Laddingford & District Beekeepers Association, a member of The British Beekeepers Association, was formed in 2018 by a group of local beekeepers with members from the Maidstone, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells areas and beyond and our membership totals in excess of 100 members. Our apiary is located within The Gardens in Yalding, a wedding venue with beautiful grounds. We have our own area within The Gardens and it is an ideal base for us to teach, encourage and offer training, advice and nurturing to new and existing members in the art of beekeeping in a wonderful setting. The apiary sessions are followed by refreshments of tea, coffee and cake with a chance to chat through any issues members may have and to also get to know fellow beekeepers.
We are a friendly and inclusive club, welcoming new and experienced beekeepers alike to our weekly Saturday morning gatherings at the apiary throughout the beekeeping season, usually from April until September, for hands on beekeeping with help and guidance from our apiary managers and experienced beekeepers. We also meet on the last Monday of every month either by Zoom or face to face for demonstrations and talks by guest speakers and there is always time to chat and share experiences with likeminded people following those meetings. A warm welcome awaits you and a taster session can be arranged if you would like to come and see what we can offer you. The importance of bees to our food supply chain, and the current serious daily challenges bees face are very high profile and a constant source of concern and discussion at our meetings.
If you are interested in joining our club and require more information, please contact chair@laddingfordbeekeepers.co.uk to make an appointment or discuss further.
The Laddingford and District Beekeepers Association Committee Members are elected each year by the Club Members at our AGM for a one year term. The Committee consists of the following elected members for the current year
Marilyn Taylor
Chair Laddingford Beekeepers
Mark Taylor
Vice Chair Laddingford Beekeepers
Richard Mallion
Secretary Laddingford Beekeepers
Michelle Pelling
Treasurer Laddingford Beekeepers
Chris Morris
Membership Laddingford Beekeepers
James Salter
Apiary Manager Laddingford Beekeepers
Julian Newton
Deputy Apiary Manager Laddingford Beekeepers
Julian Newton
Asian Hornet Co-Ordinator
Maz Montgomery
Joint Event Co-Ordinator
Jonathan Alawo
Joint Event Co-Ordinator
Hugh Pritchard
Webmaster Laddingford Beekeepers
Mark Renshaw
Committee Member Laddingford Beekeepers
Simon Ashdown
Committee Member Laddingford Beekeepers
Our apiary is a true teaching apiary with Beekeepers with many years of experience. We have both National and Langstroth hives as well as multiple Poly NUC’s. We have a lovely, large club-house where we can sit and partake in refreshments following the apiary sessions. The club-house is also used for some of the club meetings and conducting our annual training course. We have lots of storage for all our equipment and a dedicated ‘honey room’ for extracting honey from the hives which members can come along and get involved with if they wish.
Throughout the active beekeeping season which is usually late March to September, dependent on weather, the bees are inspected every week – any and all of our members are welcome, and indeed encouraged to attend – no matter their skill level.
Apart from weekly apiary sessions we also have a monthly members meeting throughout the year with a speaker or practical demonstration. The meetings are either face-to-face or via Zoom. We like to keep our meetings as informal and informative as possible – and always make plenty of time for a question and answer session following the meeting. The meetings are held on the last Monday of the month and details of all upcoming meetings and events will be published on the Events section.
The branch primarily serves the areas between Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells, and centres around Yalding. However, we are happy to welcome members from anywhere.
Whether you are a life-long beekeeper with 40 hives in your apiary, a new beekeeper with a single hive at the end of your garden, or just someone interested in the fascinating practice of beekeeping, we would encourage you to join our branch. Equally, we aren’t fussed about what type of hive you have – the more the merrier! Whether you’re running a 35 year-old National, which is made more of repairs than original wood, or sporting the latest in polystyrene or plastic beehives, we welcome you, whole-heartedly! We pride ourselves on our “inclusivity”! Knowing the secret beekeepers handshake is not necessary – a friendly disposition and good sense of humour is all that is generally required !
Join us at one of our events. We welcome members and non-members alike along to the majority of our events. Have a look at our Meetings / Events page for more information on forthcoming events.
Laddingford Beekeepers Association is affiliated with the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA), and as such, members will receive the important Bee Disease Insurance (BDI) for up to 3 hives as standard (small additional fees apply for more). As a member you will receive the monthly BBKA magazine, as well as representation at both a national and international level.