The Buzz from the Branch News Letter – December

Dear Member,
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Thursday December 5th 7.30pm Kilmington Village Hall – a tickling of the taste buds is in store. Volunteers have baked a variety of recipes that contain honey 🍯 which you will have seen in BBKA NEWS during the year. You will be tasting a sample from each of the bakes and we will ask you to offer comments for each recipe. We’ll then pool ideas and see what the results uncover.

🎄🎄🎄Also our super xmas raffle 🎄🎄🎄 will be held. Please bring cash – Tickets will be £1.
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Teas and coffees as usual and festive mince pies.
We look forward to seeing you. Not been to a meeting for a while? We’ll be pleased to see you too. 🤔Never been to a meeting? 🤔We’ll be even more pleased to welcome you. 👏

OXALIC ACID – If you did not collect your varroa treatment at the AGM please collect it from Rosie Maggs on Dec 5th. Cash please. If you look on the Home page of our branch website you will see helpful instructions to remind you of how and when to administer your treatment.

If you’re organising your 2025 diaries then here is a date to note. Dan Basterfield will be speaking to us on Thursday 2nd January on Preparations for a Better Season. Master Beekeeper and NDB, Dan is our local expert. He has to be, it is his living (Blackbury Honey Farm). He will be taking us through what we need to be doing to ensure it’s not just another year chasing one’s tail. Dan is an excellent communicator with the expertise to make it well worthwhile coming out at New Year.

A very supportive 54 of you turned up to our AGM. Thank you all for your efforts and to Nick Silver who rounded off our evening with his presentation on Fermentation.
Congratulations to Andrew Bartlett who was presented with our Craythorne cup 🏆 having attained his Basic Certificate with credit. Also congrats to Rachel de Thample for gaining her Basic and to Nick Silver for his module 6 and Intermediate Theory both with credit. Well done everyone. Appreciation also for the Honorary memberships that were awarded on the night.
Anyone who is considering doing their Basic assessment next year or other qualifications then talk to Nick Silver who will advise how to go about it.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS are going well but still plenty of members we haven’t heard from. Please let me know if your decision is not to continue for 2025 so I can update the records and not bother you further. Just a reminder that the deadline for renewals as set by Devon is 31st December.

BRANCH LIBRARY 📚📚 If you still have library books in your possession please return them. We do rely on you to return any you borrow and please don’t keep them for longer than a couple of months. Our librarian Simon Norton will be on hand to advise.📚

Devon Beekeepers’ Association AGM will take place via Zoom on December 14th. The link for this will be sent out nearer the time (see page 9 of your winter copy of Beekeeping.

🎄🥳🧑‍🎄My next newsletter will be January 1st 2025, so here’s wishing you all A Very Happy Christmas.🧑‍🎄🥳🎄
Finally, sad news: We have heard of the death of our much loved past member, indeed founder member – namely David Wiscombe, who passed very peacefully on 14th November aged 92. Please be aware that we will begin our December meet on 5th with a minute of silent remembrance – thank you.
Val

Contacts:

Chair: Alasdair Bruce. chair24@edbk.co.uk

Treasurer: Keith Bone. charandale@gmail.com

Secretary: Val Bone. val.valbone@gmail.com

Swarms: Stan Wroe. stanwroe@aol.com