British Beekeepers Association

• Classic Honey Cake

  A lighter, modern take on a classic honey sponge. This version avoids the heavy caramelisation and dry crumb that can result from the long slow bake of traditional honey cakes, keeping the flavour light and floral. A small amount of neutral oil helps to stabilise the batter, balancing the honey’s acidity and high water content so the cake stays airy and soft.  The cake is delicious the day it’s baked but, like all honey cakes, the honey flavour deepens beautifully after a day or two. When you’re reacdy to serve, finish it with the whipped honey and sour cream buttercream and a scattering of pollen for an extra floral hit. Servings:   10 slices                   Preparation:  1 hour + cooling time. Ingredients Cake: 190g      Plain flour 1½ tsp   Baking powder ½ tsp     Bicarbonate of soda ¼ tsp     Fine salt 190g &nbs...

• Fortnum & Mason Supporting the BBKA

  Fortnum & Mason, in partnership with St. Pancras International station, are supporting the BBKA as part of their celebration of 100 years of Disney Winnie the Pooh.  Shimmering golden bees are currently flying out of their window displays and floating up across the facade of their famous Piccadilly store and on their beehive installation at St Pancras International station.     Created by metal artist Paul Badham, these incredible oversized golden bees are being auctioned in support of the BBKA.   The online auction is now live and runs until 3pm on 13th August 2026. Fortnum & Mason Bee Auction  The BBKA are delighted to have the support of Fortnum & Mason as part of this project.                        Fortnum & Mason Website

• Local Honey

  Local honey:  made by nature and bottled by beekeepers.  Use our map to find out where you can buy local honey. Local honey is unique: it's taste reflects the flowers, landscapes and seasons around you.  Buying from local beekeepers keeps your food miles low and helps support the bees that keep our environment thriving. Whether from a neighbourhood beekeeper, farm shop, market stall or independent retailer, choosing local honey supports British bees, biodiversity, livelihoods and the craft of beekeeping.   Despite the UK’s rich beekeeping heritage, only around 14 per cent of the honey consumed domestically is produced here. One spoonful equals 1,000 flowers:  bees visit up to 2 million flowers to make just one pound of honey - that's around 60,000 flowers per spoonful.  A single bee makes only 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.  That means it takes thousands of bees to make a si...

• Planting for Pollinators

  Many people get pleasure from gardening but it also provides essential food sources for pollinators. Whether you are a small or large scale gardener there are suitable plants for everyone. It doesn't matter if your garden is a balcony, allotment, window box, pots and tubs or a swathe of green open space; with a bit of thought pollinators can benefit from a banquet of pollen and nectar right throughout the year.  You can help all the bees: honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees, by planting more flowers for them to feed on.  Honey bees are reliant on both nectar and pollen throughout their life cycle and they need food in order to make and store enough honey to see them through the winter months as they do not hibernate. Choose plants with single, open flowers for easy access to the pollen and nectar and plant several plants together in a group to attract the bees.  Bees are also more attracted to colourful plants...

• Bees' Needs Week

  The British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) is proud to support Bees’ Needs Week, running from 13th - 19th July, as part of Wild Again: Restoring England’s Wildlife – the government’s campaign to help recover native species and habitats across the country. Bees and other pollinating insects are essential to the health of the environment and play a crucial role in food production. Their decline threatens biodiversity, crop yields and the resilience of our natural world. “Every beekeeper knows how vital pollinators are – but Bees’ Needs Week reminds us that every gardener, every school, every community group can make a difference,” said BBKA Chair Clare McGettigan. “Protecting pollinators is a shared responsibility, and small changes add up.” Bees and other pollinators urgently need more reliable sources of nectar and pollen, and the public can play a vital role in providing that food...