Kempston Calling January 2023

HAPPY NEW YEAR

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IS A BIG DEAL

WORKS have begun at Bedford College’s Cauldwell Street campus for the first of six major Bedford Town Deal projects within the successful bid for £22.6m to invest in the local area.

The works, scheduled to b e c o m p l e t e d b y s u m m e r 2023, are part of a £12 6m project to deliver a Health, Science and Digital Skills Centre at Bedford College The Bedford Town Deal prog r a m m e i n c l u d e d £ 3 m o f funding to make these plans possible Bedford College’s 1959 Tower Block is a key town centre building on the south bank of the river and will be transformed into a state-ofthe-art science and technology facility with high levels of energy efficiency

The Bedford Town Deal investment will enable the remodelling of the building and subsequent upgrading of its spaces, including laboratories and IT suites Plans also include opening the College out with a learning corridor through St Mary’s Gardens and the Riverside Bedford connections to the middle of the Town Centre

MORE STUDENTS

The project will generate an additional 250 full-time education students each year, while also benefiting the existing 4,000 learners at the Bedford campus who will have a new and superior learning environment fit for 21st century studies

As an exciting skills and education development, the investment will support Bedford College’s curriculum in its extension to higher education and advanced levels, so that existing students can progress further and achieve higher levels of skill in areas where employers say there is a need

Pat Jones, Deputy Chief Executive at Bedford College, said: “The Tower Block has been

Train ser vices hit the buf fers as maintenance company folds Addison Centre thanks Pat

LONDON Northwestern Railway has announced the cessation of train services between Bedford and Bletchley for the forseeable future (Marston Vale Line).

This popular route has been forced to close because the company that undertook the maintenance of the rolling stock, Vivarail, has declared its intention to enter administration and is therefore unable to carry out their responsibilities of looking after the trains.

The Rail Advent website is reporting that John Doughty, LNR engineering director, said: “I apologise to our customers who will be impacted by the temporary suspension of

the train service on the Marston Vale Line

“Following the news that Vivarail is to enter administration, we have been left with no alternative but to pause the service as we can no longer guarantee the required level of maintenance for the trains on the route will be available

“We are working hard to find a solution which will enable us to return a train service to the line as soon as possible and we will keep our passengers updated.”

The rail services were used by students of Kimberley College at Stewartby, who now have to use a replacement bus service

Science and Technology Education is a big deal

Continued from page 1

part of the Town’s landscape for over 60 years The regeneration of this building will enable the College to continue to support the community to flourish through the provision of education and skills We are delighted to have been awarded some funding from the Bedford Town Deal to help take this regeneration project forward ”

Dave Hodgson, Elected Mayor of Bedford Borough, said: “This investment into education and skills at the heart of Bedford’s Town Deal through the Bedford College project is part of our commitment to providing learners and students in the Borough with the best educational opportunities that we can Digital Skills are a vital and growing skillset which a significant portion of the Borough workforce do and will require, and this project will help local people to develop the necessary expertise to progress and unlock new opportunities in high skill jobs

“This is all part of an over-arching Town Deal,

which is well underway, with Midland Road and pedestrian and cycling improvements next on the list as well as further investment from the railway to the riverside ”

Samantha Laycock, Chair of the Bedford Town Deal Board and Manager for the Harpur Centre, said: “We’ve set out a clear vision to continue growing Bedford as a thriving town that offers a high-quality experience for both residents and visitors alike The project is a key part of our overall Town Deal, which will help local people to develop and refine their skills so they can benefit from opportunities in areas where employers say there is a need, helping them to progress further and achieve higher

“The Town Deal projects focus on regeneration and transport infrastructure, this important project will assist in improving the skills of the Bedford Borough workforce as identified in the Bedford Town Investment Plan”

You can find out more about the Bedford Town Deal at www bedford gov uk/TownDeal

LONG-STANDING Chair of the charitable organisation behind the Addison Centre in Kempston has retired from the role

Pat Buttrum steered the ship through changing times and the most recent challenges of lockdowns with the support of fellow volunteer Trustees and members of the association committee

“I would like to thank all my fellow Trustees and committee members, as well as the staff, and our customers, for all their support and help in keeping this important centre open for the people of Kempston

