FARNHAM Beekeepers’ Association (FBKA) is very proud that one of their members, Alastair Welch from Hindhead, has recently been awarded the National Diploma in Beekeeping.

The Diploma is the highest beekeeping qualification recognised in the United Kingdom and its holders are generally well-known figures within British beekeeping. Since its inception in 1954, with exams every two years, there have only been 90 recipients. Some years no candidates are accepted.

The NDB is the culmination of 10 years’ hard work for Alastair, first in passing the eight module examinations, also the General and Advanced Husbandry assessments and Microscopy. This was as well as attending numerous two-day courses and five annual week-long intensive residential courses.

The NDB qualification covers topics such as husbandry, botany, teaching, laboratory techniques, nutrition, entomology, disease recognition and legislation pertaining to beekeeping. The 2015 course themes were Anatomy & Dissection, and Honeybee Diseases (both apiary and laboratory diagnosis).

Alastair was presented with his certificate by FBKA chairman David Dennington at the end of the AGM and honey show held recently.

Certificates were also presented to those who had passed their Basic Assessment, including Will Fox aged 14 and Toby Boud, 15, who both gained a Credit in this adult assessment. There were only three juniors in the UK who received the adult award.

The association’s honey show was staged to coincide with the AGM and at the end of the meeting, after a cup of tea, members could view the exhibits and see the prize winners. There were more than 50 entries, many jars of different types of honey as well as honeycomb and wax products.

Star of the show was the exhibit by Geoff Redwood of three items from the hive. His choice was a jar of honey, a beeswax candle and a display of natural wild honeycomb which the bees had filled with honey inside the roof of his hive. The exhibit won first prize, the Harrison Cup for Best in Show and a Certificate of Merit.

As well offering support and guidance on beekeeping to its members, Farnham Beekeepers gives talks to local schools, collects swarms across a wide area and provides introductory courses for people interested in taking up the craft.

Further information about FBKA, see the website: www.farnhambeekeepers.org.uk/ or contact [email protected]