'Bees' Golden Anniversary

12.15.56pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 21st May 2003

Twickenham beekeepers celebrated their 50 year stay at the apiary on Whitton Road with an open day on Saturday opened by MP Vincent Cable.

Organised beekeeping in Twickenham has a history going back 150 years or more but a society has existed since the end of World War 1 (history by Colin White tel 8977 5198 ) and there have been apiaries along London Road (then farmland) and in Hampton, on Hanworth Road. The present site was purchased for the society for £800 in 1953.

Vincent Cable in opening the event said: "few people recognise the vast good and national wealth created for society by bees through their pollination activities. Yet minimal amounts are spent on bee research, training and disease prevention. "

"I have raised questions in parliament about the lack of attention paid to the value of bees and hope the issue will be given more priority. In the meantime, the Twickenham apiary is a "

"treasure house of knowledge and experience and I hope more residents, especially children, will visit it and learn about bees".