About the Association

We formed in 1917, as the King's Lynn and District Beekeepers' Association. In 2007 the name changed to West Norfolk and King's Lynn Beekeepers' Association (WNKLBA) to reflect the wide area in which our members live. We work to promote bees and beekeeping and provide a range of member services to beekeepers in Norfolk.

We are part of the British Beekeeper's Association (BBKA) who amongst other things provide insurance cover and organise beekeeping qualifications and we have close ties with other beekeeping organisations in the region, particularly Norfolk Beekeeping Association (NBKA).

Members

We currently have over 250 members and cover a broad spectrum of beekeepers from those with one hive in their garden to those with 30+ hives in several apiaries; from those who have just started beekeeping to those with over fifty years’ experience; from King's Lynn, Holt, Norwich, Wymondham, East Dereham, Wisbech, Downham Market and Spalding areas, the common factor is an enjoyment of working with bees and of meeting with others of a like mind in friendly and informal ways.

We are particularly keen to help those new to beekeeping and you will find details of our Association Apiary on this website. We hold taster days, introductory courses and further training courses each year and help our members achieve the basic and more challenging qualifications set by the BBKA.

You will find us at Shows around Norfolk throughout the summer season, particularly the Sandringham Show which is where our members exhibit their honey and other bee related products, which are judged and awarded certificates by National Honey Judges.

If you have any questions about beekeeping then do get in contact and join this hugely interesting and enjoyable pastime.



Chair's Introduction

I always see the AGM as the beginning of the beekeeping season and it’s certainly the time I begin to think about first inspections, however, only in as much as I need to ensure I have all the equipment cleaned and ready to go. Chances are the weather won’t allow for me opening the hives for at least another three or four weeks, but I like to be prepared.

The committee, on the other hand, have already begun their work for the year, Beginners and Improvers courses are well underway and we are now planning for our first event and sales day at the apiary, see the article above.

Please keep up to date with events that are being organised and show your appreciation for the work the committee do by turning up and supporting those events, watch out for them in Bee Aware as they will always be published in advance, even those of you who are long term beekeepers can always learn something simply by turning up and mingling with others with a like mind.

For those of you just starting out there is a great deal to be learned and I guarantee your confidence in handling your bees will be enhanced by coming along, listening and following the advice of our senior beekeepers. Even more importantly, if you have the time, speak to Richard Lee about helping out at the apiary, sometimes you may only be required for more menial tasks but you will learn just by working alongside the team and when they do open up the bees, being alongside them you will be amazed how quickly your knowledge and skills improve.

My thanks to all our committee members for the work they do, and for those who volunteered to join us at the AGM, welcome, I look forward to seeing you at future meetings.

I do hope your bees made it safely through the Winter and I wish you in advance a successful beekeeping season and for those taking modules this year I wish you the best of luck.

Phil Cane
Hobbyist Beekeeper and WNKLBA Chair



Meet the Committee

Peter Davies
(President, Trustee)

Contact me

I started beekeeping in spring 2011 with 2 hives, during that first year 2 became 6 and then in late September I acquired 9 colonies from a retiring beekeeper and from that moment on there has been no turning back. I now run between 25 and 35 colonies and learn every time I go into a hive. I am really enjoying my beekeeping and just wish I had started 20 years earlier. As a trustee I would like to be able to pass on some of the great enjoyment I get from beekeeping to encourage others to give it a go.

Philip Cane
(Chair, Show Secretary)

Contact me

Having moved to Norfolk whilst serving in the RAF I completed my working life with the NHS and when retirement loomed, I decided on beekeeping as one of a range of hobbies/interests that would keep me active. Having joined WNKLBA some 8 years ago, I subsequently joined the committee as I enjoy the social side of beekeeping as much as looking after the bees. Two years ago, having helped out at many shows, I took on the role of show secretary and in February this year (2022) I was elected chair.

