I hope you are all happy with how your bees have come through the Winter. Given Winter was a little milder overall, Some of your hives may have higher than expected Varroa, as minimal brood breaks have provided an ongoing feast for those pesky invaders. Treating will be a priority, as will building up the overall strength of your Hives and making sure they don’t starve before the Season takes off. They will be hungry!
Just some points to remember for my Club Day visits:
No eftpos available, either cash (note limited change) on the day or I invoice when back in the office (or prior)
I travel in the area as part of my Club visit, so orders need to be made by mid-week prior to the meeting date.
I will have a general stock of gear (seasonally focussed) in the truck at the Meeting for those who wish to wing it on the day. Anything I don’t have on the day, we can organise accordingly
I will attend the main meetings (Spring/ Autumn) etc and will let you know what ones I cant get to. An option is to send a bulk order down to the Club beforehand to be collected on your meeting day. Orders will need to be into our office the Friday of the previous week for processing, delivery in time for your Meeting. Note – I will keep in touch and give you plenty of notice.
Options to use our Website or ring/email and pay for the courier are always available, any time.
Varroxsan; 60 dose pack only (15 brood boxes, cant reseal the pack)
Oxalic Acid; 300 gram pottle, 25kg bag (No Oxalic Strips)
Feed/Supplements;
Hive Alive liquid; 100 ml, 500 ml, 2 litre
Megabee Protein patties; with or without Hive Alive 5kg (10 patties) or 20 kg
Fondant; 1kg packs individually, 15 packs in a carton
Woodware
FD and 3⁄4 Storeys (Kitset, Assembled and Dipped, or Painted)
Kitset Frames
Hivemats, Excluders, Division Boards, Floors etc
FD or 3⁄4 Total Frames (assembled, frames with foundation already inserted, sold in lots of 10)
Plastics
Plastic Frames (with or without wax)
Floors
Honey Pottles; White Tub 500g, 1kg, 2kg, Clear with screw lid (various coloured lids) 250g, 500g, 1kg
Foundation
Full Depth or 3/4, Thin Super for Cut Comb Honey (seasonal), Lighter weight Medium Brood is usual for the Club, but have thicker sheets – Heavy Brood and thicker Manuka Special
Can be done as Conversion for larger quantities (swap wax weight & pay production costs only, saves about $12.00 per kg)
Also Roofs, Feeders, Queen rearing gear, Beekeeping Clothing, Smokers etc. All the Usual
Open 8am to 5pm weekdays (except Public Holidays and shut 2 weeks at Christmas) – always welcome to visit us in Orari )outskirts of Geraldine. Orders or questions to:
tanya@beeswax.co.nz or info@beeswax.co.nz (Caroline) Ring us on 03 693 9189 ext 1 (Caroline) or 2 (Tanya) My Cell: 021 0236 0623 Website beeswax.co.nz (New Zealand Beeswax) I look forward to seeing you again soon – Thank you. Tanya Gant / NZ Beeswax Ltd
Date: Saturday, 8 August 2026 Time: 1:00 pm – 2:20 pm Venue: Community Hall, The Catholic Parish of the Holy Trinity Address: Cnr Jeffreys and Idris Roads, 108 Jeffreys Road, Bryndwr, Christchurch
Welcome
Jo Winter (President) welcomed everyone to the Annual General Meeting.
Health and Safety
Health and Safety matters were noted.
Apologies
Apologies were received from:
Murray Baxendale
Valda
Richard McFarlane
Yvonne McDonald
Moved: Jo Winter Decision: Accepted – all in favour.
Members Present
There were approximately 30 members present.
Please note: The club is not certain that this is the true total, as some members may not have signed in as required.
Members recorded as present:
Linda Bray, Roger Bray, Ian Campbell, Lee Carmichael, Richard Dowie, Kevin Gates, Jeff Gibson, Tracy Grant-Ussher, Trish Hamilton, Trevor Ingham, Grant Jarvis, Kathryn Jer, Kerry Kearney, Andrea McGill, Lindsay Moir, Gordon Nairn, Debbie O’Donoghue, Allan Paterson, Michele Reid, Jeff Robinson, Jane Ross, Keith Ross, Larry Ross, Peter Saunders, Dave Siemonek, David Spice, Natalie Sweetapple, Vyvyan Treleaven, Michael Winter and Josephine Winter.
Non-members present: Brian Pilley and Al Wilson.
Approval of Previous AGM Minutes – 2025
The minutes of the 2025 Annual General Meeting were presented for approval.
Moved: Jo Winter Decision: Approved – all in favour.
Matters Arising from the 2025 AGM Minutes
There were no matters arising.
Reports from the Standing Committee
President’s Report – 2025/2026
Jo Winter presented her President’s Report for the 2025/2026 season.
Moved: Trevor Ingham Seconded: Dave Spice
Treasurer’s Report
Trevor Ingham presented the financial report, with handouts provided covering the following:
Christchurch Hobbyist Beekeepers Club Statement of Financial Performance for the year ended 30 June 2026.
