Beds Bulletin County edition June 2023

See page 7

Success for Independents as Tories lose control of council

SIGNIFICANT Independent successes were recorded in the Biggleswade area at the local elections, as the Conservatives lost overall control of Central Bedfordshire Council despite a council tax freeze.

Voters across Central Bedfordshire elected a new local authority made up of 27 Independent councillors, 20 Conservatives, ten Liberal Democrats, five Labour members and one Green Party representative

In a social media post, Independent Potton councillor Adam Zerny said: “While the Independent candidates are the largest group, they’re not a party

“My fellow Independent Potton councillor Tracey Wye and I will be working with other like-minded councillors to ensure the council is run more effectively

“We want to get the best possible outcome for the residents who’ve voted for us We want the issues you care about to be high on the local authority’s priorities

“Whatever happens in the weeks ahead, there’s no doubt in my mind we’ll see a new approach with you the resident put first ”

The previous administration had 38 Conservatives, 16 Independents, three Liberal Democrats and one Labour councillor, with one vacancy

In Biggleswade East, Independent Gareth Tranter topped the poll on 769 votes to be elected with Conservative Grant Fage on 676

Conservative Mark Foster missed out on 659, Labour ’s Andrew Skilton was a vote back on 658, with Independent Mollie Smy on 513, Labour ’s George Tookey on 428, Alistair Nelson for the Green Party on 140 and Liberal Democrat Jacob Holland-Lindsay on 73

Independent candidates swept the board in Biggleswade West, as Hayley Whitaker, Steven Watkins and Paul How polled 2,192, 1,581 and 1,325 votes respectively

Labour ’s Julian Vaughan obtained 739 votes, with party colleagues Natalie Ashton and Paul

Burgin both getting 698 Conservatives Madeline Russell, Ian Bond and Sarju Patel received 692, 678 and 589 votes respectively, while Liberal Democrat Tommy Godfrey was on 179

In Arlesey and Fairfield, Independent Jodie Chillery topped the poll on 895 votes with Labour ’s Nick Andrews also elected on 724

Liberal Democrat Neil Stevenson received 620 votes, Conservatives Jilleane Brown and Ian Dalgarno obtained 458 and 434, with Tudor Fox for Labour on 431 and Independent and Nicola Harris on 430

CLEAN SWEEP

The Conservatives had a clean sweep of their own in Clifton, Henlow and Longford, where Drew Richardson, David Shelvey and CBC council leader Richard Wenham polled 1,680, 1,667 and 1,589 votes respectively

Labour ’s Laura Abbott, Kevin O’Daly and Vipulkumar Patel received 1,270, 1,001 and 881 votes, while Linda Fuller of the Green Party was on 742 and

Win tickets to Bedfor d Park Concer ts – page 18

Liberal Democrat David Mann obtained 647 Northill ward was won by Paul Daniels for the Conservatives on 676 votes, with Independent Simon Sheridan on 541 and Labour ’s Andrew Harland on 210 There was no change in Potton, as Independent candidates coun-

cillor Zerny and councillor Wye comfortably retained their seats with 2,296 and 1,908 votes respectively Conservatives Suzanne Worboys and Robert Pullinger were next on 288 and 272 votes, with Rebecca Beattie for the Green Party on 216 and Labour ’s Rhiannon Barrow and Robert Cheesewright on 163 and 109 votes

There was a clean sweep for the Independent candidates in Sandy, where Simon Ford, Sue Bell, and Robert Pashby polled 2,124, 1,325 and 1,124 votes respectively Conservative Caroline Maudlin lost her seat on 1,018 votes, Liberal Democrat Nigel Aldis was on 831, while Conservatives Joanna Hewitt

Continued on page 2

b y Euan Duncan – L ocal Democracy Reporter

Council election

from page 1

and Morgan Gilling obtained 802 and 589, with Labour trio Andy King, Wendy Mott and Matthew Yardley on 586, 425 and 339 respectively

In Shefford, Conservative councillors Mark Liddiard and Tony Brown retained their seats with 918 votes and 907, Labour ’s Jack Risbridger and John Tizard polled 752 and 747, with Liberal Democrat Jack Moore on 315

And in Stotfold, Independent Kathryn Woodfine polled 1,348 votes to be elected with Labour ’s Helen Wightwick on 743 Conservative Steve Dixon lost his seat on 604 votes, while Labour ’s Satinderjit Dahliwal was on 569, Conservative Josie Richardson on 527 and Liberal Democrat Rachel McGann on 386 votes

Something BIGG is coming to town this summer

THE transformation of the old Town Hall in Biggleswade into The Bigg Theatre has begun.

The former pizza restaurant at 36 High Street, Biggleswade, is being transformed into a dynamic new arts destination called ‘The Bigg Theatre’ This exciting venue will be a community arts hub complete with a multiformat performance space. It will also house a contemporary café/bar foyer space that will also serve as a gallery for local artists.

Positioned in the centre of town, The Bigg Theatre will be the premier provider of live entertainment which will include

Theatre, Cinema, Live Music, Live Comedy and Dance.

As well as providing quality entertainment, the venue will be available to the entire community for all their artistic and creative pursuits including dance and fitness classes, group events, creative workshops, birthday parties, rehearsal space and youth clubs.

With inclusivity and accessibility at the heart of the thinking, the venue will be fully accessible to wheelchair users and it will strive to create a compassionate, inclusive environment where everyone can feel valued, safe and free to express themselves.

18/04/1971-23/4/2023

Amanda Cawthorn, a committed community and ovarian cancer research and awareness supporter, sadly lost her courageous 9 Year Battle with a rare form of ovarian cancer – ‘clear cell’ on Sunday, April 23, 2023

During her illness she avidly supported many local groups, including Biggleswade Community Safety Group, liaising with Fire and Police Departments and alerting the general public of any incidents

Whilst she spent many hours reporting on her computer, she would often be seen out actively supporting Police Patrols, or Marshalling at the Biggleswade Carnival, or even litter picking

Amanda was also a Member of the Biggleswade Ladies Group, The Biggleswade Speed Watch and Saxon Estate Neighbourhood Watch Mark Butcher, one of her immediate neighbours and dear friend, said: “I couldn’t have had a better neighbour, who would alert me if my windows were left open, or any water was running from the gutter, or any strange noises coming from my boiler, as well as letting me know if anyone had left any donations at my doorstep for Angela’s Research Fund

Amanda, her husband Alex and her whole family have been very supportive of this Fund since I moved next door in 2015, having lost my sister to another rare ovarian cancer –‘small cell’ ”

Amanda was a Patient

Representative of Target Ovarian Cancer and campaigned in Parliament for better outcomes and reviewed funding bids She often attended the Eve Appeal’s Annual Launch of March Ovarian Cancer Awareness month at The House of Commons

Many ladies diagnosed with ovarian cancer have benefited from her advice and personal talks to groups that she gave Her dedication to awareness and research of ovarian cancer was avidly shared on social media as well as her sharing of local community issues She was always looking out for other people

Amanda was always optimistic and cheerful whilst undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy which left her with many side effects and latterly she accepted every new trial that she was offered

Whilst she managed to remain in remission for five years after her initial diagnosis, sadly shortly afterwards her cancer returned and her battle started again Throughout the duration her dedication to the community and charities remained constant and not only has ovarian cancer awareness and research benefited so much from her life, so has the Biggleswade community too, as well as so many people she offered support to when they needed it

Amanda will be sadly missed by so many people!