“It is a fantastic facility where so many have celebrated family occasions, company events and

more Please help the team to keep it going There is always room for new Trustees and committee members,” said Pat

The Addison Centre is a notfor-profit organisation but has to cover its own costs, which continue to rise An appeal is underway to support the upgrading of the heating system

Although the hall is regularly booked on Sundays by the Grace Church, it remains available to hire throughout the rest of the week

Go to https://www facebook com/addisoncentrekempston or www addison-centre org for more information

Businesses and local people can back the Addison Centre by book-

ing it for activities A new price structure making it more accessible to rent during weekdays has been prepared

Pictured: Pat seated centre with flowers surrounded by Trustees, staff and committee members This year Jacquie Manners, David Longman and Anita Martin joined Brian Stuckey, Gloria McCormick and Chris Atkinson as Trustees Jacquie now takes over as Chair with Anita as Vice Chair Retiring from the committee after many years of service was Dennis Tailor who was thanked by Pat for his work and stepping back as Vice Chair was Brian Stuckey, but he remains a vital member of the Trustee team

KEMPSTON TOWN COUNCIL

Police focussing on vehicle crime

Bedfordshire Police via our local Community Policing team have informed Kempston Town Council that after some consultation their priority for the next three months will be ‘Vehicle Crime’ theft of/from vehicle and vehicle interference They will look at preventative measures, including with local garages for Cat-Con marking and the provision of tailored crime prevention advice

As a team they realise that the community continue to raise drugs as an issue However they will also continue to target drug offending and related Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) as part of their daily patrols

Within the Police there is the opportunity for local residents to volunteer within the local area and join a Watch Scheme These schemes provide another link between the community and the Police

Details of the schemes can be found by visiting –www beds police uk/advice/advice-and-information/wsi/watchschemes-initiatives/

That’s it!

Well it is all over now! The Christmas trees are dismantled or abandoned and decorations have been put away until next year Children are back at school and excited to tell their mates what presents Santa delivered!

Well done

It seems like an age ago but Kempston residents enjoyed a festive time in the run-up to Christmas at the ‘Kempston lights switch on’ Congratulations to those who organised the event There were many different stalls plus children’s rides and the all

important visit from Santa! There was plenty of music that added to the expectant mood of the crowd Thanks to the sponsors, Waldens Estate Agents and the donation from the Town Centre Priority Fund

Music and chat

Kempston’s Mayor, Cllr Sam Blacklaws, invited senior citizens in Kempston to a Christmas tea in the Centenary Hall prior to Christmas It was extremely well attended and everyone had a lovely time catching up with their friends and acquaintances Bedford Road School s choir gave a magnificent performance of a range of Christmas songs that everyone appreciated Needless to say there was a popular raffle too!

Contact us

Kempston Town Council is the closest tier of local government to you The offices are open between 10am and 3pm Monday to Friday for public access or via telephone 01234 851005 and email: clerk@kempston-tc gov uk The Council meets every second Tuesday at 7 30pm The public are welcome to attend Councillors are also available to try and support residents It is not always possible for them to resolve problems but hey may know someone who can help 2022 has not ended on a very positive note for many so let us hope that 2023 will be better! HAPPY NEW YEAR from all at Kempston Town Council!

McDonald’s ‘drive-thru’ has been approved for Bedford

for the second time of asking!

–

by John Guinn – L ocal Democracy Reporter

proposal has been suitably arranged to minimise adverse effects

Janine Laver, the council’s development manager this week told the committee: “That permission was challenged in the high court by two third-party objectors

“The council agreed to the decision being quashed on the basis that the council had failed to undertake a sequential assessment of other suitable sites in town centre, or edge of centre, before concluding that the proposed use on this out of centre site at Fairhill was acceptable

“A sequential assessment has now been submitted by the applicant which has been reviewed by [planning] officers, by policy planners and by highways

“We have concluded there are no other suitable available and viable sites in the town centre or edge of centre to accommodate the proposal,” she said

Ms Laver said there were objections raised on several highways matters, including queueing traffic, but that highways officers are “satisfied” that the

Car wash plans knocked back

A PLANNING application for a hand car wash at a site near Bedford has been resubmitted following a refusal in May

Noise concerns were among the reasons given for refusal earlier, with the council saying the supporting noise assessment did not demonstrate that the occupiers of No 109 Bedford Road would “not be subject to unacceptable noise levels, detrimental to their amenity, or that any such impacts can be satisfactorily mitigated ”

