World Bee Day Events 

World Bee Day is 20th May. 

The public can help bees by planting bee friendly plants in their gardens and encouraging their councils to plant wildflower meadows and leave grass verges to allow wildflowers to bloom. 

Here in the UK May is a busy time for beekeepers who are tending their bees and watching them progress into strong colonies and often bringing in a spring honey crop depending on the weather and forage available.

A message from the British Beekeepers' Association Chair Diane Drinkwater

The British Beekeepers' Association offers leaflets and information about planting for bees and has a Planting for bees quarterly blog available to encourage the public to help support bees by planting more food.

During May the BBKA also supports 'No Mow May' where the public are asked to not mow their lawns to allow wildflowers to grow to provide pollen and nectar as food for all pollinating insects. 

If you have a large garden or a suitable area of land then you could consider offering space to beekeepers.

Many associations hold taster days for members of the public to visit apiaries and get to see bees. Beekeepers all over the country do talks to schools, Scouts and Guides, WI, and other organisations all year round. If you'd like to find out more contact your nearest beekeeping association on BBKA's page "Find Beekeeping near you"

Here are details of some of the events taking place in 2023:


Warwick and Leamington Beekeepers are organising a 'World Bee Day Celebration':

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Thanet Beekeepers' Association will be having a stall at the Westwood Cross Community Hub in their local shopping centre to promote beekeeping on Saturday 20th May.

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Devon Beekeepers' Association will be running the Bees and Honey Feature at the Devon County Show, Exeter on 18th, 19th and 20th May.  This is a celebration of all things bee and honey related and is a very popular feature of the Show.  Foremost is the Devon Beekeepers Honey Show where all the best examples of beekeeping around the County can be found.

Visit their website for further information.

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Sussex Beekeepers' Association are holding their annual Bee Market on 20th May this year.

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Leeds Beekeepers' Association events:

• Leeds BKA have joined up with the local Canal & River Trust to host a joint event at the Industrial Museum garden at Armley Mills, Leeds on Thursday 18th May.  Beekeepers will provide a demonstration/discussion using a cut away hive to illustrate the inside of a beehive and the functioning of a colony, as a craft activity, individuals can make some seed balls/seed bombs (that use bee-friendly wildflower seeds) which they have the option to take home or disperse along the local waterways. The museum sits alongside the Leeds and Liverpool canal and is close-by the River Aire.  Please use this link for further details and to sign up for this event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lets-celebrate-world-bee-day-community-event-leeds-tickets-624426184527.
  
  

•  Leeds BKA will also provide a honey tasting and honey sales stand at the Majestic building in Leeds City Square, a prime site business building which houses Channel 4 corporate HQ as well as other prestigious offices. This event is on Wednesday 17th May.
  
  

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Bradford Beekeepers' Association are also working with the Canal and River Trust to host a community event for World Bee Day on Friday 19th May at Dobson Locks in Apperley Bridge.  Please use this link for further details and to sign up for this event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lets-celebrate-world-bee-day-community-event-bradford-tickets-625264782797

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A message from the British Beekeeper's Association Vice Chair Stephen Barnes:

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