Beds Bulletin County edition December 2022

£14m FUNDING FOR SCHOOL SHAKE-UP

Hatters’ hero is prostate cancer crowd puller

A LOCAL prostate cancer support group have announced that the Luton Town football club’s Mick Harford has become a patron of the group.

In September the group held a mass PSA testing session at the football club’s ground in Luton

The ring fenced housing i n f r a s t r u c t u r e f u n d ( H I F ) allocation remains available, d e s p i t e s o m e s i g n i f i c a n t changes to Central Bedford shire Council’s proposals

This money “can be retained and used across the education estate to create sufficient school places,” according to a report to the local authority’s children’s ser vices overview and scrutiny com mittee

A consultation process is under way over the fresh plans for main tained schools in the Biggleswade cluster, under CBC’s Schools for the Future programme

Academy schools in the area are to follow a parallel process via the regional department for educa tion, said the report

The council’s executive recent ly backed plans for three tier schools in the Biggleswade area to switch to two tier from September 2024 to help raise education stan dards, while agreeing the statutory consultation process

CBC’s Schools for the Future programme director Sue Archer explained: “The proposals are sub ject to further work, but we’re con fident they can be delivered

“A number of key things to have emerged are the review of

A REVISED shake-up of future education provision in the Biggleswade area will continue to benefit from £14m of government funding, a meeting heard. Continued on page 2

Bedfordshire Prostate Cancer Support Group raises money to hold mass PSA testing A PSA test can detect prostate cancer at an early stage, over 500 tests were carried out that day

During the testing session in Luton, Harford met with members of the group’s committee and as they say the rest is history Mick has become a patron of the group

Mick was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December 2019, which following radio therapy and regular medication is now under control

He would be the first to admit that the thought of prostate cancer hadn’t crossed his mind, after all he was only 60!

But testing revealed his cancer was unfortunately at an advanced stage

CROWD FAVOURITE

Mick has been involved with the Hatters on and off for many years and is a huge favourite of the Town’s supporters He has been called upon several times to cover the team management role, filling in when other managers have departed the club

Mick was part of the Luton team that beat Arsenal in the 1988 Littlewood’s Cup Final

Every 45 minutes one man dies from prostate cancer that's more than 12,000 men every year one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime Around 475,000 men are living with prostate cancer

The Prostate Cancer Support Group holds its meetings in Bedford where they discuss their experiences and have presentations from local doctors and specialists One the best features of the group is the shared experiences that newly diagnosed victims can bene fit from

For more information contact: Steve Pearce: steve@sp vp co uk, 01234 960414 or 07717 531715

b y Euan Duncan L ocal Democracy Reporter

See

Wishing all of our friends who have supported us over the past year a very Happy Christmas and we send you a huge thank you!

Mick Harford with Steve Pearce (Secretary) and Brian Webb (Chairman)

School shake-up funding

population data in Biggleswade, particularly the number of sec ondary school places, so a signifi cant change in this model from the last

“Edward Peake Middle School was to be relocated to land east of the town and become a large sec ondary school We decided that would create far too many surplus places locally and destabilise the position, possibly risking the finan cial viability of the school

“Lawnside Academy, which was to relocate to the Edward Peake site, remains at its current location and is developed from a lower school into a primary there

“The other key change is at Dunton and Wrestlingworth where there was concern about the viabil

ity of small schools We suggest the best model is a split site prima ry school, with Wrestlingworth for the younger children and Dunton for the older pupils ”

Asked why the original forecast varies so much from the updated figures, she replied: “Predicting the number of children being born is always quite a challenge It’s notoriously difficult

SLOWER

“The housebuilding programme in the area has been slower than anticipated We don’t want to press on with a large investment in the wrong place for the wrong number of children

“Even with planning consent, it doesn’t necessarily mean an immediate start to the building work It’s an accurate estimate

of what we can foresee ”

Conservative Biggleswade South councillor Mark Foster, who chairs the committee, said: “Dunton and Wrestlingworth is a compromise which works well for the residents There’ll be sufficient capacity created across all the schools ”

Ms Archer added: “We’ve a multitude of factors taken into account, such as sufficient outdoor play space for children Many of these schools were built years ago

“We assess what they’ve got, we look at what they need and then we see what’s possible It’s also doing that investigation now to future proof our work ”

There will also be a reduction o f s c h o o l p l a c e s a t C a l d e c o t e Academy and no new sixth form provision, said a CBC statement

Have your say on car parking standards for new developments

RESIDENTS are being asked to comment on parking standards, including the number of parking spaces, for new residential and com mercial developments

As part of Central Bedfordshire Council’s sustainability drive, it is investing in infrastruc ture and measures that provide alternatives to car use but also recognises that the car remains the preferred choice of travel for many people As such, the Council has launched a consultation on a new supplementary planning document that will set out the required parking standards for new developments.

The document covers cycle parking, car parking, disabled parking, powered two wheeler parking and operational parking requirements

Councillor Kevin Collins, Executive Member for Planning and Regeneration said: “A well

planned and managed approach to parking can help make our local communities better places to live, work and visit

“Providing sufficient parking for new devel opments will also help avoid parked vehicles dominating streets or preventing access for pedestrians and cyclists We’re also encouraging active travel being built into the design of new developments to promote more sustainable and healthier choices like walking and cycling for shorter journeys and public transport for longer journeys.”

People can have their say on the proposed standards until Thursday 5 January 2023 by visiting: www centralbedfordshire gov uk/consul tations

Responses may also be sent by email to strategic.transport@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Forestry Commission Treescapes Fund: round two

CENTrAL Bedfordshire Council is planting 750 trees across towns in Central Bedfordshire as part of the second phase of the Local Authority Treescapes Fund (LATF)

Last year, The Council secured £300,000 in funding, of which Central Bedfordshire Council’s Executive agreed to match fund The Local Treescapes Fund (LATF) aims to increase tree plant ing and natural regeneration in communities

The first round planting was in Barton Le Clay, Biggleswade, Dunstable, Leighton Linslade and Sandy

The second round of planting, will focus on following urban areas: Ampthill Arlesey Aspley and Woburn Biggleswade Caddington Cranfield and Marston Moretaine Eaton Bray Flitwick Heath and reach Houghton Conquest and Haynes Houghton Hall Leighton Buzzard North Northill Parkside Potton Shefford Silsoe and Shillington Stotfold and Langford Tithe Farm Toddington

Westoning, Flitton and Greenfield

The funding enables the coun cil to plant and maintain the trees for three years, with the aim to establish more trees in non wood land settings such as riverbanks, hedgerows and footpaths

Councillor Steve Dixon, Executive Member for Sustainability and Transformation, said: “Our commitment to increas ing planting across Central Bedfordshire is a priority The sec ond phase of planting provides us with a great opportunity to further offset carbon emissions and help make a difference in flood protec tion, improving air quality and supporting biodiversity for resi dents

“We have selected species suit able for the urban environment and show resilience within our chang ing climate as well as put an emphasis on final tree size and how that will fit into its environ ment once grown ”

The tree planting will be com pleted in line with this year ’s tree planting season (now until March 2023)

Double winner at the Social Worker of the Year Awards

ON FrIDAY, November 4, 2022, Kirstie Baughan, who works for Central Bedfordshire Council’s Children’s Services team was crowned a winner not once, but twice at a national awards ceremony achieving both the Social Justice Advocate Gold Award and Overall Social Worker of the Year 2022

recognising inspirational social work, the Social Worker of the Year Awards is the only major national awards event for social work in England, attracting hundreds of entries every year and reaching millions of people with positive sto ries of outstanding social work, creative and com passionate practitioners and outstanding practice Following three years of virtual events, the Social Worker of the Year Awards returned as an in per son ceremony last week in London

Kirstie Baughan, who has been working for Central Bedfordshire Council for eight years, won the Social Justice Advocate Award for her work specifically on promoting justice and raising awareness for unaccompanied asylum seeking children and young people

She has been dedicated to supporting the well being of asylum seekers locally and nationally and is now undertaking further research to consid er how we can improve the integration experi ences of unaccompanied children in Bedfordshire and beyond

Cllr Sue Clark, Executive Member for Families, Education and Children at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “I am absolutely delighted for Kirstie What a fantastic achieve ment! It is wonderful for Kirstie and for the whole Children's Services Team here at Central Bedfordshire to have Kirstie's outstanding social work recognised in this way ”

If you’re interested in becoming a social work er, or want to find out more about the roles avail able at Central Bedfordshire Council please visit: www centralbedfordshire gov uk/careers

STUDENTS from The Bedford College Group beat millions of others to take the runner up positions in two categories of award given by the national Association of Colleges “Daniel McAllister and Ellen Stultiens (pictured) were runners up for student awards imagine coming second in a sector of 1 7 million students?” said Group CEO Ian Pryce CBE, “We are so proud their achievements and to be able to say they are part of The Bedford College Group ” Daniel of Ampthill works for Network rail h t t p s : / / b e d f o r d c o l l e g e g r o u p a c u k / a b o u t / n e w s / d a n i e l o v e r comes deafness to reach national finals for student of the year/ Ellen is now at university h t t p s : / / b e d f o r d c o l l e g e g r o u p a c u k / a b o u t / n e w s / e l l e n g o e s h i g h e r t h a n s h e e v e r d r e a m e d possible/

At the same AoC conference it was announced: The Bedford College Group overall was a final ist in this AoC’s Beacon Awards for Diversity

The National Centre for Diversity’s Award for Inclusive Learning Leadership category is one of 12 examined under the AoC scheme and all those highlighted have all demonstrated “a high level of innovation, impact and sustain ability ”

The report into The Bedford College Group said: “For nearly a decade, this College has led the way in championing diversity and inclusion, putting it firmly at the heart of the organisation and embedding it within its corporate culture

