Hundreds of people turned out to celebrate Wiltshire’s annual Bee & Honey Day on Saturday.

Held at the Devizes Corn Exchange, more than 500 people attended the event, with around 300 entries to the county Honey Show.

Organisers say more than £1,000-worth of honey was sold, and 200 yellow bee balloons were given away.

Visitors enjoyed lectures on beekeeping as well as sampling the delicious Honey Days Beer, which was brewed especially for the event by Wadworth Brewery with honey from Chippenham.

Headline supporters of the event, Eden Renewables, together with Earth, Energy, Education, brought a model solar farm and solar-powered toys to the show, which visiting children loved experimenting with.

They also showed children how to make insects and flowers from paper to take home.

In addition, hundreds of children enjoyed learning how to roll a beeswax candle while their parents browsed the stalls selling bee-related gifts.

One of the key features of the event this year was the Hive Experience – a place where visitors could better understand beekeeping and what is involved. 

Richard Rickitt, co-editor of BeeCraft and a beekeeper from Corsham, spoke about beekeeping as hobby, outlining what is involved and how to get started. 

Entries to the honey show came from beekeepers from Swindon to Trowbridge in classes ranging from honey to honeycomb, and from candles and beeswax flowers to mead.

The British Beekeepers Association National Honey Judge Hazel Blackburn and Trainee Judge Bridget Knutson had their hands full trying to choose between competitors.

Winners:

  • Stephen Double, Devizes - Novice Cup for the best jar of honey by someone new to beekeeping
  • Katie Bollen aged 12 won the Junior class with her jar of honey 
  • Francesca Kimpton, Chippenham - The King Shield for the best jar of honey in the show
  • Francesa Kimpton also won the Blue Ribbon for Best in Show, awarded by the BBKA judge
  • Chris Rawlings, Trowbridge - the Norman Lovegrove Memorial Trophy for the best bottle of mead
  • Chris Rawlings also won the Methuen Cup, awarded to the individual with the most points in all classes
  • Sue Rawlings, Trowbridge - The Geraldine Lenert Trophy for the best wax exhibit. A new trophy, this was carved especially for the show by sculptor Penny Cashman, from Minty, in memory of Geraldine Lenert, who died last year.
  • Rob Bottoms, Pewsey - The David Wicks Cup for the best frame of honey for extraction
  • The much-coveted Applegate Trophy for the Wiltshire branch with the most points in the show was awarded to West Wiltshire Beekeepers Association. 
  • Tony Awdry, Devizes, won the Teal Cup for outstanding service to the Wiltshire beekeeping community