Christchurch Hobbyist Beekeepers Club Statement of Financial Position as at 30 June 2026.
Review Report to the members of the Christchurch Hobbyist Beekeepers Club for the year ended 30 June 2026, prepared by K A Rowlands, Accountant.
The accounts have been reviewed.
The Club remains in a healthy financial position and ended the year with an excess.
The financial report was put forward for acceptance.
Moved/Accepted: Jo Winter Seconded: Kerry Kearney
Hivemasters Report
Andy McGill presented the Hivemasters Report for the 2025/2026 season.
Moved: Jo Winter Seconded: Lindsay Moir Decision: Approved – all in favour.
Landscaping Report
Trevor Ingham read the Landscaping Report.
Moved/Accepted: Jo Winter Seconded: Jeff Gibson Decision: Approved – all in favour.
Voting, Thanks and Other Business
Committee Members Wishing to Stand Down
Nil.
President
Nominated: Lee Carmichael Moved: Jo Winter Seconded: Trevor Ingham Decision: Approved – all in favour.
Vice-President
Nominated: Lindsay Moir, supported by Richard McFarlane Moved: Jo Winter Seconded: David Alexander Decision: Approved – all in favour.
Treasurer
Nominated: Trevor Ingham Moved: Jo Winter Seconded: Kat Jer Decision: Approved – all in favour.
Secretary
Nominated: Kat Jer Moved: Jo Winter Seconded: Trevor Ingham Decision: Approved – all in favour.
New Committee – 2026/2027 Season
The new committee for the 2026/2027 season is:
Position
Name
President
Lee Carmichael
Vice-President
Lindsay Moir
Treasurer
Trevor Ingham
Secretary
Kat Jer
Education Officer
Jeff Robinson
Disease Recognition
Lindsay Moir
Hive Master
Andy McGill
Groundsman
Dave Siemonek
Education Officer seconded by: David Alexander Disease Recognition seconded by: Lee Carmichael
Other roles, including Catering, Grounds, Communications, Health and Safety and Library, are supported by:
Allan Paterson – seconded by Lee Carmichael
Jeff Gibson – seconded by Kerry Kearney
Gordon Nairn – seconded by Grant Jarvis
Richard McFarlane – seconded by Lee Carmichael
General Business
Club Name Change
Trevor Ingham is working through the process of changing the Club’s name to Christchurch Beekeepers Club.
Thanks
Many thanks were given to:
The Gardening Group Team
The Library Subcommittee
All members who helped with setting up and attending the Club’s A&P Show stall.
Matters Raised by Dave Siemonek
Dave Siemonek raised two matters:
Guardians of the Land legal document Dan van Asch, the landowner, has asked the Club to prepare a Guardians of the Land legal document.
Honey for the van Asch family A request was made for the Club to arrange to provide honey to the van Asch family over the season.
These matters can be addressed by the new committee during the 2026/2027 season.
Meeting Closure
The meeting closed at 2:20 pm.
After the Meeting
Following the AGM:
Tracy Grant-Ussher demonstrated a Honey Herbal Infusion.
During the 2025-26 year, the activities of the Club have again centred on supporting our members in their beekeeping journey – by sharing critical hive management skills, identifying and managing hive pests and diseases, and extraction and storage of honey and other hive products such as beeswax. We have held regular Field Days at the Club site, 681 Cashmere Road en the first Saturday of every month except during the depths of winter in June and July. We have developed a structured schedule for beginners, queen rearing sessions. Field Days generally provide several activities for members to experience, including opening and inspecting hives, and opportunities for question and answer sessions. We believe that it is important to keep abreast of current research and developments in effective and hygienic beekeeping procedures, and have included visiting speakers in our programme, as well as provided the opportunity to learn from our own experienced members. A popular event has again been the sharing of new beekeeping gadgets, developed by members. Lindsay keeps us current with information about AFB and varroa incursions in our area. Our members regularly take part in American Foul Brood identification courses run by NZ Bee Health and Biosecurity, and learn how to deal with varroa mite and hive beetle, and the consequences of their presence in a hive. We maintain awareness of bee related research at Lincoln and Canterbury Universities, and are conscious of the potential threat to beekeeping from the Asian Hornet which has been found in the Auckland region.
Members of the Club such as Vyvyan, Kat and Jeff have promoted beekeeping in the wider community – for example by running basic beekeeping courses with educational providers in Christchurch, or by introductory sessions with other organisations.These activities encourage new people to become involved in beekeeping and potentially to join us. The Club has an active Facebook group. The website (https://chchbeekeepers.org.nz) has recently been updated, thanks to Rob Nairn. Both these facilities provide an online presence for the Club. Jeff Gibson has organised a stall at Riccarton Rotary Market which may happen this year and we
have again been present at the A&P Show, bringing beekeeping and the club to the attention of the general public. We also have good relations with other beekeepers throughout the country, for example with the Dunedin group.
The development and maintenance of the site continues, largely thanks to the efforts of Dave and Trevor and the Gardening Group. One significant improvement has been the installation of exterior walls and doors to the Club House which was carried out around Matariki in July. The site now looks very attractive, thanks to the range of species which have been planted to provide a variety of nectars and pollens for our bees.
