Boris's Capital Bee

[psafloyd]

I think I would take the same view if I still lived there. And I think you will be typical - you would have got the bees/equipment regardless of Boris's cash but paid for it yourself if necessary. Hence it's not really achieved anything except distribute a bit of cash to folks who probably don't need it. And Boris wonders why the scheme got criticism.

It's not mere selfishness. I have had a lot of people approach me who have shown an interest and if I could encourage them to participate on a 'community' hive, so much the better.

I will be enablung them to get an insight into something they are interested in but probably wouldn't shell out for and I can get some people who are able to babysit my bees and do things my way.

It's perfectly balanced.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I've no idea how bee-saturated London is, but would LBKA archives provide a clue to capacity? The urban forage landscape won't have changed much since the war and there were many more beekeepers around that time.

having worked for Transport for london ( LU division) which is run by Boris i suspect the amount of forms, proof of residency, financial hardship proof, endorsement by sponsoring organisation, paid up council tax statementt etc etc will defeat all but 50 out of the 1000s who think they might apply

 

[Dishmop]

I suspect that 80% of the money will be lost to organisation costs.

 

[Silly Bee]

Cynic

 

[psafloyd]

having worked for Transport for london ( LU division) which is run by Boris i suspect the amount of forms, proof of residency, financial hardship proof, endorsement by sponsoring organisation, paid up council tax statementt etc etc will defeat all but 50 out of the 1000s who think they might apply

Well, the initial application process took about 10 minutes, so that's not a major investment, is it?

 

[drstitson]

surely local BKAs are going to be the ones getting new members and providing training?

 

[Storm™]

. . . AND Boris is going to ban my 01 reg TD5 landrover defender diesel 90 from inside the M25 in 2012 so he is not my best friend

Now that is going too far. Defenders are the holy of all holy. I am saddened for your pain . I have one too and I would be really pi**ed off. I love mine. Best vehicle I have ever had and I have had a few. And amazingly the cheapest to run. And I am not being ironic there. Pottering around country lanes it hardly uses anything.

As for over burdening the area with bees I would not worry too much. People are going to be working more and more these days to try and cover all the bleedin bills. We are taxed to death.

Car Tax, Poll Tax, National Insurance, Income Tax, Fuel Tax, TV Licence, etc etc etc. Once the novelty wears off (as it always does as with anything thats hard work with the majority) there will be lots of dedicated people who had high hopes in the beginning, in place to look after the outfall. Then loads of beekeeping equipment going cheap.

Sadly there will probably be an increase in disease as that happens though. I read a thread on here last year (very interesting), where someone asked why, when they put out bait hives in the country they get hardly any takers, yet when they set up in the towns/cities, they manage to get - I think it was three swarms a year. I think this situation explains aptly why that happens. Nostalgia hunters with lots of city cash think it would be a good hobby. However after they realise the work, time constraints, expertise required, they just dont have the extra time to keep an eye on things. Then the bees just clear off to find a new hive nearby.

I think the best thing I read on this thread was the need to increase awareness/knowledge base of the individuals who want to have a go. Also the awareness about pruning times. I convinced our landlord to leave his fusia bushes be until the first snows last year, as the bees were going full pelt at it and even in the wind and rain. Normally he would demolish them in about early September ready for next year. This year the bees were able to use it for almost an extra 4 months. If I had not seen them using it that late, I would never have known. So education as always really helps. As long as it is tempered with the wisdom of experience and not just dogma.

 

[sunhivebee]

boris bees

think tom bick on here is involved with the hive building but not sure, all i know is that our committee member came back rather bemused by the methods promoted by the Natural beekeeping trust having been harangued by one of them for half an hour, but "each for his own"

I feel so sorry for your committee member; he must be such a wimp to allow himself to be harangued for half an hour! What pain! As for my talk at the bee summit, it was a soundbite of ten minutes, during which I did not have the time to comment on beekeeping methodology; notwithstanding those limitations I was so overwhelmed with positive responses after my presentation that I simply would not have found the time to "harangue" anyone. It is also not my style. If your bemused member wishes to find out about bee-friendly beekeeping, Phil Chandler or the Natural Beekeeping Trust will be happy to oblige.
Heidi Herrmann

 

[Tom Bick]

Registration for the Capital Bee project has now closed and all that have applied will be told by the 18th February if they have been successful. Good look to everyone who has applied.

