The BBKA News Archive website which was unavailable earlier this is now fully operational again, there have been a few changes:

1.    To log into the website ( https://bbkanews.com ) members will be asked to complete 3 fields:

• The generic Username / password which is printed in the Editorial block on the first inside page of the BBKA magazine. 
• BBKA membership number eg 68.0.xxxx  (This is the printed on the receipt when you pay your membership fees). 
• Your postcode.   

2.    Copies of the archived magazines can be downloaded in .pdf format.  To do this, select a  magazine and the click on the ‘Download as PDF’ button in the top RH corner.

 3.  As part of a reciprocal agreement, you can also access archived copies of An Beachaire, the newsletter from the Federation of Irish Beekeepers Associations?  Editions over six months old are only available for to read online (cannot be downloaded).  From the ‘Select Publication’ drop down menu in the top LH corner, choose An Beachaire.

During the swarm season the BBKA office receives hundreds of  phone calls from the public, often elderly people who don’t have access to the internet, asking for help with swarms.  Very often the bees in question are not honey bees so the caller just needs more information or reassurance.  If it is a genuine swarm call, we give them the contact details for a local BBKA swarm collector.

The office team are seeking beekeepers to help us answer some of the calls by volunteering to have  calls redirected to their own mobiles or land lines for an hour or so a week.  

The caller would not be able to identify your mobile or land line number as they will have rung the BBKA swarm help line initially and then the call is diverted.  The swarm line is open between 8.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Fridays but busy times are late mornings onward.

It will be easy for volunteers to opt in and out of the system so this is not a forever commitment.

We will arrange a zoom meeting for potential volunteers to discuss how this will work in practice.  If you want to consider joining the team and would like more information (without committing yourself) please email me: gen.manager@bbka.org.uk

Kind regards

Leigh Sidaway, General Manager