Janine Curtis
(Treasurer)

Contact me

I have been fascinated with honey bees since I was a child, watching my Uncle tending to his hives. I fondly remember the jarring process in the kitchen as I was in charge of the tap! When our first bees arrived in 2019 the first thing that took me back to those times was the fabulous smell in the hive. My working life is spent in farm offices, which I really enjoy, but equally I enjoy being outside in the garden at every opportunity. We are lucky to live in an area where we can keep bees and chickens in the garden which keeps us busy, along with a crazy spaniel. I was so pleased to find WNKLBA, the depth of knowledge and support from members of the Association is fantastic and there is always something going on to get involved with and learn from, I only wish I had started sooner!

Barry Walker-Moore
(Trustee, Swarm Co-ordinator)

Contact me

I got into beekeeping a little by accident about 21 years ago. I brought an empty hive back from my Father's (he had suffered a stroke) in Kent. A few months later I was the keeper of bees (a swarm had moved in) I went on a course at Otley college in Suffolk as I was living in Thetford. I joined West Suffolk B.A in 1997 and in 1998 became part of their Committee. At the moment I have between 15 & 20 hives around North Norfolk.

Stuart Grant
(Trustee, Spray Liaison)

Contact me

Stuart took up beekeeping in 2008, after retirement, to complement his gardening, particularly fruit growing. Stuart's background is in manufacturing, in paper-making, chemicals and then plastics. I have been a beekeeper for 12 years now, and was WNKLBA Chair for 4 years. I am happy to help anyone get started or to develop.

Kathy McIntyre
(Secretary)

Contact me

I started beekeeping in 2018 after retiring from a career in probate law to develop my orchard and preserves business near Downham Market. There are now 10 hives, all busily pollinating the orchard, and the fruit harvest has more than doubled since their arrival. I was honoured to be invited to join the WNKLBA committee and now serve as secretary. I enjoy the social side of the association and also the challenge of working my way through the BBKA Module exams.

Barry Thrower
(Vice-Chair, Swarm Co-ordinator)


My daughters Kelly and I both joined WNKLBA in 2007 and soon joined the committee as assistant Apiary manager. Eventually I became the Apiary Manger, during which time the association moved sites four times. I passed the general husbandry certificate in 2016 and became one of the of the WNKLBA Swarm manager and AHAT Coordinators. We run four family apiary sites which the grand children are now taken an interest in.

Jill Tinsey
(Education Lead)

Contact me


Sarah Brown
(Members Secretary)

Contact me

I joined WNKLBA, in 2013 and was invited to become the membership secretary in 2014. Having taken my BBKA basic exam, and a couple of modules my beekeeping skills are improving but I have still not read the same book as the bees! In between working for the NHS full time, and the joy of beekeeping I also enjoy gardening and visiting gardens.

Venetia Rist


I started beekeeping in 1964 as a small girl in Dorset before Varroa and oil seed rape. Bees went on the back burner as I went through University, managed a dairy farm in Surrey and taught at Merrist Wood Agricultural College. In 1988 we moved to Norfolk and after raising 3 children while teaching science I decided to embrace beekeeping in a much bigger way! I now run around 35 colonies and have thoroughly enjoyed working my way through the BBKA theory modules, all the practical assessments and last year realised my ambition of becoming a Master Beekeeper.

Adam Bartholomew
(Members Sales)

Contact me

During lockdown in 2020 with the help of YouTube I became interested in Beekeeping. Following on from this in 2021 I attended the WNKLBA Beginners course which captured my interest further. I also began helping out at the Apiary in this year and gained much needed hands on experience and a wealth of knowledge from seasoned beekeepers. Since then I have been a regular on the Apiary team and help out at the yearly shows. In 2022 the time was right for me to finally acquire my own bees and alongside my wife we have been learning ever since. Later in this year I undertook the Follow On course and was also persuaded to join the Committee in the role as Sales Manager. In 2023 I passed the Basic Certificate of Proficiency in Apiculture. Alongside the sales team and volunteers we continue to provide regular sales events each year for our members.

Richard Lee
(Apiary Manager)

Contact me

Following a 5-year career in engineering with the merchant navy, on the tiles as a roofer and renovating old properties I went into semi-retirement in 2019. In my spare time I enjoy gardening and barbecuing.
With a keen interest in bees I took the beginners course then the improvers and have helped out at the apiary ever since. I took over the role of apiary manager and along with our great apiary team we are all working hard to improve and maintain the apiary and assist the education team with the good work they do.

