BBKA membership

[drstitson]

polyhive

sounds like your area needs a new LOCAL association.

there must be like minded individuals in your area who can come together and formally form a new branch.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

There must be good and bad local associations. Mine (Sleaford) is pretty good, they organise regular apiary visits and a few events, and have their own show, but the most important thing I get from them is meeting local beeks. Lincoln is even better I think organising several interesting talks and live demos. The other one local to me, Grantham, on the other hand is a specialist club of half a dozen large keepers and not very helpful to the novice.

We are charged a fairly paultry £23. I'm not political about the BBKA, and in any event my view is if you disagree with policy that it is better to try and change from inside rather than rant from outside. I think on the whole they do a very good job, pesticide issue aside. The insurance is definitely a plus.

I also think it is very helpful for beekeepers to have a central voice -as a unorganised bunch of hobbyists we would have no lobbying power.

Despite the fact I get the bulk of my information from here and books, I'll certainly be renewing.

 

[Poly Hive]

Probably Drstitson, but I have done the committee thing at local (400 odd members) and national level and it is all a bit boring. I hope I can do more good using what talents I have on here.

PH

 

[rolande]

Well here is my take on them.

I am a member. An Individual Member so I pay my £40
PH

Hi,

£40? Has there been a price increase which I know nothing of? -My own membrship is running late this year but I will rejoin simply for the insurance, I couldn't possiby buy equivalent cover for the same price anywhere (that I know of); also, there's an issue with a large farming business that allows me the use of various different apiary sites spread over a wide area -they actually insist that I maintain membership of the BBKA.

So, I just checked the BBKA website but it still states that Individual Membership is £33. I know that £7 isn't a huge difference but....

Best Wishes,
Roland

 

[Queens59]

I joined my local association, which gave me BBKA membership, but FOR ME it was a waste. Promises of home classes and support (as I am housebound) failed to appear - as did any form of telephone/email support. I'm sure there are great associations out there - but there are also pretty dreadful ones too. The simple answer is join, see what they are like and if they are worth the time, energy and money keep going...if not keep it in your pocket!!Also, don't be surprised if they are not all you hoped.

At the point of joining I had hoped to occasionally manage to attend a few bits so my £40 was local membership, BBKA donation and assoc. membership for my husband as he would have to attend anything I did as my carer.

 

[Poly Hive]

Rolande my bill comes to £42-50p.

£35 for membership and a further £9-50 for an extra 17 colonies.

PH

 

[Stiffy]

You dont need to be a member of the BBKA to get membership.
Just tell them you are a beekeeper.
A certain organisation have managed to jump on the issue and say "If you are a BBKA member" you can join Bookers.

Went to my local Bookers with my BBKA card when this first was put about. Woman at Bookers looked at it and said they knew nothing about it but then gave me membership as an office based business.
Would like to say Bookers has saved a fortune but those huge jars of sweets............
Cheers
S

 

[rolande]

Rolande my bill comes to £42-50p.

£35 for membership and a further £9-50 for an extra 17 colonies.

PH

PH,

Thanks, I wasn't considering the colony insurance, just the flat rate cost. Yes, with you now!

Best,
Roland

 

[oliver90owner]

Rolande my bill comes to £42-50p.

£35 for membership and a further £9-50 for an extra 17 colonies.

P H you got a discount? Tell us how.

Regards, RAB

 

[Poly Hive]

No idea.

Do bear in mind I didn't want to BE a ****y member again thank you very much.

PH

 

[rolande]

Rolande my bill comes to £42-50p.

£35 for membership and a further £9-50 for an extra 17 colonies.

P H you got a discount? Tell us how.

Regards, RAB

No idea.

Do bear in mind I didn't want to BE a ****y member again thank you very much.

PH

Hi,

While I don't know this, I think that maybe it's £33 + £9.50 = £42.50

As I noted earlier, their website still states individual membership is £33... but, I'm only assuming here...

