Bill Cadmore was born and raised in a tiny village on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. He moved to London for university studies and then on to post-graduate work at the University of Leeds. As a teacher of Biology and Physics he went onto become a senior leader in a large comprehensive school in Leeds. Working with other schools, colleges and workplaces he helped develop a vocational training scheme to complement the work he was doing with the academic students.
While walking home one day he made the mistake of spotting a swarm in a tree. On telling the local beekeeper about the swarm he was invited to put on a veil and help hive the swarm – still in his business suit. This led to hobby beekeeping in his garden and then the purchase of a field for an out apiary. This soon became multiple apiaries in and around the city. Taking early retirement to become a bee farmer he soon found himself employed as the apiarist for a bee research programme at the University of Leeds.
Bill is presently chairman of Bradford BKA and is a past chairman of Yorkshire BKA and Leeds BKA. For two years he worked as an education officer for BBKA/NBU organising conferences around the country to encourage associations to improve the quality and quantity of training they provided. He has written on establishing training apiaries and has produced a teaching pack that has been given to every school and youth organisation in Bradford – called ‘Bradford’s Beautiful Bees’.
Like all married male beekeepers Bill is totally reliant on the patience of his wife, Lyn.