The CBKA is an Area Association Member of the BBKA.
"Welcome to the website for the Cornwall Beekeepers Association. The CBKA is a charitable organisation which exists to promote all aspects of beekeeping in Cornwall. Like most county beekeeping associations it is affiliated to the British Beekeepers Association which represents the interests of beekeepers nationally.
For the first time in millions of years the honeybee needs the beekeeper, and support from the general public, in order to survive the many trials it now faces (most of them due to human intervention); the ravages of the parasite Varroa, the loss of foraging habitat, and the overuse of chemicals and pesticides in farming being the biggest problems.
We aim always to address some of these problems through information and education, and hope that you find our website useful in achieving this. In addition, it is our purpose as an association to act not just for the benefit of current beekeepers in Cornwall, but also to encourage potential beekeepers of the future and to help everyone interested in preserving and protecting our honeybees find a way to do so. Please do not hesitate to contact any group or person featured here to answer your questions or to give you assistance."
Colin Rees
Colin Rees, CBKA President
A public meeting was held on 11 October 1881 in Truro Town Hall to discuss the formation of a beekeeping association for Cornwall. The Chair was taken by the Hon. & Rev. J.T. Boscawen. Mr. Charles Kent of the Royal Cornwall Gazette was appointed Honorary Secretary and was instructed to draw up a circular to be forwarded to clergy, magistrates etc convening a meeting for this purpose.
This meeting, again in the Town Hall, was held in November 1881 when the association was formally inaugurated and Rules were drawn up, Officers and Committee were elected and the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe was invited to become the first President.
There was a planned First Beekeeping Show to be held at Launceston in June 1882 in conjunction with the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Society and in 1883 a second Exhibition was held at Truro. Various reports indicate that the CBKA was active for a number of years but at some time prior to the 1st World War the Association seems to have become defunct.
Subsequently at another public meeting at County Hall, on 13 February 1919, convened by the Horticultural sub-committee of the Cornwall Agricultural committee, following an address by the noted Mr. William Herrod Hempsall, the beekeepers present decided to form a Beekeepers Association for Cornwall. The first Chairman of the association was appropriately named Rev J. H. Beecroft.
Our aim for the future is to better promote all aspects of beekeeping in Cornwall and to help bring the craft into the 21st century, whilst continuing to address the ever-increasing difficulties and threats faced, directly and indirectly, by honeybees.
We offer all new and potential members an insight into beekeeping by encouraging them to join us at our apiary meetings, to learn more through our education programmes, and to get involved with the running of CBKA - as an association, we can never hope to grow or adapt to changing circumstances without the valuable input and fresh ideas of new and enthusiastic members.
We encourage those who are interested to get to know beekeepers local to them by joining one or more of the member groups, thus fostering a sense of community and ensuring that years of accumulated knowledge and expertise is passed on to the beekeepers of tomorrow.
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