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We are pleased to report that the West Byfleet branch of Waitrose passed on £250 to us as part of their green token scheme. Thanks to everyone who donated tokens.

The WBK stall at this event was a great success. Verbal contacts were made with a good number of people including an interview with Richard for the Brooklands Local Radio Station. We sold over 80lbs of honey, plus cut comb and wax wraps. Many thanks are due to all those members who helped, but especially to Jane Hunter and Paul Bunclark who organised, set up, and dismantled the stand, and spent the whole day in attendance. A great time all round.

This was an amicable meeting and there were many appreciative comments; full details will be in the Minutes, which will be sent to all members. Congratulations to Ruth Gordon, who was the winner in the Honey Tasting Competition, so she has the trophy for one year.

A great series of summer meetings was held in 2019 with attendance generally up on 2018.

The Weybridge division’s teaching apiary has been in the grounds of St Georges Junior School in Weybridge since 2015.  In August 2017 the hives were damaged by vandals on three occasions, so the decision was made to move the hives into the garden of a member for the winter period.  The original plan was to move the hives back to St Georges in the spring but an alternative site in Ottershaw has since become available.  Hopefully this will be less vulnerable to vandalism and will provide a temporary home until a more permanent site can be secured.

On Sunday 12 April a working party of Weybridge members went to St Georges to load paving slabs and the contents of the shed on to a trailer.  The shed was then dismantled ready for the journey to Ottershaw.  In the evening of the same day, the hives were transported from their winter quarters and placed in the new apiary site.

The 24 students on the 2018 beginner beekeepers’ course began the practical part of the course in the new apiary on 21 April.

Our Nosema clinic was well attended where members were shown how to prepare samples and examine them under a microscope to detect the presence of Nosema.  High concentrations of Nosema will cause problems for our bees and appropriate action, such as a shook swarm, may be necessary.

As part of the planning application for our new apiary we ran a well attended public consultation to explain our plans.  The evening was very well attended by local residents and included some honey tasting.

Our theory course for new members for fully subscribed.  A crash course in honey bees in preparation for the coming season.

A nosema clinic was run by the Weybridge division.  Members brought samples of their bees that were then inspected for the presence of nosema and advice given on how to deal with it.  Below is a picture of a nosema sample taken on the night.

We hosted a meeting open to all members of the Surrey Beekeepers Association, on the topic of the Asian Hornet.  The meeting was  well attended.  We are grateful to David Kemp, who came to talk to us and also to the BDI who sponsored the meeting.  There will be write ups of the meeting the news letter but here is a first report from Richard Bradfield from the Reigate division.  David kindly provided handouts  on what beekeepers can do and on making your own hornet trap.  Some pictures taken at the meeting are below.