Beds Bulletin County edition May 2023

See page19

Well-known businessman appointed High Sheriff

THE High Sheriff of Bedfordshire for 2023/2024 was installed on Friday 24 March 2023. Russell Beard, who succeeded Lady Clifford, was sworn in at a ceremony held at Bedford Modern School

Russell was born in the heart of Bedford and has lived and worked for the entirety of his life within a three-mile radius of the county town

After attending Polam School as a youngster he joined Bedford Modern School where he was one of the few to be educated at both the old and new schools

He later served the school as a member of the Old Bedford Modernians Club Committee for 25 years, becoming its President in 2013 and was also a Governor of the school

16-YEAR-OLD AUCTIONEER

At 16 years of age, Russell joined local auctioneers, Peacocks, as a trainee and could be seen on the rostrum every Saturday selling eggs and bicycles

The opportunity arose in 1983 to transfer over to the firm’s estate agency division and this was a key move in his business life

Within three years he had set up his own Estate Agency and the business continues to this day with wide ranging interests in many aspects of residential property

Sport has always been a passion He represented Bedfordshire at Table-Tennis at both Junior and Senior levels The highlight achievement was coming second in the England schools team event in 1980

WEDDING STATIONERY

As a cricketer he played for Bedford Modern School 1st X1 as well as Bedford Town and the MCC Bedfordshire County Cricket Club recognised his long service to the club by electing him President in 2017

Many will recognise Russell as an Auctioneer who has conducted hundreds of local charity fund raising auctions which have also included London Fashion Week, Love Luton Awards Event and some prestigious Lord’s Taverners Dinners

As Chair of the Gale Family Trust, he presides over a fund that distributes around £400,000 a year to Bedfordshire based groups and charities – a background that should serve him well as High Sheriff Russell is a family man, married to Clare and with son Harry and daughter Charlotte they have lived in Bromham for over 20 years

Socially, he is never happier than having a day out at his beloved Lords, holding court in the dining room of The Lansdowne Club or offering support at the Bedford Blues Rugby

FUND-RAISING YEAR

The Shrieval year will be geared towards fundraising projects for his four designated charities These are Bedford Hospital Charity and Friends, Bedfordshire Crimebeat, Blues Foundation and Lord’s Taverners

His love of all things Bedfordshire will undoubtedly help to promote and support the many organisations across the county through the office of the High Sheriff

Chapel r estoration needs mor e money to complete

b y Euan Duncan – L ocal Democracy Reporter

EXTRA work costing more than £15,000 is required to continue with a three-year restoration project of the historic Drove Road Chapel in Biggleswade.

Contractors completed a survey before the renovation scheme started to understand the scope of improvements required, according to a report to the town council

As the survey had to be completed from the ground floor, the contractors have discovered extra jobs are required higher up the building, said the report

“The completion of these extra high level tasks incurs an overall added cost of £17,050, which is reduced to £15,050 through a ward councillor grant

“Given the significant cost of scaffolding and the

importance of continuity with respect to construction workers, council officers worked with the contractor to incorporate these additional aspects into phase one ”

This stage was due to be completed by the end of February, explained the report For safety reasons, access to and around the 19th Century listed chapel building is restricted for the duration of the work

Town clerk Peter Tarrant told a council meeting:

“When we considered the work associated with this it was extremely difficult without scaffolding to get to the top of the chapel because it’s quite a significant height

“After the top of the building was inspected, there

Continued on page 5

Councils being held to ransom

TWO Bedfordshire local authorities “have been held to ransom for millions of pounds” over providing enough school places to cater for the Wixams development, according to a local councillor.

A 19-acre site within the Forest of Marston Vale between Houghton Conquest and Wixams was granted planning permission by Central Bedfordshire Council’s development management committee

Applicant Present Made Houghton Conquest Property Company Limited submitted outline plans to demolish the current buildings and create a community café with changing facilities, as well as up to 42 homes with public open space, at Great Thickthorn Farm in Thickthorn Lane

Its proposals for the Wixams southern extension also include pedestrian and cycle links, parking and landscaping for land identified as part of a residential allocation in the CBC Local Plan

There are two residential prop-

by John Guinn – L ocal Democracy Reporter

erties on the site with vacant farm buildings, according to a report to the committee “It’s predominately large fields, most recently in arable use,” said the report “A mixed-use development of the land surrounding Great Thickthorn Farm, covering 170 acres, with up to 650 homes, a country park and a five-acre site for educational use, was granted outline planning permission in 2019 ”

Senior planner Janine Richardson said: “At the time of the wider planning permission, this site wasn’t included in the plans ”

Independent Houghton Conquest and Haynes Cllr Hares explained: “This application is in the centre of fields If this goes ahead, it’s in isolation

“Five per cent of residents within the new development at Wixams don’t have a GP currently They use urgent care facilities or the out-

of-hours walk-in clinic They’re unable to register

“The schools are at capacity

This council and Bedford Borough have been held to ransom for millions of pounds to improve that deficit and provide enough spaces for Wixams as it is now

“We’re compounding the problem before understanding it This is 42 homes in addition to the 650 proposed on the original outline application

“It was meant to be a transition from an urban environment in the original Wixams to a more rural density How’s this infrastructure going to be available and how will it be accessed?

“We’re in a Catch-22 We want the houses so we get the finance, but we need the money before the housing This is a premature application given the current issues in Wixams aren’t yet realised ”

Planning partner of Bidwells

4

on behalf of the applicant Mike Jones said: “We’re grateful to integrate this remaining leftover parcel of land into the master plan allocation

“Key aspects we felt were lacking from the original permission were changing room facilities to support the sport pitch provision and convenience amenities to serve future occupiers

“There’ll also be a centralised community café with retail provision and a seating area to provide a community focus

“This won’t be brought forward independently, but in succession of key infrastructure through the phasing of the wider site

“There’s no proposal to route any traffic through Houghton Conquest

This would link to the infrastructure of the larger allocation, which connects to the Bedford Road and Ampthill Road ”

The Kennels are situated in a rural environment, yet with easy access from A1 (Black Cat Roundabout). Fully insulated and heated kennels with spacious outer run. Dogs walked three times a day, inspection welcome. 01480

Police chief sanguine about Chinese spy technology

by John Guinn – L ocal Democracy Reporter

BEDFORDSHIRE Police

has taken steps to ensure there isn’t a security risk from using equipment manufactured in China, its chief constable has said.

In February, Fraser Sampson, the biometrics and surveillance camera commissioner, said: “There has been a lot in the news in recent days about how concerned we should be about Chinese spy balloons 60,000 feet up in the sky

“I do not understand why we are not at least as concerned about the Chinese cameras six feet above our head in the street and elsewhere ”

This followed the release of a survey by the Office of the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner (BSCC) which claimed that police forces in the UK are “shot through” with Chinese camera technology

The BSCC is an independent monitoring body of the Home Office

During an accountability meeting held on March 20, Bedfordshire’s police and crime commissioner, Festus Akinbusoye, asked if Bedfordshire Police had any concerns around using

Founder member of Athletic Club passes

B I G G L E S W A D E Athletic Club was saddened to hear the death of Des Ball one of the founder members of the Athletic Club in 1951.

Des passed away on the 25th March at the grand old age of 96 D es w as b orn on September 26, 1926

Chinese-manufactured equipment

The force’s chief constable, Trevor Rodenhurst, said: “We’ve carried out an audit on this to address any concerns that we had

“I was involved personally with my leadership team in a Triforce exercise [in March] to look at potential cyber threats to our organisation

“And to make sure that our understanding and our efforts are at the level they should be,” he added

“In relation to the specific question on Chinese technology, we did some work into this and we’ve identified one piece of kit

“We’ve looked at it in relation to how we use it, and we’ve ensured that it is not connected to the internet

“There’s no risk of any kind of data loss or anything of that nature, it’s very much an isolated system that performs a task

“It’s good that we get asked these questions, but we have done an audit and we don’t have a concern in relation to a security risk from that threat vector,” he said

“UK law enforcement along with its intelligence partners does take these kinds of threats from state actors very seriously,” he said

Anyone for ‘hopscotch?’

HAVING a play streets scheme in Biggleswade would confuse children and possibly teach them bad road safety habits, a meeting heard

The town has enough green areas to accommodate such activity, if Central Bedfordshire Council wants to organise it, according to town councillors

CBC wrote to town council officers to receive backing for this initiative to persuade young people in Biggleswade to be active

But town councillor Mark Knight warned: “I don’t think we should be encouraging children to play in the streets or in the road, as it encourages dangerous behaviour

“It’s ridiculous We’re lucky in Biggleswade because there are a significant number of green spaces

“I would love to see volunteerled and group activities supported by CBC on some of those play areas, rather than potentially causing chaos on the roads or encouraging children to play where they shouldn’t be ”

Deputy mayor Madeline Russell agreed, saying: “We’re talking two hours a month which is something and nothing, with volunteers policing it

“There’s a comment in the scheme saying the children are still the responsibility of parents

“My problem is once children play in the road for a couple of hours, the younger ones won’t necessarily recognise the danger when the streets aren’t closed

“If CBC wants to send packs of play equipment and organise volunteers fine, but in our play areas rather than the streets ”

Town councillor Rob Pullinger

He used to organise th e Eas ter Mon d ay road races arou n d Biggles w ad e an d th e cycle and track races in July at Fairfield The clu b s origin al h ome was Fairfield until the b u ild in g b ecame u n s afe to u s e an d moved to Stratton.

