News

Awareness of the Yellow-legged Hornet (formerly known as the Asian hornet) remains a critical issue for all UK beekeepers, and it has continued to be a key focus for our association this year. During both the World Bee Day event at Thornes Park and the Emley Show, members actively engaged…

The Emley Show, held each year on the first Saturday in August, remains a highlight of the summer calendar for Wakefield and Pontefract Beekeepers Association. The event features two honey shows: the Open Show—the official Emley Honey Show—welcoming entries from all beekeepers, and our association’s own members’ show, giving WPBKA…

May marked the start of this year’s Beginners’ Beekeeping Course, which was once again fully booked with 19 enthusiastic attendees. The course is a joint venture between Wakefield & Pontefract BKA and Barnsley BKA, offering new beekeepers a strong foundation of knowledge and practical experience from both associations. A huge…

The annual election of officers and committee members took place, with Mark Millard (MM) confirming that all current officers and committee members had been contacted in advance to establish whether they wished to stand for re-election. One committee member did not respond and was therefore assumed not to be standing…

Our Facebook page, managed by Jo Brown, also continues to thrive. In Jo’s latest update, shared with members, she wrote: “The Facebook page now has 665 members and is relatively trouble-free. There’s a bit more beekeeping management discussion going on, and I’m still getting the usual seasonal swarm help requests.…

This season has once again seen strong honey sales across a range of outlets and events, helping to promote local beekeeping and support association funds. Honey was sold at both the World Bee Day event and the Emley Show, where it continued to command premium prices, reflecting the quality of…

This year has been another important chapter in the continued development of our association apiary, with steady progress in both infrastructure and use. A budget was set last year to cover groundwork and essential equipment purchases, and we are now reaching a point where the apiary is well resourced to…

July was a busy and rewarding month for our association, filled with opportunities to showcase our members’ skills and share our passion for beekeeping. Several members took part in and exhibited at the Great Yorkshire Show, one of the finest honey shows in the country. We were delighted to see…

On Sunday 18 May, members of the Wakefield and Pontefract Beekeepers Association joined the celebrations for World Bee Day at Thornes Park. The event was once again organised by the local charity Mindful Movers, who have recently taken on a neighbouring plot close to our own apiary site in the…