Beds Bulletin Borough edition May 2023

BEDFORD BOROUGH EDITION

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

See page 3

MAY 2023

A Bedford family have raised over £2,000 for charity in memor y of their wife and mother, on the anniversar y of what would have been her 50th Bir thday

Louise Bushby passed away at her home, af ter a courageous battle with cancer, in October 2020 having received treatment at St John’s Hospice Moggerhanger In April this year her family and friends celebrated her 50th Bir thday in style

Husband Stuar t and children Charly, Kelsey and Cameron organised a masquerade ball at the Addison Howard Centre and with a huge raffle and donations raised £2,143 for the Sue Ryder charity

Many local business donated prizes for the event

“We are really proud as a family to have raised an amazing amount of money in memor y of our mum for a fantastic charity, Sue Ryder They are a brilliant and hear tfelt organisation who looked af ter our mum and suppor ted us through a really tough time, said Charly and Kelsey Bushby

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

Sue Ryder suppor t people through the most difficult times of their lives providing exper t care to those suffering terminal illness and their families

Pictured: Louise Bushby inset Charly and Kelsey Bushby at the ball

M a s q u e r a d e B a l l i n l o v i n g m e m o r y o f B e d f o r d m u m

Councils being held to

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 properties 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 outof-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 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 ”

ERTA asks LNWR “where have all our trains gone?”

New CEO announced for The Bedford College Group from January 2024

by Jane Bird

THE new CEO who will take over from Ian Pryce CBE, long-standing leader of The Bedford College

G r o u p , h a s b e e n announced

Ian is due to retire officially on January 2, 2024 after 25 years as CEO, but such is the size and significance of his role that work has already begun for the handover to Yiannis Koursis OBE

Yiannis is currently the Principal and Chief Executive of Barnsley College, a large tertiary college judged Outstanding by Ofsted He has worked at the college for seven years

and Northamptonshire

Yiannis has been helping transform the lives of students for more than 17 years, during which time he has held senior Further Education roles in colleges across the UK He has also spent close to a decade working with voluntary and charitable services He was awarded an OBE in 2022, and a fellowship by the Royal Society of Arts in 2020 for his outstanding achievements in social progress and development, championing the power of Further Education to transform lives

GATSBY FOUNDATION

ENGLISH Regional Transport Association (ERTA) has been lobbying the LNWR over the reinstatement of trains to and from Bedford to Bletchley.

They asked the question: “Given Class 230 trains are running Isle of Wight, GWR, Wrexham and Wales, why not Bedford-Bletchley – it seems other areas of the country are not affected with the Vivarail administration situation but we are?

“It has been several months since trains were taken out and buses substitution brought in which is unsatisfactory

“In short, we want our trains back! BedfordBletchley shuttle service serves many growing rural and semi urban communities as well as the

end-to-end linkage between West Coast Main Line/Milton Keynes services and Bedford/Midland Main Line services.

“With X5 bus downgrade and cuts to frequency and timetables, the rail option is a vital choice and option and needs restoration ”

ERTA Media Spokesperson Mr Richard Pill said: “It needs leadership to bring fragmented railway parties of DfT, Councils and Operators with others together and get to the bottom of why this line is being made an exception?”

ERTA wants the trains restored and at a time of local elections, candidates should be expanding on their vision for investment in the line as a vital local service for all ages

Said Ian: “I am fortunate to have got to know Yiannis over the last couple of years as members of the FE Commissioner ’s Principals Reference Group He has an excellent reputation in the sector and I know he will be great to work with and will take our college group to the next level ”

STRONG REPUTATION

Yiannis has been appointed to continue to build on the Group’s strong reputation following the thorough and vigorous recruitment process by a panel led by the Chair of Governors, Allan Schofield

Said Allan: “Both I and the

Corporation are excited to appoint Yiannis as our new CEO We are committed to making The Bedford College Group a truly excellent institution leading the region’s training and skills agenda, and we are confident that Yiannis will help us achieve this in building on our already sound foundations We are delighted to be welcoming him as he joins us to help take us forward in the next step of our journey ”

The Bedford College Group is the seventh largest group in the country by funding It recently merged with Central Bedfordshire College and has a structure which is led by the CEO, supported by two deputies and three Principals for Bedford, Central Bedfordshire

More recently, Yiannis worked with the Gatsby Foundation to help enhance UK education and was invited to consult on the Government’s white paper for FE reform In January 2022 he was appointed to the Further Education Principals Reference Group to support the FE Commissioner in improving performance in FE colleges