The County Council Mid Beds at the time offered to build a running track at Stratton

b u t th e Biggles w ad e County Councillors of the day apposed this being built in Biggleswade so the track was built in Sandy instead the present day home of Biggleswade Athletic Club.

asked: “Who’s responsible when a child scoots into a vehicle or a ball damages someone’s window?

“It’s a completely ridiculous proposal We should encourage our play space sites to be used It’s completely wrong we encourage children to play in the road at some times, when it’s far too dangerous most of the time ”

Town councillor David Albone disagreed, saying: “I was of a generation lucky enough to play in the streets wherever, as there wasn’t the same level of traffic and it was relatively safe

“This is about closing the roads from time-to-time to allow this kind of type of activity And why should car be king all the time? It’s terrible children today can’t play safely in the streets

“Parents should be able to allow their kids outside without having to keep an eye on them and expect them to be safe ”

Conservative CBC Biggleswade South and town councillor Mark Foster “welcomed the ambition of this project”, adding: “We want to encourage children to be active

“There might be pockets of the town where this is more appropriate than others But on balance we’re in a position in this town where it’s unnecessary ”

Town councillor Hazel Ramsay explained: “As parents we go to a great deal of trouble to explain streets aren’t safe places “To say you can do it at a given time and then not the next morning is totally confusing And motorists won’t know if the road is closed or not ”

Des was the Club secretary for nearly 40 years and along with h is Broth er R ex th e treasurer they ran the Club. Des’s input in those early days laid the foundations for the ath letic clu b it h as become today.

Underpass desperately needed

A MUCH-NEEDED underpass link to Biggleswade from nearby villages would avoid residents using an “absolutely lethal” route across the A1, a meeting heard

It could be “a matter of time” before someone loses their life by Tingey’s Corner at Upper Caldecote, Biggleswade Town Council was warned

Although a blueprint is still to be drawn up for the sustainable underpass project, the idea has the backing of Northill Parish Council already

Ickwell resident Mike Wells updated town councillors on progress, saying: “I’m asking you to support this in a strong manner to the Conservative North East Bedfordshire MP Richard Fuller

“He can liaise with Highways England and Central Bedfordshire

Council, asking them to get their act together

“We’re not after money

Nobody’s prepared a costing or a design The first thing is for interested parties to agree this needs to happen

“There’s time pressure because Highways England announced last summer it’s going to close Tingey’s Corner, which is the A1 crossing from Biggleswade Road

“It was a complete shock We’d understood it would be closed to trucks, which would be diverted via Sandy, but not to locals It’s not a legal crossing

“Footpath seven is a legal right of way across both carriageways at the south-east corner of the Woodlands estate

“We’ve strong opinions against a footbridge, which is unworkable,” he explained “The rationale is you need enormous long ramps Disabled people’s scooters would-

Chapel r estoration needs mor e money to complete

Continued from page 1

were some extra aspects which weren’t identified in the initial scoping exercise, such as repointing and stonemasonry work,” he said

“That was agreed to be done while the scaffolding was up This means some of the work which doesn’t rely on scaffolding needs to be pushed into year two and year three

“There are extra costs associated with the overall programme of just over £15,000 when you take into account the Central Bedfordshire Council ward councillor ’s grant, which (CBC and town councillor) Ian Bond has kindly provided

“As it’s an old listed building, you find things which weren’t originally identified and emerge through this project

“We commissioned a project manager who receives delegated authority to proceed with this, subject to the constraints put in place ”

Noting “the overall project will

still cost £15,000 more”, town councillor Rob Pullinger asked:

“Is it intended the budget for year two or year three increases by £15,000?

“Is it expected the project manager will manage within each year ’s budget, not the two years combined, as we manage it on a year-by-year basis?

“If we’re delegating authority in this way, it will be helpful for the town council to receive a report on a regular basis ”

Mr Tarrant replied: “You’ll receive regular status reports linked with this and we’ll manage any associated risks I hope the old building doesn’t show us any more unfortunate elements to be done ”

The council unanimously agreed to receive regular written reports from the external project manager to its internal manager for consideration by town councillors

It also approved an extra £15,050 funding being drawn down to finance paused phase one works, which are to be completed in future phases

n’t get up there, which is frightening for them

“Hundreds of people in Upper Caldecote, Ickwell and Northill want to access Biggleswade town centre An underpass would avoid them getting in their cars to the south end of the town or to Bedford

“People would use e-bikes or scooters and it would be a great way for the disabled to travel into town The underpass is the perfect way to do this I’d ask you support an underpass and on no account a bridge ”

Town councillor David Albone asked if Mr Fuller had indicated where funding might come from

Mr Wells replied: “No We’re avoiding that question for now It’s never going to come out of Section 106 developer contributions

“There should be money from new sources, such as sustainable travel initiatives Two developers are keen to get more planning permissions on the west side, so there’s a deal to be done ”

Town councillor Duncan Strachan said: “Something like this is desperately needed, and not just at that point

“Has any thought been given to a possible diversion of footpath seven, particularly with developers contributing funds, which could finance part or all of an underpass?

“It’s only a matter of time before something serious happens there and someone loses their life I support the closure, as that’s absolutely lethal one way or another ”

Mayor Grant Fage said: “The importance of this for Biggleswade town centre shouldn’t be underestimated because there are villages which rely on the amenities on the other side of the A1 ”

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Community centr e build could star t this year

A

£1 6m community building in Potton could be open

this year Plans have

to

next summer, with work potentially

the end of

by the town council to the delight of Potton Hall for All trustees chair-

man Liz Smith She described the latest progress as “a sense of relief in that we’re moving forwards”, but admitted until the hall is com-

plete she “wouldn’t be fully confident”

The project was taking shape only to be disrupted by the pandemic and then a sharp rise in construction costs

This meant the overall scope of the scheme was scaled down slightly, although the key components remain

“It still provides all the things we’d hoped for,” she explained “Being a bit smaller might prove to be better

“This would offer what we want, which is a bigger hall than anywhere else in Potton The current largest premises is the school one in Mill Lane, which clearly isn’t available to use throughout the week ”

Potton Hall for All committee has been working towards securing a new hall in the town for more than ten years

A Section 106 agreement for the development of land east of Biggleswade Road included a 1 3acre area for a community building, which was transferred to Potton Town Council on February 4, 2020

The building must be under construction by May 2024, under the terms of that legal arrangement

Delegated authority is expected to approve this release of funds by CBC’s executive in August, after a deadline was extended to allow the charity more time to produce its share of the finance

The town council contributed £125,000, while it secured a further £500,000 through a public works loan and charitable donations pledged by trusts

The development was close to its target by November 2021, but an updated quote for the work revealed building costs had risen substantially to around £3m

Last April, the executive committee gave the trustees until August this year to produce a proof of funding commitment

The team involved considered

what changes could be made to the project which might reduce costs

A reduced size hall measuring about 520sqm rather than the original 800sqm was proposed

The charity can continue to “chase other sources of funding”, which could enable the building to be upgraded at a later stage, according to Ms Smith

“There are a number of groups locally which want to use a bigger space and there could be other ideas which come out of the woodwork once it’s open,” she said

“Someone might think they can do an activity or class there And the town is growing, of course If all goes to schedule, work could start at the end of this year or the beginning of next, with it opening by summer 2024 ”

been submitted

Central Bedfordshire Council

To advertise to over 13,500 homes in Sandy and Biggleswade just call 07894 935952

Four on bail following irregular payments

THERE is an ongoing police investigation into a suspected historic £236k fraud within the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), a report has said

Auditors wrote in their report to the Joint Audit Committee of the police and crime commissioner for Bedfordshire and the chief constable for Bedfordshire Police, that the OPCC made them aware of the suspected historic fraud

The report, which was published on the OPCC website on Thursday, March 30, 2023, said:

“While officers have ultimate responsibility for prevention and detection of fraud, we are required to obtain reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material misstatement, including those arising as a result of fraud ”

A full investigation into suspected fraud was performed by an independent consultant, while Internal Audit performed a review of the OPCC’s commissioning arrangements

Climbing mountains in memor y of her dad

The report said these investigations found five suspected fraudulent payments totalling £236,000 between April 2020 and October 2021

It added that the matter related to just one grant-receiving body

A spokesperson for the Bedfordshire OPCC said: “We identified some financial irregularities in relation to funds awarded to commissioned projects in 2020 and 2021 during a review instigated by the incoming chief executive in late 2021

“The matter was immediately referred to Bedfordshire Police for an investigation which remains ongoing with four people currently on police bail, including one former employee who has since left the OPCC

“While it would be inappropriate to comment about the specific circumstances while the investigation is ongoing, it is important to clarify no further payments were made to the organisation linked to the financial irregularities

“I STILL can’t believe I did it, but with every step I knew I would be making my dad and my family proud, and I got to give back to such an amazing charity.”