The applicants said that the development to build the hand car wash on Bedford Road, Willington had already been carried out, but that it wasn’t in use

The planning statement for the new application said the site is located on a “very busy road” with the existing dwelling surrounded by the established commercial use It added that “it cannot reasonably be said” that the occupiers of the property currently enjoy a high degree of peace or tranquillity

“Objections have been raised about health impacts of fast food facilities in light of the proximity of the proposal to Bedford Modern School, for example,” Ms Laver said

“And in light of other community food offerings nearby including the two approved drive-thrus immediately to the east of this site in Fairhill

“While the pedestrian and cycle access to the site has been improved through the Clapham Roundabout/A6 improvement works and the Manton Lane roundabout works that were completed in the spring of 2022 the site is not on a walking desire line to or from any school

“It is therefore difficult to conclude that the proposal would be harmful to the health prospects of students at nearby schools,” she said

The drive-thru traffic will be using the same road junction onto the roundabout as the Aldi and Brewpoint

Councillor Jane Walker (Conservative, Clapham) said:” That roundabout is much improved, but it is still very difficult to get out onto that roundabout just from Aldi and Brewpoint

Lighting could harm bats?

CONCERNS over bats have been raised by a parish council following an application to install new lights at Harrold tennis club

An application for a lighting system for the two tennis courts has been submitted to the Borough Council The courts are at the rear of the Harrold Centre, on the village’s High Street

The application said although this system will do the same thing as conventional floodlights, allowing tennis to be played after the natural light fades

It simply involves two strips of LED lighting along the top of the tennis court fencing

Harrold Parish Council had resolved to object to the application Its objection said although the tennis courts are right on the edge of the conservation area (CA), “it will have an impact” on the buildings within the CA

It goes on to say that light pollution may have a negative effect on nesting birds and bats

“There’s a lot of traffic struggling to get out there, we could change the traffic light combination or something so that at least they’ve got a delay so people can get out.

MAKE IT WORSE

“I think with this one, obviously we’ll make it a lot worse,” she said

Committee chair, councillor Jonathan Abbott (LibDems, Oakley) said: “Since the Greenacre School was granted permission by the planning inspectorate against the decision of the committee, I think we would struggle on highways grounds to refuse it

“As we are believed to have capacity on that roundabout

“Although, I think anyone who uses it during the peak hours will know that might be different, but hopefully the main use of this site will be away from those peak times,” he said

A majority of the committee voted to grant permission, subject to planning conditions

GRANGE Academy secondary pupil Mya has taken top spot in a national festive card competition with her stunning digital Christmas tree design

Run by award winning online interactive learning space Purple Mash the winning designs are currently available as personalised digital cards in a learning activity for all users of the highly regarded digital educational platform

Grange ICT co-ordinator Claudine Rowley commented “Mya worked incredibly hard on her design; she chose the digital painting technique carefully and used various parts of the 2Paint application”

Grange Academy headteacher Rachel Timms added” I am very proud of Mya for using her ICT skills to create such a beautiful, winning card which really captures the Christmas atmosphere; seeing her work recognised by Purple Mash shows just what a high standard she reached! ICT is a strength of our school and pupils achieve fantastic results in the subject”

National competition win for Grange Academy pupil Grange gets the Gr een Flag

GRANGE Academy has achieved the prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag Award which recognises and celebrates a commitment to raising awareness of environmental issues Operated by the Global Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award is an international accreditation scheme that has been pro-

moting young people’s environmental actions for more than 25 years

The award has been achieved by the hard work and passion of students and staff who worked together to audit the school’s environmental footprint and improve it Grange Academy focussed on

the elements of energy, waste and improving the school grounds, from a range of ten themes provided by the Eco-Schools scheme

“We love saving our planet, we need to recycle with the orange bins and save the oceans We all need to” said one of our Year 10 pupils ” said Grange Academy’s headteacher Rachel Timms

A BEDFORD Borough Council’s planning committee granted permission for the McDonald’s drive-thru at Fairhill, Bedford in October last year.

