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Update - due to (s)low take up by Ipswich members, we are able to take members from the other associations (by confirmation) rather than run the day with too few people - book early to avoid disappointment!

Our Annual Bee Safari is a great day. We visit the apiaries of members of the association, in a different area each year. It is really interesting to see how others are set up and the locations they are using. We have our National Bee Unit inspectors with us and they will lead and inspect all the colonies and point out instances of pests and diseases as we go. 

You will need to bring a packed lunch and water, but we will be meeting in a building where there are toilets and water

If you want to be part of it, our places are strictly limited, you need to pre-book with Jon Tuppen, who is kindly coordinating and has organised the apiaries we are due to visit in 2026; around the Sproughton and Copdock area this year. Reserve your place by emailing jon.tuppen@btinternet.com. Further details when your place is confirmed (start and end times are to indicate it is all day, to be confirmed)

It is essential that your bee-suit is spotlessly clean, along with new or clean gloves and boots. The last thing we want to do is import something awful into someone else's apiary! The image below is of the boot bucket we will be bringing (with a brushand the same solution as our cleaning buckets) so that we can all clean our boots between apiaries (the wellies are size 13). 

Every year, Suffolk beekeepers take part in the School Farm and County Fair at Trinity Park. The event is organised by the Suffolk Agricultural Association, which even helps fund transport for the children travelling to Ipswich. More than 3,500 pupils from Years 3 and 4 attend, creating a wonderful “mini Suffolk Show” experience.

Our beekeeping stand is consistently one of the most popular attractions—and in 2023 we were even honoured with a royal visitor.

The day is packed with hands‑on, interactive activities designed to teach children about the importance of agriculture in Suffolk, the vital role farming plays in producing our food, and how wildlife and conservation contribute to a thriving countryside. All activities are linked to the National Curriculum.

At the beekeepers’ stall, children learn about bees as essential pollinators and their importance in food production. We introduce them to foraging behaviour, how nectar and propolis are collected, and how bees produce wax and honey. We also explain the social structure of the colony and the remarkable ways bees communicate.

Our stand offers lots of practical, sensory learning too—children can handle frames of comb and wax, taste honey, and even try on beekeeping hats and veils.

The day is a great way to teach children more about bees. It is full on and very busy but Trinity Park treat us extremely well with breakfast and late lunch.  Anyone wanting to get involved in 2027 please contact jonjtuppen@gmail.com 

Here's a link to the event website
 

Anyone wishing to take part in the Bee Health Day needs to look under Learning, Teaching Apiary (IESBKA) to see the details of the day and how to sign up - it's an excellent practical day, in DALLINGHOO, not at the Teaching Apiary, consolidating learning and refreshing your skills; what to look for and how to read your bees, what to do - it's a practical day, with experienced beekeepers and David Burns, our seasonal bee inspector working with each of the groups