In 2013 the College created its first Equality, Diversity and Inclusion role and by 2019 it became the only UK college to achieve the Stonewall Silver Award In December 2021 it was the first college to be awarded Gold from Stonewall for its LGBGT+ inclusion work on cam pus and in the community

“The extensive work this College has undertaken includes making EDI training compulsory for every new member of staff and providing all employees with ongoing access to professional development in this areas

“The College is now using this best practice approach and apply ing it to inclusion work for other protected characteristics, focussing next on race equality ”

Said Deputy Chief Executive Em Lowe: “This is a tribute to the commitment of everyone across all our college campuses to promote and embed inclusive values which support all our students and staff ”

New fund to support families with household bills and emergency costs

THIS winter, Central Bedfordshire Council is launching a new Crisis Fund to support families with household bills and payments, and other items

The £45,000 Crisis Fund will be administered through the Council’s nine Children’s Centres, who already work with over 4,700 families Funding will be used to support families already known to the service, with health, housing, education and other part ners able to refer families in need

Funding will be available from December, with vouchers avail able to primarily cover household bills and payments However emergency support will also be available for example to replace an essential household appliance that’s broken, like a fridge or washing machine, or to ensure children in the household have winter weather clothing

Cllr richard Wenham, Leader of Central Bedfordshire Council said: “We recognise that many families will be affected this winter as the cost of living continues to rise Our Children’s Centres already work with thousands of families to provide support, and this fund could make a huge amount of difference, meaning families don’t have to make difficult choices about how to split their money

“The Crisis Fund is one of a number of measures in place to sup port families this winter, including food vouchers for families during the October half term and Christmas holidays, the Holiday Activities and Food programme over the Christmas holidays, funding for advice organisations and foodbanks and our network of Warm Spaces which residents can use during the day to keep warm as tem peratures fall and energy prices rise ”

The Council has nine Children’s Centres in total: in Sandy, Shefford, Stotfold, Flitwick, Leighton Buzzard, with two in Dunstable and two in Houghton regis

The Council has a dedicated cost of living information hub on its website, which is full of information and resources that can help any one concerned about the cost of living For more information, visit: www centralbedfordshire gov uk/cost of living

Freemasons parade in public for the first time in nearly 100 years

BEDFOrDSHIrE Freemasons paraded in public for the first time in nearly 100 years on Sunday, November 20, 2022, as they attend ed a special service at St Peter de Merton Church in Bedford

The service was to re dedicate the refurbished altar gates that were originally donated to the church in memory of Dr Charles Prior, Bedford s Coroner and Deputy Provincial Grand Master, in 1908

The service also remembered all those whose funerals that were

unable to be attended due to the restrictions imposed by the pan demic

Dr Prior (1820 1907), in addi tion to being the Coroner for Bedford, was also a Public Analyst and the Medical Officer of Health for the Borough and of several Sanitary Authorities, including Bedford, Ampthill, Biggleswade and Woburn Dr Prior was the act ing Provincial Grand Master for Bedfordshire for five years whilst Lord Ampthill served in India

Mayor banking on the small independent shops

BEDFOrD’S future will be about smaller shops and plenty of events, the Borough’s Mayor has said

On Thursday, November 17, the Environment and Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee was given a report on how Bedford Borough Council plans to attract new busi nesses to Bedford

Following the report, the Conservative Group leader, Cllr

by John Guinn Local Democracy Reporter

Graeme Coombes (Wilshamstead), asked what Bedford town centre will look like once all the initiatives were completed

“When is the sort of finite date you can say ‘there you go, that’s what we’re expecting it to look like by this specific date,” he asked

The portfolio holder for town centres and planning, Cllr Henry

Vann, (LibDems, De Parys), replied that the vision is published in the Town Centre Plan

“It does say what we want it to look like and what we’re going to try to do,” he said

“And in fact on later pages there to sort of break down what those aims are

“There is a timeline on some of

those clearly, but for others the change over time is going to be you know, slower, I think it’s fair to say,” he said

Bedford Mayor, Dave Hodgson said to Cllr Coombes: “If you can tell me where the events world will be in 10 years’ time, because I think that’s where your specialism is and where it was 10 years ago, please can we have a chat because we can probably make a killing

“And likewise, I don’t think we can say where the town centre will be

“When we originally published the vision for the town centre and Henry said 2020 to 2023, we didn’t know just around the corner was a pandemic

“We’d already set up the Town Centre Priority Fund to try and get events

“retail in traditional market towns is not going to be what it was in the 1960s, 70s or even the year 2000, it is going to be differ ent

“We’ve seen already, and I think that was happening back in 2020, the demise of the big depart ment store and the big store

“It’s [having] a small town cen tre presence, probably backed up by some internet, either sales or marketing

“It’s [also] about having events happening, it’s about coming into Bedford as somewhere to go “To go to a nice restaurant, but ideally to do a little bit shopping before hand, or go around to see some stuff,” he said

The Mayor said Bedford was “blessed” with many places, both inside and out, that can host events and activities that bring people into Bedford

“And we need to get them in early, [we need] to get restaurants

to say, ‘look if you get in here at six o’clock, we can get you out for your performances by seven, seven thirty’, [this] will be really advan tageous,” he said

“[Bedford] is a place to come and visit, and hopefully you’ll do some shopping, and you’ll wander around and think, ‘I want to come back here because there’s nice little shops’,” he said

Businesses continue to raise questions about parking and public transport, with changing bus ser vices making access to and from the town unreliable

Prominent town centre busi nessman, Robert Rigby, whose family business has been in the town for over 100 years, said: “The Borough has failed in its duty of guardianship of Bedford Town centre by its shocking management of the bus station over many years

“The Lib Dem Mayor’s man agement of car parking has been a disaster driving people to cheap parking at Milton Keynes and free parking at Rushden Lakes

“Well managed council car parking provided income for the council and supported a vibrant town centre. The Mayor saw it as a cash cow and he has driven the shoppers to where the parking is still free or cheaper and the shop ping is still vibrant.”

Just adding to the cost of living crisis

BEDFOrD’S market traders have expressed their disappointment that the Borough Council have seen fit to raise their rents by 10%

The tenants’ rents are subject to annual review, but they were hop ing that the council would take into account the decrease in footfall in the town centre before implement ing another cost in these difficult times

One trader (who wishes to remain anonymous) told the Bulletin that: “The council boasts that Bedford is the town of markets but this seems to have a hollow ring about it

“The Mayor has seen fit to freeze fees and charges for residents but seems to think it’s OK to hammer small traders

“And the recent announcement about the £60,000 investment in the market seems to be paid for by us tenants!

“The council are adding to the ‘cost of living crisis’ as we will have to pass on the extra costs put on us ”

Design of the decade Remembrance Sunday in Sandy

church

The parade stopped at the war memorial for a short service led by Rev Huw Davies and laying of wreaths. The Exhortation and Kohima was said by Cllr Mrs Susan Sutton, President of Sandy RBL

Mr Tim Sills DL, Mr Richard Fuller MP, Cllr Mr Martin Pettitt, Mayor of Sandy and Cllr Mrs Susan Sutton, President Sandy Branch of the RBL, Col.L Barr Jones, East of England Army Cadet Force took the salute from the steps of the Roundabout Club as the parade passed by Then followed a service at St Swithun’s

Prayers were led by children: Corporal Jack Tre Vett, ATC: Lee Clarke, Lord Lieutenant Fire Cadet; Ryan Harding, 1st Sandy Scout Group; and Ellie Allwright, 1st Sandy Guides.

Cllr Martin Pettitt, Mayor Sandy Town Council wishes to thank all those who worked to ensure that the parade and service went off without a hitch and allowed so many of our community groups to take part

In particular, the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue service and Police who provided vital cover to keep the streets closed and the parade safe on its journey from Swan Lane to the church Also, Mr Andrew Havergall for setting up the PA system and, Deputy

After the service Mr Tim Sills DL said: “It was a pleasure and a privilege to represent the Lord Lieutenant at such an impressive parade and service ”

Mr Richard Fuller MP added: “With war once again in Europe and the daily sacrifice of the people of Ukraine to protect their free dom, there is added poignancy this year as we remember those from Sandy who made the ultimate sacrifice for the country they loved ”

Mary Baker, long standing member of the Sandy RBL commented: “Remembrance is so important and the people of Sandy and Beeston showed this by turning up in their hundreds, both in the parade and on the streets ”

TO mark the 10th anniversary of The Bedford Sixth Form a logo competition was launched among students and the winner was Harry Herd, 17

Harry, from Biggleswade, is studying Graphic Communications at A Level with a view to going on to university His design appealed most to a judging panel of profes sionals and he was rewarded with a Love Bedford shopping voucher

The logo will now be used across all platforms to promote the anniversary of the popular educa tional establishment in Bromham road, Bedford

Did you attend The Bedford Sixth Form we want to hear from you

The Bedford Sixth Form is planning a series of celebrations to mark its tenth anniversary

Since opening up in the historic building in Bromham road in September 2012, The Bedford College Group has upgraded and improved the facilities to mod ernise and improve the student experience

Now 800 are studying A Levels and other nationally recognised Level 3 qualifications which are setting them for great careers, or to get a place at their choice of uni versity

Former students are being asked to get in touch and give The Bedford Sixth Form an update of how their lives have progressed They will be invited to an event in 2023 to see how the college has progressed and how the building has been improved over the past 12 months as a result of millions of pounds eco grants

The campus maintains its the atre, sports and swimming facili ties which are used by the public and the Grand Hall is a popular place for weddings and special parties out of school hours

The Bedford Sixth Form is part of The Bedford College Group, one of the most successful FE and HE providers in the South East Midlands region

Find the Alumni Link on www bedfordsixthform ac uk

SANDY TOWN COUNCIL

Council meetings

All meetings commence at 7 30pm except those specified below and Development Scrutiny Committee (Planning) which starts at 6 45pm, in the Council Chamber, 10 Cambridge Road, Sandy, SG19 1JE (unless other wise stated on the Agenda)

Monday 5th December Development Scrutiny Human Resources

Monday 12th December Policy, Finance and Resources Monday 19th December Development & Scrutiny Monday 9th January Community Services & Environment

Monday 16th January Development & Scrutiny Policy, Finance and Resources See our website for details ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND PRESS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND.

