We are back into the ‘village fete and flower show’ season in our catchment area and we have been busy with the Shipston stand at various events. On 17th July we had our stand with Shipston Home Nursing. They are a local charity who provide free care to those with life limiting illnesses who wish to be cared for at home. The event was their ‘Party In The Park’ to celebrate their 25th anniversary and was held in the grounds of Alscot Park.
On Monday 8th August our regular ‘2nd Monday meeting’ was our Annual BBQ, held at our ‘new’ monthly meeting venue, The George in Brailes. Although their restaurant’s night off they cooked beef burgers and hot dogs for us with all the sides. Along with the regulars it was lovely to see some of our longest-serving members join us.
Things got a bit more serious on 11th August when three of Shipston’s members took their Bee Health Certificate practical assessment at the Training Apiary. Around 10 members attended the theory sessions via Zoom over the winter period. Applications have to be submitted in February for the assessment and one member’s application was rejected as the BBKA opened the email the day after applications closed! This is the first time we have run this course at Shipston and we thank David Blower MB for running the theory sessions and getting all the equipment needed for the assessments in place at the training apiary. Frustratingly as we write this we are still waiting to hear the results of the assessments from the BBKA.
The Brailes Village Show was the following Saturday, 13 August and as it’s the village where our training apiary is located it is of course a ‘must’ for us. Apart from our stand a number of members entered into the Honey Show that runs in the main marquee and we achieved a Best in Show for a ‘frame suitable for extraction’ and a first in the Novice Honey class. A good day all round (but it was hot!)
The Tysoe Village Flower and Vegetable Show was the following weekend. As for the Brailes show a number of members entered into the Honey Show classes and our members George (aka the Vicar at Tysoe) and Drina Heighton won the Deborah Williams Cup for the highest points scored at the Show whilst Peter Brooks won the Novice Award.
All in all a very busy August for Shipston Beekeepers but it was great to be back at all the village shows, talking bees and beekeeping to the general public. And selling some honey and hive products, of course.