Beekeeping Courses
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Introduction to Beekeeping Course
Next course starts April 2026
If you would like to learn how to become a beekeeper, our Introduction to Beekeeping course is run by Diane Drinkwater over Six weekly sessions via Zoom and is for everyone starting out with bees, our new course also runs concurrently with Six weekly sessions at our Apiary in Southport. If you already have bees but are relatively new to beekeeping you'll find this course extremely useful and you're welcome to attend the sessions too.
Our Course costs £108 and includes:
6 weekly Online Sessions - see below for schedule
6 weekly Apiary Practical Training Sessions will cover:
Hive opening, handling honey bees (weather permitting)
Experienced beekeepers will be on hand to answer any questions
Beehives and beekeeping equipment will be on display
Practical sessions are held in a friendly and informal fashion and are supervised by an experienced beekeeper. New beekeepers are encouraged to ask any questions that they might have during or after the session.
Membership of the branch
BBKA membership
BBKA News magazine (12 issues per year)
BBKA insurance and Bee Disease insurance
And you have the choice of receiving a copy of the BBKA Handbook or The Bee Manual: The Complete Step by Step Guide to Keeping Bees
Introduction Course Training schedule:
Monday 13th April: Zoom Introduction week 1 - What are honey bees - an introduction
Monday 20th April: Zoom Introduction week 2 - The hive and the colony
Saturday 25th April: Apiary Session
Monday 27th April: Zoom Introduction week 3 - Inspections, swarming and stings!
Saturday 2nd May: Apiary Session
Monday 4th May: Zoom Introduction week 4 - Healthy hives
Saturday 9th May: Apiary Session
Monday 11th May: Zoom Introduction week 5 - Your apiary
Saturday 16th May: Apiary Session
Monday 18th May: Zoom Introduction week 6 - Honey
Saturday 23rd May: Apiary Session
Saturday 30th May: Apiary Session
Please note some Apiary sessions may need to be changed or cancelled due to weather, you will be notified via a WhatsApp chat group.
Once you have signed up as a new member you are also welcome to join our Branch meetings which are held the second Thursday of the month in the Community Room at Southport Fire Station, starting at 7.30pm. Attendance at the branch meetings is encouraged.
For more information and to start your membership please contact Vanessa Wakefield: vanessa.wakefield@southportbeekeepers.co.uk
Our Improvers course is intended for beekeeping members wishing to take the Basic Assessment this year.
Improvers Course Training schedule: Starts runs for 4 weeks - DTBC
Zoom Improvers course week 1 - Manipulation and Equipment
Zoom Improvers course week 2 - Swarming, Control and its Effects
Zoom Improvers course week 3 - Natural History and Beekeeping
Zoom Improvers course week 4 - Diseases and Pests
BBKA Training
The Basic Certificate - the syllabus covers the knowledge that really is the basis for any beekeeper to be successful. It can be a very rewarding experience to confirm your knowledge by passing the Basic. Attending a Basic Preparation Course provides an ideal refresher of your key knowledge, which is helpful at the start of the season.
BBKA Examinations and Assessments Chart click here
For more experienced beekeepers the BBKA supports two training styles. For the practical approach there’s the Basic Certificate and the General Husbandry assessment. And for study/exams there are the Modules 1-8 which covers the following topics:
Module 1 - Management
Module 2 - Products & Forage
Module 3 - Pests, Diseases & Poisoning
Module 5 - Biology
Module 6 - Behaviour
Module 7 - Selection & Breeding
Module 8 - Management, Health & History
The BBKA publishes reading lists for each of the Modules above, these can be found by clicking here.
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