Mayor ’s Christmas Carol Service

The Mayor of Sandy, Cllr Martin Pettitt, and Mrs Jackie Pettitt have pleasure in inviting you and your partner to Sandy’s Christmas Carol Service at St. Swithun’s Church on Saturday 17th December 2022 at 4 00pm

The Mayor of Sandy, in conjunction with St Swinthun’s Church, is holding the carol service for the town of Sandy to which

civic guests will be invited as well as residents of Sandy As such there will be no reserved seating for this event

Seasonal refreshments including Mulled Wine and Mince Pies will be served in the church after the service

There is plenty of free parking at the public car park opposite the church

Sandy Town Council Budget 2023/24

Sandy Town Council has started the process of formulating its budget for 2023/24 which will culminate in a final decision being made at its meeting on January 23rd leading to the determination of the precept and council tax

The Council is working against a backdrop of significant increases for energy, fuel and wages in particular but is conscious of the current economic position that all electors

are facing However, the continuation of its services to the people of Sandy is important also to Councillors

At a meeting of the Policy, Finance & Resources Committee held on Monday 7th November reductions totalling £9,200 were made, but there are still a number of other considerations yet to be determined concerning scales of charges for income, the capital programme and level of reserves

Appointment of Councillor Robert Lacey

At a meeting of Sandy Town Council on Monday 10th October 2022, following a vote by Councillors, Robert Lacey was co opted onto the Council, to fill a vacancy in Ivel Ward

Robert was born in Bedfordshire and has lived in the county for most of his life He and his wife have lived in Beeston for the last 15 years Robert’s decision to apply for the vacancy arose from his enthusiasm for local people and places Before his appointment, Robert said,“I am interested in helping create and maintain commu nity in Sandy and the surrounding area, and in particular the maintenance and conservation of the built, rural and wild environments

Robert has already been involved in volunteer work in the community During

the depths of the COVID pandemic, he ran a prescription collection service for vulnerable residents in Beeston, with the help of 8 other volunteers This was a great success and Robert says he would happily co ordinate similar community efforts in the future

The Lacey household is also hosting a Ukrainian refugee; an experience which has made Robert enthusiastic to help others in the Ukrainian community in the future He said, ‘I have been in a great position to help others navigate the complexities of getting VISA’s approved, arranging all the necessary registrations once arrived and finding language or vocational courses to help them adapt to the UK ’ Cllr Lacey’s professional skills will also be

a great addition to Sandy Town Council Robert is a career Railway Engineer and is currently the Deputy National Technical Head of Track for Network Rail, specialis ing in Track Geometry and Innovation Projects He also has previous experience as a Highways Engineer As a Civil Engineer, he has a wealth of knowledge on built environments and infrastructure particularly around transportation He is also knowledgeable in solar and green energy His interests in local photography and technology will also be great assets to Robert in his future as a Town Councillor

Mayor of Sandy, Cllr Martin Pettitt said, “On behalf of all Members, I am pleased to welcome Cllr Lacey to Sandy Town Council, and I look forward to working with him over the coming months ”

10 Cambridge Road, Sandy SG19 1JE

01767 681491 Fax: 01767 692527 admin@sandytowncouncil.gov.uk www.sandytowncouncil.gov.uk

THE community came together on Sunday, November 13, 2022, for Remembrance Sunday. A parade of more than 200 members of community and uniformed groups started from Swan Lane with the Sandy Scout Reunion Band leading the way followed by standard bearers and wreath layers

Led by Rev Huw Davies Tribute was paid to the late HM Queen Elizabeth II and a short video featuring members of the Armed Services was played.

Mayor Joanna Hewitt and members of the Town Council team for their vital support and organisation.

Lauren’s a stHr

RECEIVING the Silver Award in ‘Business Woman Of The Year ’ Awards at the SME Luton & Bedfordshire Awards was Lauren Shepherd

The awards evening was held at Bedford’s Corn Exchange in September

Lauren opened her first babyballet Franchise in Biggleswade in 2015, since then she has expanded her award winning classes both to Bedford and Stevenage stars

The award was rewarded for the best female business owner or a female who has had a positive impact on a business/es They will have shown how they have exceptional drive to succeed and how they have been integral in making the business or businesses a success

Lauren has starred as a per former in West End theatres and around the world but decided to open her first babyballet franchise in Biggleswade af ter the bir th of her first child

Receiving the award Lauren said:”I cannot tell you how humbled and proud I am to receive this recognition af ter struggling through the pandemic and fighting to keep my business alive af terwards, I am thrilled to have won this award! Being able to introduce the magic of ballet to our little stars is the most rewarding feeling and the best job in the world!

babyballet is for children aged six months to six years and the door is always open if you d like to join them

and

The shop has suitable presents for younger children right up to the not so younger children!

Stockists of Lego, Playmobil, Sylvanian Families, games, jigsaws, pre school toys and much more!

Why not pay them a visit and see what gems you can find on their shelves?

Also they cater those of you who building or thinking of building a model railway track, locomotives, rolling stock and no end of model making supplies are all in stock

Lauren is pictured here with her team: Louise Proctor (left) and Lucy Hunt (right)

Email: stjohnshomes341@gmail com

Bourns in Bedford display: 75 years of innovation

Higgins Bedford is hosting an anniversary display, Texas Instruments to Bourns in Bedford: 75 years of Technological Innovation, exploring the early years of the Texas Instruments site at Manton Lane, and its transition and takeover by Bourns in 2000

Over the last 22 years, Bourns have continued to drive technological innovation in Bedford continuing to manufacture state of the art semi conductor wafers, which can be found in a range of business and domes tic products including mobile phones, cars and vacuums

Councillor Doug McMurdo, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, said, “The company continues to be a valued employer for Bedford still based at its

original site at Bedford Heights It’s great to be able to celebrate their 75 years with this excellent display of Texas Instruments and Bourns products ”

Come and enjoy reminiscing over Texas Instruments products such as Speak and Spell, Little Professor and hand held calculators and laptops Learn more about the semi conductor wafers and products created by Bourns today and how they are used Watch the film of Bourns employees speaking about their long service with the company, what it was like work ing there over the decades to the present day

The display continues until the end of June 2023 and is free to visit

For more details: www thehigginsbedford org uk

Generous approach can be an attraction to homeless people

by John Guinn Local Democracy Reporter

ArOUND £600,000 a year is being spent putting homeless peo ple in temporary hotel accommo dation despite the council having no statutory duty to do so, a coun cillor has claimed

Bedford Borough Council cur rently has 34 people placed at the Mercure, according to a report given to the Housing Committee on November 2

HOW MUCH?

Cllr Stephen Moon (Great Barford) asked whether the council had a statutory duty to place any of those 34 people at the hotel and how much this was costing

Lee Phanco, the council’s chief officer for assessment, application and business support, said there wasn’t a statutory duty to house any of them, and the net cost was around £50 per person per night He added that there is some grant funding for this

Cllr Moon said by his quick arithmetic that this is around £600,000 a year “That seems to me to be a lot of money for those of whom we have no statutory duty,” he said It seems to me this is a matter that should have been given some consideration and should have been subject to a decision

“As I understand it, there has been no specific decision in this respect which seems to me to be a gap,” he said

The council’s portfolio holder for finance, cllr Michael Headley LibDems, Putnoe), said: “We need to really remember the context of

this first of all, and it’s been refer enced in this report, we had some of the highest levels of rough sleep ing in the country

“I don’t want to return to that, I don’t want those people who have got nowhere else to go, no recourse to any other support or accommo dation to basically go, ‘right you, back on the streets’

“That’s what we’re providing this service for, and we might not have a statutory duty, but there’s other things to consider beyond what is a legal necessity

“We should continue to do work to make sure that we’ve got the best and most cost effective provision for people

ROUGH SLEEPERS

“But on the fundamental point I do not want to return to the position where Bedford had one of the highest levels of people sleeping rough on the streets, that is not where I want to be,” he said

Cllr Moon referred to a section of the report “[It says] ‘an overly generous approach providing accommodation can increase demand by attracting people to the borough because they believe they are more likely to be provided with accommodation’,” he said

“The issue is not about the overall temporary accommodation

“We will be better able to cope with those for whom we have a duty if we are not equally at the same time trying to cope with those for whom we do not have a duty, that is my basic point,” he said

THE

Business raises thousands of pounds for Sue R yder Hospice

BIG HEArTED fundraisers from a Bedford based insurance firm have handed over more than £40,000 to their local hospice as part of their ongoing commitment to fundraise for the charity

M&DH Insurance Services Ltd have supported Sue ryder St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger for the last 16 years, but have gone above and beyond in the last two months, raising a staggering £41,137 from a trio of fundraisers held across September and October richard Hames, Managing Director at M&DH Insurance Services Ltd, said: “We are really proud of our long standing support of Sue ryder St John’s Hospice over all the years, it’s always great to give something back to our local community, and as a busi ness we’re delighted about the amount we have raised and hope it will help other families needing the care of Sue ryder

“The hospice is a cause close to many of our hearts The Sue ryder Nurses, volunteers, care and support teams all work incredibly hard 365 days of the year providing compassionate support and care at the most difficult time for those in need ”

The fantastic fundraising saw staff scale the peaks of Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike, hike under the stars in Bedford, and swing into action for their annual charity golf day held at Pavenham Park Golf Club in Bedford Further support was offered by M&DH Insurance Services Ltd as the main sponsor of this year ’s Sue ryder Starlight Hike Bedford, an evening of celebration and remembrance of loved ones

Peaks Challenge in under 24 hours on 13th September They raised over £14,000 towards the fundraising total She added: “It was a team bonding experience and despite the pain, it was definitely worth it we all said we would love to do it again ” Naomi has since decided to step things up further in her fundraising for Sue ryder, signing up to run the London Marathon for the charity in April 2023 “It will be my first ever marathon and a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, whilst continuing to raise vital funds for such a worthy cause ” she added

Nick Burr, Senior Community Fundraiser at Sue ryder St John’s Hospice, said: “We have been com pletely blown away by the incredible support of our friends at M&DH and the staggering amount they have raised in such a short amount of time Our corpo rate partners play a key role in working to ensure that we can be there for people during the most difficult times of their lives We can’t thank M&DH Insurance Services Ltd enough for their unwavering support of our hospice over the years With their help we can con tinue to be there when it matters for families and give more care to more people ”

Celebrating 1300 years of Volunteering

FrOM 18 to 80 you’re never too old to volunteer with Bedfordshire Girlguiding!

