Shipston Beekeepers members may remember the last email from our Secretary, Douglas, where he mentioned that the BBKA was looking for volunteers for an event they were holding with Compton Verney – their Ju-Bee-Lee Family Fun Days. Events planned included a live, open air bee demonstration and, in the main hall, a microscopic experience, information about the central processes in beekeeping and honey extraction, activities for children and an interactive and sensory hive experience.
My wife and I volunteered and were assigned the Wednesday 01 June morning session.
When we arrived we saw the impressive displays the BBKA had set up in the main hall. We were asked to cover the ‘hive to jar’ honey extraction section of the exhibition which suited us, having just done out first honey extraction of 2022. We were also provided with some jars of honey for members of the public to taste and this was a particularly well visited part of the display – with some members of the public coming back several times! The honey was from Liz and Steve Bates (see below).
As other volunteers arrived it soon became clear that Shipston Beekeepers members had volunteered almost en mass to help with the event.
Liz and Steve Bates are on the BBKA Events committee so are at most of the BBKA external events of this nature; Steve was running the microscopy stand whilst Liz was with children making origami bees. New members Amanda and Peter Mitchell had also volunteered for the morning session and helped ourselves and Liz. John and Judy Critchfield we there for the afternoon session and looked after the ‘sensory hive experience’ display. Thus in total 8 members of Shipston Beekeepers had volunteered to help.
And it was worth it, certainly my wife and I had a very enjoyable morning talking about bees and beekeeping to the general public.
