Derry students buzzing after graduating from beekeeping course

Almost 30 Students from North West Regional College (NWRC) have been presented with certificates after completing the Derry and District Beekeeping Association (DDBKA)  ‘Introduction to Beekeeping’ course at the college’s Springtown Campus.

This is the second cohort of students to complete the part-time course which teaches the basics of beekeeping, setting up an apiary, acquiring bees, hive management, swarm control, disease control, and honey production.

Students also learn modules that include the natural history of the honeybee, the beekeeping calendar, colony diseases, pests and poisoning, foraging, and harvesting honey from the colony.

Participants were buzzing on the final night of the Beekeeping course when Mayor of Derry and Strabane District Council Ruairí McHugh visited NWRC to present the certificates. During the event, the Mayor was also presented with some of the home-grown honey.

Mayor McHugh said: “It’s a brilliant achievement for each one of you to have completed this course. What you are doing by completing the Introduction to Beekeeping Couse is not only pursuing an interest but also helping with long term sustainability.” 

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John Cartin, Head of the Faculty of Engineering, Construction & Sustainability at NWRC said: “Beekeeping is one of the most popular part time courses at NWRC with places almost filled up the day applications opened.

“As a forward thinking and ethical college, we are delighted to deliver a course in partnership with the Derry and District Beekeeping Association that supports biodiversity, sustainability and the future of our planet. The feedback from this course has been excellent and we look forward to welcoming our next cohort of beekeepers in the new academic year.”

Students from NWRC were presented with certificates after completing the Derry and District Beekeeping Association ‘Introduction to Beekeeping’ course at the college’s Springtown Campus.

Tony Doherty, Chair of Derry and District Beekeeping Association added: “Well done to all this year’s participants proving that when we care for bees we invest in the future of our planet. To everyone who completed we hope we’ve sparked a lasting interest in beekeeping. We’re incredibly grateful for our DDBKA members who helped deliver the course, sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm each week.

“Special thanks to John Martin and the team at NWRC – the top notch location and facilities made it possible to offer such a successful and enjoyable experience.”

Applications for the next Beekeeping course will open soon. Details will be release on NWRC’s social media in May.