Sarah Palfreyman
(Social Media Manager)


I started beekeeping through a taster day with WNKLBA in 2016, which quickly led on to joining as a beginner in 2017. Getting our first nuc that year was the start of the journey and we are proud to have 2 hives in our garden and feel very lucky to live in a village that loves to buy our honey!

Sam Palfreyman
(Website Manager)

Contact me

I've always fancied keeping bees but didn't seem to have space until we moved to Norfolk. After a great WNKLBA taster day we were hooked and haven't looked back since. Having completed my basic assessment in 2019 I'll be helping out at taster days myself. As the token "techy" on the committee I'm now the WNKLBA website manager.

Patrick Duhig

Contact me

Born in East London docklands during the second world war, I started an apprenticeship in horticulture after school and later moved to the motor trade. I married Margaret and moved to Essex then Stoke Ferry where we bought a derelict house to rebuild while Margaret ran the village Spar. After years of building we decided to expand to three shops while travelling the world with Spar for 25 years. We retired in 2004 I took up beekeeping in 2010 to enhance our garden. We still have a love of plants and have been a life long RHS Member.

Jit Patel
(Apiary Team)


I have always been interested in wildlife and nature having studied environmental management, with a background in health, safety and wellbeing. My interest grew in beekeeping over the years. I completed the beginners’ course in 2017 and later Basic Assessment in Beekeeping. I am passionate about keeping bees, so have been supporting the WNKLBA Apiary Team since 2019.

Martin Tolliday
(Deputy Membership Secretary, Education Team)


I’ve always had a keen interest in nature, however career in motorsport and the travel that came with it hindered any available time to do anything other than work. In 2018 having decided to slow things down, I moved to Norfolk and In 2021 the time was right for me to take up Bee keeping, which has always been of interest to me. Currently we have 7 hives which we are really enjoying the highs and lows that Bee Keeping brings.

Suse Crook
( Vice treasurer)


I have had many roles in my life, including running own business, which I had done for 20 years until October 2023 when I swapped Landscaping and Renovating for the role of Bee Inspector for North and North West Norfolk. I had always wanted to keep bees but did not have the opportunity until a customer said I could put them on her land. Despite being given all the equipment including a pink bee suit for my birthday that year, I waited until I had taken the Beginners Course at WNKLBA before getting my first colony of bees. Vice Treasurer is a perfect role on the Committee for me as I have been involved in some form of accounting and bookkeeping for most of my life. I help with taster days and work with Adam on Sales, and new for 2025, the online store for members!
As your local Bee Inspector please get in touch if you find something in your hive you think is not right! Send me a photo/video and I’ll get back to you. The two most important pieces of advice I can give you is to make sure you registered on BeeBase and follow good apiary hygiene!

Ken Renshaw
(Education Team)


After retiring from work at the end of 2018 I took an 8 week beekeeping theory course at Easton College during 2019 and then joined WNKLBA in January 2020 and passed my Basic Certificate in July 2021 with distinction. Having assisted with the Improvers course in 2022, I joined the education committee in early 2023 and am now continuing to help with the 2023 beginners courses.

Louise Brown
(Exam Secretary, Librarian)

Contact me


Claire Keron
(Education Team)



Ben Hughes


I started beekeeping shortly before Varroa arrived in the UK and have variously kept apiaries in Buckinghamshire, Sutherland and South London. After years of filming commitments interrupting beekeeping, I now try to organise projects for winter, allowing more time to be spent with the bees in Norfolk during the season. At an IBRA conference in the early 1990s, a delegate firmly told an audience of Scottish beekeepers to “Stop trying to live without Varroa as you’re bound to get it”. Similar words of warning might be useful today as we prepare for the almost inevitable arrival of Asian Hornets and the Small Hive Beetle.

Sir Henry Bellingham
(Vice President)


A British Conservative politician and former barrister. He was first elected as the Member of Parliament for North West Norfolk in 1983. He lost his seat in 1997, but regained it in 2001 and retained it until standing down in 2019