He is a dedicated national advocate for the sector and works tirelessly to reinforce it as a force for opportunity and growth He also serves as part of the CBI Yorkshire and Humber Regional Council alongside his work as Barnsley 2030 Board Vice Chair, leading the town’s vision and ambitions for the decade

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Numbers in police control room up

Free Coronation crafts for children in Borough libraries

FROM Saturday, April 29 to Sunday, May 7, families are invited to visit Bedford Borough Libraries for free fun Coronation-themed craft activities

Crafts include creating royal bookmarks, window decorations, and scratch art There will also be additional crafts, such as creating bunting and colouring, in all the libraries from May 2 to May 5 A Bedford Borough spokesperson, said, “It’s wonderful that children of all ages across Bedford Borough have the opportunity to visit our libraries and enjoy a variety of free creative activities to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III ”

BEDFORDSHIRE Police has recruited its largest ever single cohort of staff into its force control room as part of Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye’s pledge to invest in improving public contact.

Nineteen new police staff members have started training with the force ahead of joining the nerve centre of policing in the county where all 999, 101 and other public contact is managed

The new starters are made up of a combination of radio agents, call handlers and contact operators

More than 50 staff have joined the force’s control room since August at a time when demand is growing

Since the Covid lockdown restrictions were fully lifted in 2022, Bedfordshire Police witnessed an increase in call volumes, rising from under 10,000 999 calls a month at the start of the year to more than 13,000 calls per month on a couple of occasions towards the end of the year

Bedfordshire Police and Crime

Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye and Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst met with the new cohort last week during their first week of training

It follows the PCC directing investment into this area to help ensure the force could increase staffing numbers in this key area of business

Commissioner Akinbusoye said: “I want Bedfordshire Police to provide the very best police service to all of our residents, especially during moments of crisis

“Our force control room is integral to delivering this outcome, and in order to achieve this, we need people who want to take on this challenging but rewarding role

“This is why I made the funding available for the Chief Constable to do what was necessary to start recruiting FCR staff again

“The number has steadily been growing since I came into office, but this is by far the highest number I have seen join us in two years.

“It was fantastic to meet them in their first week of training I am confident that they will be an impactful addition to Bedfordshire Police ”

The demand into the force control room has placed noticeable strain on current staff and response times Currently, some days see over 700 calls to 500 incidents and 200 crimes recorded in Bedfordshire

Mr Rodenhurst said: “I know how frustrating it is for people who need our help but cannot speak to us for one reason or another

“This is why we are working tirelessly to get staff in and trained up as quickly as we can

“These roles really are on the frontline of policing, providing the first response to people when they need help the most

“It is an incredibly rewarding career with lots of possibilities for progression and I would encourage anyone who might be interested to apply ”

Bedfordshire Police is currently recruiting its next cohort of control room staff, who will start their training in July

For more information or to apply visit portal crooton com

“It’s also a good opportunity for children to browse the shelves and discover books about past kings and queens of England!”

All children are welcome, even if they are not yet library members, and all activities are free Parents and carers must remain with chil-

dren under 14 It’s free for people of any age to join Bedford Borough Libraries

A parent or guardian will need to complete a form for children to join a library during staffed hours

It is also possible to join online at any time and then collect a library card during staffed hours

Library members can choose from a huge range of physical

Mayor has ambitious plans

THE former Goldings building on Bedford High Street has been restored to its former glory as part of the High Street Heritage Action Zone restoration programme

This comes after Bedford Borough Council had more positive discussions with the owners of the former Beales and Debenham sites in the town centre about future regeneration plans

One of the companies that owns one of the properties said: “We have high hopes for Bedford The Mayes Yard site could potentially become a culture, entertainment and leisure hub full of smaller

retail and hospitality units as well as residential spaces on the upper floors

Mayor Dave Hodgson said “I’m very excited by the potential in Mayes Yard and we will continue to work with property owners so that we can get the best outcome for the town centre

“The restoration of the Goldings building looks fantastic, and it is a great addition to the town centre We have already delivered the fantastic Riverside development, Allhallows regeneration and the new wider pavements on the High Street ”

books and magazines for all ages Members can also access thousands of digital books, audiobooks and magazines, at no charge Discover a full list of activities and opening hours for Bedford Borough Libraries by visiting w w w b e d f o r d g o v u k / l i b r a r i e s

Find the full list of events in the ‘Children and teens’ section

Police chief sanguine about Chinese spy technolog y

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 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 [earlier 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

“This is part of the national strategic assessment and so it is a constant focus, and it does have the right level of scrutiny nationally,” he said

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

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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

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

Dave Hodgson – Mayor of Bedford Over 8,000 jobs created and protected

Having a strong local economy and providing jobs for residents is a key priority

We have attracted hundreds of companies to the Borough, as well as helped local business to thrive

It is estimated we have helped to create and protect over 8,000 new jobs

Through our strong business support offer, companies such as the Money & Pension Services, B&M Distribution, Vison Modular Systems and others have all relocated to Bedford Borough We

have also had a number of home-grown successes like EVIOS who are leaders in manufacturing electric vehicle charging points and at the cutting edge of the green economy.