47-year-old Julia Alleyne from Marston Moretaine, looks back on the night, she and her husband climbed the highest mountain in England and Wales in memory of her dad, Michael Barrett

Julia and Richard were part of a team who scaled Snowdon by night to raise vital funds for palliative, neurological and bereavement support charity, Sue Ryder, which runs Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger, and who supported her dad through the final days of his life

She hopes that by sharing the highs of her night-time mountain trek, she can encourage others to take on this year’s challenge and help raise vital funds for the charity too

‘’When I lost my father to prostate cancer it was devastating, and I know I wouldn’t have got through those dark scary times without the support of Sue Ryder who put me in touch with a Sue Ryder grief counsellor It helped me so much

“I also know that I wouldn’t have had that precious time with my father if it wasn’t for the team at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice and the support they provided to my family so that we could care for dad at home ”

It was this care and support which inspired Julia to sign up for the once-in-a-lifetime trek “It didn’t feel enough just to say thank you I wanted to raise awareness of Sue Ryder, as well as raise vital funds for the amazing charity so that they could continue to support other families

“I had never climbed a mountain before and if you’d asked me say two years ago if it was something I would like to do, I would have said a straight no Especially at night But I knew that I wanted to challenge myself and work hard for the donations that I would go on to receive ” she added

“The fundraising team at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice were great too, as was company who led the trip Both were on hand to answer any questions and to talk me through what to expect and how to prepare,” said Julia

“I was nervous when we started our climb at 10pm at night, but it turned out to be an amazing experience We had fun, we laughed and sometimes even sang

“Yes, there were moments that I thought ‘how am I going to get up and down this mountain’ but we supported each other and the team of experts who were there with us had so much knowledge that they made us feel safe ”

Fly poster lear ns the har d way being fined of £100 Gala Ball raises £28,000 for CHUMS

THE latest success in the Bedford Borough Council’s campaign against environmental crime involved fly-posting on Ampthill Road in December

A business owner put up signs for a furniture sale, which were soon reported to the Council

The Bedford Borough Council Cleansing Team removed and disposed of them on the same day The Council’s Environmental Crime Team then followed this up by tracking down the person responsible using CCTV

footage from the area

A Bedford Borough Council spokesperson said: “Fly-posters are unsightly, spoil the environment and are illegal They can also be a hazard to road users and pedestrians by obscuring the view of the highway, which can lead to accidents ”

They added: “Businesses are reminded that the Council removes and disposes of fly-posters as soon as they are reported and will always take enforcement action against those caught fly-posting

POSSIBLE £2500 FINE

This could result in a fine of up to £2,500 for putting up a poster that is removed on the same day and so isn’t a gamble worth taking for businesses, especially when cheaper and more effective ways

to advertise are available ”

Fly-posting is the unauthorised placing of advertising on property, without the permission of the owner Fly-posting can be reported online at www bedford gov uk/ FlypostingAndGraffiti

This allows people to give a precise location and a description of the fly-posting, they can also add any photos they have

In this instance, Bedford Borough Council issued the highest Fixed Penalty Notice permitted by legislation, which is £100, and the business owner has since paid Find out about how we keep Bedford Borough clean and tackle nuisances such as noise and pollution, and how to report these environmental issues at www. bedford.gov.uk/environmental-issues

Hammers join war m space scheme

YOU may or may not have heard about the nationwide scheme called Warm Spaces where public buildings, churches and many other places open their doors to provide a safe, welcoming and warm space for those in the community

In conjunction with Bedford Borough Council we are one of numerous places in the borough and these can be found on the

Mayfair House 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.

council website at www bedford gov uk/warm-spaces With the cost of living crisis many of us are facing tough decisions Some of us have moved to working from home following the pandemic, faced a winter and future with increased energy bills Others are facing even harder decisions about whether to heat or eat We don’t think this is right and we wanted to do something to help Warm Spaces is designed to signpost anyone in need of warmth, to a warm space to share with others

Here at Kempston Hammers (formerly Cutler Hammer Sports Club) we open every Tuesday morning from 09 30 to noon for anyone in the community to come and get warm, enjoy a cup of tea, coffee and a slice of cake, make use of charging points etc and join in our very social community hub Our volunteers look forward to welcoming everyone

The response from the community and attendees has been tremendous and we have decided that we will continue our Warm Space even once the weather improves and to become a “Cool Space” with airconditioning in the summer heat!

It costs nothing to pop in and just £1 for tea/coffee and a cake so why not come and see us?

Contact us: 01234 853262

Email: khsscoffice@gmail com

Visit us: 134 High Street, Kempston MK42 7BN

ON Saturday, March 18, Bedfordshire-based Mental Health Charity – CHUMS – held a Gala Ball at Bedford Blues Rugby Club

The event, sponsored by Raymond James Hitchin, played host to a memorable evening that brought together the community to celebrate and support CHUMS 25th

Anniversary

The ball was a resounding success, raising over £28,000 to support CHUMS’ various services, which provide crucial support to help children, young people, and families in the local area cope with mental health challenges

CHUMS has been providing mental health support in Bedfordshire and beyond since 1997 The money raised will be used to continue to provide the charity’s services including the Trauma Support Service, the Recreational Therapeutic Service, the Disability Friendship Scheme, the Suicide Bereavement Service, and the Babyloss Support Service

The 25th Anniversary Ball was a fitting tribute to the important work that CHUMS does in the community The event was attended by 200 people, including CHUMS supporters, local businesses, staff members, and members of the community who were keen to show their support for the charity Guests were treated to a night of live music, dancing, and a delicious three-course meal, all whilst raising money for a worthy cause

Speaking movingly on the night, CHUMS service users Betsy Banks and Henk Kroon, shared their personal experiences and told of how CHUMS had supported and helped them to cope after experiencing bereavements in their families

Introduced by CHUMS CIC Chair, Ben Banks, special guest on the night, HM Lord Lieutenant of

Bedfordshire, Susan Lousada said:

“I was thrilled to join guests at the Chums Ball It was a wonderful occasion and the money raised will continue the vital work that Chums do supporting families and young people during times of need It was both humbling and inspiring to hear directly from people whose lives have been affected by the loss of a loved one and how Chums have been there to help them through their darkest hours I would like to congratulate Chums for everything they have achieved in the past 25 years ”

The Lord Lieutenant kindly presented two unique items to CHUMS CIC CEO, Dawn Hewitt, who has ably led the organisation since it was founded in 1997 –a specially commissioned 25th Anniversary poem by Ampthill based poet Sharnice Williams entitled ‘The Site of a Sanctuary’ And an original painting entitled ‘Walking beside you; every step of the way’ - a beautiful piece of original art created by adults with learning disabilities at MK SNAP and donated to CHUMS in recognition of the incredible support they provide to children and young people CHUMS Charity Chair, Jenny Williams said: ‘CHUMS is extremely grateful for the support and generosity of the community and looks forward to the next 25 years of providing mental health support to those who need it most ” CHUMS’ next campaign, “Calm Mind May”, aims to raise awareness around anxiety and provide strategies for reducing it via mindfulness techniques Schools, organisations and businesses interested in hearing more should contact india marshallroads@chumscharity org to register their interest

For more information on CHUMS’ services, please visit their www.chumscharity.org

Member of Parliament for North East Bedfordshire

ADVICE SURGERIES

Richard holds regular surgeries across North East Bedfordshire. If you would like to book an appointment, please call 01767 313385

THE man who fatally stabbed Kameron Campbell in Bedford was on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, jailed for life for his murder. b y Bulletin Crime Reporter

Federico Saurini, 51, (pictured below) was told by Judge Michael Topolski KC at the Old Bailey that he must serve a minimum of 14 years before he can be considered for parole Saurini had pulled out a hunting knife to attack the 26-year-old victim who had been involved in an angry confrontation with his former partner

At the trial at Luton Crown Court the jury heard heard Kameron Campbell left the garden of the ground floor flat in Palgrave Road, pushed his bike before falling to the ground in the street

DEAD ON ARRIVAL

He was taken to the nearby Bedford Hospital and was pronounced dead just before 7pm, 20 to 30 minutes after he had been stabbed Saurini, 51, who did not give evidence told the police: “ I wanted to frighten him I was frightened myself ”

“You can’t come in my house armed with a knife - threatening to kill mother of my child ”

Saurini of Palgrave Road, Bedford, denied murder on the afternoon of Saturday, August 20, 2022 He was aided in court by an Italian interpreter

Prosecutor Julian Evans KC told Luton Crown Court that Kameron Campbell had been involved in a row with the woman in the kitchen while Saurini watched TV in another room

Kameron Campbell was said to have pulled a knife from his waistband and pointed it at her saying: “I am going to stab you You f bitch ”

Mr Evans said Kameron Campbell went into the garden where they were fighting He was standing over her holding a knife while she tried to kick him in the genitals and attempted to bite him

The defendant pulled a hunting knife from a drawer, removed it from its sheath and thrust it towards Kameron Campbell, who left the garden A neighbour saw him take his push bike, stagger and fall

The defendant, who had blood on him, said: “I think I have stabbed him ”

Mr Evans said the police kicked open the gate and arrested Saurini and the woman When the flat was

searched officers found the knife, which had been cleaned “The flat was in a poor condition and there was significant evidence of drug use,” he said

In a police interview Saurini said he had taken one or two puffs of crack with his former partner that day He said she regularly took heroin and crack

He said when Kameron Campbell would not leave he pulled out a knife telling the woman: “I will kill you I will kill you ” He said he just “pounced on him ”

A post mortem examination found the victim died from a stab wound to the chest It entered the front and emerged from the back “The degree of force was towards the severe end of the scale,” sad the prosecutor

such force that Mr Campbell was left with a fatal injury “I welcome today’s conviction as a level of closure for Mr Campbell’s loved ones “Choosing to carry and use

knives can have extreme and devastating consequences Police will always look to take action against those who illegally carry and use knives to prevent further tragedies like this from happening ”

