The BBKA was founded in 1874 and originally brought together some 26 county beekeeping associations, not to replicate their work, but to be in a stronger position to represent their interests at government level and to facilitate a nationwide educational structure supported by a common examination process.
Currently we run as an umbrella to our 73 Associations. Each Association has one elected member who votes on all things beekeeping in the UK, at our Annual Delegate Meeting (ADM), at the beginning of every year. Appointed at the ADM are the President and 12 Trustees, who collectively comprise the Executive Committee (EC) that is the governing body of the BBKA. Delegates may adopt propositions at the Annual Delegate Meeting that provide policy direction to the EC.
In 2019 the BBKA became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with the charitable object:
'To advance the education of the public and beekeepers in the craft of beekeeping and promote the importance of bees in the environment'.Trustees