Events for your Diary
Throughout the year, Preston and District Beekeepers Association run a programme of lectures, demonstrations and social events. You are most welcome to come along and meet us.
Our meetings aim to cater for all standards of beekeeper from beginner to advanced.
Some of the practical demonstrations are held at the Joe Birkby teaching apiary, where you may be given the opportunity to handle bees.
We also attend local shows, providing information about beekeeping and demonstrating the variety of products that can be made using the contents of a hive.
We often take an observation hive so that you can watch the queen laying eggs and see all her workers up close, safely behind glass.
For more information, see the list below or contact us using the form on the Contacts page.
Summer 2025 Preston & District Beekeepers will be at the following shows. We’d love you to come and say hello!
Fylde Vintage Steam Fair – Saturday & Sunday 28th & 29th June
Goosnargh & Longridge Agricultural Show Saturday 5th July.
Garstang Agricultural Show – Saturday 2nd August
Chipping Show – Saturday 23rd August
January 2025:
PBKA Mid Winter Social Event
Please join us for our PBKA Mid-Winter Meal on Saturday 25th January 2025 at Longton VM – Bowling Club, Victory Lane, (off School lane) Longton PR4 5DL. Time: 12 til 3pm.
Come along and socialise with other club members, have a bite to eat and enjoy the opportunity to talk about bees with like-minded people. There will be a buffet, raffle and quiz.
Lunch will be a delicious buffet with tea/coffee. Please let us know beforehand if you have any dietary requirements. The bar will be open – but drinks are not included in the price!
Cost: £11 per person (partners welcome) Please confirm your attendance by making payment by BACS to the club bank account.
February 2025:
Wednesday 19th February at 7pm
How to Build a Hive Stand with Chris Carey
at Intact centre, 49 Whitby Avenue, Preston, PR2 3YP
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Thursday 6th February
Beginners Bee Keeping Course
Please see the Training – New Beekeepers page on the website here for more details.
March 2025
Wednesday 19th March at 7.30pm
Cheese & Honey with Simon Cordingley
at Intact centre, 49 Whitby Avenue, Preston, PR2 3YP
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Lancashire Beekeeping Association Spring Convention
Saturday 1st March 2025
Archbishop Temple School, Preston
More details here:
https://www.lancashirebeekeepers.org.uk/spring-convention
April 2025
MAY 2025:
Practical session – Swarm control and aspects of queen rearing
Saturday 24th May
Time: 1.30 to 3.30pm
At: The Joe Birkby Teaching Apiary
June 2025:
Auction of beekeeping equipment and summer buffet.
Saturday 21st June
Time:1.30pm to 3.30pm
At: The Joe Birkby Teaching Apiary
July 2025:
Meet The Bees Taster Event – EVENT NOW FULL
Saturday 12th July 2025
See here for more details and how to book.
https://prestonbka.org/new-beekeepers/
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Practical session – Building boxes made to last.
Saturday 19th July
Time: 1.30 to 3.30pm
Bill Helm will show us how to assemble both brood and super boxes in a manner that will be more durable.
This session will be ideal for beginners.
Bill has been keeping bees for over 40 years, he runs his colonies on WBC hives and weather permitting will demonstrate a hive opening.
Parking and toilets on site, please bring a bee suit for the hive opening.
Please note This event will be held at:
37 Winfield Lane, Ashton, Preston, PR2 1NQ
August 2025:
Meet The Bees Taster Event
Saturday 23rd August 2025
See here for more details and how to book.
https://prestonbka.org/new-beekeepers/
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Speaker TBC
Wednesday 20th August
Time: 7pm to 9pm
At Intact Centre, Preston
September 2025:
Where do Bees Go?
Wednesday September 17th
Time: 7.30pm
At Intact centre, 49 Whitby Avenue, Preston, PR2 3YP
A Talk from Lesley Jacques NDB
Anyone who keeps bees eventually develops a curiosity with the origins of their honey – where are the bees foraging, and what do they return with that gives the honeys such variety of colour and flavour, as well as all the vast range of different pollens that we see stored in the combs?
In this presentation, we will look in detail at some of the flower species that are important to our honey bees, and also the practical techniques that have gone into recording their characteristics for permanent record. Somewhere between a botany and a craft lesson with plenty of added beekeeping thrown in for good measure!
For more about Lesley – see here:
October 2025
Preston & District BeeKeeping Association
Annual Honeyshow
Saturday 4th October
Samlesbury Memorial Hall, Cuerdale Lane, Samlesbury, PR5 0UY
Judge: Elaine Hargreaves
Steward: Josephine Anderson
Further details to follow.
November 2024:
Preston & District Beekeeping Association
Annual General Meeting
Wednesday 20th November 7pm to 9pm
at Intact centre, 49 Whitby Avenue, Preston, PR2 3YP
The AGM is your chance, as a member of the club, to come along and participate in the Annual General Meeting. It is, after all, your club and the AGM is a chance to hear the plans for next year.
This year, after the AGM we have a short social organised- ‘Show and Tell ‘
Members are encouraged to either bring an item or share an idea to all the members. For example, there will be microscopes with interesting items for people to view and an interesting item to discuss! Intrigued? Anyone interested please contact siunareid@me.com .
December 2024
No meeting this month.
See January 2025 for details of our Mid-Winter meal and social event.