Councillor lays blame for local election night defeat on Westminster

b y Euan Duncan – L ocal Democracy Reporter

THE

Conservative Arlesey councillor Richard Wenham pointed the finger at Westminster in his assessment of the outcome at the polls, while accepting there were some local issues concerning residents too

With his party now the main opposition group, after losing overall control of Central Bedfordshire Council, he expects the majority Independents to form a new administration

“I’m extremely disappointed with the result and I feel for the dedicated councillors who didn’t get elected,” said councillor Wenham

“The Conservative Party in Westminster needs to take a huge share of the blame for the loss of councils across the country

“The outcome was heavily influenced by national political issues and some local I noticed my ward vote was significantly down too

“It seems essentially the voters wanted to express their frustrations with the Conservative Party and use the local elections as the outlet to do it

“It’s a very fluid situation within the local authority The independents will try and form an administration given the overall result

“We’ve a fragmented council now We’ll be the largest opposition group by a considerable margin and will look to work with the new administration ”

Asked about CBC’s finances, he explained: “The budget was fixed by the previous council and signed off in full It built on the previous year ’s council tax rise which was below inflation

“We’ve a track record of keeping council tax low I reject any claims from elsewhere that it was a political

budget It was an opportunity to give a little bit back at a time of a rising cost of living

“It’s difficult to speculate on current CBC projects

The M1/A6 link road would enable a substantial amount of housing as well as jobs via the rail freight terminal

“It would be a significant benefit to the area and local community at large The housing would have to be provided elsewhere The road is self-funded with no CBC money The capital budget will be reviewed again in due course

“We’ll proceed in a constructive manner and attempt to push forward things contained in our election manifesto and hold the new administration to account ”

On the chances of regaining seats in four year ’s time, he reflected: “It’s far too early to talk about that when we’re only a week after the election We’ll need to see how everything develops across the country

“I’ve been in touch with those who lost their seats and with the other good candidates who were standing for the Conservative Party, but were unsuccessful,” added councillor Wenham

“We want to ensure they stay engaged for the future There were quite a few surprises with a significant loss of experience in some areas locally

“We’ll look to see what happens now It should be an interesting few months ahead ”

He appeared to rule out trying to remain as CBC leader, saying: “The Independents are the minority administration It’s clear the electorate sent us a message and we’ll respect the will of local residents ”

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Parliamentary Conservative Party should shoulder much of the blame for local election losses suffered by the Tories, according to the leader of Central Bedfordshire Council.

Farm Minister visits Shuttleworth College

FORMER Shuttleworth College student, now Minister of State for for Food, Farming and Fisheries Mark Spencer visited the Old Warden campus in May to meet the agricultural producers of the future.

Mark was the guest speaker at the annual Shuttleworth Lecture of the East of England Agricultural Society and met with students and farmers from across the region

He took the time to revisit his old digs at the campus, where students from all across the UK, and sometimes the world, have “lived in” for generations

Talking to Dr Catherine Lloyd, also Vice Principal - Shuttleworth, Mark heard how a £2 Million investment in Kingshill Farm, part of Shuttleworth College, will support curriculum change to deliver the T Levels in Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care

The funds come, in part, from Government T Level grants and also from The Bedford College Group The money will provide high-quality teaching accommodation and fit-for-purpose facilities which will in turn provide an inspiring environment for students at the Old Warden Park setting

The site currently provides an educational setting for students who are involved in all aspects of farm and habitat management This plays an important role in developing skills with both arable and livestock enterprises and gain a wider understanding of land management

This investment will enable effective utilisation of new and emerging technologies, providing

workshop and classroom space for effective delivery of T Level qualifications

Kingshill Farm will provide the focus for the occupational specialisms of crop production, livestock production, as well as providing access to livestock to enhance the experience of the animal management T Level students

Former Chief Whip Mark, was appointed Defra Minister of State, replacing Victoria Prentis

The MP for Sherwood, who comes from a farming background, said he was: “Looking forward to supporting food production and the environment and our rural communities ”

Born in 1970, Mark, from Nottinghamshire, studied at Shuttleworth Agricultural College in Bedfordshire, before joining the family farm business

He became an MP in 2010, and has served on the Environmental Audit Committee and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

He formerly served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to then-Defra Secretary Liz Truss, and was appointed Assistant Government Whip in 2016, before becoming a full government whip in 2017

Mr Spencer was made Chief Whip in 2019 under Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Borough Council appeals to motorists in clampdown on roadside littering

BEDFORD Borough Council is calling on motorists to help in a clampdown on road users who throw litter from their vehicles The council has been collecting large volumes of roadside litter each day during targeted litter picks in February and March

Council crews have to regularly carry out this dangerous task along-

side major routes such as the A421 and A6

A Bedford Borough spokesperson, said: ‘With the growing number of dash cams in use residents can now help us by providing video footage It can be reported by visiting the council’s website and using the online form at www bedford gov uk/litter Photos or video footage can be uploaded to help the council identify and take action against those responsible

“Litter can be anything from a sweet wrapper or cigarette end to a full bag of rubbish It is a blight on our communities and it’s important that everyone takes responsibility for their waste We are working hard to keep our streets and public areas clean but we encourage the public to cooperate by not dropping litter from their vehicles and to support us by reporting littering online if they see it ”

The Council treats all environmental crime seriously and warns that it will continue to take action against anyone caught littering

Over 1650 Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued to people by the council’s Environmental Crime Team in the last twelve months

Fines for littering can range from £100 for a Fixed Penalty Notice and up to £2,500 if prosecuted

They added, “Everyone is being urged to play their part in keeping Bedford Borough clean by not throwing litter from vehicles Drivers must hold onto their litter until they can dispose of it properly We all have a responsibility to keep our environment clean, safe and welcoming for everyone ”

Development plans reopened following more data

A HOUSING development for up to 416 homes on a 43-acre site north of Furzenhall Road in Biggleswade has been reopened for consultation by Central Bedfordshire Council

It follows the applicant submitting extra data around traffic modelling, according to a social media post by Independent Biggleswade West councillor Hayley Whitaker

Almost all traffic modelling uses something called ‘trip end model presentation program’ or TEMPro, which allows developers to project the traffic growth for the coming years up to 2050, she explained

“This highly controversial application has been widely criticised for the poor access via a single road,

Furzenhall Road, with seemingly little weight given to the current traffic problems along Potton Road

“The base data used to project traffic growth in TEMPro is generated by the government, with the original application using information from 2018

“The applicants have used the most recent TEMPro release from 2021 in this latest revision, where projections were adjusted following the Covid pandemic

“Needless to say the traffic projections are lower and as a result the traffic modelling for the development is suddenly much improved

“The applicants suggest to CBC

that ‘the associated guidance is clear that the updated dataset should be used wherever possible’ Basically the government insists this version is used and accepted by CBC

“

We ’ v e n e v e r e x p e r i e n c e d a pandemic like Covid before, or how society recovers afterwards So any traffic projections can only be based on educated guesswork

“I’ve spoken to CBC officers about my concerns that this data alone could shift the balance towards making this application acceptable under current planning law,” added councillor Whitaker

“Highways planners are still scrutinising the revised data and arriving

at a conclusion But they did acknowledge that some junctions are still over capacity ”

When an applicant makes significant changes to its plans, CBC is required to consult residents again as part of this process

“This application has never been in front of the CBC planning committee and it’s never been refused,” said councillor Whitaker “This toing and froing between CBC and the developer has no time limit, so it can go on for years potentially

“The fact this has taken so long just goes to show how much the developers are struggling to overcome the problems raised Another key factor is loss of amenity around the green space ”

The project includes affordable housing, allotments, a community orchard, public open space, children’s play area, parking, cycleways and footpaths, as well as landscaping More than 1,500 people have objected already

CBC is obliged to try and make any development acceptable by planning laws, set by the government on the basis there should always be a presumption in favour of development.