Detective Inspector Richard Stott from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, who led the investigation, said: “This was a truly tragic incident in which a young man senselessly lost his life

“Whilst Saurini remained in another room watching television, there was ample time for him to do the right thing and call the police, allowing them to defuse the situation and ensure the safety of all those in the property

“Instead, he passively waited, the situation escalated, and in that space of time he made the conscious decision to arm himself with a lethal weapon and use it with

Ran the marathon for mum and dad

A BEDFORD man ran the TCS London Marathon in April for national healthcare charity Sue Ryder, which cared for both his mum and dad at the end of their lives

“Mum was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, but after treatment was given the all-clear Then at the end of 2010 we were told the cancer had returned and just months later was when we had our first interaction with Sue Ryder,” explains 29-year-old Ally Satchwill, who lives in Bedford

“Mum initially went into Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger for respite care At the time my dad was also unwell, my brother was away at university, and I was still trying to work - so it was just a lot for us all

“When mum needed specialist end-of-life care, the Sue Ryder team stepped in again The hospice literally came to our rescue, it was our saviour and meant that mum could spend her final weeks feeling happier,” Ally said

After Ally’s mum died, he and his dad set about helping to raise awareness of Sue Ryder and the expert and compassionate care they provide

“Dad was involved in a Sue Ryder Christmas appeal, and we were both ambassadors for the charity’s Starlight Hike event I used to row a lot when I was younger so when mum died, I went on to complete a 24-hour row for the charity too

“Then in 2014 dad became very unwell It was a really difficult time, but again Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice was fantastic, I couldn’t fault them After being initially being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2002 and told he only had six months to live, we actually had 13 and a half years with him, so I am thankful for that,” Ally added Ally, continued to support Sue Ryder following his dad’s death and in 2016 took on Ride London and rowed the length of the River Thames which was arranged in memory of motivational speaker and Atlantic rower, Ian Rowe

“Since my fundraising a few years ago I haven’t done many challenges, so I thought this year I need to do something I worked at the London Marathon in 2022 and

some friends and I decided to sign up I was unsuccessful in the ballot, but I thought I would like to run for charity, so I applied for a Sue Ryder place

“If I was ever going to do anything for charity it would always be for Sue Ryder because of the care Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice provided to my mum and dad in the final days of their lives,” said Ally

The London Marathon was one of a trio of events that Ally will be taking on in 2023 having also signed up to Ride London and the Serpentine Swim later in the year

“I wanted to really push myself this year and keep my fitness going I have done Ride London before and really loved it and the London Marathon is such a big and incredible event, so I had to do that too, then I thought why not make it the three

“Training for the marathon has been tough at times, trying to juggle it around my shifts at work, but I think that’s all part of the challenge and if I can get back from a night shift and still run 15 miles then hopefully with some support on the day, I should be ok

“I am really looking forward to the London Marathon, seeing the crowds and hearing them cheering you on Speaking to people who have done it before, they say you can’t beat it, the camaraderie of runners and supporters alike As I work in London too, I know the route and I am looking forward to taking that all in

Move to Cranfield airport will bring boost to local economy

b y Euan Duncan

A PRESTIGIOUS planning project for Bedfordshire contributing more than £130m a year to the regional economy could come at a cost for residents living by Cranfield Airport, a meeting heard.

But the benefits of attracting Marshall of Cambridge (Holdings) Limited to relocate its base to the village are deemed sufficient to outweigh the industrial scale decibel count from engine testing

The company submitted outline plans for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft with associated research and development activity, and up to 16 aircraft hangar bays on land north of the airport in College Road

The project includes building aprons, taxiways and runway works, upgrades of aeronautical ground lighting and navigational aids, offices, workshops and storage buildings, and an aircraft engine ground running enclosure, according to a report to Central Bedfordshire Council’s development management committee

There are also demolition works, security gate houses, electrical substations, parking and landscaping, as well as modifications to public rights of way and to the Crawley Road, College Road, Astwood Road junction, said the report

“As the application is complex, it’s accompanied by an environmental impact assessment,” senior planning officer David Gauntlett told the committee

“The applicant Marshall Aerospace is a prominent supplier to a number of international air forces and works mainly on military transport aircraft, more commonly known as the Hercules 130,” he explained “The company operates out of Cambridge City

Airport and planning permission would facilitate a relocation of its operations to this site ”

There were 130 representations, with 107 objections Cranfield Parish Council opposed the proposals on noise grounds, while Marston Moretaine Parish Council welcomed the employment opportunities, but raised traffic concerns

Noisier aircraft will be introduced to the airport, although the 1,500 air transport movements are fairly minimal with three to four a day, he said

“Engine testing is the area which will result in identified harm through noise and disturbance Testing will occur two or three times a week for a maximum of four hours

“Harm has been identified from the potential of testing performed on the open runway and this will be extremely noisy But this is infrequent and only happen in exceptional circumstances

“The applicant has advised that engine testing is an essential operation of its business Testing is limited by controls, with none during the evening or overnight periods ”

A Marshall spokesman said: “The aircraft we modify and maintain are used for a wide range of transport and humanitarian work

“Moving to Cranfield will enable us to build a state-of-the-art facility to deliver on our growth plans and provide a mix of jobs estimated to bring more than £130m annually to the benefit of the region

“Our proposals include more stringent operating controls than at present This would be instead of the current consented air park scheme

“We’ll be replicating the model which has served us so well in Cambridge We want our move to Cranfield to create a legacy which goes well beyond just economic impact ”

The development was approved with nine votes in favour, one against and one abstention

ELECTRA, the accessible, all-electric community canal boat, run by volunteers from the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust, already has 49 volunteers, but more are needed as demand for cruises has doubled since the boat was launched in 2021

Volunteer Chair, Denise Taylor, said: “Electra volunteers are a friendly bunch who work as one big team, creating and delivering a range of enjoyable cruises on the Grand Union Canal “Some people crew the boat, others work behind the scenes to get everything ready, and some people do a bit of both!”

“We are recruiting NOW for Cabin Hosts, to welcome and chat with guests and serve a range of food and drinks from the on-board Galley Bar ” added Sue Morrison, Lead Cabin Host Informal interviews will be held in April and training in May/June, ready for crewing from July

There are also shore-based vacancies in Customer Liaison, Social Media, Marketing, Outreach, Fundraising and Project Management – great opportunities to learn new skills in a friendly, supportive team Lindsey Patraiko, Volunteer Social Media Manager, agreed: “I volunteered because it was unique and exciting, and I wanted to enhance and develop my social media skills and use my creativity

“If you haven’t got a lot of time, there are also a number of short tasks that can be quickly completed ”

Volunteer Coordinator, Gill Kirkup, who also volunteers as a cabin host, said: “I’m the first port of call for anyone interested in volunteering for Electra and really enjoy meeting new people and finding out about their interests ”

Milton Keynes claims to have a higher number of volunteers per head of population than any other UK city, with 84,500 citizens regularly volunteering across the city

If you are interested in volunteering please visit Electra’s www bmkwaterway org/electra/volunt eering/ or email the team on: volunteers.electra@bmk waterway.org

Electra, the community boat on the Grand Union Canal, is seeking mor e volunteers

Ally (far right) with his mum (centre) and brother (left)

Grow your own– Mediterranean style

by Maureen Catlin

THERE are some exotic vegetables you can grow in your garden when the weather improves that are natives of warmer climes Tomatoes, Aubergines, Chillies, Sweet Peppers, Cucumbers and Melons are a few from countries around the Mediterranean but with a little added protection can be grown here in UK gardens

Starting with the favourite Tomato which is actu-

ally a member of the Potato family here’s how Tomatoes produce edible fruits rather than swollen roots but are regarded as a vegetable Start by germinating your seeds on a warm windowsill in a propagator

These plants will mature and crop earlier than those sown later outdoors or grown in a cold greenhouse Once the seedlings have produced their first set of adult-shaped leaves, after about 21 days, they can be carefully separated and potted individually into 9cm and then 13cm pots

They should be planted in their final position either a 40cm pot, growbag or greenhouse border when the first flowers appear Use a peat free compost that has John Innes No 2 added which will hold water and nutrients in the compost but still drain easily Support the larger climbing varieties with bamboo canes and pinch out any side shoots from the main stem as and when they appear Bush varieties should not need restricting The night time temperature also will need to be a minimum of 10°C There are many types and colours of tomato to grow so why not experiment Sungold is a classic sweet tasting yellow cherry tomato, Cocktail Crush cellent flavour salad tomato or Celana a red cherry um Italian variety

If you are growing tomatoes outdoors buy the ants from the garden centre in early May and plant large pots in a sunny sheltered place When they art to flower feed with a diluted high potassium quid tomato food and keep them evenly watered Melons can be grown outside in a sunny and shelred place from June but are best in a greenhouse or poly tunnel Grow them in large pots with rich compost like Jacks Magic

Train them up a thin rope attached to the roof of the greenhouse or fence and remove the side shoots until they reach 150 to 175cm high and then pinch out the top The new shoots that then occur will have female flowers and require hand pollination or allow the bees to do the work for you

Feed them regularly with tomato feed until the fruits are ripe If you are lucky, you may get up to 4 fruits per plant You will know they are ripe when they smell very sweet and are soft to the touch at the base There is nothing quite like the taste of freshly picked melons from your own plot

