Funding boost for Wharfedale Beekeepers Association (From Craven Herald)

Funding boost for Wharfedale Beekeepers Association

9:00am Saturday 1st September 2012 in News

Wharfedale Beekeepers Association is celebrating a double funding boost.

The association – a small local charity dedicated to education and furtherance of beekeeping in Wharfedale – has been awarded £8,350 by the People’s Postcode Trust and a further £11,000 from the Leader fund, administered by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust.

It will use the funds to further develop its apiary site at Tarn Moor, just north of Skipton , with the aim of supporting the association’s 10-year bee breeding and improvement programme.

Throughout the summer, “clients” of the probation service have been trained in land based rural skills and have completed work experience, carrying out dry stone walling, planting hedge saplings and native Yorkshire species of fruit trees in the orchard, improving the flower meadow and constructing a small bee friendly garden.

All the students, at their own request, have also completed an accredited course in beekeeping.

Simon Croker, association chairman and project manager, said: “I am delighted with and grateful for the financial support the People’s Postcode Trust and the Leader Fund has given us this summer which has enabled our project to develop further.

“This has built on the success of initial installation work of 2011 which helped our aims and objectives but also allowed us to help a disadvantaged group not connected to beekeeping.”

For further information, visit the website Wharfedalebka.org.uk.