## - Trustees Annual Report 2024 25 The charitable objects of the Wiltshire Beekeepers Association are to advance the education of the public and beekeepers in the craft of beekeeping and promote the importance of bees in the environment. We have achieved these objects in the following ways this year. ## We engage with and develop the skills of existng beekeeping members: - We encourage members to take courses and exams run by the British Beekeepers Association in basic beekeeping, general husbandry and theory modules: - Over the summer, 25 candidates passed the Basic exam, 2 with Distinction, 10 with credit. - 27% of the total membership has taken the Basic exam (up from 24% last year). This continues to be an area we need to work on next year, although it should be noted that the influx of new beekeepers to the membership always skews this figure, as they are not eligible to take the exam until they have been keeping bees for two years. `o` Candidates took other BBKA exams as follows: Module 3 4 candidates passed, 2 with credit Module 5 1 candidate passed Module 8 1 candidate passed, with credit Honey Bee Health Assessment 9 candidates passed Intermediate Theory 2 candidates passed, 1 with credit Advanced Theory 1 candidate passed, with credit General Husbandry 2 candidates passed Show Judge 1 candidate passed - We publish our County newsletter, the Honey Bee Times, every quarter. Its aims are to educate and inspire members as well as keeping them abreast of what is going on in the other Branches. The Branches also produce their own newsletters to keep their members informed. - All Branches continue to invest in their club apiaries for the benefit of the bees and training Branch members. Page 1 of 4 AGM 2026 V6 - Running alongside the regular club apiary sessions between April and September, the Branches have held kit building sessions and wax masterclasses to improve members’ practical skills. - We hold and encourage participation in shows at Branch, County, and National level. - We hold talks at Branch and County level throughout the year. - In June, our Education Officer in conjunction with the National Bee Unit organised a Honey Bee Health Day to educate members about best practice. - Wiltshire Beekeepers’ interests have been represented at the British Beekeepers Association’s Annual Delegate Meeting and the South West Beekeepers’ Forum. - We ensure that information is circulated to members through appropriate channels, for example updates on yellow-legged Asian hornet incursions and other National Bee Unit alerts. - Our yellow-legged Asian hornet Action Team is working with Wiltshire members and local County Beekeepers Associations to be on alert and prepare for the challenges that the arrival of yellow-legged Asian hornets in our area will bring. This will enable the charity to support the National Bee Unit’s verification and tracking activities, as necessary. ## We encourage potental beekeepers: - 35 members of the public attended taster days. - There were 5 open apiary days where the public could attend. - Over 70 people learned how to keep bees in four Introduction to Beekeeping courses across the County. Not all went on to take up beekeeping this year, but they may come back to it when personal circumstances allow. Nevertheless, they are now better informed about bees, pollinators, beekeeping and the environment. ## We educate the public: - At least 6 schools have formally invited members to talk to pupils about bees in the environment. During the summer term, such visits may also include bees in an observation hive. - There were at least 10 presentations on beekeeping to local groups including residential care homes, Brownies and Cubs, and agricultural college groups. Page 2 of 4 AGM 2026 V6 - The Field to Food Event , held in conjunction with Somerset BKA in April at the Royal Bath & West Showground, was attended by 1,500 primary school children, who were able to see real bees in the observation hive, get their hands on beekeeping equipment and see honey and wax and other hive-related products. - We took part in Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Country Comes to Town event in May. The public were able to see bees in the observation hive, and we engaged with children by telling them about bees while they rolled a candle. - We played a leading role assisting in the Bee Tent at the Royal Bath & West Show at the end of May, where members of the public could find out more about bees and beekeeping, and watch bee handling demonstrations in the bee garden. Wiltshire members also successfully competed at the show