Saturday, November 19, saw the annual, Bedfordshire Girlguiding Valuing our Volunteers Awards Ceremony, being hosted at the King's House Conference Centre in Bedford Awards were presented in a number of categories, from five years of service to an outstanding 60 years of service, as well as 52

Special recognition Awards

The ladies honoured have, between them, given over 1300 years of volunteering, to work with girls and young women from all across Bedfordshire

Anne Gibbons and Janet Owen from the Luton Division received their award for 50 years of service and Chris Short from the Bedford Division received her 60 years of service award

Chris said: “Girlguiding has always been a part of my life, being a member of the Guiding movement has given me so much over the past 60 years, fun, friend ship, and adventure ”

Chris added: “It has been an honour to work with so many great young people and wonderful volunteers!'

County Commissioner Karen Keeling said: “We are thrilled that so many girls and young women are joining Girlguiding It is a testa ment to our Leaders and Volunteers that Guiding is seen as a fantastic organisation to be a part of ”

The event was not only attended by volunteers from across Bedfordshire, but also by Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire ruth Bell and the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire Lady Jane Clifford who were both delighted to hand out a number of awards

The Will Writing Company

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11 Lurke Street, Bedford MK40 3HZ Tel: 01234 964911

The Will Writing Company is celebrating its 26th Year in business and is offering a free Will & Testament (joint or single) to all readers. If you have been meaning to make a Will, now is your chance to take advantage of this exclusive offer and give you and your loved ones peace of mind. By making a Will, you decide who takes care of your children and who inherits your estate. Storage facility optional.

To take advantage of this offer and book an appointment or for further information please call our offices on the above number between the hours of 9:00am-5:30pm Monday to Friday.

Naomi Whiteley, Hr Officer at M&DH, was part of the eight strong team who completed The Three

Left to right: Morgan Braud, Charlotte Jackson Smith, Daniel Lewis, James Henry, Naomi Whiteley and Charlotte Edwards present Sue Ryder Senior Community Fundraiser, Nick Burr (second from right) with a cheque for £41,137

Bedfordshire Girlguiding President Debbie Docherty, Girlguiding Anglia Chief Commissioner Tracy Foster, Deputy Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Ruth Bell, Bedfordshire County Commissioner Karen Keeling, Anne Gibbons, Chris Short and Janet Owen

View from the pulpit

Rt Revd Richard Atkinson – Bishop of Bedford

Do we learn?

I am not sure I have ever recovered from being demoted from playing Angel Gabriel to being recast as the Innkeeper in my infant school nativity I think it was for some perceived misdemeanour, but it may have been because the staff realised that I couldn t sing.

Whatever, I went from centre stage as the bearer of God’s good news to Mary, to an inhospitable tavern keeper who could only provide a dirty stable for the holy family

There probably aren’t as many nativity plays as there used to be, but schools and churches will be bringing out the tea towels and cloaks as young (and sometimes old!) dress as shepherds and kings, or the range of animals who witnessed the birth of Jesus There will be other characters as well As a teenager, I once

wrote a nativity story that had coal miners instead of shepherds Who can forget the octo pus in ‘Love Actually’ with Natalie’s classic line ‘Eight is a lot of legs David!’

However, whether the manger is attended by octopi, members of the NUM, or the more traditional sheep, and shepherds, the message is the same The child wrapped in swaddling clothes whilst sharing our humanity, is God with us As the angels sang to the shepherds, ‘Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord’

He is the one who by his life, death and resurrection will reveal to us what God is like What it is to live a flourishing life that is filled with the love of God As Christina Rossetti expresses it in one of her carols:

AROUND THE CLUBS

SANDY Town Bowls Club held their presentation evening on Friday, November 11, at Sandy Village Hall The club welcomed Joan Chapman to present all the awards and food was provided afterwards courtesy of Crème

Catering

Ladies’ Singles Winner Christine Foskett runner up Margaret Nicholls

Men’s Singles Winner Lee Swain runner up Mark Howlett

Ladies’ 2 Wood Winner Jackie Currie runner up Glenys Taverner

Men’s 2 Wood Winner Dom Mussino runner up Mark Howlett

Men’s Handicap Winner Lee Swain runner up Dom Mussino Intermediate Cup Winner Nigel Matthews runner up Tony Goss

Ladies’ Pairs Winners Glenys Taverner and Diane Fox runners up Gill Blankley and Chris Buckle

Dee Day Winners Tony Goss, Christine Foskett and Gill Blankley runners up Glenn rodford, Glenys Taverner and Clive Foskett

Club Mixed Triples Winners Tony Goss, James Sargeant and Dianne Fox runners up Lee Swain, Glenys Taverner and Mark Howlett

Bim Chapman Memorial Cup Winner James Sargeant runner up John Beaumont

Club Member of the year Winner Ron Hampson

PROBUS CLUB OF SANDY AND DISTRICT

It has been quite another busy month in October for the Probus Club of Sandy and District, with an Anniversary Dinner, Pub Lunch, committee meetings and the regular monthly lunch

The monthly Pub lunch was held at the Kings reach Biggleswade where 27 members and partners enjoyed an excellent meal, about our average numbers of recent months

About eighty members and guests attended the combined anniversary celebration evening dinner dance at the Needham House Hotel in Little Wymondley on October 8, to com memorate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Mens club (a year later than planned owing to Covid restrictions), and the 30th Year of the Ladies An enjoyable evening was had by all, with dancing to music provided by “ENZO”

The monthly lunch of the Men’s club was held at the Sandy Conservative Club on Thursday,

October 27 The meeting was opened by the President Peter Kirby who welcomed the 51 diners including our guest speaker, one of our mem bers, richard Barlow and one guest, with apologies from those members unable to attend

He then followed this by giving his report and asking all Officers of the club to give theirs, where possible prior to the lunch, or during the break between courses Grace was then said by Gerry Gray

After Lunch The President then asked all to rise as he gave the loyal toast to The King There then followed a ten minute break to clear the tables

The monthly raffle was won by Michael Wareham resuming the meeting our Speaker finder ray Morrissey, intro duced the speaker for the day richard Barlow, who was going to give us a talk on the history and naming of Street names in Sandy richard started out by giving us a brief history of when and why street

Love came down at Christmas, love all lovely, Love divine;

Love was born at Christmas; star and angels gave the sign

I hope you will get the opportunity to attend a nativity. To come yourself to the manger and hear again the story of Jesus To sing carols and celebrate God’s love for each of us

In the end being the Innkeeper wasn’t as bad as I feared, although I never had the courage of one disgruntled child who had this role Approached by Joseph seeking a room for his pregnant wife, he announced with glee, ‘There is plenty of room, do come in!’

It isn’t the script as we know it, but it does get to the heart of Christmas God’s love and welcome for all

ANNUAL GARDENING QUIZ WIN AN HOUR’S GARDENING!

Thank you very much to everyone that has contributed to this column over the past year Your questions, comments, suggestions and obser vations are always fascinating and as I often say, the hope is always that by addressing a particular con cern for one reader it might also be useful for others So, please keep them coming

It’s that time of the year again for the Annual Gardening Quiz! Complete the answers and if yours is the first one pulled out of the bag, you win an hour ’s gardening time from yours truly!

But before that, a couple of Parish Notices as it were: Apologies to anyone who has tried to contact me via my land line recently I have had huge problems with my home telephone which BT addressed with all of their erm, renowned speed and efficiency! After around a month and 4 hours or of phone calls with them, thank fully, it is now working again

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION BIGGLESWADE BRANCH

The Biggleswade Branch of the royal British Legion held the AGM and a Branch Meeting on 26th October, at the Church rooms, St Andrews Church There were seven members present Apologies were received from four mamebers

At the AGM all Offficers were re elected

The Chairman recited The Exhortation

reports were received from The Chair, Vice Chair, and Treasurer

The royal Artillery Association are holding a Christmas Lunch and will be inviting rBL to participate Details to follow

The Members visit to the Shuttleworth Collection was reported as a great success

The Branch have purchased 75th Anniversary Pennant for the Branch Standard

The meeting closed at 19 45hrs

The royal British Legion is the UK's leading Armed Forces charity and one of its largest membership organisations Membership is open to everyone If you have an interest in the objectives of the Legion and want to help and support for those who have served and their families, come and join us We welcome men and women of all ages whether they have served in the Armed Forces or not

Members get together through the network of Branches and clubs all over the country and overseas to participate in social, fundraising and welfare activities

The answer to last month’s just for fun question is: your beds are still full of very happy looking summer bedding plants but you need to plant bulbs and wallflow ers to brighten up the winter months: what do you do? In short, sadly, they have to be removed So, if you are sitting comfort ably, here is this year ’s quiz:

1 Which plant takes its name from the Italian phrase for beautiful women

2 Which grain is used to make semolina?

3 Which plant, widespread in Britain, if touched causes a

serious chemical reaction which makes skin hypersensi tive to ultraviolet light?