This site was included in the CBC Local Plan, which sets out development across Central Bedfordshire until 2035 But the town council has strongly objected to this application, preferring large scale housing to the east of Biggleswade

b y Euan Duncan – L ocal Democracy Reporter

More funding required to develop support for travellers

by Euan Duncan – L ocal Democracy Reporter

MORE money is needed to build on a pilot project to boost education and work skills of Gipsy, Roma and Traveller children in Central Bedfordshire, a meeting heard.

Central Bedfordshire Council was invited to bid for the government-funded scheme, and was awarded £225,000, the local authority’s children’s services overview and scrutiny committee was told

“This looks at the life cycle of someone in school and provides careers experience,” said CBC’s assistant director education Peter Fraser

“It might help shape and inform policy and practice going forward on a national scale There’s talk around further future projects in which we might engage

LESSONS LEARNED

“We’ve tried to adapt what we’re doing to accommodate some of the lessons learned We’ll participate in a full evaluation and see if there’s an opportunity to do something different We’ve found this incredibly useful ”

Officers were in contact with 47 of the 53 Traveller sites in Central Bedfordshire, explained CBC’s access and inclusion service manager Andrew Copperwheat

“Stanbridge Lower School was commissioned to manage part of the scheme which funded a teaching and support assistant At the time, it had 45 per cent of its cohort as families from that background

“The families were willing to engage and the 12 students involved weren’t receiving any education The online sessions were successful to the extent other Traveller families were asking ‘Can my child have this as well?’

“The danger is if online learning is made too easy to access it might discourage some families from sending their children to school

“Staff reported better engagement and more rapid progress in

learning It had some impact on attendance And it reinforced that regular school attendance among Traveller families is very much led by the culture, rather than the provision

“Some parents began to engage in literacy and numeracy tuition because they could see the benefits of the children’s education Some young people said they felt listened to and heard by professionals for the first time

“You can’t underestimate the importance of visiting families on the sites, rather than expecting them to come to you ”

Conservative Heath and Reach councillor Mark Versallion described it as “an excellent piece of work”, saying: “As the ward member for Stanbridge, I know the school well

WELL BEHAVED

“You don’t tend to get issues around behaviour and social integration at lower school All the children seem well behaved and the parents at the school gate

“The acid test is as they transfer up to middle and upper school how much traction this pilot can have It’s 12 plus where the flashpoints are for academic attainment and social cohesion

“The report says the money runs out in July Are you hoping for more?” he asked “You might make a pitch to us as to what could make more inroads on the young teenagers, which is where things appear to go off an optimal pathway

“A good many Traveller parents would acknowledge that Don’t let this go and sit on a shelf for five years ”

Mr Copperwheat confirmed: “There’s no more money from central government ”

Rare species and home-grown talent

THE Zoological Education Centre (ZEC) at Shuttleworth College is saving rare species by breeding them in captivity.

The latest additions are two tiny Indian star tortoises (Geochelone Elegans) which were h a t c h e d a t t h e w o r l d - c l a s s c e n t r e n e a r

Biggleswade, Bedfordshire

The purpose-built animal welfare centre includes a tropical biome with alligators and more, outdoor areas for creatures like emus (one of the closest relatives of dinosaurs) and in total, a representative of every family of animal on the planet

CONSERVATION

ZEC curator (and Bedfordshire’s answer to David Attenborough) Carl Groombridge is an enthusiast and educator who has inspired a generation of young people to take up careers in conservation

On his team now is former student turned staff member Chloe Hancock, herself born and bred in Biggleswade She spotted the first tiny tortoise helping itself to food in the adult enclosure

“To say we are over the moon is an understate-

Farm Minister visits Shuttleworth

FORMER Shuttleworth College student, now

Minister of State for for Food, Farming and Fisheries

Mark Spencer visited the Old Warden campus in May to meet the agricultural producers of the future

Mark was the guest speaker at the annual Shuttleworth Lecture of the East of England Agricultural Society and met with students and farmers from across the region

He took the time to revisit his old digs at the campus, where students from all across the UK, and sometimes the world, have “lived in” for generations

Talking to Dr Catherine Lloyd, also Vice Principal - Shuttleworth, Mark heard how a £2 Million investment in Kingshill Farm, part of Shuttleworth College, will support curriculum change to deliver the T Levels in Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care

The funds come, in part, from Government T Level grants and also from The Bedford College Group The money will provide high-quality teaching accommodation and fit-for-purpose facilities which will in turn provide an inspiring environment for students at the Old Warden Park setting

The site currently provides an educational setting for students who are involved in all aspects of farm and habitat management This plays an important role

ment as these tortoises are an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) threatened species So this is exactly the sort of work we want to be doing here and showing our students,” said Carl

NEED NAMES!

They also have two new baby Tenrecs

Madagascan “hedgehogs” who need names

“We are always looking to welcome local schools and groups like scouts and guides to visit us to they can see this world class facility right here in Bedfordshire,” added Carl, “So anyone who can come up with names for the newbies we would be grateful ”

in developing skills with both arable and livestock enterprises and gain a wider understanding of land management

Kingshill Farm will provide the focus for the occupational specialisms of crop production, livestock production, as well as providing access to livestock to enhance the experience of the animal management T Level students

Former Chief Whip Mark, was appointed Defra Minister of State, replacing Victoria Prentis

The MP for Sherwood, who comes from a farming background, said he was: “Looking forward to supporting food production and the environment and our rural communities ”

Born in 1970, Mark, from Nottinghamshire, studied at Shuttleworth Agricultural College in Bedfordshire, before joining the family farm business

He became an MP in 2010, and has served on the Environmental Audit Committee and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

He formerly served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to then-Defra Secretary Liz Truss, and was appointed Assistant Government Whip in 2016, before becoming a full government whip in 2017

Mr Spencer was made Chief Whip in 2019 under Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Pictured left: Jody and Chloe Elphick with the tortoises Above right: Emily Culling with the Tenrecs.

