Beekeeping Beginners Course 2026

Purpose of the course: to teach you the basics of beekeeping so you are ready to start beekeeping in the spring, either with your own hive, or by attending sessions at our teaching apiary.

It is the perfect introduction for anyone considering taking up beekeeping or even just interested in finding out more about honey bees. For those that get hooked, it is the introduction to a lifetime of learning about bees and beekeeping.

We will cover the following topics:

• Introductory session
• A quick guide to bee biology
• Keeping bees healthy
• Setting up your apiary … and your bee garden
• Beekeeping equipment
• Managing the bees
• The beekeeping year
• Products of the hive

This is an in-person training experience, which includes classroom theory and also the chance for hands-on beehive practical lessons at our teaching apiary. As well as the in-depth tutorials from an array of experienced beekeepers, participants receive a hard copy of the “BBKA Guide to Beekeeping”, worth £15.

The important details:

• Length: 8 weekly theory sessions (+ 1 or 2 practical sessions, dates tbd end April, early May)
• Dates: Thursdays, 19/2/2026 – 9/4/2026
• Location: Christ Church, Purley
• Time: 7.30pm till 9pm
• Cost: from £110 per person*

*Please note the discretionary pricing scale for this course, details provided in the 'Update' box below.

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The cost of the course:

At CBKA we want to give as much back to the local community as we can and are keen to ensure beekeeping is as accessible as possible, regardless of situation, circumstance or income. To help achieve this we have opted for a dynamic pricing scale to cover expenses, peer-subsidies and future investment for training, so we are politely asking individuals to pay as much as they can afford towards the true value of the course.

Similar 'introduction to beekeeping' (2-day / 16+ hour) courses from other providers can cost up to as much as £225, which reflects the time developing training materials, in-person tutelage, bee equipment loans, on-site food/drink and a take-home study book. Our course includes all of this, but at a basic minimum cost of £110 per person. The low entry price is to help make beekeeping education accessible to as many people within Croydon as possible.

The basic price of the course has remained static at £110 for a number of years, despite rising costs and inflation. We appreciate times are tough and everyone’s circumstance is different, so when purchasing your place on the course please consider the comparative market prices, the true value of the experience, and what you’re able to afford.

Anything you contribute above the basic course cost will be an ‘Optional Charity Donation’ and as such may be eligible for Gift Aid, increasing the donation by an extra 25%, which gets reinvested into the charitable work and support we undertake locally.

DISCLOSURE NOTE: There is no expectation, judgement or prejudice associated with your preferred total payment and it will not impact the course content you receive. In fact, neither the training team nor course coordinators will know the final amount you’ve paid.

Thanks in advance and please enjoy your training experience.

Croydon Beekeepers is a division of the Surrey Beekeepers Association, which was established nearly 150 years ago and has operated as a registered charity for more than three decades. As a charity organisation one of its primary objectives is to help raise awareness of honey bees within the local community and generous public donations are essential to help make that happen.

Your donation could help fund:

• Observation hives for show ’n’ tell sessions with schools and groups
• Attendance costs for operating awareness stalls at local events
• Running subsidised training courses for new beekeepers
• Beehive equipment and 'open days' at a Croydon teaching apiary
• Organising the annual educational Croydon Honey Show
• Producing local info guides, leaflets and posters around bees, beecrafts and honey

We have a long and respected history of beekeeping dating back to 1879 when Croydon was one of the three founding associations of the Surrey Beekeepers Association.