Joining GBKA
To join Gloucestershire Beekeepers Association find your local branch and contact their secretary or visit their website. Many branches provide a social membership for those who have an interest in bees and wish to attend meetings without having access to the full benefits of the Association.
Cheltenham and Gloucester branch, which also covers the Tewkesbury area, holds weekly apiary sessions in the summer and in winter they meet in a local Village Hall just to the west of Cheltenham, normally on the 2nd Friday of the month.
Cirencester and District branch holds monthly meetings at the Royal Agricultural University, Stroud Road, Cirencester, GL7 6JS, normally on a Thursday evening.
Dean Forest Beekeepers have apiary sessions from April to October and meet in Staunton Village Hall near Coleford for monthly meetings over the winter.
Newent branch has apiary sessions typically from April to September, monthly meetings at Newent Community Centre in winter and runs training programmes at the beginning of each season.
North Cotswold branch, which covers Moreton-in-Marsh and Stow-on-the-Wold, meets in Adlestrop Village Hall, Adlestrop, normally on a Thursday evening.
South Gloucestershire branch (covering the Thornbury, Berkeley, Wotton-Under-Edge and Yate areas) has apiary sessions in the summer and winter meetings at the Methodist Hall in Alveston, near Thornbury.
Stroud branch meet in St Dominic’s School, St Mary’s Hill, Inchbrook, Stroud for monthly winter meetings, normally on a Tuesday evening, with apiary meetings in the summer.
GBKA membership options include Full membership, Partner membership, for a partner living at the same address as a full member, and Junior membership for those aged 18 years and under.
Social membership (£10.00) is available for those do not keep bees but would like to attend meetings without having access to the full benefits of the Association.
Full membership includes BBKA membership, Bee Disease Insurance for 3 colonies and Public Liability and Product Liability Insurance. See the BBKA website for more details. (Insurance is not included for partner membership.)
BBKA sends a monthly Newsletter to all full members. Some branches also offer a reduced rate subscription to Beecraft, a monthly magazine that has articles for beekeepers of all ages and experience.