Both Sweet and Chilli Peppers need a long growing season so if you haven’t already germinated your own you should buy ready grown young plants from the Garden Centre The Sweet pepper is the easiest to grow in the greenhouse soil, Grobags or 30cm pots in a sunny sheltered place Chillies take longer to grow than sweet peppers Chillies set their fruit easily while sweet peppers need to be pollinated by bees Feed them weekly with tomato food You can harvest sweet

peppers green or wait until they ripen to yellow, orange or red Chillies picked green will be moderately hot compared to red ones

As with melons Cucumbers require warm humid conditions for maximum growth Do not grow with tomatoes which require a warmer drier environment Sow them in early May and keep them growing in a warm sheltered place giving copious amounts of water Support with canes or string allowing one cucumber to form per leaf axil

If you plant one or two plants in June and another

one or two in July you will have Cucumbers until October

Train the growing shoot upwards and then across the greenhouse so the fruits have the space to grow down and straight Mini Cucumbers can be grown in the same way while outdoor Ridge Cucumbers should be planted out in a sunny and sheltered area in June allowing the plants to scramble over canes or netting They have a better flavour than the long cucumbers

Finally Aubergines are easy to grow in a greenhouse or sunny sheltered place in rich compost like Jacks Magic in a large pot When the flowers start appearing feed weekly with tomato food and harvest when they are the size of pears, a rich purple colour and shiny

So have a go at growing Mediterranean this year and enter your successes in MEGC Horticultural Show at the end of August

Rt Revd Richard Atkinson – Bishop of Bedford Rejoicing in what we have!

As a child I possessed a children’s version of Aesop’s Fables Most of the stories have faded from memory, but one has stuck. The Frogs who desired a King is the account of a group of frogs who call on the great god Zeus to send them a king

The first king they are sent is a log Eventually they ridicule its inactivity. They are then sent a water snake (or a stork) which starts eating them

Historically, kings are not straightforward – at their worst they are cruel and oppressive In the Old Testament the prophet Samuel warns the people of Israel about what will happen if their

request for a king is granted He will exploit them and subjugate them (1 Samuel 8:10-17)

This month we celebrate the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla Whether we are a monarchist or a royalist, it matters what kind of king we are crowning Today we are a long way from those ancient warnings about monarchy King Charles is already setting out his priorities not least in relation to the environment, community, and service These are echoed in the desire that the Coronation weekend will bring people together in common meals and in serving our neighbours

L AWN DOCTOR

I ALWAYS have a sense of sadness when deadheading daffodils, but there is a better way to view this annual indicator of how quickly time flies: rather than dwelling of their passing, to look forward to all of those plants that are shortly to come into bloom And actually, I would argue that this approach is a useful philosophy to apply to the rest of life

In the words of the oft quoted, ‘the past is history, the future a mystery and the present is a gift!’ If gardening teaches anything, it is to enjoy what you have, whilst you have it

The skill of the gardener then, is to design a garden where, like an old fashioned variety show, as one act closes and slips back stage, another star performer steps forward to enter the lime light

In a garden this is difficult because, some plants are more responsive to heat, some to light and both are completely at the whim of the climate and as we all know, few things in life are as fickle, as British weather As no two year ’s weather in this country are the same, the best any of us gardeners can really do is to follow best practice, and then, hand it over to mother nature who, nearly always, improves upon it

That said, last year ’s weather was very trying and the consequences of the extreme heat and drought followed by one of the harshest winters and prolonged spells of frost has been a number of fatalities In particular, Hebes, Ceanothus and Choisyas seem, in many gardens I visit, to have borne the brunt of the hostile conditions And if the last few years’ weather is indeed the new normal, and I really hope it isn’t, then as gardeners, we will have no choice but to adapt our planting schemes and many old favourites will have to be replaced

Last month’s just for fun question asked: true or false, an area of stinging nettles in your garden shows that the soil is very fertile? Stinging nettles do not ‘pick’ fertile soil in which to grow, they actually make the soil more fertile by growing there!

Leaving an area of your garden with stinging nettles is beneficial to many insects and you often find the eggs of butterflies on the reverse side of the leaf so if you want to see more butterflies, keep the nettles

From the commonplace to the more exotic, there’s a clue, this month’s just for fun question is: What am I? Probably originating in Papua New Guinea around 7000 years ago, my leaves and fruit fluoresce in ultra violet light, I am slightly radioactive The inside of my skin is supposedly good for polishing shoes and calming the bite of a mosquito

As always, should you have any questions or any other correspondence please email me via lawndocgardens@aol com or telephone 01767 627 581 And please contact me with any gardening queries or tasks you may have

In particular, it is that emphasis on service that is at the heart of the Coronation liturgy and symbolism on May 6. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York remind us that the Coronation ‘is essentially a consecration to service’

It is reflected in the symbolism of anointing, the orb with the globe set under the cross, and the eucharistic setting which links it to the self-giving life and death of Jesus

What kind of king? A king that seeks to follow another king – the king who enters Jerusalem on a donkey, who comes to serve rather than to be served

Remember that passage in the Bible where James and John come with their mother to ask for special privileges in heaven – to sit at either side of Jesus

They buy into the traditional narrative of power They are to learn a different lesson: whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant (Matthew 20:26)

What kind of king? A king, and queen, who serve As we enjoy the ceremony of coronation, as we celebrate within our communities, as we serve our neighbours, we pray for Charles and Camilla as they own their calling

Promote environmental action at Student COP 2

AT THE start of March, Scouts from Flitwick Scout Group attended Flitwick Library for a Student COP 2 event run by the Ampthill Climate Change Group to showcase positive impacts to the environment they have done at Scouts Brooke Murray explained to those attending “we built bird boxes at Scouts in October and gave some to the council to put up in Manor Park

“All ages in the group reguarly do something that benefits the environment, from the youngest at Squirrels planting wildflowers through Beavers and Cubs too” Cllr Clinch, Deputy Mayor of Ampthill, said: “It was just excellent to be in a room with filled with chat about how to take positive action in what can feel like a set of problems too big to engage with ”

Beaver Scouts (boys and girls aged 6 and 7) had an exciting March too – their first Beaver sleepover! Michelle, one of the Beaver ’s parents, said: “A big thank you to all the leaders and

helpers for giving our Beavers a great experience ”

They worked towards the Air Activities badge, learning about aircraft and flying kites Tuesday Beavers visited Ferndale Residential Home where they delivered pots they had planted bulbs into earlier in the year

Squirrel Scouts (boys and girls aged 4 and 5) have been working towards their “feel good” badge with yoga and mindfulness They also covered various STEM topics

by exploring different senses, building a selection of structures and learning about planes with visitors from Shuttleworth Cub Scouts (boys and girls aged 8 to 10 and a half) visited a local fire station to learn about what fire fighters do (and how to use the hose) With the days getting longer

they got outside and went for a walk around the local area Flitwick Scout Group are proud to support ‘The Big Help Out’ by teaming up with Flitwick Town Council to promote a litter pick to celebrate His Majesty The King’s Coronation

Between 10am and midday on Monday, May 8 they will provide refreshments and fun Scouting activities on the Station Road open space and in their meeting place, including a Coronation-themed scavenger hunt that families can do while litter picking Anyone wanting to volunteer with the group is encouraged to come and chat about different ways they can get involved

To find out more about Flitwick Scout Group, visit their website at h t t p s : / / w w w f l i t w i c k s c o u t g r o u p org uk

KEMPSTON 01234 851120

Saturday 29th April

A special night for you – join us for the

Saturday 20th May we welcome back

O E Y L I N D O N

Mercury tribute night

Then we hit another Bank Holiday weekend music lovers so let’s spoil you again with a double whammy of a weekend

Saturday 27th May S & B V O C A L S A mix of Rock’n’Roll, Soul, Motown, Ska and Reggae, whatever you want they can do

Sunday 28th May – 5 30pm

O U R F U N Q U I Z £2 per player 6 max per team all money payout

Sunday 28th May this is a total smash hit for us, we welcome back after over seven years the one and only

We start at 12pm with FANCY DRESS it’s a knockout school days at addison park then onto the Conclub from 2pm for a great day of fun and music and food all welcome and please if you can donate a raffle prize or auction prize please call in

only

F U N K O D D E S S Y

Saturday 3rd June we have had to wait a year to get this band back after being fully booked up yep bring on

T H E AT O M

one of the best bands around

astle Comedy is returning to andy, Bedfordshire The venue is the iconic Roundabout Club in the recently refurbished Victor y Suite

Friday May 5, Castle Comedy Sandy at The Roundabout Club

A classic mixed bill of comedy featuring TV names and rising stars!

PAUL SINHA is best known for his starring role in ITV1’s ‘The Chase’ & ‘Beat The Chasers’ where he regularly chases down opponents in his guise as ‘The Sinnerman’

He has also starred in Taskmaster and Celebrity Gogglebox He is a sensational stand up; he was nominated for a Perrier Award at the 2006 Edinburgh Festival and won Chor tle’s Best Club Comic in 2014

He is a regular on the Radio 4 favourites News Quiz and The Now Show

SCOTT BENNETT has recently starred on Live At The Apollo and destined to be a household name!

