Beekeeper wins premier Royal Welsh award
The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s most prestigious prize, the Sir Bryner Jones Memorial Award, given in 2008 to the person who has made a significant contribution to beekeeping in Wales, has been won by C Wynne Jones of Pentre Celyn, Ruthin, Clwyd.
There are more than 2500 beekeepers in Wales and the society’s decision to give its premier award to the beekeeping sector of Welsh agriculture coincides with growing public interest in the fate of the honey bee which has never before been under so much threat from a range of new diseases arising to a large extent from the intrusion of the varroa mite into Britain in 1992.
Many colonies of bees which pollinate some 40 per cent of world food production, a little known fact but one which illustrates the global importance of the beekeeping industry, are being destroyed by disease.
There were 11 nominees for the award from across Wales and in making their selection of the winner the judges sought evidence of endeavour by beekeepers in three broad areas, the first of which is their ability and willingness to pass on their skills in beekeeping to others through practical training and education.
“As an aside on this point it soon became obvious that the majority of good beekeepers had been introduced to beekeeping as children and there is now a great need to take the subject back into schools,” said the judges in their report. “Training of new beekeepers of any age should be based on undertaking practical instruction and demonstration first and theory second, not the other way around as is largely the case at present,” they added.
Secondly, said the judges, they looked for an understanding among all successful beekeepers, whether hobbyist or commercial, that they were able and willing to plough at least some of their success, financial or otherwise, back into beekeeping generally within Wales.
These two areas could only be combined to produce a significant contribution to beekeeping if the individuals concerned were prepared to devote time and energy to at least part of the existing network of largely voluntary international, national and local beekeeping associations, shows, food fairs and similar events.
In making their final choice the judges said the winner was the nominee who most fully satisfied their criteria.
The winner will be presented with the trophy at this year’s four-day Royal Welsh Show at Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, from July 21 to 24.