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Please see the latest newsletter from Margaret. You can access it here...
Please, if you have any ideas, or news or anything at all please send it to her to include. This include tips, anecdotes, recipes anything...
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UNCONFIRMED BY ANYONE BUT PLEASE READ BELOW AND GET YOUR TRAPS INTO POSTION!
Asian Hornet Sighting - Alton GU34 A telephone call from a resident in Alton has been received - the person comes from Guernsey and is used to seeing Asian Hornets on the Channel Islands - saying that she observed an Asian Hornet in her garden, near the Kings Pond area surrounded by trees. As we know, Asian Hornet workers are busy at this time of year, beginning to establish secondary nests and needing copious amounts of water to do so. Given her experience and the environment of her dwelling plus the fact that a hornet was found in Alton last summer, she is a credible witness. She did not have a camera or photo of the hornet. The NBU, NNSS and Bee Inspectors have been alerted but they cannot be expected to waste time, without tangible evidence, on an unverified sightings - of which they receive many. The logistics of asking for volunteers to visit the location is made more difficult with COVID-19 restrictions. Anyone in the GU34 postcode area must however be vigilant as it is a residential area. Please stay alert use the Asian Hornet Watch app with photographic evidence is the most efficient way of reporting a sighting. Please see this update from DEFRA on the subject... CLICK HERE
Good evening
You would have received emails today on a couple of issues. I am trying to make sure all infor is up to date and we are ready for the season ahead. If you are down as a mentor and you don't want to be - let me know If you are not down as a mentor and want to be - let me know If you are a member waiting for a swarm then a new page has been set up so you can see your position on the list - click HERE If you don't have equipment or you are not ready - let me know! If you are not on the list and you want to be - let me know! If it is your go and someone attempts to contact you and you don't answer - you will be put to the bottom of the list. If you miss two separate calls, you won't be on the list anymore! Honestly, a lot of time is being wasted by a lot of people (all of which are volunteers) with people not keeping me up to date. Swarm collectors don't have lots of time to be ringing half of the Midlands to see if they want a swarm of bees. They are trying to help you! Sorry for the negative tone, but a lovely swarm was available yesterday and we couldn't get hold of people who said they wanted bees!! Good evening, hope you are all well in lockdown.
Margaret has put together an excellent newsletter which is available here... Remeber - please submit any news, for sale, ideas or articles in to Margaret at newsletter@honeybee.org for consideration! Hi everybody
I sincerely hope that you are all well and staying well away from this terrible virus that is amongst us all at the moment . I am pleased to say I have not had word that any of our members have contacted Covid 19 ,let us all hope that it stays that way . As you well know we should have been meeting tonight for our monthly meeting and the speaker was Clive Stuart who was going to talk to us about collecting swarms from unusual places. I have spoken to him and rearranged it for Monday September 21st , hopefully by then we will be out of lockdown . I hope you are all managing to look after your bees , they are classed as livestock so you are not breaking any laws by travelling to inspect them but please remember to maintain social distancing where necessary . Unfortunately our teaching apiary has suffered a set back again, first it was the rain and wet ground, now Covid 19 . Everything is in place so as soon as our government gives us the all clear we will be off and running . If any of you are having difficulty with your bees or beekeeping you can contact us via email , telephone or website, although a site visit will not be possible we can probably give advice . Our shop is open and with careful social distancing you can pick up any equipment you may need from our home at Walton, we are well stocked with most of the day to day items you may need so drop me an email or phone . We also have sugar available if you require it ,contact as for the shop . On a personal front as most of you know I had my right hip replaced on Feb 14 th , All has gone well and progressing nicely until last Tuesday when doing a bit of gardening on our allotment at Ticknall I stepped back and to the right and immediately felt my hip pop out . I found myself lying on my back amongst the weeds looking up at a blue sky . However fear not, it either went back in on its own or got pushed back in when I hit the floor , not sure which ? Feeling rather bruised and now sporting a limp I think I got away with it lightly. However made me think and being a lot more careful now. Wishing you all a very safe and secure time during this period of uncertainty for us all and looking forward to seeing you all once we are through this . Stay safe . Dave Coates , Chairman Burton and District Beekeepers Association. As I am sure you are aware by now, legally you are allowed to check your bees as they are livestock. You should still take basic precautions and keep social distancing in mind.