Andy continues her good work as Hivemaster. The number of hives was reduced last year, and remains lower than the peak number a few years ago. However, we have managed to harvest honey from the Club’s hives during the last couple of years. This had not been the case for many years earlier.
The Club held a Gadget Day and Honey Show in April, which was well attended and enjoyed by all. Raffles continue to be a popular feature of Club Field Days. On Thursday 16 April, we held our Annual Club Dinner at Ara, thanks to David Spice for organising a wonderful evening.
We continue to maintain good relations with Beekeeping suppliers and the wider apiculture industry. Since the closure of Ecrotek’s retail store in Christchurch, we have become increasingly reliant on our South Island suppliers, Beeline in Dunedin, and New Zealand Beeswax in Geraldine. We greatly appreciate the presence of these companies at Field Days.
Membership numbers have shown a slight decline over the past year, from 133 paid up members in 2025 to 123 currently as outlined in the Treasurer’s Report. During the year the Club has successfully updated its Constitution and re-registered with the Incorporated Societies’ Register to comply with the 2022 Act. Since the Club’s name is being changed, we need to ensure that the official records and the names on our online spaces are updated.
It is with regret that I am stepping down from the Presidency of the Club. Over the past 4 years, I have come to appreciate the support of our members and especially of the Committee. Your breadth of knowledge and expertise, and the way that you are open to offer your support makes the Club a special, welcoming place.
I wish my successor (NAME) every success during their tenure as President, and I thank every one of you for your ongoing help and support over the years.
We had a fantastic day diving into the art of queen grafting at our recent all-day course.
Four keen beekeepers took part in this hands-on training with Jeff, learning the detailed and rewarding process of grafting their own queens. Throughout the day, participants gained practical experience and valuable insights into successful queen rearing techniques.
Having expert supervision on hand gave everyone the confidence to apply what they learned and take the next steps in their own beekeeping operations. Queen grafting is a skill that requires patience and precision, and it was great to see each participant build both competence and confidence as the day progressed.
Missed Out?
The next course will be held next season. If you are interested in attending, we encourage you to book early to secure your place.
AFB Recognition courses for Christchurch have now been finalised.
The club has been provided with a flyer outlining course details, including dates and relevant information. Members are encouraged to review the flyer and consider attending if they require AFB Recognition training.
Members are advised that the subscription to the club for the current year have been set at $45.00 and are now due.
If you have not already done so please make your payment to the club’s bank account at Westpac: ( Christchurch Hobbyist Beekeepers Club Inc – 03 0767 0323307 00) remembering to include your name and apiary registration number.
Spring has certainly started with a bang – already beekeepers are out and about checking hives, finishing off treatments and preparing for what we hope is a strong start to the Season.
At this time of year treatments, patties for improving/growing brood and foundation/frames/total frames for increasing hive numbers and honey supers, are the name of the game. So here is to being organised!! LOL
New Zealand Beeswax Ltd continues to offer Christchurch Beekeeping Club Members Varroa Treatments at special Club rates. Remember to rotate your treatments.
The following Treatments are available at special Club rates:
• Apivar – 2 x Strips per brood box – Various pack sizes. 4 Strip Packs at the special rate of $32.00 (normally $38.77). 12 Strip Packs at $75.00 (normally $83.66). 60’s packs at $360.00 per pack (normally $418.34) • Bayvarol – boxes of 20 strips, individually packed in lots of 4 strips / 4 x strips per Brood Box. Priced for Club Members at $65.00 (normally $72.22) each box of 20 strips (800 strip boxes also available to Club Members at the 12+ carton rate of $1955.00) • Formic Pro – 2 dose pack for 2 Hives. Organic treatment gets below capped cells. Best used in Spring/Summer. Requires 3 x consecutive 10+ degree days. Special Club price $30.00 (normally $37.38) • Small pottles of Oxalic Acid (300 grams) at $9.00
Additional Club Specials
Bees are awake and hungry – make sure you maintain their food source as changeable Spring weather can knock hives back. Many Hives risk starvation at this time of year.
Order direct to tanya@beeswax.co.nz or ring us on 03 693 9189 ext 1 (Caroline) or 2 (Tanya)
• Easy Checks; (The genuine Easy Check!!) @ $30.00 • Fondant – $9.00 per pack • Megabee Patties 5 kg Box (made at our Orari Premises) with/without Hive Alive additive. Can be frozen. 5kg Megabee Patties (Standard) @ $47.00 (normally $52.90). 5kg Megabee Patties with Hive Alive @ $52.00 (normally $59.80) • Hive Alive 100mls (proven bee gut health and stops sugar syrup from fermenting. $30.00
As always – NZ Beeswax can supply all your Beekeeping requirements. Foundation, Frames, Feeders, Storeys etc, as well as the best bee nutritional products and varroa mite treatments.
Order early and I can deliver to your next Meeting on October 5th to save additional courier costs
