Cornwall and West Cornwall Beekeepers' Convention 2026 - 'A Bit of a Do'

Come join us at Truro School in the Burrell Theatre on October 17, 2026 starting at 9:25am for a day filled with all things bees! Doors open at 08:30 for registration, trade stands and refreshments.

** BOOK YOUR TICKET AND ON THE SAME PAGE, SCROLL DOWN TO CHOOSE YOUR 2 FREE WORKSHOPS!

Whether you're a seasoned beekeeper or just starting out, this event is perfect for anyone interested in these fascinating creatures. From just £16 you can learn from experienced beekeepers, discover the latest research and trends in beekeeping and connect with fellow enthusiasts. We welcome beekeepers from across the South West and further afield!

Don't miss out on this opportunity to expand your knowledge and passion for bees. Join us for a day of learning, new ideas and beekeeping camaraderie!

We look forward to seeing you!

We are delighted to welcome our National Bee Unit, Regional Bee Inspector, Annabel Lewis as our first speaker, and she will update on South West bee issues and threats, whilst Rhona Toft of the Foragers Bee & Honey Company will share her experience of building treatment free, varroa resistant colonies and how they are managed. Our final speaker will be Lynne Ingram, a Master Beekeeper and holder of the prestigious National Diploma in Beekeeping (NDB). She is the chair of the Honey Authentication Network UK and will tell us about fraud inside the world of honey.

You will find a choice practical workshops focussing on using our delicious honey. With Richard Toft of the Foragers Bee & Honey Company (Workshop 4) on the mysteries of making mead (and may be trying a drop too!) and Rachel de Thamble from River Cottage (Workshop 1) will be showing us how to use honey and wax to make delicious things like blackberry honey soda, bees wax fermented fruits and honey fermented quince marmade.

Master Beekeeper, Sean Stephenson (Workshop 2) will be explaining how queen rearing can be simply done in the home or association apiary and telling us why we should be breeding our own queens. Rhona Toft (Workshop 3)will inspire you to choose plants to keep our bees busy throughout the season.

There is no extra charge for the workshops but please choose, in the ticketing section(scroll down the SAME page after choosing entry ticket) either Workshop 1 or 2 for the morning session and either Workshop 3 or 4 for the afternoon session, so that we have an idea of numbers to allocate rooms.

There will be a raffle with lots of lovely prizes and you can browse the trade stands which will include, your local National Bee Unit officers, a Yellow-Legged Asian Hornet awareness stand and our long standing supporters, BBWear and Northern Bee Books. More to follow!

• ** Free entry for Junior beekeepers under 18 if accompanied by an adult at all times. Thornes have kindly donated a gift for each junior too! To order a pasty for a junior, please email us: [email protected]
• ** A welcome pack and discount from Thornes for all beginners who have or are completing an local Beekeeping Association or recognised training course. To claim your pack email us: [email protected]

• REMEMBER TO CHOOSE YOUR ENTRY TICKET THEN SCROLL DOWN ON THE SAME PAGE TO CHOOSE YOUR WORKSHOPS

Info: In this session you'll learn how to use honey, the magical ingredient, to make incredible ferments and you'll discover the role of honey in the history of fermentation. Try her take on the first known marmalade or modern takes on jams or chutneys. see how she uses wax ro ferment fruit and you'll also gain an insight into honey's gut healthy attributes

Info: Beekeepers are to be encouraged to raise their own queens and avoid the importation of queens. This workshop focuses on the production of home-reared queens and without disruption to the operation of a small-scale beekeeper. There are practical nuggets within this talk that every beekeeper can take away and develop. The workshop should be of interest to both the relatively new beekeeper as well as the more experienced.

Info: Rhona will talk about plants for different locations and how to manage them for pollinators. There will be plenty of time for discussion and questions.

Info: Honey is the second most adulterated food in the world. This talk lifts the lid on the how, why and wherefore of honey fraud and adulteration, and the shocking impact it is having on the livelihoods of beekeepers around the world. We look at why this fraud continues, and what can be done about it. We also take a look at what is happening in the UK.

Event venue & nearby stays

Burrell Theatre, Trennick Lane, Truro, United Kingdom

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.

Get the app →

Discover more events by tag