Beekeeping Friends and Associates 

For the Kendal & South Westmorland Beekeepers, 2024 was a busy year for the association with regular meetings, both Summer and Winter, a much increased membership. Non-members are welcome at our Winter meets and we do encourage even tentative beekeepers to get in touch so that we can help and advise wherever we can.  There have been a number of certificates earned and educational sessions held. We encourage folk to contact us for these sessions as they do promote a better informed beekeeping community as well as healthier and happier bees, even if you don't intend to actually gain the certificates. Finally, and not least, we continue to address the spectre of the impending Asian Hornet (YLH) threat to our county. Members of nine of the Cumbrian BKAs strive to establish a coordinated management of this invasion to our area, and structure the countywide volunteers under one umbrella in coordination with our neighbouring county colleagues. We cannot overestimate the impact that this will have, to all, and the suppression of the spread of the Yellow Legged Hornet (Vespa velutina) due to last years appalling weather may have lulled some into a false sense of relief.