In 2020 Scott was voted “Best Act” in the Comics Comic Awards, a prestigious award decided by comedians and promoters in the industr y He has suppor ted Michael McIntyre and Rob Br ydon on their UK tours

“Clearly has a big future, flashes of Peter Kay, Jason Manford and John Bishop” Evening Standard

ADAM VINCENT is an Australian who has made Bedford

his home! He is an award-winning comedian and is just about to publish his first novel

His writing credits include The Last Leg “Makes me laugh louder and more inappropriately than most

Watch out Sandy we’ re on our way! 26-29 MAY 2023

Following a last minute cancellation back in May 2022, Esquires Club, Bedford are proud to announce that The Dir t Road Band have rescheduled another event for Friday, May 5, at the venue

Now what stands out for me with this band is it is composed of three notable musicians each member showing a specialist area where they dominated and rub shoulders alongside some ver y famous headliners

Just check out this awesome line up

Steve Walwyn is the brainchild of ‘The Dir t Road Band’ he will be seen on guitar and vocals, he worked alongside Dr, Feelgood for decades where he established himself as the longest ser ving guitar player (32 years), he had stints with DTS, Chevy, The Mosquitos, Steve Marriott, Roger Chapman, Eddie and The Hot Rods, Red on Red, and many more

Steve is joined by Horace Painter who provides the deep bass on the night, Horace is better known as the founder member of the notorious group ‘The Specials’ he spent many years alongside this band and helped them deliver their number one hit ‘Ghost Town’ followed by eight consecutive

top ten hits!

Finally Ted Duggan will be providing the acoustic rhythms on the drums for the evening, now he has credits alongside Badfinger, The Beat The Selecter, Desmond Decker, Chevy, The Drif ters and Banco De Gala, well what more can I say apar t these musicians are simply legends that you cannot afford to miss

There will be no suppor t band on the night with will be a refreshing change doors open at

8pm tickets are £10 in advance and £12 on the door, available from www wegottickets com/ event/534597

Here’s an interesting little event for the first time a 90s silent disco will be held in the historic gothic surroundings of St Paul s Church yes a disco in the church grounds on bank holiday weekend

Saturday May 27 the fun star ts at 7pm till 11pm tickets star t from £20 79!

I’m not quite sure how they plan to do this to me it sounds like it could be ver y challenging to say the least!

You will be enter tained by some of the UK’s finest 90,s DJs playing your favorite Pop, Commercial Dance, Club Classics and Par ty tunes, the Church will be lit up like a Christmas tree, you will be joined by 100s of like minded fans of 90s music giving it large

You will have the chance to switch between three different music channels there will be licensed bar on site and ID will be required on entr y I do seriously hope the organisers have thought this event through, a disco in a chuch I’m not too sure how that will sit with many local worshippers!

by Tony Hendrix

In memory of Ann Clements

Sharnbrook Men’s Group:

Unemployed home worker retired widowed or just need to talk to someone The Man Cave in Sharnbrook Scout Hut could be for you We have men from all over north Beds who come along and have coffee and toast from 10am-1pm every Friday Contact: Steve Marvell on 07904 176698

Oakley Rural Day Centre for the elderly:

The Old School Lovell Road Oakley Beds MK43 7RX We provide a fun-filled day of activities games and good old conversation

The day includes refreshments and a two course lunch Contact: Lynne, Tuesday to Thursday on 01234 824935 or Mobile: 07733 227374 www oakleyruraldaycentre weebly com Email: oakleyruralday centre@yahoo.com

Biggleswade Sandy

Lions Club: Meets every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at 8pm in the Biggleswade Sea Cadets Hall, Station Road, Biggleswade Visitors welcome www bslions org uk or Facebook page Contact Karen 07943940021

Bedford Folk Dance Club: Friendly Country and Folk Dance Club

Thursdays

Man Cave: Unemployed home worker retired widowed or just need to talk to someone then look no further that the Man Cave in Sharnbrook Scout Hut Coffee and toast from 10am-1pm every Friday Contact: Bernard Brown on 07711 664451 or Steve Marvell on 07904 176698

The Arts Society North Bedfordshire: Connect with likeminded people and make new friends through a shared curiosity for the arts Open to all lectures on a variety of art topics at the Addison Centre in Kempston Next dates: Tuesdays 30 May and 27 June - 10 45 for 11 00 Guests welcome to attend at a cost of £10 per lecture per person For more information, contact: the Secretary: northbedsdfas@gmail com https://northbedsartssociety org uk/ Bedfordshire Prostate

Cancer Support Group:

Meets 7pm second Monday of the month at Bedford Borough Bowling Club Goldington Road, Bedford MK40 3NF

Contact: Steve Pearce teve@sp vp co uk 01234 960414 or 07717 531715

Jumble/Garage Sale Trail:

Bedford South Saturday 3rd June and Sunday 13th August (11am to 3pm) Sellers £5 a House – Mile Road, London Road, Harrowden Road Elstow Rd Meadowsweet Drive, Abbeyfields and all roads off the above Seller s fee goes to a Local Charity/Group

For more information or to book please

Contact: https//www facebook com/groups/28740 02549 582161

The Arts Society North Bedfordshire: Connect with likeminded people and make new friends through a shared curiosity for the arts Open to all, lectures on a variety of art topics at the Addison Centre in Kempston

Bedford RSPB Local Group:

Saturday 6th May - Dawn Chorus Meet 5am in Priory Country Park, Barkers Lane, Bedford MK41 9DJ (TL 072 493) followed by Breakfast in the local Toby Carvery Joint event with Beds Bird Club

Thursday 18th May at 7 30pm Meet at the ARA club Manton Lane Bedford MK41 7PF AGM followed by a talk by Professor Lloyd Peck a scientist with the British Antarctic survey, last spoke to the group on Antarctica in November 2018 He will update us on how

Global Warming is impacting on the area s wildlife with a presentation ‘Antarctic

Wildlife and Global Warming’ Meeting

Suitable for Experts and Novices RSPB membership not essential Entrance fee, group members £1 Guest £2 annual group membership £5 under 18s enter free The facilities, including refreshments, are at ground level and there is secure parking

Thursday 25th May, 7pm – Evening walk

Strawberry Hill Farm Meet in Knotting Green village MK44 1AA (TL 005 624)

Please car share if possible as parking is

limited Contact: 07905

199769Biggleswade

Sandy Lions Club: Meets every 1st and 3rd

Wednesday of the month at 8pm at Biggleswade Sea Cadets Hall Station Road

Visitors welcome Guest speaker: EVAN with Tales of the Auction Room Contact: Karen 07943940021 for more details

St Paul’s church music:

St Paul’s church, Bedford MK40 1SQ

Spring Recitals on Tuesday lunch times in term time and a monthly organ recital on second Saturdays Musicians, professional and amateur come from a wide area and many countries; they include outstanding students from London colleges

Tuesdays lunch time recitals: 1 00 pm FREE with retiring collection in aid of church funds

Suggest min £5

Monthly Saturday organ recitals 12 noon, also FREE with retiring collection in aid of church

funds

MAY

Tuesday 2rd 1pm Antonio Morabito (piano)

small fee of £4

For further information contact: Ann Patterson 01767 680644

Kempston & District

Model Railway Society:

Meet Wednesday evening from 7 30-10pm in Kempston East Methodist Church Our members have a wide range of experiences, backgrounds and ages Drop in one Wednesday evening and get to know more over tea and biscuits Contact: Bedford Brass:

Bedford Brass are a friendly non-contesting band We play a varied repertoire of a high standard approximately second/third section level If you would like to come along and see what we are like then please contact The band rehearses Thursdays 8-10pm at Kempston East Methodist Church

Contact: info@bedfordbrass.com

Walking Football: Sessions every Tuesday at Upper Caldecote 1 30pm to 2 30pm taking place at Harvey Close Upper Caldecote SG18 9BQ

Contact: Colin Harries on 01767 317099

Tuesday Art Group Kempston:

Small self-help art group that meets every Tuesday in school term time from 10 00 to 12 00 at Kempston East Methodist Church

Participants are free to do their own thing in any medium of their choice and the group participants can chip in with help encouragement and advice New members welcome

Contact Matthew on 01234 295433

Bedford Probus Club: Join our semi-retired or retired group from all walks of life to include business and professional men & ladies Meet on the first Monday of the Month at Bedfordshire Golf Club, Stagsden MK43 8SR Starting at 12 30 with a two course lunch followed by an interesting speaker Contact: Dawn Rice Tel 01234 750651 or email rdawn615@gmail com

Yoga: Monday 10:30 am Higgins Museum & 2pm Priory Methodist Church, Bedford

Tuesday in Hitchin: 11am at Sun Hotel and 6:30pm Haynes village hall

Thursday in Cotton End, village hall 6:15pm

Contact: junehannigan@outlook.com

Clapham School for

Seniors: Would you like to start a new hobby? Meet on Wednesdays (term time only) at Clapham Methodist Church, Clapham High Street 9 15am-4pm £20 per term Subjects include: Scrabble, Dominoes, lace making, reading, singing, arts and crafts, knitting crochet painting card making and a card school

Contact: Berta Bames 07704 850974 or Miriam Pulman 07790 267176

Next dates: Tuesdays, 30 May and 27 June10 45 for 11 00 Guests welcome to attend at a cost of £10 per lecture per person For more information, please Contact: the Secretary: hbedsdfas@gmail.com

https://northbedsartssociety org uk/

Bedford Folk & Acoustic

Club: Acoustic and folk music round-theroom, every Thursday evening from 8:30pm at the Bowls Pavilion of Kempston Hammers Club, MK42 7BN Musicians, singers and poets all welcome, at every level