Redundant railway sidings being brought back to life

by John Guinn – L ocal Democracy Reporter

“The reason we’ve put a restrictive condition along the lines that we have is the application had an environmental assessment as part of the application

It was an honour ma’am

The permission was for the operation of three sidings, a concrete offload road and internal site access roads for the import of materials by rail for onward transportation from the site by road (via Green Lane) to the Elstow South Quarry restoration project

Bedford Borough Council’s planning committee heard on Monday (December 12) that Marston Moreteyne Parish Council had objected to the use of the sidings in Stewartby.

Councillor Jane Walker (Conservative, Clapham) said: “I saw that there was a condition that they could only bring in sand and soil.

“Does that condition satisfy the complaints of Marston Parish Council, because they were worried that all sorts of things would be coming in?

“So are they happy now with that condition?” she asked.

Roy Romans, planning officer, said: “We don’t normally go back to individual objectors to see whether the conditions overcome [their objections]

“We believe that they do, and the condition is quite restrictive.

“That environmental assessment relies upon an assessment against a similar facility importing sands and soils, but there’s been no further assessment for other types of material.

“Which is why we therefore restricted it to what’s been assessed

“It’s not to say that other materials might not be acceptable, but the condition puts the council in the position of being able to look at that should any applications come to vary that condition.

“So we think it does meet the parish council’s concerns

I think that those revolved principally around that they thought [the applicants] could import rubbish again, or material that might have much more of an impact than inert soils and sands,” he said.

“So they’re only bringing in inert no polluted material, is that right?” asked councillor Martin Towler (Conservative, Riseley)

Mr Romans confirmed that was the case

The committee voted to grant permission, subject to planning conditions.

Jail terms for couple who beat up rough sleeper

A COUPLE who beat up and robbed a man who had befriended them in Bedford were jailed for a total of twenty two and a half years in December

Leanne Horsnell, 36, who was described by the judge as an “utterly, callous and heartless individual” was sentenced to 12 years

Chris Hunt, 39, who at one stage had tried to stop the attack, was jailed for 10 years 6 months

Prosecutor Richard Sedgwick told Luton crown court

Horsnell and Hunt, who started a relationship at the beginning of the year, had been living on the streets in Bedford

In April this year the victim, an older and smaller man, befriended the couple and bought them tobacco and drink He invited him them to his bedsit home for a meal They arrived just before midnight on April 14th and both were drunk

“Without warning Horsnell became extremely aggressive and punched him to the face and body She took a meat cleaver from the bed sit and threatening him They carried out a messy search of his property looking for money,” said Mr Sedgwick

CCTV showed them leading him around cash points in Bedford in a fruitless attempt to withdraw cash

The victim then offered to give them some money he had stored in a bag at his home with his diabetes medicine He went to offer £20 to Hunt, but he snatched the bag and stole all his £500 savings Both Horsnell and Hunt struck him

They left, but returned with another man at around 6am The noise woke neighbours who called the police

The victim has suffered two black eyes, one of which was extremely swollen Bruises on his

face and an injury to his harm Most of the violence was dished out by Leanne Horsnell, said the victim In a victim impact statement he said he felt he was helping with a kind gesture and that was thrown back in his face

Horsnell and Hunt, of no fixed address, appeared for sentence having been convicted of robbery Hunt had 43 convictions for 81 offences and Horsnell 29 convictions for 69 offences

For Hunt, Simren Singh said he had alcohol addiction and suffers with his mental health He said: “At some point he did attempt to reduce violenceand calm Ms Horsnell down

“He has no reasoning for the offence It was just stupidity - fuelled by atmosphere and his intoxication

“He said he is deeply sorry for what he did and wishes to apologise to the victim ”

DRUG ABUSE

Nasreen Tincey, defending, said she had a history of heroin and crack cocaine abuse She said in prison she has had time to reflect on her actions and had said she cannot carry on behaving in this manner

Judge Rebecca Herbert told them: “You were both convicted by jury of an appalling, prolonged and cruel offence of robbery

“The two of you took advantage of a man who was older and smaller than you and had shown you kindness

“You took advantage of that kindness and vulnerability

“There is no sign at all that either of you had any sympathy or compassion for him ”

She told Horsnell: “You are an utterly callous heartless individual In drink you are a dangerous woman You pose a significant risk of causing serious harm to people unfortunate enough to cross your path ”

THE School Council at Livingstone Primary School, Bedford, were honoured on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, with a visit by the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Susan Lousada

