Hitchin Bee Centre

The project outlined last month is powering on with the intention of getting hives on site in April. We have planted a hedge around part of the site plus a willow arch over the entrance. The Probation Service Young Offenders continue to clear the rest of the area. The Council has allocated £500 to prime the project, on top of the private donation of £100 that paid for hedge plants.

The project continues to be aimed at developing and demonstrating hobby beekeeping to the public but it is now intended to limit the number of visitors to only six at any one time – plus at least two demonstrators. The allotment gardeners will object to sharing the car-parking else.

North Herts BKA has decided that it would not be right for it to take responsibility so a new association (Hitchin Bee Centre) will be formed whose objects will exactly mirror those adopted in BBKA’s new Constitution in January this year:

1. to promote and further the craft of beekeeping
2. to advance the education of the public in the importance of bees in the environment.

HBC will join BBKA as an organisation and so any members not already covered will obtain third party liability insurance (£5m). The intention remains to work closely with BBKA’s new apiary at the National Beekeeping Centre and act as a local delivery point for publications and training programmes.

The site is ideally positioned right on the northern boundary of Hitchin, with an open field on one side, a river and nature reserve on another, waste ground on the third and allotments on the fourth. The nearest allotmenteers have been approached and a public meeting arranged for 31 March. Any beekeepers interested will of course also be welcome – ring Robin Dartington on 01462 ..... (phone number in newsletter).