By Mark Buckley
Education remains at the heart of what we do as an association, and I’m pleased to report continued success among our members this year in both training and formal assessments.
We had one candidate complete the Basic Assessment with outstanding results, achieving a Distinction – a well-deserved recognition of both knowledge and practical skill. We were also delighted to host a Basic Assessment for a young lady with autism from Leeds, who achieved a Pass. Her enthusiasm and commitment were wonderful to see, and this inclusive opportunity reflects our association’s ethos of sharing the craft of beekeeping with everyone. My sincere thanks go to Val Francis, who kindly gave up a Saturday morning to act as assessor for both sessions.
Interestingly, this year brought no enquiries from schools, meaning we were not called upon to deliver any school talks. While this is a contrast to previous years, we remain ready and willing to support local educational settings whenever opportunities arise.
There continues to be steady interest among members in undertaking both the Basic Assessment and the Bee Health Assessment. For anyone considering either, the syllabuses are available to download from the BBKA website under the “Examinations” section. These are excellent pathways for developing confidence and deepening understanding of practical and theoretical beekeeping.
Finally, the Introduction to Beekeeping Course, led by Ivor Flatman, ran successfully once again this year. Further details about the course, its structure, and outcomes can be found in Ivor’s accompanying report.
Overall, it’s been another positive year for education and training, and we look forward to supporting more members as they progress through their beekeeping journeys in 2025.