Mrs Lousada is the representative of HM King Charles in the County; she was appointed in September of this year

The Council heard all about the origins and history of the role, from its beginnings during the reign of Henry VIII and what a Lord Lieutenant does today

It was especially exciting as she was able to tell the children about accompanying King Charles on his visit to Luton this week

As well as explain her role she

also

Head teacher Peter Thornes was delighted to welcome Susan to the school “It was such an interesting visit for our Council and they loved hearing about the history of her role and what it means for Bedfordshire ”

took part in a Q&A session with the children asking lots of interesting questions

Is the Mayor driving away customers?

https://www lovebedford co uk/news/post php?s=2020-02-12-paymonthly-for-your-parking-at-queen-street-car-park

MANY of Bedford’s councillors are concerned that the Mayor’s parking policies are driving shoppers to Milton Keynes and Rushden Lakes

Bedford Town centre has seen visitors and shoppers drop by nearly 50% over five years (2017–2022) alongside the loss of many retailers

The drop in visitors and shoppers is reflected in the falling use of the town’s car parks as daily and monthly turnover figures reveal Allhallows and Lurke Street are not half-full most of the time.

Research is showing Rushden Lakes with hours of free car parking and Milton Keynes with 1,000s of 50p per hour parking spaces, are both rebuilding their customer base after

COVID and are better prepared to fight back against the current economic downturn.

Conservative Councillor Roger Rigby voiced his group’s deep concerns: “Bedford’s town centre decline cannot be arrested by the current Mayor ’s expensive parking charges.

“We need to reverse this decline and get our car parks supporting our towns businesses by increasing free parking while reducing the cost of Multi-Storey Car Park (MSCPs) prices to 50p an hour

“Sources tell us more retailers will be leaving Bedford in the New Year The current Mayor’s parking policies are reducing the town centre to a wasteland and driving our residents and shoppers elsewhere.”

CELEBRATIONS are underway at the university of Bedfordshire after it was announced that the institution was awarded second place in the uK in the People & Planet 2022/23 university Green League, putting it in the top spot for England overall

The university has appeared in the League’s top ten since 2018 and this latest achievement of scoring 81 3% reinforces its commitment to sustainable education and influence Areas which the university scored highly in include carbon management, ethical careers and recruitment, energy sources, waste and recycling, and water reduction

People & Planet is the largest student network in the uK which campaigns for social and environmental justice Each year, the People & Planet university League measures a number of environmental areas including carbon and water reduction, use of alternative energy sources, sustainable food and recycling

FIRST PLACE

Professor Andrew Church, Pro Vice Chancellor and sustainability lead for the university, commented: “It’s very pleasing to be placed first out of 125 institutions in England as it really hones in on our student and staff willingness and commitment to

living and learning sustainably universities and other educational outlets play a key role in influencing change and community mind set around important issues such as the environment, climate change and sustainability ”

J Clarke, Co-Director of Climate Campaigns at People & Planet, added: “The university of Bedfordshire ranked top in England in the People & Planet university League and second in the whole of the uK This fantastic achievement clearly displays that bold climate leadership in universities must include breaking ties with the fossil fuel industries driving the climate crisis People & Planet hope many more universities will follow their shining example ”

As well as achieving Platinum EcoCampus status for the fourth year running earlier this year, some of the ways Bedfordshire has continued to successfully implement sustainability across its campuses include generating almost one million kwh’s of renewable energy, introducing bee hives to encourage biodiversity, harvesting rainwater to flush toilets, and the use of cross-campus electric vehicles Alongside this, the university has invested £5m in the last decade in retrofitting buildings to reduce annual emissions of carbon dioxide

Major works planned for Butter fly Bridge

elements and to clean the higher elements

The bridge, which carries pedestrians and cyclists over the River Great Ouse between The Embankment and Longholme Island in Mill Meadows, will see major investment with a more skid resistant surface Works also include a maintenance paint of the lower

Dave Hodgson, Mayor of Bedford Borough, said: “These works mark further investment in The Embankment and Riverside and will be of huge benefit to residents and visitors alike

“We have been in specific correspondence with the Longholme café to keep them aware of these developments and will continue to talk to them throughout the works ”

There will need to be a full width river navigation closure during this period Bedford Borough Council have mitigated the affects through completing the works out of the main navigation season and are closely liaising with the Bedford River users Group to avoid river events as far as possible Works will also include the grit blasting of the paint Consequently, Bedford Borough Council will be consulting with the most immediate residents and businesses

Prison sentence for paedophile

A BEDFORD paedophile who was caught with thousands of child sex abuse images was on Monday, November 28, 2022, jailed for 16 months.

