ABKA Mentoring Programme
Learn Together. Grow Together.
One of the greatest strengths of the Ashford & District Beekeepers Association is the willingness of our members to share their knowledge and experience.
Our Mentoring Programme is designed to help newer beekeepers build confidence, develop good beekeeping practices and enjoy the journey of learning with the support of a more experienced member.
Whether you've just completed a beginners' course or you're entering your first full beekeeping season, having someone to guide you can make all the difference.
What is a Mentor?
An ABKA mentor is an experienced beekeeper who has volunteered to share their knowledge and provide guidance to another member.
Mentors can:
- Answer general beekeeping questions.
- Offer advice on seasonal hive management.
- Explain why certain management decisions are made.
- Help interpret what you are seeing during inspections.
- Recommend useful resources and further learning.
- Encourage good husbandry and responsible beekeeping.
The mentoring relationship is intended to support learning and help members become confident, independent beekeepers.
What Mentoring Is Not
To ensure the programme works well for everyone, it is important to understand its limits.
A mentor is not:
- An emergency call-out service.
- Responsible for managing or inspecting your colonies.
- Available on demand.
- Expected to visit your apiary whenever problems arise.
- Responsible for making beekeeping decisions on your behalf.
If your colony develops a serious disease, swarms unexpectedly, or experiences another urgent issue, responsibility for managing your bees remains with you.
Your Responsibilities
Members participating in the mentoring programme are expected to:
- Take responsibility for the management of their own colonies.
- Read, learn and continue developing their own knowledge.
- Respect their mentor's time and availability.
- Arrange meetings or phone calls by mutual agreement.
- Be open to advice while recognising there may be different ways to manage bees.
- Treat their mentor with courtesy and respect.
Our Mentors
Our mentors volunteer their own time to support fellow members because they enjoy helping others succeed.
Please remember that they have their own bees, family commitments and work responsibilities. A little patience and appreciation goes a long way.
Request a Mentor
If you would like to be paired with an ABKA mentor, please complete the short application form below.
We will do our best to match you with an experienced member based on your location, experience and availability.
Please note that mentor availability depends entirely on volunteers, so we may occasionally operate a waiting list.
Thank you to all of our volunteer mentors who help make ABKA such a welcoming and supportive Association.