The course is held at our purpose built classroom and training apiary in the grounds of Brindle Distillery (between Preston and Chorley, in Lancashire, UK).
We’re less than 5 minutes from M6 Junctions 28 and 29 and M61 Junction 9.
Full address and contact details are in the page footer.
The course will be run by our own Kath Cordingley.
Kath is an experienced beekeeper, bee farmer and trainer. She currently manages around 200 colonies in many different locations and habitats. She operates a wide range of hive types and thrives on exploring and pioneering different techniques and equipment.
Kath has developed a sustainable and ethical approach to beekeeping. As a long-standing environmental professional, she has pioneered her ‘think like a bee’ mentality which helps beekeepers to work with their bees to respond effectively to the changing situations in which both find themselves.
She is a strong advocate for breeding sustainable, locally adapted bees and successfully breeds queens in the NW of England, based on our native black bee.
We provide tea, coffee, water and even biscuits (unless Simon’s eaten them all) throughout the day.
We no longer provide lunch. It was becoming too tricky to properly cater for the increasingly diverse range of dietary preferences and allergies. We encourage participants to bring their own packed lunch.
There are also local shops where food can be purchased.
Despite rumours to the contrary, Lancashire enjoys a pleasant climate and we usually have wonderful weather for courses. That said, we are well set up to deal with poorer weather conditions and it is rare for us to postpone a course.
Our tough Lancashire bees are well mannered and even behave themselves if the weather starts to chill or rain.
Not for the course and not necessarily for beekeeping.
Beekeeping is a highly accessible pass time. It should be enjoyable and relaxing. It also benefits mental health and wellbeing.
Depending what you want to achieve from your beekeeping there are techniques and equipment which can be used to minimise physical exertion and maximise accessibility.
In our bespoke training apiary we can demonstrate a wide range of options that will make your beekeeping as stress-free as possible. We cater for beekeepers of all ages and physical/learning abilities. We also specialise in working with participants with accessibility challenges including mobility, motor function, visual/auditory impairment and learning challenges.
If you’re still not sure and would like some further advice and encouragement, give us a call, or drop in to see us.
We run courses monthly from late March to the end of September (weather permitting). We deliver a very practical course, so we only run courses during the spring and summer, when we can actually work with bees.
We publish course dates on our website. We also sell open vouchers for customers to use during the year, at a time convenient to them. These vouchers also make popular gifts.
Sessions are typically held on Sundays, although we also arrange some courses for mid week. You can check out our published dates via the website or get in touch to see what other sessions may be planned but not yet published.
Yes. We don’t have our own accommodation but we are blessed with a range of local options to suit various needs and budgets.
A few possible options include below. The distance from us is bracketed. The links are active and should take you directly to the relevant websites.
We provide the use of our beekeeping suits, gloves and the other beekeeping equipment you will need.
You will need to bring sensible, fully enclosed, outdoor footwear. Wellies are ideal. Walking boots are also a good option.
You will also need to bring a long sleeved top to wear under your beekeeping suit.
Yes, honey, candles and other bee-themed items will be available for purchase.
We also stock a range of hives, clothing and beekeeping equipment and can order additional items as required.
We also breed and sell our own, locally adapted honeybees. These girls are a delight to work with, well mannered and sustainably suited to our climate and seasonality. Deposits can be made on the day or pre-orders collected, if necessary.
There are a couple of ways.
You can buy a voucher via our shop. This will give you priority access to new course dates before they become available to the general public.
You can also book onto one of our published dates.
Our courses are hugely popular and attract new beekeepers from across the UK. It is advisable to book early.
