Kendal and South Westmorland Beekeepers’ Association was founded in 1945. Twenty-one local beekeepers assembled at the inaugural meeting, which was held at Stramongate Boys’ School in Kendal. The subscription for that year was 3/6d (17 ½ p). A report of the meeting was then published in the Westmorland Gazette.

Of course times have moved on and the popularity of beekeeping has fluctuated over the years. The review of agriculture in 1832 recorded that the number of bee colonies in rural Westmorland exceeded the number of human beings. Nationally beekeeping is enjoying a resurgence in popularity and pleasingly, the steady decline in membership of our association has stabilised over the last few years.

The association has 40 members all of whom are also members of the British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA). We meet once a month. Winter meetings (October to April) are held at Captain French Lane Surgery in Kendal (map) , usually on a Wednesday evening and we begin the winter season with our annual honey show. For summer meetings (May to September) we gather at members’ apiaries and in July, at the Lakeland Rose Show.