Prestigious medal for Oban beekeeper
THE president of Oban and District Beekeeping Association has received a prestigious accolade for his work in the community.
Phil Moss was presented with the Scottish Beekeepers’ Local Association Medal at its recent annual general meeting.
Phil kept bees for many years in Hampshire before he retired to Oban more than 20 years ago.
When he moved to the town he started keeping the local Scottish Black Bee – a more hardy subspecies that has adapted to the wetter conditions.
He has helped many beekeepers in the area and is often called out to collect swarms and to remove bees from buildings and re-house them in hives.
A statement from the Oban and district club read: ‘[ Phil] has been our president for a number of years. He is a mentor to many of us, running a number of courses on everything from queen rearing to swarm control.
‘He has given his time tirelessly to groups and individuals over the years, giving lectures to our group and other groups all over the UK. He also runs teaching sessions at our monthly meetings, to promote the love and care of bees nationwide.
‘He has increased the membership of our club during his time on the committee. He often represents our club at Scottish Beekeepers’ Association meetings.’
Anyone interested in finding out more or taking up beekeeping should attend a club meeting on Thursday April 13 at 7pm in the Church of Scotland Centre, Glencruitten Road, Oban.