Tibbs marks Dementia Action Week in Style

MEMBERS of the Tibbs Dementia Foundation marked Dementia Action Week recetly, with a starring role in the Hear and Now: Roots concert, alongside the amazing Philharmonia Orchestra and the talented multiFaith Fusion Youth Singing group

After several months of rehearsals, the brain-child of Artistic Director, Tim Steiner, culminated in a wonderful celebratory concert for family and friends at University of Bedford Theatre It was such a powerful and stirring example of what people living with dementia can achieve with the right encouragement and support

Tim’s vision for the Hear and Now: Rooted concert focused on the grounding nature of music and how in an uncertain world, it has the ability to bring all sections of society together

From Loesser and Carmichael’s Heart and Soul to Dvorak’s New World Symphony, familiar to many as Going Home, the evocative soundtrack to Hovis adverts The was also an eclectic range of traditional music from around the world, inspired by nature, which ended with a wonderful song of celebration and joy, Bella Ciao

‘Good’ news for Livingstone Primar y School

There is surely no better way of raising awareness during Dementia Action Week than showing people living with dementia having fun and creating new memories

If you or someone you know has dementia and you would like further information about living better with dementia through Tibbs work; or to donate to or support Tibbs Dementia Foundation, please visit tibbsdementia co uk, call 01234 210993 or email the Tibbs Team at contact@tibbsdementia co uk

LIVINGSTONE Primary School has been recognised as a ‘good’ school following a recent inspection by Ofsted The school was especially praised for its outstanding and well-developed programme of personal development of pupils

The report also said that the pupils always do their best to demonstrate the school’s motto of ‘Work Hard, Be Kind!’ saying that they follow the example set by staff who model the positive behaviours and attitudes expected from them Teachers were also commended for making the curriculum accessible to all pupils

Head Teacher Peter Thornes said, “We are pleased with the outcomes of our recent Ofsted inspection We’re proud of the achievements the school, pupils, staff and community have made that have enabled such a positive judgement We are particularly delighted to be recognised as outstanding in the personal development of pupils, which recognises the school’s biggest strength ”

For more information visit www livingstoneprima ry co uk/about-us/ofsted

More juice for trains

WORK is set to begin on upgrading the overhead wires on the railway line south of Bedford These upgrades (designated OLE125) will allow an increase in line speeds for electric trains which currently are limited to 100mph whereas East Midlands diesels can run up to speeds of 125mph

In separate but related work, the power supply to line will be upgraded to handle the increased number of trains that are coming down the track in the form of the new fleet of Aurora trains which will increase the power demands when they are introduced

Rightsize your way to happiness at the Newells

WE’RE firm believers in rightsizing, not downsizing. When it comes to moving, we all want to feel excited about the possibilities of our new home. We certainly don’t want to feel that we ’ re settling for less Instead, we want to know that the outcome will be uplifting, liberating and life-enhancing

Adlington Retirement Living’s latest community ‘The Newells’ in Kempston, is a place where you can enjoy more of all the important things in life More time for the things you love, more space to enjoy as an extension of your home, plus more support from the on-site team who are available 24/7, 365 days a year

Spacious apartments and first-class facilities

When you move from a family home to a retirement community, you ’ re gaining access to the outstanding on-site facilities and gardens, which are an extension of your own home. Alongside the range of 60 brand-new one, two and three-bedroom retirement apartments, The Newells will have an on-site restaurant serving freshly cooked meals daily, a

homeowners’ lounge, hair salon, coffee lounge, therapy suite, activities studio and beautiful landscaped gardens.

Adlington homeowner Bess said: “My new apartment is the perfect size for me. It’s lovely, and it looks onto the garden, which is great I was surprised by how much storage there is I’ve got room to spare I’ve got the best of both worlds because I’ve also got all the communal areas to enjoy ”

Fellow Adlington homeowners

Michael and Pat had been living in their four bedroomed detached house for 41 years before moving. Michael said: “The thing we liked most about our apartment was the space and the fact that it opens out onto the garden We can walk straight out and sit in the sunshine or walk around the paths

in the communal gardens and go to see the vegetable gardens.”

Fewer chores and more fun

Maintaining a home can start to feel like a fulltime job and for many of our homeowners the appeal of leaving all of that behind, was one of the reasons they decided to move.

Alexandra Johnson, Sales and Marketing Director said: “One of the main benefits of a retirement living community is not having to worry about maintaining a house and garden anymore It’s lovely to hear many of our homeowners at our other communities comment on the free time and energy they have to enjoy life They often remark how much more ‘ me time’ they discover not having to worry about repairs, DIY or mowing the lawn ”

Adlington homeowner

Margaret adds: “We’d lived in our house for 47 years and had spent a lot of money on it We’d had three or four kitchens and bathrooms and I’d reached the point where I thought ‘I’m not prepared to spend any more money on this house’ because we wouldn’t get it back It was 62 years old, so it was going to need a new roof and pointing We were already paying for a gardener I just didn’t want the hassle of it all It was a burden for me, worrying about it

“We really enjoy having a beautiful garden to sit in that’s been maintained by somebody else. This year we had a lovely hot summer and we regularly ate outside It was like being on holiday Out came the Sangria and it was lovely We had a garden party too in the summer and that was really nice, with a jazz band

and a BBQ and drinks ”

It’s amazing how much more time and energy you have when

you don’t have to worry about the never-ending ‘to-do list’ around the house

A very busy month for vegetables

by Maureen Catlin

JUNE is usually the month of long sunny days, barbeques and sitting back and enjoying all the colours of the garden with a cold glass of your favourite tipple The garden however doesn’t stop growing so it is important to keep a good ‘job schedule’ going just leave them until the cooler mornings and evenings

Now is a good time to fill up bare patches in your

flower borders and add more colour with some new flowering shrubs and perennial garden plants Just make sure to prepare the soil with lots of moisture retaining compost or soil improver and water your new purchases regularly for the first summer There are many beautiful summer flowering plants to choose from such as Agapanthus, Correopsis, Campanula, Gaura and Penstemon

Lots of growth should be happening in the greenhouse this month Cucumbers can be planted now that it’s warmed up Sow a later batch to extend the crop-

ping season until late August Grow Cucumber ‘Hanah’ and ‘Socraties’ for reliably heavy crops

Pinch off the flowers until the plants have grown 9 sets of leaves along the stem and then allow them to crop This encourages strong healthy stems to carry large crops of fruit

Chilles and Peppers are best grown in pots Try a bull horns Italian Sweet Pepper variety called Rossii These can be grown outside a sheltered sunny place

Start feeding your tomatoes ter the first truss of fruit has set Feed weekly with organic comfrey feed or Westlands Tomato Food hich is high in potash

In the soft fruit beds strawberries will need feeding hilst keeping an eye on gooseberries for Sawfly tacks The larva will devour most of the leaves in a atter of days so spray with a pesticide

Blackcurrants will be growing fast too Keep them well watered all summer and feed with Blood, Fish and Bone or Bonemeal fertilizer Also watch out for unsightly blotches on the leaves caused by the Blister Aphid and if it occurs spray with SB Invigorator This is safe to use on edibles while still killing aphids, red spider mite, mealy bugs and scale insects

After your strawberries have fruited cut back all the growth to 2 5cm from the ground and remove all the leaves before composting or burning them

Keep newly planted fruit trees watered at this time of year and to further prevent water loss mulch with a soil improver or your own homemade compost

Plums, Peaches, Apricots, and Apples often set too much fruit During this month a natural ‘June Drop’ of some of the young fruits will occur but you may still need to hand thin out some more after this

Don’t be afraid to trim back mint, marjoram and other quick

growing herbs while growing new ones They will reward you with neat cushions of fresh shoots in no time Thyme, Chives, Marjoram and many other herbs are attractive to bees so leave one or two stems to flower and trim back later

It’s a very busy month for vegetable growing There’s still time to sow the seeds of French Beans, Runner Beans, Carrots, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Turnips and Swedes while tropical veg such as Tomatoes, Courgettes, French Beans and Runner Beans can now be planted outside At the same time fill your greenhouses with Water and Honeydew Melons, Tomatoes, Chillies and Aubergines

Onions and other previously planted crops will need regular weeding now and should be fed with a high nitrogen feed or chicken manure pellets to increase their leaf growth

When all these jobs are done enjoy a sunny and happy June in the garden!