Brian Gannon, 55, was arrested in December 2020 after the IP address at his home was linked to the downloading of images

Prosecutor Peter Shaw told Luton crown court his computers were seized In all there were 712 Category A images, the most serious level, 513 Category B and 4,049 Category C, the lowest level There was 30 extreme pornographic images involving animals

When the police asked Gannon, who lives alone, who was responsible he said: “Probably me ”

He told the officers that his wife had left him when she saw that he had been looking at child images

DISGUSTED

In a second interview in March this year he said he felt disgusted that he had downloaded the images He said he had deleted some and then re-downloaded them

Gannon of Greyfriars Chambers, Greyfriars, Bedford appeared for sentencing having pleaded guilty to three charges of downloading indecent images of children and one of possessing extreme pornography

Zayd Ahmed, defending, Gannon had been the victim of sex abuse as a teenager He said he was remorseful and ashamed

He asked the judge to pass a suspended sentence saying: “He does not want to live the life he has lived for the last 10 years

But Judge Rebecca Herbert jailed him saying: “You were in possession of extremely unpleasant, abusive material There is a huge quantity The 712 images in Category A are of children being raped and suffered appalling abuse

“These are extremely serious offences and are a complete blight on society

“These are real children being tortured and abused to satisfy the appetites of people like you ”

He must register as sex offender for 10 years and abide by the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order

Name and shame

CAN you help name fly-tippers and put them out of business?

Bedford Borough Council is asking for your help in identifying people they would like to speak to regarding these environmental offences

Cllr Charles Royden, Portfolio Holder for Environment, said: “This is blatant criminality that blights communities and we’re determined to stamp it out.

“I’d like to thank the members of the public for their vigilance and having helped us catch the perpetrators in previous cases.

“But we need your help again to identify the latest fly-tippers Fly-tipping is illegal and seriously damages our environment which is why I would appeal to anyone

who sees fly-tipping to report it.”

“We want to warn people to dispose of their waste responsibly and within the law. Not only does fly-tipping incur a cost to the council to remove and dispose of waste, but it also uses resources which could be used to keep other essential services going through these unprecedented times.”

“We encourage all local residents to help identify individuals who have been caught fly-tipping at www bedford gov uk/caughtoncamera ”

If you see fly-tipping on the street or actually someone fly-tipping “Report It” to w w w b e d f o r d g o v u k / e n v i r o n m e n t a lissues/keeping-bedford-borough-clean/flytipping-dumped-rubbish.

As a Bishop I only do christenings (baptisms) occasionally Sometimes they are time-tabled for a service I am taking as I travel around Bedfordshire More rarely they are particular invitations as when I baptised Rollo just before Christmas I had met Rollo a few hours after his birth when he was brought to church and thus it was a delight to be back for his christening Indeed, Rollo was so well behaved –even when I accidentally poured water into his eye – that it was tempting to repeat the whole thing!

It was a wonderful family occasion with family and friends gathered to celebrate Rollo and to ask God’s blessing on him

During my brief address I asked those present to reflect on two questions The first

was ‘what does Rollo mean to you?’ For parents and close family especially, the answer was predictable – Rollo is special, precious, a unique human being For all it focused the gift of life And why this question? Because the more we remember the preciousness of life, the more we touch that mystery of God’s creation of all human existence

The other question was, ‘what is your role in Rollo’s life?’ For parents it is to nurture, protect and love For God-parents there is that responsibility to be examples of love and truth reflecting the life of Jesus. For all that duty to be encouragers and role models We all need good examples in our lives We all have a part to play It is that emphasis on example that is there in the baptism service

Dave Hodgson – Mayor of Bedford Wishing you all a happy New Year

Happy New Year, I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and are looking forward to 2023

2023 is set to be an exciting year here in Bedford Borough with a number of events to look forward to These include the return of the Kite and Motoring Festival, the Bedford Park Concerts and we have an extra Bank Holiday for the Coronation of King Charles III

