NEWS FROM FBKA
FBKA Honorary Membership Awards
This Award recognizes individual member's outstanding contributions, dedication and commitment
to beekeeping.
Previous FBKA Honorary Membership Award Winners
Howard McConnell 2017
Ethel Irvine 2018
Hugh Mannix 2019
Joe Greene 2019
Andrew Elliott 2020
Also 2019 was the first award of Preliminary Beekeeper of the Year which was presented to Mary Brady.
The 2020 Preliminary Beekeeper of the Year award went to John McGrath.
Programme 2021
FBKA would be grateful if members would complete the annual DAERA survey. Questions should take no more than 5-10 minutes to complete. The link directly to the survey is here (scroll down the page to Honeybee husbandry survey 2021 and click on it). Smartphone and tablet versions of the survey are also available using the above link. Thanks.
Unfortunately, many opportunities we would normally have to meet were cancelled last year, including chiefly our BBQ and Honey Show. 2020 was a challenging year for bees and beekeepers.
Due to COVID-19, we are still not meeting face-to-face as usual. Instead, monthly meetings take place ‘on-line’. So, please give it a go! In spite of and because of COVID-19, a whole world - literally - of beekeeping has opened up to us through on-line systems like Zoom. Lorraine, our secretary, will send out a link to these meetings in due course.
The FBKA 2021 AGM held on Thursday 28th January, using Zoom elected Thomas McCaffrey as Chairman.
FURTHER NEWS
Because Ulster BKA had to cancel its 2021 Annual Conference, instead UBKA will host a series of Zoom Webinars from some World Class Speakers on our favourite topic - Bees. Details of how to join these Webinars to follow in due course.
All Webinars are FREE to members and commence at 8pm with a Question & Answer session after.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Next FBKA monthly meeting:
Thursday June 24, 2021 8:00 PM - Hear about the UCD project on Sampling for Bee Health throughout Ireland (Project led by Dr Darren O'Connell and Dr Julia Jones) and how beekeepers can participate.
The UBKA Education and Assessment Team, in collaboration with CAFRE and Open College Network Northern Ireland (the body which validates CAFRE courses), has developed its own syllabuses and systems of assessment, for all levels of beekeeping.
‘Introduction to Beekeeping’ Level 1 will be the basic level. Second tier is ‘Proficiency in Beekeeping’ Level 3. These are endorsed courses. OCN will work with our own tutors, internal verifiers and assessors to ensure standards are met.
To date, all assessors have to have their Intermediate Certificate but many of you have passed the written papers for Intermediate level and may, in the future, be interested in joining the FBKA assessment team for the apiary practical for new ‘Introduction to Beekeeping’ Level 1 or for the ‘Proficiency in Beekeeping’ Level 3 course. Also, as a member of the FBKA Committee, you might wish to have more information about the assessment system.
OCN is offering on-line training (beekeeping based) in assessment which will last for around 2 ½ hours to take place at the end of July or early August. The date will be confirmed when OCN have arranged it with their course managers. Hopefully, it will be an evening session. There will be no charge.
Please let Ethel know by email, before 30th June, if you DO NOT wish to participate.