4 Which kings lived at Kew Palace at Kew Gardens?

5 Which garden plant in the 17th century was exchanged as a form of currency?

6 What is the art of cutting shrubs into ornamental shapes called?

7 Soil can be acidic, alkaline or what?

8 Where is the biggest tree in the world, giant sequoia, found?

9 What fruit hit, or more likely fell, near Isaac Newton and helped him develop the law of gravity?

10 I am a woody stemmed plant, usually branched near the base and lacking a single trunk what am I?

11 On which continent did broc coli originate?

12 What herb beginning with ‘A’ has soothing properties?

13 roughly, how many varieties of avocado are there? 5, 50, 500 or 5,000?

14 For how long can seeds remain dormant? Months, a few days, years or one season?

15 How long does it take to pro duce asparagus the first time you plant it?

Entries can be emailed to LawnDocGardens@aol.com or posted to: Lawn Doctor Garden Services, 14 Sand Lane, Northill, SG18 9AD but must be received by 15th January 2023

As usual, please contact me with any gardening queries you may have

Best wishes all for a Merry Christmas and a very Happy & Healthy New Year

names and house name and number ing of houses came about With the help of slides he then went on to give us a very clear and informative sight into the history of street naming in Sandy, including the methods of choosing names, often to remember those who had served Sandy in many various ways, or following the names that for many years had been used to locate places in the Town, prior to the much larger Town it has grown into

Following his talk richard took quite a few questions and some fur ther information from the members, many of whom have lived in Sandy for all of their lives richard thanked them for all the information given, which he indicated would be very useful for his research

On conclusion he was given a vote of thanks by Derek rowntree for a most interesting and informative talk followed by a round of applause As there was no other business for the meeting it was closed by the President with the final toast, to Probians every where

The Biggleswade Branch usually meets every last Wednesday of the month at the Church rooms, St Andrews Church, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade SG18 0AT Next Meeting Wednesday 30th November at 19 00 Hrs

Please contact the Chair, Di Keogh on 07963464465 or E Mail: dikeogh2401@hotmail com for more details

Christmas Craft Day:

The Sandy Guild is a group of local people offering friendship, support and fundrais ing within Sandy and the local community Saturday 3rd December, at the Baptist Church Hall in Sandy

The day is split in to two sessions The first session is a Children’s Craft morning, 10 am to 12 noon Tickets cost £6 each

The second session, make your own Christmas wreath takes place in the after noon, 1 3 pm Tickets cost £45 each

Tickets can be booked by emailing sandyguild2019@gmail com via our Facebook, page or by contacting 07500 907715 All profits will go to our chosen charity, which this year is St John’s Hospice, Moggerhanger

Bedford RSPB Local Group:

Sandy Historical Research

Bedfordshire Prostate Cancer Support Group:

Local Group of The Wildlife

Kempston & District

Model Railway Society:

Ladies’ singles winner Christine Foskett (right)

Men’s singles winner Lee Swain (right)

Community her oes r ecognised by Manton Heights Car e Centr e

MANAGEMENT at Bedford Manton Heights Care Centre are extremely proud of their staff and wanted acknowledge that they really appre ciate the hard work and commitment they show every day. While recognising the heroes amongst their own dedicated teams, the Care Centre

wanted to celebrate the amazing volunteers and professionals across the Bedford Community. So on September 28, an afternoon tea was held at the centre after which a prize giving took place recognising those people who through their work help the community.

Here we have a photographic record of the event but many of these wonderful people wished to remain slightly anonymous, so there are no captions People in the community who received help from these selfless people will know who they are.

‘Call-in’ site being abused? Two more schools for 2024

AN online form on Bedford Borough Council’s website allowed members of the public to make ‘spurious’ requests to ‘call in’ planning applications, a meeting heard

Under the current scheme of delegation planning applications are sent to the planning committee if one (or more) of eight triggers are activated

One of the triggers is a call in by a ward councillor or an adjoin ing ward councillor if there would be a significant impact on their ward

Most planning applications in the borough are determined by planning officers, but ‘calling in’ an application means it will be determined by the planning com mittee

Janine Laver, manager of development management, told Monday’s planning committee (November 21) that previously,

call ins were sent via email to a planning officer, but this method meant that they could sometimes be missed

The process was then moved to an online form but was hidden from the public after being ‘mis used’

Ms Laver explained: “We’ve moved the call in form behind the scenes, so it’s only available to members, because some members of the public used to be able to access that from the committee page and we started to see spurious call ins from several of you, even though you haven’t called applica tions in

“Those applicants thought they could use the form on your behalf, so we’ve taken that out of the public domain so that it is only available to members and hopefully we’ve eliminated that discrepancy,” she said

MAYOR Dave Hodgson has announced the Council will invest millions into the School Capital Programme in 2024.

This will fund two new primary schools in Wixams and Sharnbrook and around 40 new classrooms through expansions to Wixams Academy, Bedford Academy and schools west of Bedford

The investment will make sure that there is strong education infrastructure across the Borough.

Mayor Dave said: “Investing in schools and education is a top priority It is vital that we have the classrooms in place so that our school children can have the best start to life.

Bedford Borough is a popular place for young families to settle down, so it is important that we look ahead and invest

in schools to match that demand ”

The School Capital Programme sets out plans to build two new primary schools in Wixams (approximately 28 classrooms) and Sharnbrook (at least seven classrooms)

There will also be expansions to existing schools, with around 40 new classrooms being built across Wixams Academy, Bedford Academy and schools west of Bedford

Since Mayor Dave was elected in 2009, there have been 10 new schools built across the Borough

The next school to be built has now been given the planning green light, meaning there will be a brand new 200 place Special Education Needs and Disabilities School in Kempston opened in September 2024

eCar go Bikes hit 1,800km

eCargo Bikes used by Bedford Borough Council have been a huge success having travelled over 1,800km

Since being introduced in December 2020 the six eCargo bikes, purchased by the Council with Department of Transport funding, have travelled over 1,800km by several council teams and Flamme rouge, saving approximately 200kg of CO2 com pared to using a van for the same journeys

The eCargo bikes have been used by the Council’s Sustainable Transport Team weekly to trans port materials to schools and run events The Council’s Parks and Open Spaces and Tree Inspection Teams have found the bikes partic ularly useful as it is easier to access the majority of their sites via bike rather than car One eCargo bike has been well used by Flamme rouge to collect supplies for the

wholesalers and to run mobile Dr Bike sessions

Dave Hodgson, Mayor of Bedford Borough said, “It’s great to see the eCargo bikes being put to use These bikes have helped our teams to operate in an eco friendly way, and hopefully encourage oth ers to think about doing the same ”

well spend some of it!

“We had the money in the bank doing nothing so the we’ve installed £11,000 of solar panels.” NORTH BEDFORDSHIRERESIDENT

“£4,000 for a garden room, I can now sit and admire the view.” BEDFORDSHIREWIDOW

“I’ve had my best year ever since I moved my advertising spend to the Bulletin.” MOBILITYCOMPANY

“My customers have greater discretionary spending power –no mortgage!” BEDFORDCLOTHIERS

Centre of Excellence for WorldSkills

THE Bedford College Group is now a member of the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence with key members of Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) sub ject staff undergoing an advanced training pro gramme for educators.

Hosted at Tresham College Wellingborough campus and S h u t t l e w o r t h C o l l e g e i n B e d f o r d s h i r e , t h e c l a s s e s were led by WorldSkills UK professional Frazer Minskip who challenged the team to e m b r a c e n e w a p p r o a c h e s which will result in students achieving better results and improved career prospects

This included considering moving students outside of “ p e r f e c t t r a i n i n g e n v i r o n ments” to instead adapting their application to a real world environment, which is very often less than perfect, but, where they still have to perform to the highest stan dards

Bedford College has been a long standing supporter of WorldSkills UK and its com p e t i t i o n d e v e l o p m e n t p r o gramme

DOZENS

Over the past decade dozens of students have been entered for awards, with medals being won in key categories

Two IT students Daniel Cobzariu and James McKay are in the final of the WorldSkills UK website development com petition at Middlesbrough College https:// bedfordcollege group ac uk/ about/news/show casing world class it/ The success of Bedford College has been shared across the Tresham College campuses since the merger in 2017 into The Bedford College Group

It is fitting that as the college celebrates becoming a member of the Centre of Excellence, a record number of students entered WorldSkills UK compe titions this year

Dr Jo Baxter, Vice Principal of Tresham College, said: “We’ve worked hard to level up the world class skills taught across campuses within The Group, and this move to join the Centre of Excellence has been welcomed by staff who have given some great feedback to the course

“We look forward to embed ding the practices they learn across all our STEM subjects which lead into the highest qual ity careers and where employers are crying out for well skilled staff ”

WorldSkills UK’s Centre of Excellence is supported by its partner NCFE

Pictured: Top college teaching staff with Frazer, third from left

Celebrating School’s ‘Good’ Ofsted rating

STAFF and pupils at Springfield Primary School were delighted to welcome con stituency MP Mohammed Yasin who person ally congratulated the school for their latest Ofsted inspection, which found the school to be ‘Good’ in all areas