 

[psafloyd]

I received a letter on Friday (didn't open until this morning) that confirms I have 'won' the funding from the Capital Bee project.

This means I am eligible to receive 40 hours training , plus additional training, a cedar national produced somewhere in Hounslow, bees next April and even be put through the BBKA basic paper.

All I now have to do is sign the paperwork and look to getting the apiary set up and see if I can send somsone else who may be interested on the training.

For the very little effort it took to get to apply, this looks like a serious amount of payback, even if I am committed to a community project, because I would have been using my own bees and equipment. I will also get other items, such as a smoker and a bee suit, which means I now have enough equipment to have anything up to three other people with me to observe while I manipulate the frames.

I consider this to be something of a result.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Excellent news, well done

 

[nelletap]

I liked the comment about these practical ways to boost forage. I think perhaps it could be further boosted by encouraging bee friendly seeds given to communities or schoolchildren. I wonder whether some areas such as TFL tracksides could also be seeded - there are often quite overgrown/ derelict areas which might as well be overgrown with a better selection of plants.
tricia

 

[Black Comb]

Well done.
I'm interested to know what they consider "adequate" training and experience to teach new beekeepers.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I wonder whether some areas such as TFL tracksides could also be seeded

in the 70's this was the norm (underground) LTE the for runner of the London Underground part of TFL seeded and planted their embankments with a mix of flowering shrubs and deep rooted flowers etc, but long since cut back to an occasional strim

i have asked to use larger areas for beehives on the surface lines of thepiccadilly and Northern line : responce from TFL not worth the hassel it would entail

 

[psafloyd]

Well done.
I'm interested to know what they consider "adequate" training and experience to teach new beekeepers.

They say it is 40 hours of training in two hour blocks per week, or they will put you on a local BKA course if it is more convenient. Mentoring is also supposedly available, with plenty of practical experience.

Then there are some special sessions, such as disease, etc, so all in all, it looks pretty thorough for novices.

 

[Tom Bick]

I think Capital Bee they are taking it very sensibly they have also suggested that the people running the course take a course in teacher training and from what I hear that was received rather badly and may have been dropped.

It’s a much better run project than the co op if we remember that and have only handed out a small amount of kit and the plastic hive despite reassurances it was to be a timber hive.

One extra bit Floyd you also get a signed photo of Boris for your wall.

 

[psafloyd]

I think Capital Bee they are taking it very sensibly they have also suggested that the people running the course take a course in teacher training and from what I hear that was received rather badly and may have been dropped.

It’s a much better run project than the co op if we remember that and have only handed out a small amount of kit and the plastic hive despite reassurances it was to be a timber hive.

One extra bit Floyd you also get a signed photo of Boris for your wall.

For my dartboard, perhaps, Tom. Never my wall.

The Co-op thing was a shambles. I was down as an interested journo and they failed to engage with me, despite numerous chases. I think they may have run out of money and kept quiet to save face.

 

[Tom Bick]

No they got the good publicity at the start and then conveniently forgot all about it

 

[Tom Bick]

Capital Bee have launched a 2nd round with 10 more community sites able to register.

Sorry folks Greater London based unfortunately.

http://www.capitalgrowth.org/bee_competition/

 

[drstitson]

interesting to note the concern of the LBKA about pressures on limited resources.

as far as i understand it, the sort of concerns that will be hosting these 50 odd new hives will have otherwise been providing free forage for other london beeks in the past. They will just be getting a fair share of their own harvest IMHO!!!!