The Royal Show - Visiting - Our people

Clive Joyce – Beekeeper

Clive Joyce’s passion for beekeeping began at The Royal Show 30 years ago, when he saw a beekeeping demonstration. Since then, Clive, who is 65 and from Kenilworth in Warwickshire, has become a dedicated beekeeper, and spends a great deal of his time encouraging others to do the same.

After his first memorable visit to The Royal Show, Clive bought some bees of his own and now keeps a colony at home and sells the honey to friends and neighbours. Clive also cares for the bees at the British Beekeeping Association’s Aipary at Stoneleigh Park, as he has done since his late 30’s.

Clive and his fellow beekeepers will be on hand at the in the smallholding area of The Royal Show for anybody wanting to find out more about beekeeping and what is involved. Visitors to The Royal Show will be able to observe two bee colonies, each containing an amazing 60,000 bees and a smaller observation hive (in which visitors will be able to see inside of a bees nest); learn from the experts about the lifecycle of a bee, and even try some local honey!  The extended smallholding area at this year’s Royal Show reflects an upward trend nationwide, in what is often referred to as the ‘good life’. From the city to the country, more and more people are getting involved with self-sufficiency in a very real and practical way.

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Notes for editor:
The Royal Show (7-10 July 2009) is organised by the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE). RASE is an independent charity with over 6,000 members including the general public and the farming community. RASE works towards a sustainable, vibrant future for British Agriculture and the rural community. For more information about RASE, please contact: 02476 696969 or visit the website www.rase.org.uk.

This year’s “Royal” will be tinged with sadness as the Royal Agricultural Society of England, the show organisers, announced that this will be the 160th and last Show.
 
So be there to share in a piece of British rural history. Enjoy cookery and craft demonstrations and countryside pursuits, an extended farmers’ market and food halls, show jumping and plenty of opportunities to shop! There will also be an action-packed programme in the Grand Ring. Across the show there will be numerous chances to try fresh British food and for the first time 50 French wine growers will be exhibiting at the Show – offering visitors over 200 wines to sample and buy!