How do folks. This year i'm thinking about running some ' beekeeping experience days' for non beeks at one of my apiaries . It will probably just be small groups of around 5 people for roughly 3 hours with a brief introduction to beekeeping followed by a look inside a hive then maybe some honey tasting and beeswax candle rolling. I was wondering if anyone here has done anything similar? Will I need to be insured and would my BBKA membership insurance cover me? What can be done to mitigate the risks of anaphylaxis-would I need medical training epi pen etc? Any tips would be welcome.
I think ‘bee experience days’ are a great way to involve the public without going too far initially. Better than just offering trainingcourses, which go too far for some. So good on you!
I have run experience sessions for a few years for my association, max 4 visitors so they can get close round a hive. We use two or three hives, so no one is held open too long. Now wondering about increasing the number of days now we no longer offer full courses.
This would mean briining in new ‘tutors’, not already members of the association, so might want to be paid. So we would need to work out a ‘business plan’ to see how the tutor’s time could be ‘valued’. Amng other things , we would have to allow for a loss of honey due to disturbing the hives, Umm!
Our association insurance would cover us as these days are covered by our charitable objects - to educate the public and promote beekeeping. So no need to allow for that.
Would you - or any other member of this forum - be willing to share your own ‘business plan’?
My association is in north Herts - so no risk of competition I guess.
