Ethnicity of beekeepers

[Amari]

Good morning
I live in an area with a very low population of ethnic minorities and have not seen any em's at local BKA meetings. I would be interested know if this pertains throughout the UK. Is our craft one which few em's take up?

 

[Murox]

Thats a curious can of worms, I suspect that there are many non british born beekeepers in the UK its a diverse place.

 

[user 819]

In the BKA I'm about to become an ex member of we have a few different national backgrounds.
A GP who is of Asian decent.
A Hungarian.
A HK ex pat of China decent, my beek pal about a mile away.
A Iberian of Spanish decent could be Moroccan.
And likely some other's I don't know as I have had no involvement for nearly 3 years.

 

[WoodenBeam]

There’s a Cornish chap within the ranks Amari

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Good morning
I live in an area with a very low population of ethnic minorities and have not seen any em's at local BKA meetings. I would be interested know if this pertains throughout the UK. Is our craft one which few em's take up?

I'm not sure we need to create a breast-beating session or introduce woke concepts into beekeeping association activity. In the same manner as quoted in our local village hall trust deed - anyone who wants to join is welcome regardless of creed or colour.

 

[Buzby]

A beekeeper is a beekeeper regardless of background, gender, religion, colour.

 

[Moobee]

In the BKA I'm about to become an ex member of we have a few different national backgrounds.
A GP who is of Asian decent.
A Hungarian.
A HK ex pat of China decent, my beek pal about a mile away.
A Iberian of Spanish decent could be Moroccan.
And likely some other's I don't know as I have had no involvement for nearly 3 years.

Leaving BKA because....?

 

[ericbeaumont]

When I joined our local BKA in about 2008 the membership was drawn from a narrow and conventional range; my aim when Chair was to broaden that to be inclusive and diverse. Our membership now reflects far more than it did the make-up of the London area, and we're seen as more approachable and engaging than some of our neighbours.

Bear in mind that 55 languages are spoken in the North London Borough of Hackney where I live, and bear in mind also that the divide between the affluent and the rest does prevent knowledge and access to a practice like beekeeping spreading to all corners.

Including everyone in the conversation of life is not knee-jerk woke culture but will result in a common sense erosion of the perception of difference; the benefit is communal understanding.

It took a little persuasion, but when my time was up I managed to persuade Salma Attan to take over; she's not right for the role just because she ticks diverse boxes, but because she's a fine professional beekeeper and organiser, and gets on with everyone.

 

[Amari]

I'm not sure we need to create a breast-beating session or introduce woke concepts into beekeeping association activity. In the same manner as quoted in our local village hall trust deed - anyone who wants to join is welcome regardless of creed or colour.

A beekeeper is a beekeeper regardless of background, gender, religion, colour.

Absolutely ++. My interest is purely curiosity - just as I might wonder what the ratio of male/female beeks is. Oops, maybe to be PC, I should say the ratio of male/female/non-binary/trans/etc.

 

[Cole lynch]

Was it the casting of the Rowse TV commercial that prompted this discussion I wonder.
actually the first Beek I ever spoke to was a mixed race guy from an urban project South London.

 

[Cole lynch]

I’m more interested in how many single lady beeks out there

 

[Amari]

Was it the casting of the Rowse TV commercial that prompted this discussion I wonder.

No.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I suppose it doesn't help that over the years the BBKA has painted itself as the preserve of white middle class professional hobbyists and retirees

 

[madasafish]

I suppose it doesn't help that over the years the BBKA has painted itself as the preserve of white middle class professional hobbyists and retirees

Nothing wrong with retirees (that the Grim Reaper will not cure -eventually).

( I of course am one as are many upstanding members of this community )

 

[0bee-1]

"I suppose it doesn't help that over the years the BBKA has painted itself as the preserve of white middle class professional hobbyists and retirees"

is that deliberate though or just a reflection of those with an interest in beekeeping?? it is certainly "a club" and not having a diversity of members might be off putting or intimidating to would be members of different gender, race or religion ... which of course it shouldn't. BKAs should be open and welcoming to all

 

[citrus]

I am a white British muslim beekeeper ... and my mentor was Iraqi.

The Holy Qu'ran has many glowing references to honey and the bees so there is a great deal of interest within Muslim communities as a result. I have a bait hives on Britain's Biggest Mosque (Morden) and everyone is always nagging me and asking how they can get involved.

that said people are lazy and don't get round to doing it in all faiths/creeds and colours (also small gardens and lack of access is one driver).

 

[Erichalfbee]

I am a white British muslim beekeeper ... and my mentor was Iraqi.

The Holy Qu'ran has many glowing references to honey and the bees so there is a great deal of interest within Muslim communities as a result. I have a bait hives on Britain's Biggest Mosque (Morden) and everyone is always nagging me and asking how they can get involved.

that said people are lazy and don't get round to doing it in all faiths/creeds and colours (also small gardens and lack of access is one driver).

Are tha bait hives successful ?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I am a white British muslim beekeeper ... and my mentor was Iraqi.

The Holy Qu'ran has many glowing references to honey and the bees so there is a great deal of interest within Muslim communities as a result. I have a bait hives on Britain's Biggest Mosque (Morden) and everyone is always nagging me and asking how they can get involved.

that said people are lazy and don't get round to doing it in all faiths/creeds and colours (also small gardens and lack of access is one driver).

I wonder how many places of worship around the country have beekeeping facilities on their roofs? We used to have Dusty among our contributors but he's been missing for a while now. He kept bees on top of a church and did mention the struggle of getting full supers down to the ground.

 

[citrus]

Are tha bait hives successful ?

Yeah got one last year one on that site ...

we have another mosque in Mitcham and the bait hive is 10 floors up but didnt get any luck .....its on a trading estate (they make hovis bread so perhaps the stink of white bread put them off !)

it has direct line of sight to the croydon incinerator !! but also in easy fly of Beddington Farmlands | London's next major nature reserve

'
Beddington Farmlands: A premier urban nature
reserve for the Wandle Valley Regional Park
'


fingers crossed for this year

 

[ericbeaumont]

The Holy Qu'ran has many glowing references to honey and the bees

Years ago a local Muslim TV channel did a piece on beekeeping and afterwards the interviewer gave me a Qu'ran to check out the beekeeping.

Made for interesting reading, and confirmed that many faiths regard honey and bees highly.