The UK will mark the Coronation of King Charles III with a three-day bank holiday weekend from Saturday, May 6 to Monday, June 8, 2022, with the Coronation taking place on Saturday, June 6

I am pleased to announce that we are, again, waiving the usual administration fee for street party road closures to help residents celebrate the Coronation Street parties are a great opportunity for communities to come together, usually organised by groups of residents who get together and make arrangements to celebrate with their neighbours, friends and families The King’s Coronation marks an unprecedented event and an opportunity for our towns and villages to come together to celebrate We are waiving the application fee for holding a Coronation street party, and we hope that as many neighbourhoods as

Now whether or not you are a Christian, those two questions, I believe, are important in relation to every child In a society where too many children are neglected or abused (the NSPCC estimate that one in ten children in the UK have been neglected) it is crucial that we hold firmly in view the value of young life and the preciousness of each child In a society where there is often a lack of positive role models, where social media so easily corrupts, and where young lives sadly often go astray it is vital that all are committed to giving strong, loving example to the young.

Christening draws us to these themes But whether or not our children are christened (just ask if you would like it) ask yourselves those two questions for they are so important

possible will take the opportunity to join in We want to make it easy for local residents and communities to organise a street party and celebrate this special occasion

The ever popular Kite and Motoring Festival will take place on June 24 and 25 The festival will be expanded in 2023 to include river entertainment and children’s activities as well as a vegan food section

Some big names have already been announced for the Bedford Park Concerts including Sting, The Jacksons, Sister Sledge and George Ezra

There will also be a special West End Proms featuring Sheridan Smith and Danny Mac

Mohammad Yasin – MP Kempston and Bedford

This Christmas let’s not forget Ukraine’s tragedy

Bracing the freezing weather in my weekly door-knocking sessions in Bedford and Kempston, my thoughts have been with the millions of Ukrainians who will spend Christmas in sub-zero temperatures, without heating, electricity or hot water because of Putin’s barbaric assault on their freedom.

I’ve been thinking of the millions of families torn apart, the mainly women and children who fled as refugees and the people still there, fighting for their country against all the odds.

Despite Ukrainian forces enduring almost daily strikes, information fatigue is creeping in as stories about the war drop down the news agenda

At the end of November, Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, spoke in Parliament

about the atrocities of the Russian invasion and why the West must not give up on her country

She compared the bombing of Ukraine by the Russian aggressor to the bombing of Great Britain by the Nazis during World War II “You didn’t give up ” she said, “We will not give up.

I support her calls on the British government to lead a global effort to establish a Special Tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine Putin’s weaponisation of energy has affected us all.

Labour has been clear that the Government must freeze energy prices to ensure no one pays a penny more on their energy bill this winter and funds this through a windfall tax on oil and gas companies

The energy crisis shows we need to invest in cheaper, cleaner, secure British energy to ensure we tackle climate change and never find ourselves in a crisis like this again, reliant upon imported energy

We must also get on with the vital mission of insulating millions of homes to ensure people s bills go down in the long term

Parliament has been united in their support for Ukraine We must continue to support them, not just with military equipment but also to improve its resilience in the face of these attacks

I thank the people of Bedford who have provided homes to over 300 Ukrainians

I wish them, and all the people of Bedford and Kempston a peaceful new year

BEDFORD Borough Council has announced the winners of this year ’s Bedford Borough Sport and Physical Activity Awards The awards ceremony returned to Bedford Corn Exchange on Monday, December 5, 2022 There were 280 attendees and Ellie Rattu was guest speaker The awards are presented by the Bedford Borough Council Sports Development unit on behalf of Active Bedford The 15 awards are sponsored by many local companies and organisations

They recognise the achievements of individuals and groups performing in local sports As well as individual prowess they reward the loyal, selfless work that enables others to experience enjoyment and fulfilment in sports and physical activity Nominations were invited from local clubs, schools, county governing bodies and members of the public

The Winner of the 2022 Adults Personality of the Year is Ellie Rattu Ellie had a fantastic year in Netball, being selected full-time for the England Roses programme

Bedford Ladies Tug of War Team won the Sports Team of the Year They represented England in the World Championships in Holland

The unsung Hero award was presented to Dave Parratt for his work with hockey

A fellow player said of him, “A quietly driven Club member who seeks no recognition other than seeing the fruit of his labours in

such a thriving Club ”

Cllr Doug McMurdo, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture said: “The Sports and Physical Activity Awards, supported by a range of local companies, recognise and celebrate the contribution of individuals, clubs and coaches locally I personally want to thank them all for their much valued contributions and participation – thank you!