Rt Revd Richard Atkinson – Bishop of Bedford

Which book of the Bible would you choose?

This time of year is an exciting one for the church At the end of the month women and men will be ordained as Deacons and Priests A diverse group of people will celebrate with family and friends their calling from God A real sign of hope both for the church but also for the world as they are sent out to serve

To get to this point their vocation will have been tested and affirmed. They will have been trained either residentially or part-time on a course They will have been equipped for leading worship, pastoring those in need, preaching and proclaiming good news, and so much more

Part of that journey will have been a conversation with their Bishop In Bedfordshire most of those conversations will have been with me A time to explore their calling and also their readiness to go forward for ordained ministry

I will ask a number of questions Among them, I often pose a hypothetical scenario I ask them to imagine that they are ship-wrecked and alone on a desert island. In escaping a sinking ship, they have only been able to save one book of the Bible Which one, I ask, will it be? I am interested to hear their choice and, in particular, the reasons for it

L AWN DOCTOR

After not having April showers for a year or two, they were back with a vengeance this year with an abundance of rain that did much to restore the deficit of the driest February for many years; May seemed to have also got in with the act with heavy shower following heavy shower and the net result has been an extreme amount of growth for much of the garden, lawns and shrubs in particular

After seeing so many plants die as a result of last year ’s double whammy of scorching heat and drought followed by permafrost at the back end of the year, it is nice to see such fecundity but it does bring about problems for the always beleaguered gardener Treading on saturated soil can be very damaging so, try and resist the temptation to get out there and get cracking if conditions underfoot are squelchy

I am still getting lots of questions about Choysias and as one of the most popular shrubs, many are still looking pretty ropey following the frosts But happily, some are now starting to sprout new growth along their stems so, remove all damaged material, it will probably look a little lopsided for a while and hopefully the plant can, in time, return to its former glory Sadly, if your shrub has no new growth, it has probably succumbed to the elements and the only thing you can do is to remove and replace with a new one

Another question I have been facing a lot lately regards ants and it seems, many of you are reporting an increased number of ant hills in your gardens Though unsightly, particularly in lawns, regular mowing, once or even twice a week, will disperse the excavations and prevent the formation of mounds which results in a bumpy surface The application of ant powder can be effective but since many birds eat ants, particularly yaffles, green woodpeckers, so for me, it is far better to work with the problem rather than trying to eradicate it completely Bird numbers in this country continue to plummet so any help we can provide is surely to the good

Last month’s just for fun question asked: 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 The answer of course is a banana!

This month’s just for fun question is: What am I? I am a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae My two common forms are Chinese (Sinenis) and Japanese (Floribunda) the main difference being that they form twine in the opposite directions, I have long, scented, pendulous racemes and all parts of me contain a saponin, a toxic compound

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

Recently someone chose the book of Psalms For them, that ancient collection of hymns spoke to the range of human experience There are psalms of joy, of lament, of celebration, hope and anguish They would want that book to sustain them on that island

Someone else, I recall, chose the Book of Job That lengthy exploration of suffering and the nature of God through a focus on the sufferings of a man called Job who despite everything remains faithful

Most, however, select one of the Gospels. Whether Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, they

Sandy FC Mini Colts Football training for 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

want one those accounts of the life of Jesus They want the teaching of Jesus to guide them; the life of Jesus to inspire them

I understand that I think if I was posing the same question to myself, I would chose the Gospel of Luke

Partly because St Luke has a particular concern for those who are in need Partly because in Luke we find some of the great parables including the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son

Which book would you choose? What would sustain you?

Sandy Town Bowls Club results

Wednesday 3rd May Beds

County League Division 2

SANDY TOWN 83

AMPTHILL 64

Clive Foskett, Alan Litchfield, Tony Goss, Glenn Rodford 21 T Lee, J Merkelt, M Stebbing, G Holmes 16

John Beaumont, Ron Hampson, Kevin Hurry, Ian Buckle 30

M Wade, L Andrews, M Rogers, T Lynch 14

John Brophy, Tom Spavins, James Sargeant, Dom Mussino 14 C Perry, M Schiel, N Smith, M Read 22

Paul Partridge, Keith Goddard, John Gurney, Ray Swinnerton 18

J lea, M Oliver, T Nash, I Williamson 12

Thursday 11th May Men’s Top Club Preliminary Round (Bedfordshire)

SANDY TOWN 4 BARTON 1

Secr etaries send your r epor ts to: editorial@bedsbulletin com

Monday 15th May East Beds League Division 1

SANDY TOWN “B” 36

BALDOCK “B” 31

Mark Howlett, James Sargeant, Dom Mussino 19 C Trussell, T Godden, S Ridge 15

Kevin Hurry, Dale Goodwin, Lee Swain 17 D Davies, B Todd, M Parsons 16

THE con club

KEMPSTON 01234 851120

Saturday June 3rd

Castle Comedy serving up a treat

astle Comedy is ready to get you ughing this June with two mixed bills of TV names and rising stars!

finally after a years wait we finally welcome back the band, who brilliant covers from power pop to new wave & post funk Saturday 10th June

Saturday 17th June we welcome

L E A N O R M AT T L E Y for a night of soul motown and classic disco

Saturday 24th June

is a fantastic singer who is wonderful whatever song she sings

And finally to your big tribute night join us on

1st July

Saturday June 3, The Weatherley Centre, Biggleswade BOB MILLS is a bona fide comedy legend with over 30 years at the top of the UK circuit You will recognise him from his cult classic 90’s TV show ‘In Bed with Me Dinner ’ and his presenting of ‘Win,Lose or Draw’ on ITV He is one of the current stars of TalkRadio where he has his own show ‘Tragedy Plus Time’ where he

talks comedy to the biggest stars in the countr y Perhaps his biggest achievement in radio was being crowned BBC 5Live’s ‘Fighting Talk’ champion of champions in 2010 CALLY BEATON (right) She is a natural stor yteller full of intelligent, distinctive, and punchline-rich material and one of the UK’s most sought-af ter acts Cally’s TV appearances include being a regular panellist on BBC’s QI and starring in the Live at the Apollo Christmas Special in 2022 She has also appeared on The Apprentice You’re Fired, Celebrity Pointless and Richard Osman’s House of Games

“Exciting and hilarious talent she s got it - Time Out

Thursday June 8, The Quarry Theatre, Bedford ABANDOMAN a.k.a Rob Broderick fuses comedy, improvisation and hip hop to take an audience on a magical journey! He transforms their likes, loathes and daydreams into hit songs and captivating tales

LAURA SMYTH was the winner of The Funny Women Awards 2019

The beautiful D O L LY B

Y this lady’s strong powerful voice will guarantee a fantastic night

L

those who have seen Gareth before know this guy is second to none with amazing music and costume changes to match this really is a night not to miss

He has per formed in the house band for Alan Carr ’s Happy Hour on Channel 4 alongside Craig David, appeared in 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and stole the show on ITV1’s Christmas Comedy Club with Lost Voice Guy He has also suppor ted and toured with pop behemoth Ed Sheeran!