Best,
Roland

 

[Vortex]

Our association fee is £22 of which £14 is the BBKA levy. I think the BDI levy for insurance for 3 hives is £0.50 and then scales from there...
What's more interesting is despite the fact that we last year we only had 3 productive hives our sales from honey exceeded our outgoings by about 50%.

 

[Baggyone]

There must be good and bad local associations. Mine (Sleaford) is pretty good, they organise regular apiary visits and a few events, and have their own show, but the most important thing I get from them is meeting local beeks. Lincoln is even better I think organising several interesting talks and live demos. The other one local to me, Grantham, on the other hand is a specialist club of half a dozen large keepers and not very helpful to the novice.

We are charged a fairly paultry £23. I'm not political about the BBKA, and in any event my view is if you disagree with policy that it is better to try and change from inside rather than rant from outside. I think on the whole they do a very good job, pesticide issue aside. The insurance is definitely a plus.

I also think it is very helpful for beekeepers to have a central voice -as a unorganised bunch of hobbyists we would have no lobbying power.

Despite the fact I get the bulk of my information from here and books, I'll certainly be renewing.

A fellow sleaford member! Heckington show was a perfect example of how a local association can bring beekeeping to the masses.

baggy

 

[Hombre]

BDI value for money?

In our association, 1 to 3 hives are covered and BDI is mandatory. Please indicate the number of hives that you wish to insure.

I don't, so accept that I am a member of BDI, because I have no real choice in the matter, but I don't choose the cover offered so am happy to remain uncovered.

Do the statistics on payouts or the limitations if all hell breaks loose make this a good scheme to be in?

I understand that the scheme does not operate in Scotland? If it did and take up was good, what would the situation be with last year's ABF outbreak in Scotland. Would the contingency fund capping of £25,000 have been invoked and individual payments reduced?

Would the payment have been made instantly or at the end of the season when the fund exposure was known and how would that allow bee keepers with up to 39 colonies to re-equip in a timely fashion. What happens with the funds that have been accruing for many years now and won't get touched because of the capping rules?

Comments please.

 

[peterbees]

Thanks for the kind words about the arrangement i made with Booker re cheap sugar. glad to have been of help.
Here is what we provide our members with, and I forgot to mention the cheap sugar!

23 reasons why you should belong to Conwy BKA!

1. Seven evening lecture meetings, at Craig y Don Community Centre, Llandudno, on the last Tuesday of the month from September to April. Free refreshments.

2. Membership of the Welsh Beekeepers’ Association.

3. Free bee disease insurance for your first three hives. This covers American Foul Brood and European Foul Brood. Insurance for additional hives is available.

4. Assistance with access to oil seed rape and heather sites.

5. WBKA Welsh Beekeeper magazine four times a year.

6. Access to locally raised strains of honeybee.

7. Beeswax foundation, frames, honey jars and beehive floor mesh at members’ discount prices.

8. Owners’ liability insurance up to £5m. Your most essential benefit!

9. Product liability insurance up to £5m.

10. Regular newsletters and updates.

11. Training meetings with the bees at the Conwy BKA apiary at Tal y Cafn, every three weeks, April to August, Saturday or Sunday afternoons.

12. Mentoring for new beekeepers.

13. Varroa treatments at low prices.

14. All the help you need to control varroa, and regular updates on varroa research.

15. Association Honey Show in October.

16. Conwy Honey Fair on 13th September and Conwy Seed Fair on 26th March, organized by Conwy BKA.

17. E-mail updates.

18. Extracting kit for hire.

19. Access to swarms of bees.

20. Evening course for new beekeepers at Henfaes, near Llanfairfechan.

21. Association website

22. Honey selling opportunities at Conwy Feast every October.

23. 10% discount at Fragile Planet beekeeping supplies, Oswestry

All this for just £15 per individual or £17.50 per family per year! However do we do it?

All we ask in return is that you pay your subscriptions promptly and support our activities.

Compiled by Peter McFadden, Hon Secretary, updated November 2010