Contact: us on facebook, or come and meet us at the Bowls Pavilion

Kempston Probus Club:

Are you retired or semi-retired and at a loose end once a month? Kempston Probus Club is a gentlemen’s lunch club meeting at the Mercure Hotel in Bedford on the second Tuesday of each month We have a twocourse meal plus coffee or tea for £18 00 followed by a guest speaker or entertainment

Ladies are invited to the lunches three times each year We are keen to recruit new members so if you would be interested in coming along to a lunch as a guest to see what we are about then please Contact: the Secretary, Fred Pearce on 01234 273776 or email: fred328@btinternet com We look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Ryder Country Fayre and Music Festival: Saturday 5 August 12 noon to 9pm at St John s Hospice Moggerhanger For details of stalls, volunteering on the day etc

Contact: sjhs2023@outlook.com

Bedford NT Association: AGM Tuesday June 20th 2023 At 2 30pm

NOTE TIME Addison Centre Kempston MK42 8PN

Refreshments will be served and the speaker will talk after the AGM business Speaker is Andrew Bamford, Curator of Kimbolton Castle on The Great Rebuilding of Kimbolton Castle 1690 - 1715”

Everyone welcome No need to book No entry fee for the AGM Plenty of parking

860 421

Biddenham Gardeners

Association: Tuesday 16th May 2023

at 7 30, Biddenham Village Hall

Trees By Andrew Jo

Mikolajska

Summer Fayre & Music Festival: St John s Hospice, Moggerhanger, 5 August, Noon to 9pm All proceeds to St John s Hospice Contact: Rae McPherson, 07768 721368

Tuesday 9th 1pm Hannah Hopmann (Cello)

Saturday 13th May 12 noon Thomas Oliver, Freiburg (organ)

Tuesday 16th 1pm Xiaoxuan Guo (Violin)

Tuesday 23rd 1pm Anna Cranford (Cello)

No Lunchtime Concert 30th May

For more information

Contact:01234 340163 www.stpaulschurchbedford.org.uk

Massage: Experienced masseuse available I have been practicing as a masseuse for more than 30 years and now have clients in North Bedfordshire on Fridays The timing is such that I can take on a few more clients and so if you want someone to help you with a massage and treatment then I would be happy to take you on In the first instance please

Contact: Robert on 01234 823402

Kempston Senior Citizens

Club: DANCING, WHIST, BINGO Meets

Wednesday 10am-12noon Friday 10am-4 pm, Centenary Hall, behind Kempston Town Hall,

Contact: Sheila Cobban, on 01234 347306

Car Boot Sales: Milton Ernest Garden Centre Sundays May 7, June 4, July

2, August 6, September 3, October 1

Pitches: Cars £5 Vans £10 Sellers: From 9am Buyers: 10am - 2pm To book your pitch

Contact: Call 01234 823033

Milton Keynes National Trust Association:

Meet the first Thursday of each month from 2pm to 4pm and scheduled lectures include:

4 May, Gems – Jason Middleton

1 June, Hayes Boatyard in Stony Stratford, An Inland Phenomenon - Alison Leighton Milton Keynes National Trust Association meet the Oak Tree Centre, Wallinger Drive, Shenley Brook End, Milton Keynes MK5

7GZ £3 for members of the MKNTA and £4 for non-members Scheduled trips include:

10th May Coughton Court House

15th – 20th May Holiday to Swansea and the Gower

5th July Summer Social

9th September Belton House

In addition, the association members have informal Coffee and Natter morning meetings held at different locations each month with details provided via e-mail You can apply for membership Contact: Membership Secretary Sue Dee (01908 374881 or deefam5248@outlook com

Bedfordshire Family History Society: Friday May 5 our talk will be Old Warden Parish by Margaret Roberts held in the Drama Hall at Mark Rutherford School, Wentworth Drive, Bedford MK41

football

Second place in league secured

BIGGLESWADE

TOWN

FC Draw at FC Romani disappoints Waders

by Mike Draxler

Wednesday March 22

HIGHWORTH TOWN............0

BIGGLESWADE TOWN ........3

Highworth, the Waders have never visited before but it was a night to remember as the second half monsoon may have threatened the completion of the match

The verical wall of rain turned horizontal as the wind developed The pitch had varying slopes and ran off to the far corner at its lowest point Highworth certainly knew the pitch well and played it’s advantages to the best of their ability

Waders were the dominant side in the first 45 but opportunities were few, with half time looming it looked like honours even until Jon Clements popped in the opening goal on 43, a shot from close range to realise the Waders assendacy

After the break the rain was persistant and heavy Biggleswade killed off the game with two scores in three minutes on 47 and 50 by man of the match Jon Clements Highworth retreated into their shells and to my knowledge did not venture too far into Wader territory often if at all This win puts Biggleswade into sixth place with a real chance of making the play-offs

Saturday March 25

KIDLINGTON .........................0

BIGGLESWADE TOWN ........1

With Harry Draper not available the point of attack had to be lowered as Jon Clements was partnered by Francis Mampolo Both strikes quick and free running need the ball at their feet and it took fifteen minutes to adjust the Wader style Once there, Biggleswade dominated the game with constant pressure on the Kidlington goal

On 23 Sam Tinubu had the ball in the net, but disallowed for an alleged push that only the assistant referee saw Waders should have had a penalty as Tinubu was brought down shortly before half time, waved away At the break even the Kidlington faithful could not understand the blank score line

After the break and the O’Keefe words of wisdom it took just 2 minutes to break the deadlock Determined ever since his goal was disallowed, Sam Tinubu got the final touch to give the Waders the lead The game was all one way, what did come back was very ably dealt with by the everimproving partnership of McDevitt and Thorpe who were supreme and dominant at centre back McDevitt getting the nod for man of the match, but only just

Saturday April 4

FC ROMANI ............................0

BIGGLESWADE TOWN .........0

Full of anticipation and excitement about the forthcoming match The fire in the belly of the hungary

Waders The team above us, Ware playing at division champions Berkhampsted, not having lost at home all season It all added up to the Waders being above the playoff line instead of below

Well, how dreams can turn sour over 90 minutes The game I was watching at Cheshunt, the borrowed home of FC Romania was dull to the extreme although I was assured Biggleswade had 14 opportunities in front of goal, none taken To make the journey home worse, Ware had won at Berkhamsted 0-2 So we stay firmly below the line having to rely on others to make a mistake

Tuesday April 18

BIGGLESWADE TOWN ........3

AFC DUNSTABLE ..................2

Harry Smart goalkeeper deputising for Timmy Smith pulled off a wonder save from the penalty spot Harry saved the initial kick with the rebound going back to John Shamalo for him to launch it high into the night sky

The Waders being forced into a back four due to injury to Liam McDevitt, stuttered and started this game with nowhere near the desire shown on bank holiday Monday when we beat Biggleswade FC Dunstable allegedly came with a string of reserves in their line-up which certainly did not show for the first 75 minutes on 16 a mistake in midfield allowed John Shamalo a free run on goal and his power shot gave Harry Smart no chance as the ball curled round his diving body

Marcus Goldbourne was taking ground on the far side and his trickery led the ball to come to Lanwre Ladipo who hooked his foot round the ball to level up the score on 27 It was but a mere four minutes when yet another blooper gave James Lauder the simplest of chances after a real mix up in the Wader defence

After the break things did not improve too much with a very slow start Certainly, Dunstable looked the more likely as their big forwards threatened, only to be thwarted by Lewis Thorpe and Robbie Parker from a clear site on goal on 68 Charley O’keefe was changed over with Francis Mampolo to restore the successful line up of 3-5-2 No immediate effect but on 73 the wonder save from Smart changed the game

Like a tap being opened, Biggleswade started to play the kind of football, so pleasing to the eye Time was running short but somehow the effervescent Jon Clements weaved his way across the box to fire in an unstoppable shot on 85 The Waders pressed, hit the post, near misses but the tails and desire was up

The officials indicated four extra minutes We needed them all as Sam Tinubu got his head to a cross just short of the final whistle to give an unbelievable scoreline of 3-2, our tenth game without loss, which fifteen minutes earlier had looked impossible

by Antony Molinari

Saturday April 1

KEMPSTON ROVERS................1

BIGGLESWADE FC 2

Biggleswade FC took a huge step forward in securing a play off place as they held on for a vital three points in what was a huge win

Having not played a league game for a few weeks due to weather postponements their play off rivals have had the chance to close the gap and put some pressure on FC

However, first half goals from twin brothers Alex and Lawrie Marsh were enough to claim the points in a local Bedfordshire derby despite a Rovers late rally

Alex scored his 25th of the season and FC’s first on the 23rd minute as he rounded the Rovers keeper from a good Adam Wedd through ball

Lawrie doubled the lead on 36minutes as he lashed in the second from a Tom Coles free kick

Wednesday April 5

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

DIDCOT TOWN ...........................0

A Daniel Bond brace put Biggleswade FC on the brink of playoff qualification after a hard fought 20 win over third place Didcot Town at The Eyrie on Wednesday Bond put FC ahead in the seventh minute before scoring eleven minutes from time with a hotly-disputed second to edge past a Didcot side who could’ve leapfrogged their hosts in the table should they have won