I would advise as some local police forces have been quite strict in their interpretation that you carry your BBKA membership card with you when out. Failing this you can print your receipt you would have got from me when you renewed this year or if you are still not happy I have created a Burton Beekeepers membership card which if you email me a passport photo of yourself, I can create and send it back for you to print. If there are any issues with the police and they want proof then please ask them to contact me and I will confirm your membership status and location of your hives. Many thanks Francis Secretary and membership officer Good afternoon all, I hope this finds you well and I am pleased to attach the latest club newsletter which is an excellent read. I am sure that you will all join me in thanking Margaret for stepping up into the role of editor! 
Please see below the email from support Staffordshire which might be interesting for some during these troubled times:
Dear Members and the wider VCSE sector It’s been quite a fortnight for the nation, personally and professionally we have all had to adapt. Yes there has been panic buying and other negative press, but locally I have been overwhelmed by the support, altruism and spirit of community that has broken out. At Support Staffordshire we have had approximately 1,000 new volunteer enquiries in the last two weeks; so like never before we have a huge over supply of volunteers – but this will be tested to the limits in the coming weeks as demand grows from many sources – thank you if you have signed up and sit tight, we will call on you. We have also been busy contacting members and responding to your requests for help, with a whole new shape to our website and lots of new factsheets and training and support materials directly responding to what you need right now. Many, having steadied the ship, will now be turning your thoughts to sustaining your organisations and their services; so we have included a raft of the new funding streams coming on line in this mailing. We have also been feeding into national efforts for a VCSE sector stability fund from government…. Still waiting as I write, but remaining hopeful. There are also local responses coming on line daily, so keep checking our website. Thirdly we have been working with the county and district councils to align our efforts, to reduce pressure on both the NHS and critically Social Care. A number of district leads are working with us and will be calling on you to keep calm and adapt, continuing to serve your communities wherever you are able to do so safely. If you need any help in this crazy time, please call us and we will do our best to help you in whatever way we can. In the meantime please see below information which hopefully you’ll find useful #WeAreInThisTogether Garry Jones Chief Executive Support Staffordshire Our Website is a valuable source of information for anyone looking for advice and guidance. Please use the links below to find what you are looking for: COVID 19 – Support - Useful Links for Advice and Guidance https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/covid-19-support/useful-links-advice-and-guidance Funding Opportunities https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/whats-happening/funding FAQ’s and Factsheets for Groups and Organisations https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/covid-19-support/faqs-and-factsheets-groups-and-organisations Video Resources https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/covid-19-support/video-resources VCSE Directory of Organisations (in Staffordshire) https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/membership/organisation-directory Coronavirus Community News and Announcements https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/covid-19-support/updates Residents in Need of Support https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/covid-19-support/residents-need-support Local Contact details for Support Staffordshire Team https://www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk/contact Hi all, hope you are all keeping well, please find the latest update for the training apiary
Morning All Just to confirm that Martin Taberner- our groundworks contractor- has decided to follow Government guidelines and has therefore ceased work for the time being. It really is sod’s law that after all the hard work, frustration and fund raising of the past year, we have been defeated first by the weather and now this damned virus, and just as we have some dry weather! Also, just to let you all know what I have done:- Asked Martin if he can put us at the front of the queue when things start up again Spoken to Pam at the RSPCA to let her know the situation Spoken to Roland who mows the field for the RSPCA and agreed that we meet him on site when we start so that he knows our plan for spreading the topsoil under the hedge. Informed Charnwood Fencing of the situation. Can you please let the rest of the Committee what is happening, and should we do a ‘round robin’ to the Membership as well, Trust you are all well and keeping safe. At least we can still do some beekeeping, Regards Richard |
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