The Twickenham and Thames Valley Beekeepers’ Association (TTVBKA) was founded in May 1919 by a group of local enthusiasts to help households impoverished after the Great War (WW1).
We are now a charity whose aim is to educate the public in beekeeping. To meet this ideal we hold free classes for individuals, offer opportunities for group visits and welcome the general public to our annual Honey Show and Open Day events. These pages are principally intended to serve as an introduction to the Association and it is hoped they may encourage you to make contact with us to learn more about bees and bee-keeping. The association is run entirely by volunteers.
We have two sites, the training Apiary in Twickenham and a members apiary in West Molesey.
Who we are and what we do
To view a short video of who we are and what we do click on video below.
Education
Between April and July we offer the opportunity for school and adult groups to visit the apiary. Our team of volunteers will introduce groups to the life cycle, behaviour and importance of honey bees and other pollinators. Using video presentation, discussion, class-room activities and, to the bees themselves, when we open a hive. Find out more.
Beekeeping Courses
We run two main courses each year for members of the public.
- Winter Theory Classes – 8 x 2 hour sessions on Wednesday nights between January and March. Covering topics like bee anatomy, the life cycle of a bee, a year in beekeeping, diseases and bee husbandry.
- Summer Practical – Every Friday from April to end of September. A chance to put what you have learnt on the winter course into practice. Hive inspections, identifying the different castes of bees, swarm control etc.
In addition we run courses to help members pass British Beekeeper Association qualifications in Apiculture. For more Information click here.
Public Events
The Association holds two annual public events, our Open Day (June) and the Honey Show (October).
On August Bank Holiday Monday, we run the Twickenham Honey Market for our members to sell their own honey.
We also have stands at local fairs and markets and host talks by experts on planting for pollinators, honey and solitary bees and other factors that may effect honeybees and other pollinators.