The academy, which is part of Chiltern Learning Trust, was rated ‘Good’ across all five key areas within Ofsted’s framework the quality of education, behaviour and atti tudes, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision

Pupils, along with their parents, enjoyed an afternoon of activities including a wel comed visit from Mr Yasin, MP for Bedford and Kempston who helped to unveil a con gratulatory Ofsted banner created by the school The celebrations carried on with cakes, balloons handed out to all the children and songs performed by a group of pupils Claire Andrews, Headteacher at Springfield Primary School, said: “Though I am honoured to lead a team that has worked to achieve the success of Good in all areas from our Ofsted in June 2022, the greatest privilege is being able to achieve this for the children of Kempston and Springfield Primary School ”

Cllr Carl Meader, Deputy Leader of

Kempston Town Council, who couldn’t make the visit but told the school: “Congratulations to all staff and pupils on their latest Ofsted report I recognise the hard work that goes into an Ofsted visit so you should all be proud of your achievement ”

Other positive aspects in the report focused on the high standard of education and support the pupils receive at the school The report stated: “Leaders have clearly designed a curriculum that lays out the important knowledge” and “teachers have strong knowledge of the subjects they teach”

Excellent repor t

Speaking of her pride, Claire added: “This is an excellent report, particularly at a time when the benchmark for ‘Good’ is widely acknowledged as being at the highest level it has ever been The report recognises that ensuring keeping pupils safe is at the centre of everything adults do in school

“I would like to thank the parents and car ers who have supported the school during this time Ofsted recognised the journey of improvements made at Springfield Primary School over the past four years We will con tinue working together and empowering learning!”

Other areas praised in the report included that “leaders prepare pupils to be responsible citizens Pupils know about the differences between themselves and others They are clear that everyone should be treated equally no matter their background, culture or beliefs ”

The report also recognised the strong relationship the school has with the local governing body and Chiltern Learning Trust’s senior leadership team The report stated: “They have a shared and accurate view of the strengths of the school and what needs to improve The local governing body does not stand still It regularly reflects on its own practice ” reflecting on the report and the visit, Adrian rogers, CEO of Chiltern Learning Trust, said: “Springfield Primary School is one of the most recent schools to join the Chiltern Learning Trust and we are tremen dously proud to have them as part of our fam ily

“This report is a testament to the dedica tion of the school’s senior leaders, teachers, pupils, parents, carers and everyone else connected with this fantastic school I would like to congratulate all for their ongoing hard work and enthusiasm ”

Empty chair campaign helping to deal with grief

A WOMAN from Bedfordshire is bravely giving her support to a national campaign by healthcare and bereavement charity Sue ryder, in response to new research which shows mealtimes are the most challenging times for those who are grieving Helen Daniels from Biddenham will have a seat dedicated to her mum, Elizabeth, at a dining table surrounded by 13 empty chairs at a special exhibition taking place in Victoria Leeds this week, encour aging people to offer those that are grieving a seat at their table

Choosing to remember her mum by displaying a leopard print scarf at her dedicated seat at the dining table, Helen said, “It may be a cliché but my mum was my best friend, she was the least judgmen tal person I knew and I would speak to her about eight times a day! That was the hardest part when she died, that empty space, life had become silent Being part of this exhibition is my opportunity

to remember mum, but also to help others who are grieving ”

Helen's mum Elizabeth was cared for by the Sue ryder St John's Hospice's Palliative Care Hub and died in January 2019

Alongside Elizabeth’s seat at the table, will be chairs dedicated to loved ones being remembered by other families supported by Sue ryder across the country, and Sue ryder celebrity supporters Lisa riley, Gail Porter and Lottie Tomlinson

Lisa riley, Sue ryder Ambassador, said:”I always say that mum was the oxygen in the room Mum made me look timid and that's not an exaggeration Mum loved the colour yellow and whenever I see it, I think of her and feel her with me

“Mum’s empty chair is felt by everyone who knew her, not just me She is always missed at special occasions and celebrations, because she was the life and soul of every party ”

by Maureen Catlin

uncovered above the top of the compost Water and place in a warm environment to bring into growth where the flower will come first followed later by the leaves They grow best when put in a light place while keeping them just moist but not too wet After flowering keep Amaryllis indoors during the cold months then put outside in the summer where they can be left to dry out and bake in the sun

Poinsettias are a Christmas favourite which produce modified coloured leaves (bracts) from classic red to shades of pink, cream, variegated and spotted ones too To keep them looking perfect put them in a light position out of direct sunlight at a temperature between 15 20°c There is no need to feed these plants but avoid overwatering them by allowing the compost to dry before plunging in a bowl of water The coloured bracts should last for about three to four months

Christmas Prepared Hyacinths will flower early for

The Paperwhite Narcissus is a tender Daffodil that produces delicate white flowers with a delightful sweet scent just seven weeks after planting Plant as many of them as you can fit in a pot filled with bulb compost and keep the top half of the bulbs exposed Unlike some Christmas flowering bulbs there is no need to ‘prepare them’ with a period of darkness and cold Instead put them straight into a warm and light room

The beautiful rhododendron like flowers of Indoor Azaleas come in many colours and a few are also scented They are very easy to keep as long as they remain moist during their flowering period Keep a good eye on them though as they can dry out very quickly causing the petals to drop early Their ideal growing temperature is 10 15°c so avoid warmer places which will cause the flowers to finish sooner Aftercare involves replanting in to a bigger pot of ericaceous compost before putting them outside from the middle of June A shady position is best before eventually bringing them back indoors at the end of October Always keep the compost moist

Cyclamen is one of the most popular houseplants

They are perfect for the cooler parts of your house and have compact stems of white, pink, red or bicoloured nodding flowers over intricately patterned leaves The perfect temperature for them is 10 15°c in a light posi tion away from radiators Kitchens, bathrooms, studies and by the front door are all great places for them

Christmas so by December there should be a 2 5cm flower bud protruding from the bulb Grow on indoors in a coolish spot at around 15°c By the middle of the month the flower bud will be show ing colour Move to a cooler room where growth will slow and the flower emerges and will last longer Keep the compost just moist and increase watering once the flower opens

Amaryllis is usually sold in garden centres as dry bulbs or as a part of gift kits with the pot and soil also included They produce long stems with a large trumpet single or double flower in a range of colour from white, pink, orange, red, bicolour to striped Some reach 80cm tall It is easy to grow if placed in a pot a little wider than the bulb making sure the top half sits

Pull or twist off the flowers once they have finished and more will follow for many months to come Grow them inside until the leaves start to go yellow and then you can either rest the corms for a while or repot them and grow into a bigger plant to flower again next winter

Christmas Cacti are one of my favourite house plants They are slow growing succulents with flat and fleshy leaves that by the end of the summer produce exotic looking flowers of cerise pink, white, orange or apricot Flowering can start as early as the middle of November and continue to late January

Give them a period of time outside in the summer before moving them back indoors in October They are good in light or shady places and allow the compost to dry before re watering Checking the soil regularly is the best policy remove the old flow ers to keep the plant looking tidy

In mixed containers the plants that need the same conditions are

Poinsettia,

Have

selected As the plants begin to outgrow the container after Christmas replant each separate into pots of either John Innes No 2 or a good Multipurpose Compost Common arrangements include Ferns,

Azalea, Peace Lilly, Coral Bead Plant, Polka Dot Plants and more

a Happy Houseplant filled Christmas Everyone.

Daxtonbury Festival

that might be in a similar situation to share suppor t

Plenty of awesome events this Christmas

Society (BDCPS) for a whole year

The project is called “Little Sweet Peas” named af ter one of the children who passed away This offers a specialist early years suppor t/stay and play group for families with children between the age of 0 and five years old The children will have severe complex, physical, learning and medical disabilities, increasingly life limiting This group is also available to those children’s mainstream siblings under school age

BDCPS was originally approached by several parents who had tried mainstream play groups and family centres but found the constant comparison with others too much They asked us if we could star t groups that would enable them to come along to a safe setting and meet other families

Said Dax Miller who hosts the festival on his land: “Thank you all from the bottom of my hear t and thanks to my amazing team you know who you are Much love ”

Daxtonbur y came back in 2022 af ter an gap of two years during lockdowns when the team behind this boutique festival hosted “The best three day par ty in Bedford shire” during the weekend of 8/9/10 July Held on farmland near the village of Podington in Nor th Bedfordshire, the festival featured over 30 bands including local favourites

Ever yone involved with the festival bands, organisers, volunteers and backstage crews etc give their time for free in order to raise money for cancer charities

Originally just a friends and family barbecue, Daxtonbur y has grown into a memorial to Chris Kelly, one of those friends, who passed away a few years ago

www daxtonbur yfestival co uk

by Tony Hendrix

As we approach the much anticipated festive season 2022, I am pleased to see that many local venues have some awesome events lined up for December

Despite the financial challenges that have faced many venues within the hospitality sector power ful marketing techniques have been adopted to get people through the doors, the ue generated over the festive season for venues could well be a deciding factor for val during the early months of 2023 when c spending is low here are so many venues with events on over hristmas, I have chosen just a few of the larger events to mention this year he Corn Exchange is proud to welcome back Drif ters as par t of their UK tour 2022 on day, December 15, with a brand new show rming all their classic hits from the last six des The legendar y group have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, per formed for the President of the United States and listed among the Greatest Ar tists of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine

Just a few of the hot soul classics to expect on the night include ‘Saturday Night at the Movies’, ‘You’re More Than A Number ’ ‘Come on Over to My Place’, ‘Up On The Roof,’ ‘Under the Boardwalk’, ‘Kissin In The Back Row’, ‘Save The Last Dance For Me’, ‘Down On The Beach’, ‘Hello

Happiness’ and many, many more! A great family event Tickets are available from the Bedford Corn Exchange

Old School Garage fans will be pleased to hear that on Friday, December 23, Esquires Music Venue 60A Bromham Road Bedford MK40 2QG will be hosting a night called ‘Give Me Garage’ Esquires, Bedford’s most iconic music venue has been exclusively selected for this event due to its amazing sound system and histor y ‘Give Me Garage’ will be presenting the ultimate Old School Garage Cracker, with loads of your old school favourite club anthems

Special guest per formance on the night will be ‘Richie Dan’ who has an array of garage hits and undoubtedly one of the most recognisable voices in UK Garage histor y

The night will also honour appearances from DJ/Producer ‘STICKY’ he was the producer behind UK Garage anthems such as BOO featuring Ms Dynamite and ‘The Things We Do For Love’ featuring Kele Le Roc UK Garage Legend MC KIE will also be gracing the stage during the event, he is the peoples UKG Champ, his biggest claim to fame

was from his massive UKG bangers ‘FLY BI’ and ‘Flow’

The legendar y MC RANKIN will also be on the bill, he is undoubtedly a favourite MC with many DJ’s & Ravers with the voice of one of the most recognisable singalong lyrics: there s no question of a doubt, I’ve checked all the ladies out ” if you’re a true old school raver I’m sure you’ll recognise that verse!