She is a native East Londoner, a mother of three and a comedy superstar in the making She has appeared on Live at the Apollo, Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club, As Yet Untitled and Frankie Boyle’s New World Order

“A naturally funny woman,”JO BRAND

PAUL REVILL will host the shows

Doors 7 30pm show star ts 8 15pm Show finishes 10 45pm

Tickets £14+ booking fee

THE LIST

An unstoppable force of nature”

Tickets www castlecomedy co uk

Before we look at any scheduled events in Bedford, let’s briefly talk abonut the King’s Coronation concer t at Windsor Castle last month (May)

I was actually quite embarrassed with what I saw, what on ear th were the organisers of this concer t thinking, they opened the concer t with Pete Tong

and ‘Feel The Love’ which was clearly a pretty remote dance anthem!

Take that and Lionel Ritchie both good choices but poor old hie’s vocals could have h some fine tuning! to understand how the ew King and Queen both in their seventies were nter tained by someone a re appropriate for the on like Sir Elton John who a doubt would have en the highlight of the oncer t However rumours did ndicate that Sir Elton could not reschedule dates for his current world our to attend the event, which I found a bit bizarre why would he have preferred to stay loyal to a few thousand people in a stadium in Germany rather than be loyal and enter tain the king and Queen back in his home countr y! There was clearly not enough thought put into his concer t that was reened world-wide, I just ope they will have learnt

from their mistakes when staging another such event for the royal family

Anyway enough of my moans and groans let’s have a look at what events are happening in Bedford

Well the biggest for this month happens to be at Bedford Park, all scheduled events are going ahead with June being a bit of a bumper packed month

Friday, June 23, sees three amazing legendar y acts in The Park, The Jacksons, Sister Sledge The Real Thing and DJ Spoony, joining forces to bring what can only be described as the ultimate 80s concer t of the year which will never be matched and cer tainly never repeated

This concer t will be headlined off course by The Jackson Brothers previously known as The Jackson Five

by Tony Hendrix

The Jackson brothers are Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Tito who now tour together as The Jacksons The group were responsible for hits including ‘ABC’,

‘Dancing Machine’

and ‘Blame It On The Boogie’

The Jacksons’ unique brand of soulful pop-funk, their lengthy catalogue of hits, and their impeccable live per formances have made them one of the most beloved musical acts of all time

The Jacksons will be joined by the legendar y Sister Sledge who are undoubtedly one of the most iconic female bands of all time and responsible for some of the biggest dance anthems around such as Lost in Music, He’s the Greatest Dancer and Thinking of You Music on the night will be provided by none other than our ver y own Bedford DJ supreme ‘Spoony’ who I’m sure needs no introduction and explanation regarding his abilities behind the decks Tickets are available from www bedfordparkconcer ts co uk

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 8:15pm to 10:15pm St Mary’s Church Hall Church Lane Goldington Bedford MK41 0HL No partner required

Good fun for only £3

Contact: Ron Law 01234 825574

Tudor Reeds Folk Dance Club:

Barn dance group meets every other Wednesday 8-10pm, St Mark’s Church Hall, Brickhill £3 inc refreshments Contact: Jenny 01234 217621t

Sandy Women’s Institute:

Meets on the third Tuesday of every month (except August) at Sandy Conservative Club Bedford Road, Sandy New members are always very welcome Visitors are charged a 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

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

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

Competition time

Car Boot Sales: Milton Ernest

Garden Centre Sundays 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

North Beds Ramblers: We walk every Saturday afternoon approx 6-8 miles starting at 1 30pm plus extra walks on 2nd and 4th Saturday each months we have a full day walks approx 12 miles starting at 10 00am Please be sure you are fit to walk and wearing the appropriate footwear and clothing Bring snacks and drinks as we always have a break June 03–1 30pm

Colmworth Golf Club : June 10 –10 00am

Bedford Park Concer ts is back this Summer with five spectacular shows (the George Ezra show is all but sold out), over two weekends with concer ts to appeal to all musical tastes! The Bulletin has five pairs of tickets to give away for each of the shows below.

Just answer the questions and send your answers by email to: editorial@bedsbulletin.com

Please put the name of the show you want to attend in the subject line eg: Sting

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

Next date: Tuesday 27 June - 10 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 available For further information Contact: Betty Thomas on 01480 860 421

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

Massage: Experienced masseuse available I have been practicing as a masseuse for more than 30

Kempston

Hexton : June 10 –1 30pm – Olney Market

Place : June 17- 1 30pm Lidlington Railway

Station : June 24 (Bunyan Trails Phase 3)9 30am – Westoning to Streatley: June 24

1 30pm – Biggleswade: Contact: Margaret Sawyer 07780 933 729

See FB page and North Beds Ramblers walking programme on www.ramblers.org.uk/north-bedfordshire

Sandy Night Owls Women’s

Institute: We meet on the first Wednesday evening of the month (except August) at 7 30pm, Sandy Conservative Club Visitors and new members always welcome For more information about our programme contact: Sandynightowlswiatgmail com

Bedfordshire Family

History Society: Friday 9th June 2023 our talk will be 19th Century Crime in Bedfordshire by Pamela Birch County Archivist following our AGM held in the Drama Hall at Mark Rutherford School, Wentworth Drive Bedford MK41 8PX The doors open at 7 00 pm and the talk begins at 7 30 p m Members free, visitors £1 donation

Contact:

Summer Fete: Saturday 15th July

1-4 30pm Church of the Transfiguration, 132 Bedford Road Kempston MK42 8BQ

Plenty of fun to be had: Children’s area, Bouncy Castle (weather permitting), Face paints & tattoos Raffle Tombola BBQ Tea Room, Ice Creams, Entertainment arena

Lots of outside stall holders to include wax melts bath bombs clothing personalised gifts

Contact:

St Paul’s Church Bedford - Music:

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

Suggest min £5 00

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

funds

Sat 10th June 12 noon Organ, Ian Runnells (Director of Music, St Paul s, Bedford)

Tues 6th, 1 00 pm, Vanessa Hristova, (Viola)

Tues 13th, Elizaveta Saul (violin) and Ana Manastireanu (Piano)

