A friendly local association supporting bees, beekeepers and our community.
Barkston Ash is a small village in North Yorkshire, between the cities of Leeds and York. The Beekeeping Association formed in 1942 and is one of 22 district associations under the umbrella of the Yorkshire Beekeepers Association (YBKA) , which in turn is affiliated to the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) .
We are a small club and have our own apiary in Church Fenton, where we train beginners and demonstrate beekeeping to interested members of the public. We show bees and sell honey and other hive products at local fetes and galas, and give talks to organisations such as the WI, U3A, youth groups and schools. Speakers going into schools or other youth groups have an enhanced DBS check from January 2027. Please contact us if you would like a talk about beekeeping or related topics.
Come and have a look
We run “Taster” sessions where we put you in a beesuit and gloves—bring your own wellies—and an experienced beekeeper will show you the inside of a hive and answer your questions, which will be many. You can then decide whether or not beekeeping is for you.
If you just want to see what goes on and have no further interest in beekeeping, come along and have a look. The sessions last a couple of hours and are popular as Christmas, birthday and anniversary presents. Contact us to find out more about taster sessions.
You might want to join us after a session like this. An interest in bees and beekeeping is the only qualification you need to join us. You do not need to have bees, or even intend to keep them. You might like to join the apiary team and help keep our bees. Please contact us to find out more.
We are a very friendly club and will make you most welcome. None of us has forgotten what it is like to be a beginner, and we would all agree that we are still learning, no matter how many years’ experience we have. No question is too basic, though many will be thought-provoking and lead to a grand discussion, which we love—bee talk is great!
By joining the club, you are automatically part of YBKA and BBKA. You benefit from BDI insurance for up to three hives, which covers costs incurred through disease. You are also eligible to attend the excellent online winter talks provided by YBKA, and receive the monthly BBKA magazine, with articles about jobs for the month in the hive, the latest research and issues affecting beekeepers. It is a really good read, with something of interest for the absolute beginner and the most experienced beekeeper.
For six weeks every winter, we run an online Beginners’ Theory Course which introduces new members to the mysteries of the beehive. During the summer, we give these beginners guided, practical hands-on sessions in the apiary, where they can see in practice what they learned about in the theory.
Any member is welcome to attend these sessions, or to resit the theory course in the winter. We appreciate that the first time around raises more questions, especially after seeing the hive in action. If you choose to keep bees for yourself, the club provides a mentor to answer your questions and offer advice. We consider the mentor role to be very important to new members. Every bee colony is different and has its own quirks, and it is easy to think that your bees doing this thing or that, not covered by the course, is somehow your fault—it really isn’t, bees just do their thing!
We attend a number of local shows, giving members the opportunity to sell their honey and other hive products. The club takes 10% towards funds, while the show helps get your name out there. We take an exhibition hive and show the bees to the public; it is hugely popular and people are always interested.
We also give talks to local organisations, schools and youth groups, and have a discount scheme with local bee supplier Abelo in Dunnington. Abelo also runs open days and demonstrations that are helpful to beekeepers.
We would be delighted to hear from you.
Whether you are curious about beekeeping, interested in joining the club or would like to invite us to give a talk, please get in touch.