demonstrating a wide range of skills. - The branches were represented at local fetes and fairs; at summer fetes this included an observation hive of bees, when possible. - This year we have been able to initiate a beekeeping project with HMP Erlestoke run by a collective of beekeepers from the Branches. - Meanwhile we started this financial year with a bang: the Wiltshire Bee & Honey Day at the Corn Exchange in Devizes is one of our bigger public-facing events of the year and attracted 400 people. The 2025 event included fascinating talks aimed at both beekeepers and the public, which went down tremendously well. - In the Honey Show, there were just under 300 entries covering different aspects of beekeeping including honey, wax products, mead, baked goods and photography. - Over 100 children enjoyed themselves rolling a beeswax candle while beekeepers explained the role of wax in the hive to them and their family, and dozens of other children made model bees and learned about pollination. - The public also had the opportunity to browse stalls selling beerelated gifts, wildflower seeds, honey products and candles, and 200 biodegradable balloons on biodegradable sticks were given away to children. - Devizes Mayor, Councillor Jennie Britten, toured the event with WBKA President, Chris Rawlings, before presenting the cups and trophies on the day. Page 3 of 4 AGM 2026 V6 ## We assist the public: We have over 90 approved swarm collectors in the County. They provide a free 24/7 swarm collection service to residents in Wiltshire (except in the Salisbury area, where the Salisbury Beekeepers Association provides a similar service). - The public made calls to our Branch Swarm Co-ordinators and sometimes direct to our branch beekeepers. - The swarms collected were either retained by the swarm collector or provided to other beekeepers, often Beginners to get them started. - Along with swarms, we have also dealt with other enquiries which turned out to be mining bees, bumblebees and wasp nests. The Trustees have met quarterly in various locations around the county to drive the operations of the charity forward. We continue to work on a strategy and modus operandi to develop special projects in line with our charitable objects. We closed the year on 30 September 2025 with 500 members in 4 Branches. Every year some beekeepers retire, some beginners decide to take up the hobby later, some move out of the area. In February, numbers stand at 439 before this year’s training courses have attracted this year’s full complement of beginners. We would like to thank the Branch Chairs and their hard-working committees for their continued support in keeping members engaged and informed and for developing camaraderie within their Branches. Sophie Butcher, Chair of the Wiltshire Beekeepers Association On behalf of the Wiltshire Beekeepers Association Trustees January 2026 Page 4 of 4 AGM 2026 V6 | (M￿tITy COMMISSION | ENfuND IYAIES Receipts and ments accounts CC16a lorth• To OIMty¥J Section A Receipts and payments Endowffl•nl lund• fvnd¥ lund• Al .•12 11_4rJ .1 i• 4717 4717 Al tsod• CJ•h lunos l•FI y￿r•no Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period nd• d• 81 Cith fw •J• •tt nd* Prtm Ntyn• 4£ 1 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees Wiltshire Beekeepers Association On accounts for the year ended 30, September 2025 Charity no lif any) 1198735 Set oufon pages Three and Four bei to incluoe I￿.e pagt 11unibtr.15 of adiSilion31 sheeisi I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Ihe above charrty (Ihe Twst") for the year ended Responsibilities and basis of report As Ihe charity's trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination. I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5){b) of the Act. Independent tThe charity's gross income ex￿eded £250,000 and l am qualrfied to examiner's statement undertake the examination by being a qualified member of linsert name of applicable listed bodyll- Delete I l rfnot applicable. I have completed my examination. I confim that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below ') which gives me ¢ause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in a O OK End¢>vmi•nt lunds to n•at44t£ Unrestrl¢tod nds ton•ar¢stE fvnds to n•Ar•st£ Detsils B2 Othar monetary assets Fvmltowhlc a•s•t belon CuThentV41uè Details Fund towhkh C￿rront￿aIU onal D8ta¢ls c0gtloF￿0nIIJ 84 Assets rètsined for the eharity's own use Fundto 4¥hkh Arnoyn¢dy• Detail$ B5 Llabilitle8 zaaa Signed by ore (K MDtrusie6s on behalf of all the Iruslees Date of roval SvJnatur8 Print Name CCXX R2 3r*xuntslSSI 18101r2026