We also have a wealth of micro-businesses being set up by our local entrepreneurs, and existing businesses expanding or making Bedford Borough their headquarters like FujiFilm

I’m pleased with the progress we have made, but I’m aware of the challenges presented in the last few years in terms of the pandemic

and the cost of living crisis

We are making sure that Bedford Borough is recovering sustainably and it remains a centre for skills development and job creation.

As well as attracting a wide range of businesses to the Borough, I am focussed on getting residents into higher skilled jobs

I have launched the Skills Led Recovery Plan to ensure that residents have the skills and opportunities needed

The plan will enable Bedford’s future economy

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

to be resilient and people-focussed, be ready to face economic shocks and respond to changes in economic needs, ensuring success for residents and local businesses.

The Council is working in partnerships with colleges and training facilities, whilst promoting apprenticeships for adults of any age

The Jobs Hub continues to help residents and businesses The service has helped 1,835 people to find employment, training or enterprise since

2018

Mohammad Yasin – MP Kempston and Bedford Plans to renew our High Street will boost business

Over recent years, high streets across the country have suffered serious decline. Losing M&S, Debenhams, Beales and a number of banks and pubs has been a big blow to our town Businesses have also struggled dealing with the impact of Brexit, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis

Despite the departure of the major retailers, I’m optimistic about the opportunity this has presented to local independent businesses which bring a unique vibrancy to the town centre

I’m pleased that some of the initiatives I’ve been working on to improve the High Street are

already paying off The High Street Heritage Action Zone, a joint initiative between Bedford Borough Council and Historic England has been a big benefit to our town

I was pleased to see the shop front improvements and building restoration works on Silver Square and the Blue Monk building and the improvements to Sundae’s Gelato, Goldings, Medical Centre and the Salvation Army shop with other shops to benefit in the future

Labour’s renewal plans for Bedford Borough will be centred around the local economy

We are incentivising residents and businesses to spend more of their money locally, building community wealth, and drawing outside expenditure to the Borough One initiative we are exploring is to create an indoor market space in Bedford Town Centre

But there is more must be done to improve the local offer to business owners, entrepreneurs and consumers We’ve got to cut business rates It’s unfair that high street businesses face big tax hikes whilst online giants are let off the hook Labour has plans to cut energy bills by providing

vouchers for energy efficiency measures such as for double glazing, heat pumps or electric vehicles. We will stamp out late payments from big wealthy clients and give councils strong new powers to bring empty shops back into use We will also get 13,000 more neighbourhood police and PCSOs back on our streets to tackle the antisocial behaviour that blights town centres

Investing in local growth helps the wider economy - It s Labour s mission to secure the highest growth in the G7, so every part of our country can feel better off

Bungalow for sale – £295,000

• Two miles to village of Clapham with more shops and takeaways

To book a viewing please call: Nick Kier on 01234 327744

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

by Michael Jarman-Webb

E A G L E S ’ f a n s f e a r s h a v e become a reality and the promotion celebrations around this time last year seem a distant memory as the club are relegated.

There will be much speculation amongst the fans as to the reasons for the team’s d e m i s e t h i s s e a

The search is on for the right man for the job

question the decision of the board to part company with manager Gary Setchell towards the end of last year

Setchell had a run of games without the desired results, but they were nothing compared to what was to come later in the season as the unthinkable relegation became an ever-increasing reality

SOME GOOD RESULTS

Greame Tomlinson ground out some good results in his first spell in charge after Setchells sacking, but he was soon replaced by new manager Paul Davies whose three-game tenure was a complete disaster and was the real start of the rot

The one thing he was right about was his prediction of Bedford’s relegation

Tomlinson and Callum Donnelly took charge again, but this time they could do nothing to prevent to demise They may have had a chance, but some senior players didn’t stick around and the already struggling team was further weakened

FANS’ SUPPORT

One thing that has been consistent this season has been the Eagles fans Every week they turn up at the Eyrie and support the team they love, many of them have been coming to matches for all their long lives, but there are also many new faces, and its encouraging to see the many youngsters coming through the gates each week

Real fans, supporting the team they love. They will still be at the Eyrie next season as the Eagles begin life once more in step four of non-league football.

