DEVON as a CHARITY – the Association is a registered unincorporated Charity with the responsibilities of charitable status. The Governing Document is approved by the Charity Commission. All stationery and websites, including those of Branches, must carry a statement that the organisation is a registered Charity and include the Charity number 270675. The Charity Trustees are the DBKA Chairman, Vice-Chairman & Treasurer, and the Branch Delegates to the DBKA Executive Council. The DBKA President & General Secretary are the Holding Trustees. The Trustees have responsibilities for ensuring compliance with the law and to maintain the aims and objects of the Association.
DBKA is organised into 11 Branches: East Devon, Exeter, Holsworthy, Newton Abbot, North Devon, Okehampton, Plymouth, South Hams, Tavistock, Tiverton, Torbay.
Founded in 1875 DBKA has a long history which is described in interesting detail in Ron Brown’s book ‘1000 Years of Devon Beekeeping’; copies are held in all branch libraries. ‘Beekeeping Magazine’, our Association journal, also forms an interesting historical record.
Benefits of Membership: (How to join)
Education and Training. All branches hold local apiary meetings at which practical bee-keeping skills are demonstrated and discussed. Beginners are prepared for the Basic Assessment, which they are encouraged to take in their second year. Classes and discussion groups are held throughout the County depending on local needs and interests. Those beekeepers who are interested are guided in their preparations for the various BBKA Examination Board modules ranging from management & biology to history & microscopy.
Branch Libraries. Several branches have a good range of books on various aspects of beekeeping that may be borrowed either for general reading or for special study.
Beekeeping Magazine is issued 10 times a year, and is included in Registered, Junior & Associate members’ annual subscriptions. It provides information about the Association, matters of interest to beekeepers generally including seasonal management tips, up-dates on disease treatment, new official regulations, national, regional and branch activities, and book reviews. Local and national beekeeping equipment suppliers support us with regular advertising.
Disease Diagnosis. Adult bee disease diagnosis (acarine, amoeba and nosema) is available through the microscopists appointed by some of the Branches. The UK National Bee Unit provides information about American and European Foul Brood and Varroa. Our Regional Bee Inspector is helped in Devon by four Seasonal Bee Inspectors.
Queens and Nuclei. Some branches raise good quality queens and nuclei for sale to members. This is to encourage beekeepers to improve the docility, vigour and, hopefully, disease resistance of colonies. Branch Secretaries have details.
General Advice is available from the General Secretary who, if he does not know the answer himself, ‘knows a man that does’. Each Branch boasts one or more local ‘experts’ who are very pleased to help newcomers to the craft and help with colony management problems.
Bees and the Community (including schools). Each branch is encouraged to provide speakers for local interest groups, particularly those concerned with the environment, gardening and horticulture, and the retired. Branches have been supplied with information packs of particular interest to children that include books and videos.
Spray Liaison. Members are advised to keep themselves appraised of the cropping activities of their local farmers and liase directly with them about pesticide spraying. Branch Spray Liaison Officers, where appointed, are available to give advice and respond to enquiries from farmers and spraying contractors.
2025 Membership Subscriptions
| Registered Member | £31.00 | Partner Member | £18.00 |
| Junior Member | £12.50 | ||
| Local Member £6.00 | |||
Gift Aid – as a registered charity DBKA can arrange for members to Gift Aid their subscriptions and other donations to the DBKA. The whole of the sum claimed from HMRC is returned to the member’s Branch. Details are available from the DBKA Gift Aid Treasurer.
