Beekeeping Taster Course 2026

The Association normally runs a 'Taster in Beekeeping' course each year in the spring at Tilstock Village Hall for people interested in taking their first steps with keeping bees.

 The 2026 course at Tilstock Village Hall will be over the weekend of the 28th and 29th of March 2026, the cost for this will be £100 per person, or £170 for a twosome* £50 if under 16**

* Will only receive one copy of handouts  etc

**must be accompanied by a full fee paying adult

 If you would like to take part in this course please contact the NSBKA education officer

 Education Officer

The course will be both theoretical and practical, including a hands-on session at our Association apiary where you will see inside a beehive and handle the bees (weather permitting) [bee suits will be provided]

The course covers:

- Starting out in beekeeping
- Costs involved
- Beekeeping throughout the year
- Honeybee life, behaviour and colony
- Equipment, assembling hive parts
- Setting up an apiary and apiary safety
- Harvesting your honey and wax
- Forage

The association draws its educational strength from its own pool of enthusiastic and highly experienced beekeepers and master beekeepers who volunteer to give up their own free time to teach others. This can mean timings and dates have to change in response to unforeseen circumstances and in such an event, alternative dates or a refund will be offered.

Taster Course Location:

Tilstock Bradbury Village Hall
Tilstock Lane,
Tilstock,
Whitchurch,
Shropshire,
SY13 3JL

For more information and course booking details, please contact the Association's Education Officer using the link below.

Education Officer

Once you have kept bees for a season or two we encourage all members to do the BBKA Basic Assessment which demonstrates you have attained a general proficiency in beekeeping. At the time of writing, 44% of North Shropshire members have successfully passed the basic assessment, which means that North Shropshire BKA has the joint second highest percentage of members who have passed their basic in the whole country.   

 Joining The NSBKA

For those members who are keen to learn more we have informal tutor groups and encourage correspondence courses for the BBKA modular exams. Our Association currently has a number of Master Beekeepers and several of our members are working towards Master Beekeeper status which involves, among other things, a detailed practical assessment as well as completion of the theory modules. 

We also run courses from time to time on particular aspects of beekeeping such as Queen Rearing, Food Hygiene, and Microscopy courses which enable us to examine the anatomy of the bee and diagnose adult bee diseases.

See BBKA examinations and assessments for more information etc; and contact the Association's Education Officer by using the link bellow.

 Education Officer