About the MDBKA

Manchester District & Beekeepers Assocition are an organisation who promote the art of beekeeping.

Our headquarters are at the Dower House in Heaton Park where we have a public viewing area, extraction room and a bee garden (apiary) kindly donated and maintained by Manchester City Council.

We have a number of bee hives in the garden and also a safe observation hive in Dower House where you can watch the bees going about their business..

The association organises a programme of training, lectures and courses. We are conveniently based at Dower House within the grounds of Heaton Park, Prestwhich.

Visitors of all ages are welcome and we are open every Sunday, between 12:00pm and 16:00pm in the summer season and 13:00pm and 15:00pm during winter.

Executive Committee:-

President: Kevan Mealor                kevan.mealor@mdbka.com                                                                       
Secretary: Maggie Bohme              maggie.bohme@mdbka.com
Treasurer: Keith Hibbert                 keith.hibbert@mdbka.com
Membership: Pippa Dood              pippa.dodd@mdbka.com

                                                                           Kevan Mealor  

About Dower House

The Dower House was a plain brick building that was transformed with a decorative columned facade in 1803. The ha-ha in front of the house stopped the cattle from grazing on the formal lawns, making a barrier which can't be seen from the house. In 2004 it became the home of the Manchester & District Beekeepers Association and is furnished with an observation hive, equipment and displays, with an apiary in the garden behind the house

Within Dower House we have an extraction room and a public viewing area. Here we run training courses for beginners, provide lectures for the membership and provide bee clinics for the wealthfare of bees. In the main entrance are scale models of beehives, general information and information leaflets about bees.The viewing room is open to the public where they can see an Observation Hive (below), a display of micro- scopes, bee paraphernalia and bee literature.
You can also purchase the excellent Heaton Park Honey gathered from our own apiary as well as other bee reated products.

                  The Viewing Room                                     Observation Hive                                     Extraction Room

                                                       Main Entrance & Apiary                                                                  Inspecting the Hives