East Lothian Beekeepers Association
(Founded 1887 - Scotland’s oldest Local Association)
www.eastlothianbeekeepers.org.uk
Newsletter 149 January
2009
We had an unusually busy autumn with talks from Faye Gibbins about
setting up an apiary at Edinburgh University and from Bob Dawson of the
Bumblebee Conservation Trust about the status of these popular bees and what we
can do to help. The convivial Association dinner at the Maitlandfield House
Hotel at the beginning of December was attended by 16 members.
The AGM was held on 22nd January with 17 members attending.
The minutes are as follows:
1. Apologies were received from Tommy Thomson, Jane McCormack, Finn
Warholm, John de Pree and Alan Cameron.
2. The minutes of the previous AGM held on 31st January 2008
were approved.
3. The Treasurer, Rosemary Carthy presented the accounts for the year to
31st December 2008, summarised below:
Income
Subscriptions £230.00
Honey sales £398.00
Equipment sale £21.00
Interest £5.61
Other (donations) £15.00
Total £669.61
Expenditure
Hall hire, speakers,
refreshments £143.16
Secretary £18.75
Postage £80.90
Apiary equipment £315.15
Depreciation £27.50
Total £585.46
Surplus for the year £84.15
The Treasurer noted that subscriptions were down from the previous year,
but we made a profit and the Association has funds of £971.99 at the bank. The
meeting voted to keep the membership fee unchanged at £5.00.
4. The President reported on a busy year including two very successful
public events (East Lothian Agricultural Show and East Lothian Horticultural
Society), several talks and apiary visits and the maintenance of the
Association apiary which provided honey for sale. The weather however was not
favourable for a large crop.
5. George Barton, Rosemary Carthy and Donald Smith were re-elected as
President, Treasurer and Secretary respectively. Donald Smith noted that due to
increasing work pressures he will not stand for secretary at next year‘s AGM.
The committee members for the forthcoming year are Mike Bain, Gordon Biggar,
Colin MacIntosh, Maureen Cameron and Krystyna Campbell.
6. Any other business. The suggestion was made that an event be held
prior to the Gifford Show in August to help members prepare honey and wax for
exhibition.
Following the AGM, George Barton led a discussion about beekeeping
equipment and the manipulation of colonies, with heated (?) discussion about
the best fuel to use in smokers. This was the first in a series of informal
round-table sessions aimed at helping inexperienced beekeepers to learn from
(hopefully) more knowledgeable members. The topics follow the syllabus of the
SBA Basic Beemaster Certificate. The future dates of meetings (all at 7.30pm in
the Haddington Town House) are:
19th February “The Practice of Beekeeping”
19th March “Natural History of the Bee”
23rd April “Diseases, Poisoning and Pests”
Beginners Classes
Mike Bain has a baker’s dozen of beginners signed up to his classes
which will start on Tuesday evenings in February - further details from him
01875- 341226 or bees@msbain.co.uk
North of England Beekeepers Convention
This will be held on 4th and 5th April in Durham -
further details on www.nebees.org
Equipment
Nick Cowan has Smith Hives (no bees) for sale - contact him on 0131 665
2817 or nickcowannewton@yahoo.co.uk
Anyone with Smith hives and an interest in producing sections should
contact me so that I can put them in touch with someone who has an excess of
equipment.
Library
Gordon Biggar has kindly donated the following books to the Association
library – available at meetings or from me:
K.K.Clark Beekeeping (1951)
Tickner Edwards Bee-keeping for
all (1947)
H.Geary Profitable
Bee-keeping (1911)
M.M.Hooper Common Sense
Beekeeping (1940s?)
A.I.Root Starting right with
bees (1927)
Membership
Along with this newsletter you will find a membership form. I have altered
the questionnaire slightly to help the committee make sure that the Association
is doing the right sorts of things for all of its members.
I intend to prune my postal mailing list, so if you are currently
receiving a paper copy of the newsletter, unless you become a member or you
contact me I will remove your name from the list. Even better, if you give me
an email address I will add you to the email list and save the Association some
postage (£80 in last year’s Accounts).
For those of you already on the email list, your membership form is the
second attachment – please remember to print it out and send it in!
Donald Smith (Secretary)
Garden Cottage, Clerkington
Haddington EH41 4NJ 01620 822441