Presidents Report 2022.
So here cometh the time!
My three year term is now up as president of our club! A period playing Russian roulette: deciding if the field day should go ahead, has been really tricky with not just the weather but Covid too- a time filled by excitement and frustration in pretty equal measure!
I was voted in as vice president by the committee in absentia, and a year later was voted club president. Which was of course three years ago and one year before that I was a Newbee!
Man, I sure have learnt a lot about nature’s little workers! Six hives in my apiary….who would have ever thought.
My mission was to bring our then very basic club grounds situation into the 20 th century, which would then enable a better teaching facility and possible cash flow. I was appalled to find that we still operated a long drop toilet complete with spiders and smell.
Also lacking was good weather cover for the members on field days and the lack of flowering plants: bee food! So a contingent of a few members got stuck in and started covering and building amenities preparing and planting flowers.
This was volunteering at its finest! These people begged, burrowed and ‘acquired’ building materials that produced the male and female toilets, the covering of the auditorium, the new large cover over the food area, the new tank and water systems, the installation of the sound system run buy solar power, the obtaining of the container which will soon become an excellent teaching facility, especially during wet spells which are increasing it seems.
By my calculations the club has basically had 40K donated by way of labour, materials and some donations by a few hardworking members without our banked funds being touched.
A new sound system was put in place running on solar power, it has performed flawlessly over the last three years! We also purchased a new ride on mower and what a difference!
Then we had the earthworks and a raised black top placed in front of the container valued at several thousand dollars donated by a member, and the new metalled entry to the grounds also donated by that member.
The container now has a new roof and side cladding, again donated, that just leaves the interior to be lined out and bi- fold doors in place of the two sliders: which greatly constrict any audience participation.
We have an OLED TV donated and the club has purchased the extra solar panels and an AC-DC convertor (similar to the sound system) so we can remain off the grid. These will be in place in a matter of weeks.
To finish the container with new bifolds doors, plastic clear curtains on the container forecourt (to give extra space in inclement weather), will allow the club to hold money generating beekeeping courses, and other public meetings such as school classes and of course club day meetings inside as needed.. $8,000.00 would finish this project!
That the club may now spend up to ceiling of $8,000.00
To complete the container teaching facility. This would include:
Bi Fold doors, clear plastic curtaining, lining of the inside of the container and general finishing. Any further monies needed can only proceed from donations or gifts.
You can read in the treasurer’s report how little we have spent of the club money, however the main problem when I joined the club was virtually no money except for the contingency sum the treasurer rightly guarded! We have never used that to this day!
Thanks to donations of labour and materials by members, the Lions Club, Bunnings (new BBQ) and a small grant from CCC. We have produced a pretty good club facility with a wee bit of more work to go!
On that note I believe that the $40.00 sub needs to go up $5.00. The trouble with not keeping abreast of inflation has been the clubs Achilles heel: don’t slip back is my advice! Do keep in mind the club is not insured as I write, for instance!
That the annual subscription be increased by $5.00. (i.e. $45.00 per year) For members.
First year members (newbees) will pay $55.00 for the first year dropping back to the normal member rate thereafter. Prospective members will be allowed two field days free to assess their suitability and club acceptance.
I think it is reasonable for two members to get a stipend to look after the gardening and grounds generally. Our two almost permeant club member gardeners have done a huge amount of back breaking work getting the gardens up and running and being at the club several days a week, who are thankful to be augmented by some members on working bee days and the odd day someone has spare.
It is wonderful see the clubs progression, new first aid facility, the introduction of Work Safe requirements, and now, just completed a comprehensive Newbees introduction booklet: the printing yet again a member donation. This will be given to all new members and a one off $5.00 charge will be added to the first years newbee sub.
I wish to publically thank the following members for the huge, and often at their cost, the input they have given:
| Kerry Kearney | Treasurer (17 years) |
| David and Irene Siemonek | Gardening |
| Murray Baxendale | Building & Materials |
| Larry Ross | Blacktop & Earthworks |
| Jeff Gibson | Grounds mowing |
| David Spice | Meeting Place & Food |
| Evan A Court | Building (toilets) & materials |
| Gordon Nairn | Site input donations |
| Peter Heeringa | Donated printing of the booklet |
| Rob Nairn | (robnairn@gmail.com) Maintaining Web Site |
| Richard Dowie | (rsdowie@gmail.com) Bulk emails to Members |
| Kevin Gates & Margie Broughton | Produced the Booklet |
To our hardworking committee for guidance, patience and expertise. The other success as I see it is, we have re-joined API and we had members volunteering at the big API Convention in our new Christchurch convention centre. These members sported our club name and a link has now been forged with the professional bee keepers, a step forward!
For me I see a great future for the club speaking to the public. For instance Gordon Nairn and myself spoken too several garden clubs on beekeeping this last two years and we intend to continue in this vein promoting not just bees but the values of the club.
Other members have been holding bee courses or talks to schools and other clubs. More such courses will be held once the container is up and running and this will contribute, albeit a small amount, to the running costs of the club.
I do wish to thank Kerry Kearney for a fantastic 17 years of free service as treasurer. Kerry has managed to keep a reasonable float and has fought to maintain the contingency balance through thick and thin. We now do need a new treasurer with Kerry’s retirement upon us. Would you please put up your hand at the AGM?
The name of the Christchurch Hobbyist Bee Club Inc., is changed To:
The Christchurch Bee Club Inc.
Reason: The name does not do justice to the general bee keeping community. It is noticed most clubs have dropped the word “Hobbyist.”
Today the hives and bees are professionally managed, members pay a considerable amount of money annually to API and to equipment maintenance. They are bound by a new raft of management fees and legal requirements with punishments from API.
The club is teaching both private people and persons who go on to become a Beekeeping Business operator.
Further, we are closing the gap between professional beekeepers and backyard keepers.
Legal requirements are now the same for a one hive operator or a 1000 hive operator.
I thank all members for the support and kind wishes you have given me over the last three years. It has been difficult at times and rewarding at times but I do believe the Christchurch Bee Club Inc is now in fine fettle to go forward into the future with good reserves and a fine management committee. But we do need your support to finish the job!
Yours sincerely
Paul O’Donnell L3907
President.
Christchurch Bee Club Inc.