sustainable Is Beekeeping in London?

17-Apr-23 - Biological Recording