Bee kit loans to members
Colwall Orchard Group is well kitted out with bee kit, in the expectation that we would maintain a community apiary of 4 colonies of bees.
However, our community apiary has not been a success! 2 of the founding apiarists have moved away and several have drifted off either to set up on their own or due to other pressures, so there are now only 2 of us left.
Our bee colonies have suffered a series of unfortunate mishaps, so at present we are down to a single colony – although we hope to get one or two swarms this summer.
On this basis we have kit sitting in the shed which is not being used, so I have been considering other options. I have a request from one (and possibly both) of our remaining apiarists to borrow some kit to enable them to keep bees in their garden.
Having considered this I think we could allow up to 2 hives being lent out on a trial basis subject to the following:
- Agreement from the AONB which funded the bulk of the apiary establishment costs
- Any beekeeper borrowing our kit should be committed to sharing the effort of maintaining the community apiary
- The beekeeper should procure their own beeswax foundation, or buy from COG stock at cost price
- The payment for the kit loan should be a tithe of the honey taken from the hive on loan (ie 1/10th of the crop taken)
- Any beekeeping equipment borrowed should be returned in a clean and sterile condition
- Any equipment broken or lost should be replaced
- The beekeeper should be a member of a recognised beekeeping group, with relevant insurance, and accept all liability for any incident arising from their use of the equipment off COG premises
Signed off by the Board: 19th May 2015
Bee kit loans to members Conf 15_05_19