Tues 20th , Bedford CHoral Society Chamber

Choir

Tues 4th July Phoenix Choir

Tues 11th July Ellie Astridge (Soprano) and Tim Weed (Trumpet)

Tuesday recitals restart in September

Contact:01234 340163 www stpaulschurchbedford org uk

St Paul’s Church Bedford:

Flower arranging: Wednesday 28 June

6 30pm Sustainable Church Flowers

Demonstration Learn to create a beautiful seasonal pedestal and window display using sustainable techniques and Bedford grown flowers from Howbury Farm Flowers Tickets £5 and to book a place Contact: Lucy Copeman@pagesestate com or call 07870 517803

Proceeds to The Friends of St Paul’s church, Bedford

ByrdSong: St Mary’s Church, Carlton, Sunday 11th June, 3 00pm

Cantamus Chamber Choir celebrate 400th anniversary of the deaths of William Byrd and Thomas Weelkes with a selection of period music and lighter songs from across the ages with a bird theme

Tickets £10 (£8 concessions) at the door

Proceeds to St Mary s Church Contact: Ann Collett-White Tel: +44 (0)1234 266839 Mobile: +44 (0)7989 837819

To advertise your club, group or society in these columns please email your copy to: advertising@ bedsbulletin.com

Please include a contact telephone number These columns are for nonprofit making organisations

The first concer t kicks off on Friday 23rd June with Soul pop icons The Jacksons, ultimate disco divas Sister Sledge and British soul pioneers The Real Thing who are all ready for the ultimate par ty night in Bedford Park The Jacksons have sold more than 200 million records including the worldwide smash hits I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save and I’ll Be There Following the group’s massive success in the 1970s they spent the 1980s and 90s concentrating on successful solo careers They reformed for a series of concer ts in 2001 and have packed theatres and arenas around the world ever since Sister Sledge are one of the most iconic female bands and are responsible for some of the biggest dance anthems of all time such as Lost in Music, He’s the Greatest Dancer and Thinking of You Hailing from Philadelphia, sisters Debbie, Joni, Kathy and Kim became household names and a symbol of unity with their 1979 world-wide hit

and iconic album We are Family

Over the years, the group has amassed a string of Gold and Platinum records, accumulating total sales of more than 20 million worldwide and a clutch of Grammy Award nominations

Following the death of Joni in 2017, Sister Sledge’s beautiful legacy is now evolving as their extraordinar y adult children take centre stage

Formed in 1972, The Real Thing are universally known for their timeless hits You To Me Are Ever ything, Can’t Get By Without You and Can You Feel the Force as well as their groundbreaking 1977 song, Children of the Ghetto

Original members – Chris Amoo and Dave Smith – are now celebrating 50 incredible years in the music industr y, and they are still going strong, playing hundreds of gigs across the world

Q: What year was ‘Can you feel the force’ released?

Q: What US city do Sister Sledge come from?

Sting is bringing his ‘My Songs’ World Tour to Bedford Park on Saturday 24th June Sting’s ‘My Songs’ concer ts are an exuberant and dynamic show featuring his most beloved songs, written throughout the 17-time Grammy Award winner ’s illustrious career both with The Police and as a solo ar tist Following a sold out six-night residency at the London Palladium, My Songs was hailed “a masterclass” by The Times who said “Sting remains an undeniably skilled per former with a gold-plated back catalogue ” A musical journey taking in hits like Fields of Gold, Shape of my Hear t, Roxanne and Demolition

On Sunday 25th June is West End Proms – A breathtaking evening of live music from the past seven decades of popular musical theatre, delivered by some of the biggest West End Stars of the moment These include Danny Mac (Pretty Woman & Wicked) on stage are confirmed as John Owen-Jones (Phantom of the Opera & Les Misérables), Faye Tozer (Steps & Ever ybody’s Talking About Jamie), Zoe Birkett (The Bodyguard & Moulin Rouge), Trevor Dion

Nicholas (Aladdin & Hamilton)

Louise Dearman (Wicked & Evita) and Georgi Mottram (International & West End Classical Singer)

The show features spectacular lasers and ends with a magnificent firework display Bedford Rock Choir will be suppor ting with a lively and uplif ting set, guaranteed to get the audience warmed up

Q: What show has Louise Dearman been in?

Q: What song concludes the West End Proms show?

On Thursday 29th June with the ‘biggest rave ever ’ with the announcement of one of the world’s biggest techno acts ‘Scooter ’ flying in to make sure Bedford Park is ready to par ty!

The German techno group will be armed with a high energy set including tracks such as The Logical Song, Nessaja as well as their latest releases God Save the Rave and Waste Your Youth The

Saturday 1st July will see an incredible live music spectacle as Ministr y of Sound Classical hits the park Clubs do not come more iconic than Ministr y of Sound The legendar y London venue was at the hear t of the huge house scene of the 1990s and is one of the biggest global brands in dance music

Ministr y of Sound Classical sees your favourite dance tracks re-orchestrated, re-imagined and re-lived by a breath-taking 30-piece orchestra, top DJs, stunning

Man, the concer t was described as “a rare treat” by The Telegraph and saw Sting praised as “near peerless” by The Guardian with “sublime pop alchemy” Fans can also expect to hear Englishman In New York, Ever y Breath You Take, Roxanne, Message In A Bottle and many more Suppor ting Sting will be Dagny who is one of Nor way s most exciting and in-demand pop ar tists and completing the line-up is English singer songwriter Joe Sumner

Q: What occupation did Sting have before forming the Police?

Q: What is Sting’s wife’s name?

Hamburg trio have had a hugely successful music career, having sold an impressive 30 million+ in single and album sales, with an enormous 100 gold and platinum records globally The band are considered the most successful German single-record act with 23 top ten hits

Q: What countr y is Scooter from?

Q: What hit did Scooter have in the early

vocalists and a sound and light experience like no other

The unmissable show features Roger Sanchez, Judge Jules, K-Klass and Ellie Sax among the stars and classics such as Hey Boy Hey Girl (The Chemical Brothers), Sunchyme (Dario G), Insomnia (Faithless), Right Here, Right Now (Fat Boy Slim) and more

Q: What date this year will the Ministr y of Sound play the Albert Hall?

Q: How many performers are in the orchestra?

sport

BIGGLESWADE TOWN FC Both teams below the line

by Mike Draxler

Saturday April 22

BIGGLESWADE TOWN ........2

WELWYN GARDEN CITY ....3

The result of little influence on division position as both teams were below the “line” so only local pride to play for It went well,very well for the first twenty minutes as the rerturning Harry Draper netted on twelve

What was not in the script was Welwyn scoring on 20 through Bailey Stevenson and three minutes later by Jask Vasey Welwyn took

control not giving the eager green forwards a sniff at the turn round 1-2

After the break Welwyn shocked the Waders again by increasing the lead through Callum Nicolson on 59 We waited till 75 for Jon Clements to score against his old club At 2-3 pressure mounted on Welwyn and how keeper Charlie Crowley got to a late Draper header, shows his ability The final whistle on the final day of 2022/23 season sees the Waders lose 2-3

Premier Plus MoM Greg Sandiford

By Guillem Balague Chairman Biggleswade United

CAN it really be ten years next season since I first became involved with Biggleswade United? Where on earth did that go?

