R&DBKA

The Romsey District covers the lower Test Valley, east to Chandlers Ford, and west towards the New Forest. It is rich in seasonal forage for our bees, with varied crops grown on farms and estates supplemented by the cultivated gardens in our towns and villages. This offers our bees a good diet of essential nectar and pollen.
Our members have a wide range of experience, from absolute beginner to many decades of beekeeping.

Romsey and District Beekeepers' Association was founded in 1920 to foster interest in the craft of beekeeping. It also aims to represent the interest of beekeepers in the area of the lower Test Valley, north as far as Broughton, east and west to Chandlers Ford and the New Forest.

Today the Association has around 120 members from all walks of life and with one exception are all hobbyists operating from one to twenty colonies.

We welcome members to our friendly meetings, indoors during winter and outside with the bees when they are active. During summer we attend various village fetes and other events with our educational display, and we bring hive products such as honey and wax for sale.
We offer support and training at all levels, including regular sessions at our association community apiary.
In September our Honey Show is held at the Romsey Show in Broadlands.

From April to September we organise visits to members' apiaries as well as training sessions for our members at our association apiary. This gives beginners excellent experience of handling bees, and improvers an opportunity to expand their knowledge, always working for the bees' benefit. Nothing can replace hands-on experience at the hives.

We head indoors for talks on a wide range of bee-related topics while the bees are clustering and inactive during winter. Indoor meetings take place from October to March on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:30 in Romsey Town Hall, Market Place, Romsey SO51 8YZ. Please check our events page for upcoming meetings.

If you would like to keep bees, we strongly advise that you attend a beginners' course. Our flexible course allows you to learn at your own pace in your own chosen time. Please CLICK HERE for more information or other options.
Our Taster Day suits those who are curious about beekeeping and may consider it in the future, but not yet. Please CLICK HERE for more information.