Training courses

[Heather]

At Brighton, Sussex we are always happy to mentor a new bee keeper. Answer questions on phone, email etc. No new person is left alone to struggle.. unless their own choice. No charge. We have great out apiary tuition too.

However, when an experienced beekeeper and I ran courses.. giving a full day tuition from bee anatomy to disease and all bee/ hive aspects in between, and including hive inspection, handling, swarm explanation etc etc..we were criticised by the committee for charging and making a profit, although a good donation made to the Division. We offered refreshments, lunch and a 20 page info pack to take home with them, and all seemed to learn a great deal..
Do other Divisions do such for free, are we being mercenary??
Same committee will not reimburse out apiary managers for petrol expenses, although my personal round trip is 16 miles. Fortunately I can afford, but others do have to watch pennies...
We NEVER charge for any mentoring, of course.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

At Brighton, Sussex we are always happy to mentor a new bee keeper. Answer questions on phone, email etc. No new person is left alone to struggle.. unless their own choice. No charge. We have great out apiary tuition too.

However, when an experienced beekeeper and I ran courses.. giving a full day tuition from bee anatomy to disease and all bee/ hive aspects in between, and including hive inspection, handling, swarm explanation etc etc..we were criticised by the committee for charging and making a profit, although a good donation made to the Division. We offered refreshments, lunch and a 20 page info pack to take home with them, and all seemed to learn a great deal..
Do other Divisions do such for free, are we being mercenary??
Same committee will not reimburse out apiary managers for petrol expenses, although my personal round trip is 16 miles. Fortunately I can afford, but others do have to watch pennies...
We NEVER charge for any mentoring, of course.

I see nothing wrong with charging for refreshment and meals or to recover material costs of handouts etc. Maybe you should have specified the costs were to cover these items and to support society funds? Theres always someone to moan but rarely do moaners contribute when push comes to shove.

 

[VEG]

Heather what you do in your own time has nothing to do with the committee of the association.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Same committee will not reimburse out apiary managers for petrol expenses, although my personal round trip is 16 miles.

Mine is twenty miles - each way, never even thought about asking for expenses, nor do I expect it.
The time I give on tuition etc is time I have freely offered, wouldn't have thought of charging. Nor for any of the other things I do for my other interests.

 

[VEG]

Our association pays fuel expenses to the apiary manager and anyone that is doing tutoring at the apiary, and rightly so.

 

[Heather]

Happy to teach for free, as I was taught .. but with fuel so expensive some do find it a problem.
Some of us are lucky, JBM, finance not a worry .. but need to be aware of other situations.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Some of us are lucky, JBM, finance not a worry

I wish, being dumped on the beach means most of my allowances have been taken off me, and the few left are on borrowed time - probably my trip to Africa will be their excuse to dock them completely

 

[Heather]

Look on the bright side... more time in your beloved Wales!

 

[Easy Beesy]

Our association charge for a two day plus 6x Sunday sessions at apiary. Suits & gloves &tools provided. If they make it all the way we pay for their basic exam fee too the following year.

 

[philkhor]

training courses

a potential minefield when you mix business with pleasure of course but with care and due attention to ethical behaviour all should be OK:
1. Our association charges for the beginners course and invests the income in equipment for use by members and in the apiaries. None of the trainers is paid for anything except materials they purchase on behalf of the BKA - folders, photocopies, printing.
2. None of the committee is involved in any chargeable bee-related activities. If they were involved in private charged-for training (say) then they would have to excuse themselves from any discussions and certainly decision making relating to training. (i.e. watch out for conflicts of interest).
3. Our apiary managers receive a percentage of the honey produced under their management. It seems only fair since they would otherwise be tending their own bees!
4. Our members attend apiary sessions FOC and pay sufficient to cover costs of room hire etc for other set training sessions.
5. We have wonderful involvement of our membership at club nights, apiary training sessions, association honey extraction evenings and socials.