Welcome to Swindon and District Beekeepers Association
Learn to keep bees, with friends beside you.
We’re a friendly, volunteer-run club of beekeepers, from total beginners to people who’ve kept bees for decades. Try a hands-on Taster Day at our garden apiary, learn the craft properly, and get a mentor for your first season.
Taster Days run from late spring to summer. A gentle first step, no commitment.
Three ways in, whatever your experience.
I’m curious about bees
Spend a day at the apiary, open a real hive with an expert and find out whether beekeeping is for you. No commitment.
Taster Days 02I want my own hive
Our two-day Starting Beekeeping course covers the bee lifecycle, inspections, swarm control, disease and choosing a site.
Starting Beekeeping 03I already keep bees
Join a club with insurance, mentoring, equipment to borrow, a library, BBKA exam support and good company.
MembershipFrom first look to first colony.
Most new beekeepers take about a year to get going. We’ll be with you for every step.
Taster Day
Handle bees safely and learn how a colony works.
Starting Beekeeping
Two practical days of theory and hive inspections.
Join & get a mentor
Monthly Bee & Brew sessions build your confidence at the hive.
Your first colony
Register on BeeBase, set up your apiary, and lean on the club.
A peaceful garden in the middle of Swindon.
For over 20 years we’ve cared for bees at TWIGS Community Gardens at Cheney Manor, a therapeutic garden run by The Recovery Tree charity. It’s where most of our courses and skills sessions happen, and where the public can watch the bees safely through the shed window on TWIGS open days.
- Hands-on hive inspections, weather permitting
- Courses for complete beginners through to BBKA modules
- Pure local honey, produced by the club’s bees in the gardens
Come along. Visitors are welcome.
Dates follow our regular schedule. The venue occasionally changes, so please check the latest newsletter before you travel.
Beekeeping is easier, and much more fun, together.
Bees don’t read the textbook. Having people nearby who’ve seen it all before makes the difference between a nervous first season and a confident one.
- £10m public and product liability insurance, plus Bee Disease Insurance
- Mentoring, branch equipment to borrow and a library of books
- Wiltshire and BBKA membership, newsletters and exam support
Don’t panic, and please don’t spray them.
A swarm of honey bees is usually calm and will often move on within a few hours. Our volunteers will collect honey bee swarms across Swindon and the surrounding villages and give them a new home.
Thinking about bees?
If your question isn’t here, email admin@sdbka.co.uk or come to a meeting. We love talking bees.
Do I need any experience to join?
None at all. Many members started with a Taster Day. Our courses assume no previous knowledge, and the Bee & Brew mentoring scheme helps you build confidence at the hive.
Can I join if I don’t have bees yet?
Yes. Associate membership is £10 if you’re not planning to keep bees this year. It gets you the newsletter and entry to meetings, so you can learn before you commit.
Will I get stung?
Possibly, now and then. You’ll wear protective clothing at the hive, and an experienced beekeeper will show you how to handle bees calmly. Ask us what to wear or bring when you book. If you have a known allergy to stings, please tell us before you book.
Where can I keep a hive?
Gardens, allotments and farmland can all work. The Starting Beekeeping course covers choosing a site, and members are often happy to share advice on local spots.
When do courses run?
The beekeeping season runs roughly April to September, so Taster Days and Starting Beekeeping run in late spring and summer. New dates are published here and in Hive News each year.