Didcot had conceded just five goals in their previous ten league outings prior to this encounter, so it was particularly pleasing then to see FC make the breakthrough as early as the seventh minute A brilliant 18pass move saw Jack Dreyer set Adam Hunt away down the right and although his low cross was repelled for a throw, the danger had not passed A quick throw in from Hunt to Pat McCafferty saw the two combine to find Lawrie Marsh in space His cross looked to be too long for Tom Coles, but the skipper showed tremendous improvisation to not only keep the ball in play but to back heel on the volley into the path of Daniel Bond, who thundered his first time finish into the roof of the net

The visitors were causing FC problems and this gripping contest continued to ebb and flow as both sides knew a win would almost secure a play off place With the half drawing to a conclusion, Didcot had two good chances to level but FC went into the break one up

The match’s decisive and mostcontroversial moment arrived on 79 minutes though Tom Coles contested a 50/50 challenge on halfway and as a result, the ball cannoned into the path of Lawrie Marsh who looked to have run offside The assistant referee appeared to put his flag up, but quickly dropped it again and whilst everyone else seemed to stop and wait for a whistle, Lawrie picked out Daniel Bond twenty yards out and he curled a wonderful effort past Bedwell and into the net The visitors were absolutely furious and in fairness to them, you could understand their frustrations, but the goal stood and all but wrapped up the victory for FC

Easter Monday April 10

BIGGLESWADE FC 0

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

An 89th minute penalty from Jon Clements gave Biggleswade Town the derby spoils in their clash with Biggleswade FC at The Eyrie on Easter Monday and with it kept their own play-off hopes alive

In a very scrappy contest played in challenging windy conditions it looked like the 227-strong Bank

Holiday crowd would go home having not seen a goal but it was Town who snatched victory at the death to claim a first victory over their local rivals in three attempts this term

Town seemed to enjoy the better of the early exchanges with Pat McCafferty having to show a cool head and quick feet to see off a teasing low cross from the right hand side FC had little spells of possession in the Town half, but struggled to make any real impression with the final pass often misplaced or overhit Town passed up a big chance to score at the midway point when Harry Crawford blazed over from a quick free kick as FC argued over the award of a free kick following a foul by Adam Wedd

The best the home side could muster in a half largely low on quality and chances was a fine move on 38 minutes when George Bailey, Pat McCafferty and Michael Simpson all combined on the right hand side The ball was worked into Daniel Bond, who laid the ball off for Tom Coles, but the skipper could only fire high over

On 65 minutes, Adam Wedd made a brilliant goal-saving block after a wayward defensive header presented Town with an open goal Adam Hunt then inadvertently headed the ball back to Harry Crawford, but fortunately the forward was adjudged to have handled in his attempts to control it

Back came FC and they passed up arguably their chance of the match with fifteen minutes remaining Lawrie Marsh did brilliantly to burst up the right flank and he picked out Jack Dreyer just inside the box With the opportunity to shoot and both

Bond and Tom Coles free to his left, he blazed over the cross bar

Just when it was looking like the contest would end goalless, Town were gifted the opportunity to snatch victory with a penalty a minute from time A long ball down the centre saw Simpson head backwards following a slight nudge in the back and it became a foot race between Wedd and Jon Clements Wedd looked to have forced Town s top scorer away from goal, but slid in to try and block the shot, but this resulted in Clements taking a tumble The referee pointed to the spot and Clements thumped the resulting penalty into the top right hand corner

Saturday April 15

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

AYLESBURY UNITED ...............2

FC lost their second game in a row inside a week and the first time this season they’ve lost back to back home games Whether its down to relaxing a little due to already qualifying for the play offs or tiredness as we approach the end of the season, Managers Dave Northfield and Mark InSkip were not best pleased with their sides latest performance

From the start Biggleswade huffed and puffed but lacked that little bit of quality and zip that has been evident throughout the season The Ducks on the other hand had an energy about them from the off and they duly took the lead in just the 6th minute when FC failed to deal with a low corner, with the ball only a partially cleared the resulting cross was bundled into the net FC tried to fashion a couple of chances of their own but never really looked like scoring and in the 56th

minute the visitors doubled their lead when Ethan Holt steered the ball home on the turn after FC again failed to deal with a cross

Tuesday April 18

WALTHAMSTOW .....................0

BIGGLESWADE FC ...................1

Biggleswade FC secured second place in the league and home advantage in the Play Offs with a gutsy 1-0 away win against Walthamstow

Having been second for most of the season their recent back to back losses allowed Walthamstow the chance to leap frog them into 2nd , with both teams already qualified for the Play Offs, it was purely a matter of settling who finished the higher to claim the all-important home advantage

A 226 strong crowd turned out for this anticipated clash it may not have been one for the purists but both teams gave it a real go

Man of the Match Daniel Bond gave the visitors the three points with a smart finish in the 32nd minute after he followed up a Alex Marsh penalty that had been saved by Brad Robinson in goal for Stow

The home side put FC under real pressure late in the game as they desperately searched for an equaliser but they came up against a resolute Biggleswade defence that Managers Dave Northfield and Mark Inskip described as their best defensive performance of the season

With one league game left before the Play Offs, whatever happens from now Biggleswade FC will finish the league campaign as Runners Up of the Southern League Division One Central, an outstanding achievement for the club

BIGGLESWADE UNITED

Chairman sings the praises of Cristian

By Guillem Balague

Chairman Biggleswade United

After six seasons, spread over two spells at the club, Biggleswade United men’s first team coach, Cristian Colás has announced that he will be stepping aside from football at the end of this campaign

Cristian joined us from Spain in May 2015 He very quickly identified with the ethos of the club and created a training programme and

playing style that remains today

After three years of developing the team to a high standard he made the career decision to join a club two divisions above

He returned in 2020 and then last season negotiated what was undoubtedly the most traumatic period in the club’s history when we were arbitrarily moved from the Spartan League to the more northerly based United Counties League

3-7 year olds

Sandy FC now have spaces available to take on some new mini footballers

At Sandy FC we ensure local young players have a route all the way through youth football into Adult Football and our qualified coaches provide structured and very enjoyable sessions

If your child is interested in learning football, enjoys playing games and having lots of fun do not hesitate to get in contact and come down for a FREE trial session

For more information contact: Keith, Sandy FC Coach Tel: 07830 319668 or email keith-sandvfc@outlook.com

Sessions take place in Sandy, Saturday mornings at Sunderland Road Recreation Ground

Despite losing just about the whole of our first team squad because of the extra travel commitments we faced in the new league, somehow we rallied, scraping together enough wins before finally saving ourselves from relegation with a home win in an emotional last day of the season

Explaining his decision to call time on his coaching career for the time being Cristian said, “I have been coaching for 24 years since I was just 16-years-old and believe that the time is right now for me to call it day ”

“My time at Biggleswade United has been both professionally and personally the happiest of my life and that is due to all those at the club that took me to their hearts

MY ROOTS

“My life and my roots are now established in this country where I have found my life partner, established my career outside of football, and all of this has been made possible because of my associations with Biggleswade United and all of its magnificent people that have made all the difference in my life

“Their love, support and friendship through some challenging times that we have negotiated together has been priceless, unforgettable and life affirming and something I will always be deeply grateful for ”

Club chairman, Guillem

Balagué said that appointing Cristian as head coach was, “undoubtedly one of our best day’s work ”

“On limited funds and with stretched resources Cristian has led this club through some dark days and taken it to places we could only have dreamed about when I joined

“His professionalism, dedication and total commitment to the cause has helped put in place the foundations that can now carry the club forward to where we want to be ”

“And while we will all miss him for his abilities and knowledge on the training ground and on the touchline, what I have valued most about his time with all of us is his unfailing loyalty, kindness and friendship

“His decision to leave is his and his alone and we wish him nothing other than the very best for the future He knows that he will always be welcome Club secretary, Tracey James echoed his sentiments saying that she was “proud to record that Cristian will have a place in our club’s history as well as a permanent residency in our hearts

“During his “stewardship” we achieved our best ever FA Vase run, reaching the 4th round proper and this season we look to be finishing in a top ten position in the league “

On the traumas of last season’s league move she said that, “many

managers would have thrown in the towel, but Cristian stayed loyal to the club and despite huge challenges throughout the season he battled on and helped us escape relegation to Step 6 on the last day of the season

RESPECT

“Cristian has commanded a great deal of respect from his managerial counterparts, not only for his warmth and humility, but also for the style of play he has engendered that has been admired by many oher opposing players and coaches ”

“The club owes a tremendous amount to Cristian and he will always be a much loved member of the Biggleswade United family ”

Meanwhile the club has moved quickly to fill the gap created by Cristian’s departure by recruiting from within

Jordan Wright and Gareth Hunt have been appointed joint number ones with the men’s first team Jordan’s move into coaching comes after his decision to end his playing career at the end of the season while Gareth will work alongside him as player-coach

Jordan says: “I am extremely excited to be taking over as joint first team manager at Biggleswade United with Gareth Hunt ”

“It’ll be a new exciting, chapter I’m sure, Cristian will be missed however we will build on the foundations he has left and aim to keep as many players as we can whilst also strengthening the squad ”

Gaz Hunt added: “Very excited to be taking over as Joint first team manager (with Jordan Wright)! It’s something I’ve always seen myself doing maybe not as early as this but some opportunities presented can’t be turned down!