Before then there will be a lot of background work to bring in a new permanent manager in the close season, that is the right person, with the right contacts to turn the club around once again

George Thorne clears against St Ives

Real Bedford do the double

by Rowland White

Real Bedford FC won both the league title and the Beds FA Senior Trophy in April, as their storming season comes to an end with a full trophy cabinet.

A draw at home to Ampthill on the 10th of April was enough to cement Real Bedford as champions of the Spartan South Midlands League Division 1 with three games to spare. Then just over a week later Real Bedford picked up the Beds FA Senior Trophy after beating Elstow Abbey 6-0 in front of crowds of over 500

The last month of the season was a busy one for the league leaders Although they had been top of the league for the majority of the season, players, staff, and fans alike were eager to see the rebranded team lift the title

Rob Sinclair has built and improved upon his team all through the season to create a fast-paced, strong footballing team who are hard to beat But the game against Northampton Sileby Rangers at the tail end of March was a masterclass in football

PERFECT HEADER

Striker Tom Hitchcock met a perfectly placed Dan Walker cross with an equally strong header, rooting the ball into the bottom right of the net to open Real Bedford’s account after just nine minutes A second came just on the stroke of halftime with a magnificent long-range strike from Dan Walker and Real Bedford finally put the game to bed when captain Luke Knight swung a corner directly into the net ending the game 3-0 A totally dominating performance away from home against a team that sits fourth in the table and is hoping for promotion

The following weekend, Real Bedford came back from 2-1 down in Leicester, against a well-organised Lutterworth Athletic to win 4-2 A goal from Archie Culley, two penalties from Luke Knight, and a controversial own goal following a long Lewis Burgess throw, completed the scoreline Grit and determination eventually won out

A rugged display at Northampton saw Real Bedford collect a hard-fought point on the road against title

challengers Northampton O N Chenecks A win against the Chenecks would have seen Bedford take the title and a win for Chenecks would have kept them in contention for automatic promotion but the second-placed side battled hard in tough conditions and both teams ended the game sharing the spoils, in what was a heated stopstart game Dan Walker put Bedford ahead but the Northampton side battled hard and fought back equalizing just after the break to end the game 1-1

VENGEANCE

Next up was Langford – the bottom-of-the-table side that beat Real Bedford at home in January Avenging that defeat was on the minds of the players, and although poor conditions once again made the game harder than it should have been, a single goal from Archie Culley was enough for the Bedford side to take home all three points Rob Sinclair ’s men needed just one point from the last three games to clinch the league title

And that point was to come on Easter Monday when a well-prepared visiting Ampthill side wanted to spoil the Real Bedford party In very windy conditions, a wellworked play up the pitch, allowed Eddie Corbitt to slot home the opening goal and send the 300 Bedford fans wild However, the party didn’t last long as Ampthill equalized with a goal from

Ampthill’s Fullerton, which was to be the last goal of the game, despite Sinclair ’s team pushing hard to get the win for the fans A draw, however, was enough, and celebrations went long into the night as players celebrated picking up their first piece of silver wear of the season

The celebrations continued the following weekend, after a 7-1 win for the Pirates on the last home game of the season against Thame United Reserves Goals came thick and fast, keeping the record crowd of 327 entertained as Tom Hitchcock got a hat trick, Jordan Brown a brace, Tom Wood recorded another goal, and Claston Gordon got his club first in superb style Bottom of the league Thame managed to pull one back in the dying minutes denying keeper Tyler McGregor a clean sheet but the victory was comprehensive and Real Bedford lifted the league trophy in the blazing sunshine in front of their jubilant fans

ICING ON THE CAKE

The final icing on the cake came for Real Bedford on Thursday 20th when the Pirates put six past Elstow Abbey in the Beds FA Trophy final Over 500 were in attendance at Bedford Town’s ground the Eyrie where the game was held Man of the match was given to Defender Matt Clifford who scored three

pinpoint Gordon cross Goals from Jordan Brown, Tom Hitchcock and Luke Knight saw the game end with a scoreline of 6-0 to Real Bedford

Real Bedford’s new Chairman Peter McCormack stated when he took over the club at the start of the season that he wanted a Bedford team to get the National League and the first step in getting there was promotion.

Well, he has achieved that first goal and some extra silverware for the trophy cabinet to boot Now after a short break, manager Rob Sinclair and his squad will get back on the training field and start the process all over again.

Photography: Iain Frankish, Actuance (www actuance photo)