Finally ‘DJ Sen Har vey’ will be Flying the flag for Bedford in the UKG scene, an energetic DJ complemented by top ar tists and ravers for his selection and mixing Sean is a Garage Nation & Halloween Town Festival resident DJ

There will be several Christmas Eve and New Year ’s Eve events at many local bars and pubs, I’ve noticed that some venues tend to charge a nominal entr y charge via tickets which I assume is to cover buffet spreads where applicable

Hopefully you will be in a financial position to suppor t your local venue as they need as much suppor t as they can get during these uncer tain times

Have a great Christmas and all the best for the New Year

comedy

Shows you won’t want to miss

Castle Comedy is bringing the Christmas cheer to Bedfordshire! The shows will feature star names, mince pies, crackers, and lots of laughter

Saturday December 3rd, The Weatherley Centre, Biggleswade Headlining the show is LARRY DEAN He is one of the hottest stars in British comedy He has starred on Live at the Apollo Mock the Week and Michael McIntyre’s Big Show!

This year he was nominated for Best Show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Having been compared to Kevin Bridges and Billy Connolly he is on the road to becoming a household name

“Has the easy charm of an arena comic and the high joke rate too The Guardian

Also appearing is FINLAY CHRISTIE who has appeared on ITV1 s The Stand Up Sketch Show and 8 out of 10 Cats do Countdown!

Thursday December 8th, Henlow Bridge Lakes, Henlow Headlining the show is PAUL McCAFFREY He has appeared on Live at the Apollo, Impractical Jokers, Russell Howards Good News and Stand up Central on Comedy Central

He is an award winning act who headlines the biggest comedy clubs at home and abroad He has suppor ted Kevin Bridges and Michael McIntyre on their UK tours

“A total natural, his stor ytelling is utterly unique, never anything less than gut bustlingly hilarious” GQ Magazine

Also appearing is FIONA ALLEN, a twice Emmy winning

actor and comedian who has been a mainstay of our TV screens over the past two decades She has starred in various sketch shows, most famously Smack the Pony!

Thursday December 15th, The Quarry Theatre, Bedford Headlining the show is IVO GRAHAM He is a regular fixture in the clubs and theatres of the UK circuit, his gauche charm and craf ty, self aware wit has proved a hit with audiences of all ages, and

led to appearances on multiple TV and radio shows including Backstage with Kathrine Ryan, Live At The Apollo, British as Folk, Have I Got News For You Mock The Week and Fighting Talk

‘Beautifully constructed comedy’ The Scotsman

All shows feature full suppor t from top UK comedians and Paul Revill will host the shows!

Doors 7 30pm, Shows Star t 8 15pm Shows finish 10 45pm Book via www castlecomedy co uk

BIGGLESWADE FC

by Antony Molinari

Saturday October 22

DIDCOT TOWN .......................1

BIGGLESWADE FC ................0

Biggleswade lost for only the sec ond time this season as they trav elled to Didcot in Oxfordshire, with both teams sitting in the play off positions this was always going to be a tight game and so it proved with the only goal going in favour of the home side in a 1 0 win

FC had the better of the first half and despite a playing surface that was more Hackney Marshes than what would be expected at this level, tried to play their passing game as normal

However, having the majority of the possession FC just couldn't fashion a final ball and create any real chance to test the Town keeper With Charlie Hayford still missing through injury even their numerous set piece plays were often wasted, either being over hit or not beating the first defender

The second half saw Town have a more balanced share of the ball and they duly broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when Andi Noka received the ball on the right, cut inside and fired a very good shot into the far corner past a div ing Tyler Josephs

kept a cool head to skip past the advancing Hopwood, before guid ing the ball into the empty net

Having been on the wrong side of an earlier offside decision, FC profited from another close call this time around Breaking clear down the right hand side, a slight deflection on the cross fell for Tom Coles in the box He was denied by the sterling efforts of Hopwood, but the Ducks keeper could do little to deny Kian Coles

Wednesday November 2

BIGGLESWADE.......................2

KEMPSTON ROVERS ............2

Biggleswade salvaged a point against Kempston Rovers in a thrilling local derby played in dreadful conditions under lights at the Eyrie

FC set the tone of the game in just the second minute as Adam Hunt went on one of his trademark runs He beat a defender before crossing at the byline The slightest of flicks took the ball to the far post where the grateful George Bailey stooped to head home

As the clock ticked into the sixth minute, Daniel Bond thought he had doubled the FC lead but he had just strayed offside

The home side went close two minutes later when George Bailey's skewed goal attempt fell invitingly into the path of Alex Marsh, whose smart turn and shot was blocked by the keeper George Rose

After a flick from Alex Marsh didn't come off, Rovers promptly cantered down the field and forced a corner A short routine saw the ball crossed low into the box and Harry Stratton opened up his body to guide a smart finish into the cor ner of the net

Saturday November 5

BIGGLESWADE FC ...............0

HIGHWORTH TOWN ............2 FC lost their unbeaten home record in a game they really should've won

Biggleswade were on the front foot against a side sitting in the lower reaches of the league, with two wins all season, it looked like it was only a matter of time as early chances came and went for FC

The best of them fell for Lawrie Marsh from just six yards out, with just a defender to beat and the goal wide open after his brother Alex had rounded the keeper and squared it, only for Lawrie to somehow put the ball wide

Despite not having much of the ball Highworth were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute when a seemingly innocuous long ball for ward was left to bounce between the FC centre backs, the Town number 9 took advantage to get to the ball, only to be brought down by Dan Green in goal Barcelos duly tucked away the penalty

Yet more chances came and went for FC only for them to find themselves two down in the 70th minute when Anton Dworzak 20 yard shot found the top corner after Dan Green could only get his fin ger tips to it

Wednesday November 9

BIGGLESWADE FC ...............3

AFC DUNSTABLE ..................1

FC returned to winning ways in a comfortable win that was predicted to be another tough Bedfordshire derby at the Eyrie

Dunstable sitting just below FC have their own play off aspirations but were never in this game

chances fell to George Bailey, Alex Marsh and Daniel Bond Wasn’t long though before they were 1 up, Bailey raced on to a through ball from Alex Marsh, skipped past two defenders and fired low into the bottom corner

If Dunstable were ever going to get into this game it was on 27th minutes when they were awarded a penalty for hand ball from what looked a dubious free kick Dan Green made a great double save though and FC went up the other end and got their own penalty for a foul on the ever impressive Bailey Alex Marsh stepped up and fired into the top right corner

The game was over in the 46th minute as Jack Dryer linked up with Bailey, he ran in from the left and fired inside the near post AFC did grab a consolation in the 82nd minute

Saturday 12th November

WELWYN GARDEN CITY ....2 BIGGLESWADE FC ................3 Biggleswade FC produced a stun ning comeback to take all three points and give their playoff hopes a massive boost It was a frenetic opening to the match as both sides wrestled for supremacy early on FC were the slightly more livelier of the two with Jack Dreyer striking the top of the cross bar on eleven minutes fol lowing a neat link up with Tom Coles and then Alex Marsh

the fightback in the 59th minute with a stunning freekick

Lawrie Marsh then squared the game at two each getting onto the end of a fine sweeping FC move

The home side were reduced to 10 men five minutes from time when Njie was given a second yel low for a clumsy foul on Tom Coles

The Jack Dreyer dead ball delivery was once again on point, sending in an in swinger that saw Alex Marsh not only time his run to perfection, but he cushioned a delightful header over the stranded Crowley to send the travelling sup porters into raptures

Saturday November 19

BIGGLESWADE FC ...............4

KIDLINGTON FC ....................1

FC produced the performance of the season with a stunning 4 1 home win against fifth placed and play off rivals Kidlington Three first half goals in the space of just six minutes ended the game before it had begun

On 23 Alex Marsh and Mekhi Angol linked up down the right, Angol fed Jack Dryer who’s shot was parried only for the ball to fall to Adam Hunt to prod home

Tuesday November 22

WALTHAM ABBEY .................0

BIGGLESWADE FC ................1 FC moved into secondd place their highest league position in their short history

Despite missing a number of first team players through a combi nation of injury and illness, Biggleswade put in a real dogged away performance, at times they had to dig in but they showed great character to grind out a 1 0 win and their fourth victory on the spin leaving them just 5 points off the top

FC welcomed back Dan Newton who re joined the club from Royston and went straight into the team due to a number of absences

The game was scrappy and at times a bad tempered affair which wasn’t helped by the constant bar racking coming from the Abbey bench with the referee having to come over and speak to them a number of times

