Okehampton Basic Beekeeping 2026 Course. £110(Tickets go live Oct 2nd 2025)
- UNDER 18 WITH PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN
Eight evening classes Jan-April and one summer practical. Basic Beekeeping Syllabus BBKA. Email queries welcome. educationokebees@gmail.com
Date and time
Location
EX20 2QT
Exeter Road Whiddon Down EX20 2QT United KingdomRefund Policy
About this event
- Free venue parking
This basic beekeeping theory course runs fortnightly over eight evening classes from January 14th 2026 to April. Sessions are based around the basic syllabus from BBKA (British Beekeeping Association) and include the BBKA Guide to Beekeeping book. A summer practical at a hive with an experienced beekeeper from our branch is also included. It is an insurance requirement that learners must purchase a membership of Okehampton Beekeepers Association to attend this course. The cost of a registered (full)membership is included in the ticket price. If you are already a member (or if you are a couple and need one general admission price and one partner price) please contact Education Officer for Okehampton Ruth Stainer-Smith educationokebees@gmail.com or by phone 07789 238053 to arrange a reduced-rate ticket. Any reduced rate purchase relies on there still being ticket availability (ie we have not already sold out).
Any place purchased on the course is confirmed once you have completed the relevant membership form on Okehampton Beekeepers website--click on the blue link:
If you need advice or assistance regarding the membership form please contact Ruth (and for any other course enquiries). educationokebees@gmail.com
Occasionally we have questions about young learners keen to study this course. For learners aged 13 to 17 years a junior ticket can be purchased by contacting Ruth. Please note juniors must be accompanied by an adult with parental responsibility who has also purchased their own ticket at full price. This course is not suitable for learners under 13 years of age. A junior ticket will depend on there still being course places available (ie we have not already sold out).
All tickets include an Eventbrite fee.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Eventbrite runs a wait list feature so that if someone cancels the next person in line will be contacted.
We are all volunteer members of Devon Beekeeping Association (Okehampton Branch) who enjoy keeping bees. We welcome new learners to our organisation.
The British Beekeeping Association (BBKA) strongly recommends this to branches and we have therefore followed this recommendation. Membership provides insurance for the hands-on learning. Membership supports the practical activities that we offer during the active bee season.
We consider the space we need to move kit around safely during the taught sessions. We recognise that beekeeping is not an easy set of skills to learn and know that people do best when there is ongoing support (after the course) from experienced members. Our class size means we can achieve this aim.
The ideal set-up would be to wait to get bees until the calendar year following the basic winter course. You will then have had a number of "at the hive" opportunities via the course and your membership. Some people decide quickly that it is not for them. Other people fall in love with beekeeping.
From May to August we hold a monthly Apiary Meeting for members. We don't have a branch apiary so we go to various members' hives to inspect the bees. We chat about bees and consume a fair amount of tea and cake too. We are a friendly bunch and beginners can learn a lot.
In the summer all learners will be offered a small-group opportunity to inspect a hive with an experienced beekeeper. Your theory learning can be put into practice. The session lasts around one hour.
There can be. The BBKA basic certificate (a practical plus Q/A exam) is suitable for those people who have been keeping bees for at least a year. So it is a good choice for someone who attended the winter course a year or two prior. The cost is approx £30 and is not included in the course cost.
Each month from October to March we meet on a Thursday evening to learn a new topic (such as using queen cells) or to welcome a speaker (eg a bee inspector with expertise in bee diseases). Your membership makes this available to you.
Yes, Eventbrite charges a standard fee of 6.95% plus £0.59 per ticket. This is already included in your ticket price.