Do you wish to renew your D&W BKA membership for the October 2022 – September 2023 period? If you are not certain whether it is worth renewing then do look at our page on “Becoming A Member“.

If you are going to renew, please complete the attached Membership Renewal Form and return it to the address on the form, preferably by e-mail – a scan or photo of the completed form will be fine. Otherwise by Royal Mail.

Payment can be made by BACS electronic transfer as per the form. If you do not use electronic banking then a cheque is fine.

If you pay UK tax perhaps you would also consider filling in the attached Gift Aid Declaration.

Please be aware that D&W BKA will be producing a Year Card for the 2022 – 2023 period giving the name, town or village, postcode and contact number of every member. This will be distributed to all members in paper form only. We draw your attention to the Privacy statement on page 2 of the Membership Renewal Form and repeat here that you must advise us if you do not wish your details to be included in the Year Card. 

Just a brief reminder that Thursday 8th September is Social Night for our beekeepers.

We meet in the back bar of the Colliton Club in Dorchester.

Last time we had over 20 people present and needless to say there was a great exchange of ideas.

Time to be thinking about entering something for the Dorset County Show. It is not just honey. There are other bee products you can enter. The full schedule is attached. 

All Dorset Beekeepers Association members are invited to enter their honey and hive products in the Dorset County Show.  A printed copy and entry form is available on request from  richard@wykeregis19.plus.com

An entry form is available here.

    All entries must  to be staged by 8.15am or on Friday by arrangement.  Entries may be collected after 6.00 pm Saturday or any time Sunday by arrangement. Plenty of help and advice is available.  Just ask.

And whilst you are planning your entry for the show why not pop out to the Sunflower Trail near Maiden Castle. There is tea and coffee, places to sit – and above all – loads of sunflowers. Why not take the whole family?

Last Sunday was the Warmwell fete. If you are giving up the afternoon to explain to people what beekeeping is all about then what better place to do it than in the grounds of Warmwell House?

We had a busy afternoon raising awareness of the importance of bees and the dangers of Asian Hornet. In addition we sold a lot of honey and lots of people rolled candles.

Whilst I have your attention can I suggest that you might like to sign this petition which is to ask the government to update the labelling requirements for the sale of honey. As we are well aware there are companies in the UK selling “honey” at a price which is so low as to be ridiculous. If we get the labelling changed then the public may find out what they have been buying!

Last week was Cattistock Countryside Show. Not the warmest of days, nor the driest but still the visitors came to see us.

During the day we had a constant stream of visitors wishing to roll candles. It was surprising how many chose the uncoloured wax rather than any of our brighter colours.

On the information side we were able to inform the public about matters related to beekeeping. It always amazes me the range of knowledge that “Joe and Josephine Public” have about bees. Yesterday we spoke to people who did not realise the importance of bees to pollination right through to one gentleman who was an expert on solitary bees, one who manages several nature reserves in Dorset. We even had a visit from a bee inspector. Whatever the knowledge of our visitors they were all welcome and we were as keen to learn as we were keen to inform.

Well we have packed up and moved on – but if you missed it there is another show this weekend at Warmwell to the East of Dorchester at Warmwell Village Fete.