CHESHIRE BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION

Apes curamus et nos curant (We look after bees and they look after us)
Founded 1899
Registered Charity No. 227494
We've been buzzing over 100 years 1899-2010

Czech Visitors to Wirral 2008

July this year saw a visit to the Wirral from a beekeeper from the Czech republic together with two students of English who translated for him. Doug & Elaine Jones were contacted by the group over the internet with a view to exchanging beekeeping methods and practising the English language. The beekeeper, Ludek Marek farms over 200 hives in the Pilsen countryside to the west of Prague, close to the German border. Rape is widely grown in the Pilsen area, and the beekeeper's business is in honey, mead, and soap.

The group were invited along to the Wirral Branch apiary meeting at Brimstage and were eager to see things done the Wirral Way, and to meet with other members and exchange views. Dale Farm welcomed the group, Mark Diggory and Elaine Jones went through the hives as the girls translated.

Ludek had never seen heather before and Doug & Elaine took the party to the Horseshoe pass to see the heather, which was just emerging. Doug took Ludek up the mountain path to present him with a small piece of heather to take home. Other days out were to Chester, Liverpool, and locally to West Kirby, and Hoylake.

Jana and Alana, the students, were thrilled to see the seafront at West Kirby since the Czech Republic is landlocked. It was shame the weather was so wet and windy, but all the visits were well received.

Ludek is keen to keep in touch, and perhaps another visit will be planned for the spring. Ludek finds spoken English difficult but is able to read and write well.

Doug & Elaine Jones - Wirral

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