Membership
Worthing Beekeepers Membership

INTERESTED IN BEES AND HONEY?
For the beginner, or indeed any beekeeper, there are many advantages to be gained from joining your local Beekeepers’ Association. Between May and August Worthing Beekeepers meet at approximately fortnightly intervals, to watch or take part in practical demonstrations at their Club Out Apiary, or at the Apiaries of many of our members. These demonstrations cover most aspects of beekeeping for both beginners and the more experienced.
For anyone considering whether they would like to keep bees, the demonstrations provide an opportunity to watch and handle bees and to discover that, when properly handled, bees are well-behaved fascinating creatures. When you have your own bees, it is always useful to look at other people’s bees, to compare against your own and pick up ideas.
Beginners can call upon more experienced members for both theoretical and practical help with their bees and members sometimes have bees or second-hand equipment for sale. A short beginner’s beekeeping course takes place each spring. A list of local and national suppliers is given below. We do, however, strongly recommend that you do not acquire bees until you have some experience.
From September to April, on the second Thursday of each month, we have an evening meeting with lectures, films and discussions on various beekeeping subjects. As your knowledge extends there is an opportunity to take National Beekeeping Examinations - we have our own Training Officer. The Division holds a comprehensive library of beekeeping books available for loan by our members.
A monthly Newsletter, gives both news of what is going on in the County and beekeeping hints for the month. The monthly British Beekeepers Association News is included in your subscription. You will also be a member of the British Beekeepers Association and covered by insurance relating to your beekeeping activities. When you join BBKA they will send you a ‘Welcome Pack’ containing useful information. The Monthly Magazine, ‘Bee Craft’, is available at a considerably reduced subscription.


We organise an annual Honey Show, which takes place in September, in conjunction with the Findon Sheep Fair. Some of our members are involved with the ‘Bees and Honey’ Section of the South of England Show at Ardingly in June, as well as the National Honey Show held each October/November in London.
Various ‘One Day’ Conventions are held by Beekeeping Associations throughout the year, and for a modest fee we can hear speakers of national and international renown giving us the benefit of their knowledge and experience. The West Sussex Beekeepers Association organises a ‘Bee Market and Auction’ at Brinsbury College, near Pulborough in April each year when bees and second-hand equipment are auctioned.
When it comes to ‘processing’ the honey produced by your bees, there is no need to buy expensive equipment as we have a stock of quality equipment, which is available for members use free of charge! You will have to provide your own Honey Jars and Labels, though we can tell you where to get the best deals.
Membership of Worthing Beekeepers starts on 1st October, and details of the Annual Subscription are available on request. Members joining after 1st June pay reduced subscription for that year.
So, if you are interested in becoming a beekeeper, do join us. If you don’t want to commit yourself fully at first, why not come to one or two of our meetings - without any obligation - to see if you like bees, and if bees like you!
Contact our Membership Secretary
Member already - please download pdf and follow instructions on form/bring to Thursday's meeting.

Useful Web Addresses
British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA)
National Bee Unit - Information resource for beekeepers
Local & National Suppliers of Bees & Beekeeping Equipment:
Paynes Southdown Bee Farms Ltd
Located in Hassocks, Paul Payne is a commercial beekeeper
EH Thorne Ltd
Now the largest supplier of Hives, Beekeeping Equipment in the UK.
Sherriff International
Supplies bee veils and suits, which are renowned the World over.
Recommended Books
Some may be available through your local library. Once you are a member of Worthing Division you may borrow books from our library.
- BBKA Guide to Beekeeping - Ivor Davis and Roger Cullum-Kenyon
- Keeping Bees Green Guide - Pam Gregory and Claire Waring
- Beekeeping a Novice’s Guide - David Wootton
- Starting Out With Bees - John Williams
- Bees at the bottom of the Garden - Alan Campion
- Get Started in Beekeeping Teach Yourself Guide - Adrian Waring
- Teach Yourself Beekeeping by Adrian and Clare Waring which gives a good grounding.
There are numerous books on beekeeping - you can read too many and it’s easy to get confused - that’s why it’s worth joining us and making an informed decision before you ‘dive in’.
And for later......
- Practical Beekeeping - Clive de Bruyn
- Guide to Bees and Honey - Ted Hooper ‘the bible’
- The Honey Bee Around and About - Celia Davis
- The Honey Bee Inside Out - Celia Davis