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 1899-2012

Tatton Park RHS Flower Show 2009

Simple but effective’ seemed to be the consensus of opinion regarding the display designed and put together by Stuart Hatton and his team on behalf of the BBKA at RHS Tatton Flower Show in July, and the judges obviously agreed. After two years of silver awards, this year the award was a prestigious silver gilt.

The judges were very complimentary about the quality of the plants, especially Stu’s runner beans, which had been kept in the greenhouse for the two weeks prior to the show to protect them from the rain!

‘Very impressive’, agreed Martin Smith, BBKA Chairman, when he visited the stand, and the wet weather didn’t seem to put the public off, either. They demonstrated their interest by keeping the stewards busy; answering questions on bees and beekeeping and taking details of 358 potential new beekeepers, 146 of who were for Cheshire alone. These were sorted and sent off to the respective branches; 43 for North Cheshire, 25 for South Cheshire, 63 for Stockport and 15 for Wirral. £118 was also raised for CBKA from the sale of the display plants on the last day of the show.

The interest in beekeeping this year alone has been phenomenal, not just from Tatton, but from all the shows and other events attended by Cheshire beekeepers, and by the growing number of beginners in the branches, confirming the upsurge in interest and growing public concern about our natural environment and the ecosystems which support it; an interest which, in the long term, can only be in the best interests of our precious honeybees.

I’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to everyone who worked so hard at Tatton, and to all the other beekeepers who have donated their time and energy to all the other shows and events throughout this summer, keeping beekeeping in the public eye and sharing their enthusiasm for this ancient and fascinating craft.

Pam Hatton, Chairman CBKA

Weird and wonderful would seem to be the catch-word at the RHS Flower Shows, where the show gardens recede ever further from anything anybody could reproduce (or would want to) in their own gardens. There was a lot of interest from gardeners who want to attract bees and other insects into their gardens, and we almost ran out of leaflets several times during the week. Several gardens over the years have adopted the theme of bees, and it has been frustrating to see the misguided messages most of these sent out.

One garden which attracted a lot of attention this year was that created by the Newcastle under Lyme Council with its huge floral bee on a “flower”. Those manning the stand (wearing bee suits) were frustrated at the many enquiries about beekeeping, so they came to find our stand, so that they would know where to send people!

©2007 Cheshire Beekeepers' Association

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