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View Full Version : Advice please - similar circ's for bees



FollowMeChaps
10th March 2009, 06:51 AM
Hello all, I'm seeking some friendly advice and as a geocacher this seemed a good place to come.:dunno:

My other interest is bees. I am a sustainable beekeeper. You probably don't need the details but unlike traditional beekeeping, sustainable beekeeping is about keeping bees in a sustainable, cheap, and bee-friendly way; trying to put the bee back into beekeeping.

Anyway, we are having issues similar to the circumstances which I believe caused GAGB to be set up - in our case we refuse to belong to the national beekeeping body, the BBKA, who have got into bed with the major agrochemical companies (who in turn are poisoning not only the bees but us humans as well). We want to set up an online association similar to the GAGB which folk can join.

Any advice you have on your experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Robin

PS: If anyone is interested in keeping bees :socool: in a cheap, low-impact way, please email me - FollowMeChaps[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk

Bill D (wwh)
10th March 2009, 01:17 PM
I'm afraid I can't help as I wasn't involved with the setting up of GAGB - I was merely one of the early members of it, but I'm sure someone will be along to advise you soon.

I wasn't aware of sustainable bee-keeping, nor that BBKA were associated with major agrochemical companies - what you're doing sounds great to me! :)

The Wombles
10th March 2009, 07:38 PM
Robin,

The GAGB was set up because the Founders were concerned about geocaching developing a bad name if there wasn't a coherent approach to landowner permissions and that there was no body to represent UK geocachers with the UK authorities.

Your situation sounds like competition to an incumbant whereas ours was filling a gap.

I think the basic process will be the same: Identify some like-minded people, develop a basic purpose statement and publicise. Build some membership, draft a constitution, plan elections.

I guess in your case that you will need to clearly differentiate yourselves from the incumbent and then to persuade sufficient beekeepers to join.

Good luck.

FollowMeChaps
11th March 2009, 08:16 PM
Thanks guys