Few chances fell for either side in the first half, FC going closest when George Bailey smacked the post from 20 yards after latching onto a ball over the top of the Abbey defence

Sunday October 30

AYLESBURY.............................0

BIGGLESWADE FC ................2

Biggleswade FC returned to win ning ways with two first half goals from George Bailey and Kian Coles in a one sided victory at Aylesbury United on Sunday

Having not scored for the last two games, FC were on the front foot straight from kick off and should’ve been ahead early on after two decisions looked to go against them

The first, a pass in behind the defence saw Tom Coles go clear, however, he was incorrectly flagged for offside, the linesman giving it against Alex Marsh who wasn’t involved in the move

Then five minutes later, with just the defender to beat in the box, he was brought down in what looked a stone wall penalty, only for him to be booked for diving

It didn’t matter though, on 22 minutes, a long goal kick from Dan Green was expertly trapped out of the sky by Alex Marsh He then set off for goal before attempting a through pass This was diverted invitingly into the path of George Bailey by a home defender, who

The game continued end to end and with an entertaining first half coming to a close Kempston took the lead Harry Stratton picked up a loose ball from a Rovers goal kick, beat an FC player, slid a pass inside to Baker who shot, Green saved but could only divert it into the path of Hatch, who tucked away the rebound

After the break FC looked a lit tle fatigued but with about 25 min utes left they came alive again and started to dominate the play, pro ducing a number of fine saves from Rose It started feel that it was going to be one of them nights but then on 82 minutes Reiss Oteng halted a Rovers attack and FC were away down the right, Adam Hunt fed Mekhi Angol and the youngster got his head up and sent over a quite wonderful cross for Alex Marsh, who ran off the shoulder of his marker to expertly dispatch the diving header

MOM Alex Marsh (pictured)

In recent games FC have raced out the blocks and it was no differ ent this time around as early

But after their Wednesday night win against Dunstable and playing their fifth game in two weeks it was understandable that FC started to drop off the pace allowing Welwyn to get on top, two goals soon followed which saw FC two down at the break and in real trou ble Club captain Tom Coles started

Three minutes later another good FC move in the middle saw Angol receive the ball from Alex Marsh, he turned one defender and then cut inside another before fir ing a cracking low shot into the far corner

Two minutes later on 28 George Bailey effectively sealed the three points when he managed to get on the end of a Adam Hunt shot

In the second half Alex Marsh made it four on the 75th minute

Kidlington did manage a con solation on the 81st minute

It was club captain Tom Coles who broke the deadlock with what would prove to be the winner in the 50th minute, a quick throw in found Lawrie Marsh who’s deflect ed cross looped to Tom Coles who smashed in the volley from 12 yards to give FC the lead

Waltham Abbey huffed and puffed but despite seeing more of the ball they never really troubled Dan Green in goal as the FC defence battled and stayed deter mined to the end to run out 1 0 winners

MOM George Bailey

Doing things the right way

By Guillem Balague Chairman Biggleswade United

I was never a great fan of the phrase ‘grassroots’ football although the more I have been involved in the lower league game, the more it has if you’ll excuse the pun ‘grown’ on me

Organic, patient, time consuming development, growing from the bottom up is the only way to achieve long term success for any grassroots football club It isn’t particularly glamorous but vital for the simple reason that it is physically impossible for anything to grow from the top down

Throwing money in at the top might well bring short term success but will never bring about long term stability

Which is why here at Biggleswade United we hold

our youth football section and our lower ranked senior sides like the Ladies Blue team and our men’s reserve side in such high esteem

Not because they are the all conquering greatest teams in the world but rather because they are our guarantee of the future, as important if not more so than our senior sides that play at a higher level Without them we are merely a team no more no less with them we are a united club

My dream at Biggleswade United has always been infrastructure permitting to build a club where youngsters can join at an early age and feed their way through the ranks all the way to the first team

It isn’t easy, nor is it a fast, flat and even road but every now and then you get moments of pure joy that persuade you that you are doing things right

Like when players graduate from the reserves side into the men’s first team or when young women play ers who cut their teeth in the blue side find themselves regularly picked for our high flying Red women’s side who are currently just two levels below National League level

And it is for this same reason why I love the FA Vase so much, not because it is the greatest competi tion in the world but rather because it is the embodiment and in some cases the fulfilment of those dreams that clubs like ours across the country are constantly striving for

At the time of writing we have already beaten four sides to get to the third round of the competition and are now just five ties and six games the semi final is a two legged affair from a place at a showpiece Wembley final

Next up we have been drawn at home on December 3 against Lakenheath FC of the Eastern Counties

To get all the way to the final would be a dream beyond my wildest imaginations and on a more practi cal level the money would also come in very useful

So far we have earned £3000 from our four victo ries in the competition Victory in round three would bring in another £1125 and the eventual winners can look to earning around £50,000

But, as welcome an addition to club funds as it might be, it isn’t just about the money but rather the realisation that the FA Vase is tangible proof that we are heading in the right direction and are getting there by doing things the right way

Spirited per formances gain har d earned points

Saturday October 22

BIGGLESWADE TOWN..........2

KIDLINGTON ...........................2

With only a week from our FA cup exit to Farnborough, the team were still feeling the aftermath of that result The fine afternoon, the pitch looking resplendent all anticipated to cheer on the lads in green

It was not the most auspicious start with Kidlington opening the scoring on five through Thomas Moore, a wicked curling shot from close in

Waders fought back employing the football that the fans at the Yvette Brewer stadium are liking and getting to enjoy The whole team, or it seemed like it, were involved in this move with Charlie Smith delivering the final ball to Obi Onyeagwara to easily by pass the keeper on 12

The first 45 was all Waders and surprisingly we went in at 1 1 After the break Brathwaite was replaced by new boy Elliot Bailey to add another attacker, dropping Draper back

This interrupted the flow and pressure from Biggleswade as the home side pushed onwards That pushing saw Kidlington grab a breakaway goal on 73 by Ryan Knight after the ball ran loose Kidlington now employed all the time wasting excuses breaking down the flow of the game Waders pushed on and got the rewards on 85 as Aaron Austin netted from close range

Tuesday October 25

AFC DUNSTABLE ....................1

BIGGLESWADE TOWN..........1 Dunstable have had an impressive start to the season losing only once thus far The ever improving Waders not so good but the cohesion and discipline are coming quickly in our chase for the top Amazing how these two sides compared Very strong in defence, particularly in the air, industrious in the mid field where for Biggleswade Max Granville was outstanding Up top

the forwards running into the space probed by their midfield backers

It was always going to be tight with neither side prepared to give an inch Strong and honest football at its best was never going to pro duce a hat full of goals, just the two Dunstable opened on 11 through Tyriq Hunte picking the ball up halfway into wader territory, brush ing aside the tackles and gave Timmy Smith no chance with a low shot to his right Wanting to restore the balance Biggleswade set about reducing the deficit A foul just out side the box on 17 gave Charlie Smith the opportunity Not too wide on the right, Charlie picked his spot and he launched the ball a hush and definite lack of movement from all as the ball hit the net At 1 1 a very even contest

After the break both sides had a go at dominancy but no real chances came during 45 minutes of exciting, combative football

Tuesday November 1 THAME 2 BIGGLESWADE TOWN..........3

Our first visit ever visit to Thame, the facility and Staff are brilliant hiding away there in Oxfordshire An enjoyable evening, certainly worth the journey

With a mass of games to catch up due to FA cup success, manager Robbie O Keefe took the opportu nity to rest a few and include in the starting line up Liam Smyth and Elliot Bailey as the strike force

Smyth had three efforts just over with powerful headers, a host of chances created but left unfin ished The breakthrough when it came on 34 was hot shot Charlie Smith from the edge of the box, beating all into the far corner This appeared the catalyst that Thame needed as they upped the tempo Two goals in two minutes,43 and 45+2 from Gregory Hackett and Daniel West sent the visitors in unbelievably behind after dominat ing the first half

After the break a swaggering, confident Thame could smell vic tory as they pressed forward in numbers The green wall Austin,

Howe, Brathwaite and Parker held firm backed up by Timmy Smith in goal A very positive move on 63 altered the course of the game Off goes defenders Howe and Austin to be replaced by forwards Clements and Onyeagwara

Wow talk about impact, two minutes on and Onyeagwara with the greatest of skill tricked all with his back flick to level the score Another two minutes and sub Clements put the Waders in front when he found himself lonely in the box, his shot hitting the back of the net at speed

Saturday November 5

WELWYN

GARDEN CITY

.....1

BIGGLESWADE TOWN..........1

Our first visit to the Garden City in many a year on an autumnal after noon with the rain, that nasty drizzle that makes you very wet and cold Fortunately, the scene being played out infront of us was hot

Welwyn came out urgent to impress upon the Waders, their quick passing to the wide boys pay ing dividends The green wall of defenders kept the home side at bay Charlie Smith had first dibs with a stunning free kick from just outside the box brilliantly saved by Charley Crowley in the home goal

Minutes later Jon Clements had the ball in the net to be adjudged off side On 23 Joe Howe was off injured to be replaced by Obi Onyeagwara it what was to be fol lowed by a series of treatable injuries throughout the match 37 in and tricky Cheyce Grant cut inside the fullback releasing a looping shot into the top corner to give the home side the edge Waders pressed back only to lose Marcus Goldbourne through injury at the break Liam Smyth on to replace

After the break Welwyn re newed their offensive and all the defenders had 100% concentration to prevent a further score Jake Bunyan came on at 77 pushing Harry Draper upfront As the clock ticked down anxious Wader fans sat and wondered On 90+2 up pops Liam Smith to smash the ball home after the keeper had mishandled

by Mike Draxler