Much has changed in that time while many things, most notably a dearth of facilities and training infrastructure, continue to be the biggest impediment to progress for not just us but for all sporting clubs in our community

A long overdue, but nonetheless much welcome, new 3G facility set to open this autumn at Stratton Upper School could well turn out to be a game changer but until that hope becomes a reality we will continue to make the best of what we have as we put in place plans for our next campaign and reflect on what was another demanding though enjoyable year

Dramatic season opener for Sandy’s race ace

BEN Tuck’s 2023 season kicked off in earnest this weekend with the opening round of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) at the Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona As the latest edition to TF Sports line up in their #95 Aston Martin GTE, and a new edition to the Aston Martin Driver Academy, Ben was focused on delivering a solid demonstration of his future potential And there is no doubt that he achieved that goal, not only in his on-track performance but also in his overall approach in dealing with an incident at the very end of his stint in the car

As is customary, the opening round of the ELMS is preceded by the official series 2-day test allowing teams and drivers to hone their cars and crews The test went well for the crew of the #95 Vantage, where Ben joined experienced Bronze rated driver John Hartshorne and Platinum rated Aston Martin factory driver Jonny Adam, to put their red and white liveried GTE car through its paces Qualifying was split between the classes and for the LM GTE class, this was restricted to the Bronze rated driver only Taking to the track, John Hartshorne qualified the #95 car in 12th position in class

For the race on Sunday, the crew strategy had Hartshorne take the start, followed by Tuck in the middle stint and then Adam to take the chequered flag in the final stint The race started in dramatic style when a 4-car crash on lap one scattered the field, leaving the sister #72 Aston Martin out of the race However, Hartshorne carefully avoided the chaos and piloted his way through a solid stint, bringing the car in after 47 laps in 9th position On schedule, Ben took over driving duties and set about a

smooth and consistent drive, balancing pace, tyres and fuel management perfectly On schedule, Ben was called into the pits on lap 96, which is when events took another dramatic turn

Coming off the final corner Ben lined up with the pit entry lane and began slowing to the mandatory safety speed Unfortunately, a competitor in the faster LMP2 class misjudged an overtaking manoeuvre on the wrong side and collided with the back of Ben’s slowing car

The impact lifted the rear of Ben’s car into the air and sent him spinning to the outside of the final corner directly facing cars approaching at around 120mph The impact also caused problems in re-selecting a gear to get moving and Ben spent a nervous few minutes in harm’s way, trying to get the car going again

Eventually he was able to recover to the pits, where the car was checked out and Jonny Adam took over for the final stint, but with the car now in a distant 9th position

In recovering the car, Ben kept his cool, but was frustrated After the incident he said “I was minding my own business it was a pretty decent stint, and everything was going to plan and literally as I’m coming into the pit lane I get hit from behind by a [LM] P2 car We were told in the briefing that it would be a risky move for P2 cars if they tried to go to the inside he followed me and by the time I had to hit the brakes he was already underneath me, just lifted my rear wheels and spun me back across the track”

The culprit was subsequently reprimanded and punished by the stewards with a stop-go penalty, losing them a podium spot

campaign he second half of the season saw them finally beginning to enjoy the results to go along with the encouraging performances that have been created by the familiarity and friendship built up over the seasons Hopefully they can build on this and with a establish coaching team in place go one step further this next campaign and strive for a top five finish in their league We are now looking at bringing in more teams into our youth section as we continue to reinforce what we are and what we stand for as a Community club looking to create the best possible environment for youngsters to enjoy football

A re-building season following the traumas of losing just about all of our players after being forced to play one season in the more northerly based United Counties League saw our men’s first team finish in a very respectable eighth place in the league and and make it through to the fourth round of the FA Vase, the furthest we have ever been in the competition

Our successful campaign has earned us a pass until until the second round proper of the tournament next season which will in turn help our league campaign, where, next season for the first time ever, promotion can be earned via play offs rather than just by the winner takes all system in place until now

We will of course be hoping to finish top of the pile but if we can’t we would certainly look to finish in the play off places and our new joint coaches, Jordan Wright and Gaz Hunt are putting things together in a bid to strengthen a squad that can hopefully take us that one step further

The massive advances that we have made in our women’s section has been one of the most rewarding aspects over the last ten years and the disappointment felt by our women’s Red side by only managing to finish as runners-up in the Eastern Region first division north indicates just how far we have progressed and how much higher are expectations have become

Our aim will be to go one better next season and win it with the support of a a strengthened coaching staff led by Ashley Pead and the backing of the women’s Blues side who have a clear role as to what their identity is which is primarily about helping young women players to develop and compete for places in the Red side

Our men’s reserve side were an object lesson in the art of reaping the benefits of campaigning with a group of players many of whom came through the lower ranks of the club After a sticky start to their

Despite ill-founded and totally inaccurate rumours – emanating from heaven knows where – that I am planning to leave the club I am pleased to announce that I have never been more committed to this magnificent club that I am so proud to be chairman of and am more optimistic about its future than I have ever been ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!

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

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FC boast a sucessful season on and off the pitch

by Antony Molinari

With the 2022/23 season now at a close, Biggleswade FC can look back on what has been a hugely successful season on and off pitch. A first Bedfordshire Senior Cup Final in which they came up against an extremely good Luton Town side and finishing runners up in Southern Central Division One, their highest finish since their foundation in 2016.

At the start of the season the main objective would’ve been to consolidate

their position in this division, with the majority of other sides in the league having much bigger budgets few would’ve imagined FC being the closest challengers to the leagues overwhelming favourites Berkhamsted However, the majority of the side have played together for many years, managers Dave Northfield and Mark Inskip have built a great foundation which has seen a small turnover of players, this combined with a great team spirit and some very good young players saw the club produce some fantastic results throughout the season

Off the pitch the team has been expertly

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backed up with a hard working committee, they finished top of the leagues Hospitality which is based on points given from visiting clubs, alongside this, they have the highest average home attendance out of other local clubs, all this achieved despite their short history and having to play their home games outside Biggleswade at Bedford Town’s Eyrie Stadium

The fans that have dedicated themselves to travelling to see the side this season have been rewarded with some memorable moments, a number of injury time equalisers and winners have made sure those trips were worthwhile A couple

of games worth a mention, the first away to Ware, two injury time goals from Adam Hunt and Daniel Bond claimed a point after being two down The second at home to Barton Rovers, despite being behind most of the game, Kian Coles and Adam Hunt both scoring deep into injury time to claim a dramatic three points

On top of their fantastic league campaign they also had a great cup run in the Beds Senior Cup, they faced Luton Town in the final at Kenilworth Road and despite being beaten it was a huge success and great experience for the club to play at the Championship sides ground, they were

backed up by 400-500 travelling supporters on what was a great occasion

Next season they’ll hope to continue the progress made and grow their fan base, whether or not they’ll be able to go any better than second remains to be seen but with a number of big sides relegated from the division above its going to be a challenging campaign

In the long term the goal remains the same and that is to get the club back to Biggleswade with their own ground, from there the sky really is the limit

Top Scorer: Alex Marsh Player of the Season: Adam Hunt