“These Awards really do demonstrate the incredible provision of sport we have locally, along with the commitment and work of coaches, clubs, schools and volunteers to help our athletes be their best ”

The judges represent a range of local and County organisations associated with sport and physical activity together with the awards sponsors, partners and local coaches The merits of each individual or group application were judged according to the criteria listed under each category heading Prizes were awarded to each category winner

The winners:

Bedford Hockey Club is Club of the Year, sponsored by Be Active

Bedford Walking Football is Community Club / Group of the Year, sponsored by Bedford Sports Foundation

Great Denham Primary School is Primary School of the Year, sponsored by Times Tables Rock Starts

Goldington Academy is Secondary School of the Year, sponsored by the Bedford Borough Council’s Sports Development unit

Gary Cox is Adult Disability Sports Personality of the Year, sponsored by Bedford Borough Council

Varun Bandi is Junior Disability Sports Personality of the Year, sponsored by Bedford Borough Council

Sean Chigumba received a Special Commendation for Junior Disability Sports Personality of the Year

Eloise Cole is Junior Personality of the Year, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bedford Park

Stephen Ames received a Special Commendation for Young Volunteer of the Year

Kai Williams is Young Volunteer of the Year, sponsored by Bedford Borough Council

Bedford Ladies Tug of War Teams won Team of the Year sponsored, by university of Bedfordshire

Dave Parratt is unsung Hero, sponsored by Bedford Borough Council

Steve Vinnicombe is Coach of the Year, sponsored by the Bedford College Group

Ellie Rattu is Adult Personality of the Year, sponsored by the Bedford Borough Council’s Sports Development unit

Su Felce is the winner of Service to Sport, sponsored by Bedford Borough Council

ADVICE

with Milton Ernest Garden Centre

by

2022 was a difficult year for us gardeners We saw extreme temperatures that inhibited the growth of plants while the increased cost of living made us all the more conscious about being able to afford all the replacements we wanted Now that its 2023 let’s put behind us all the weather woes and, if we expect the

growing conditions to be closer to normal, we can save a lot of money by growing our own plants from seeds and bulbs and tubers in the new year

Let’s start with veg that can be sown or planted in January Growing this early, if carefully planned, will produce earlier crops and, with continual sowing, an extended harvest time

Potato sets (or tubers) should be bought from garden centres in early January before the varieties run

out They come in three main growing groups from First Earlies that crop in June to Second Earlies that crop in mid to late July and September to October respectively

Once you get them home, they need to be “chitted” which helps them grow as quickly as possible and thus lengthen the growing season for possible larger crops Each potato will have eyes which look like tiny nobly buds and they should be placed in empty seed trays or egg boxes so the eyes are uppermost on the tuber

Keep them in a cool but light place indoors so that the eyes produce strong and compact 1cm shoots; too warm and they will be long and weak

Great First Early potatoes to choose include:

• Cassablanca - long oval tubers

• Rocket - earliest of them all

• Swift - waxy flesh - delicate flavour

Second earlies:

• Kestrel - some blight resistance - good slug resistance

• Vivaldi - low calorie potato

• Jazzy - heavy cropper - waxy - good all-rounder

• Red Duke Of York - tasty - Red skin and yellow flesh - good all-rounder

Main Crop:

• Cara - good all-rounder - blight resistant

• Desiree - Good in hot summers - slug resistantgood all-rounder

• Carolus - the one I grow which produced a good crop of large, blight resistant tubers (albeit I did have to water weekly last year to keep them happy) They have a high-quality taste great for roasts, mashing, chips and even crisps I would recommend this one to anyone for easy growing I put in 90 potatoes and cropped 350lb That’s enough till spring, I think

If you have a propagator or heated propagator indoors January is also a good time to sow seeds of Onions and Leeks Sprinkle thinly in trays of compost on a windowsill at 15°c (room temperature) and put silver foil along the near side to stop the seedlings drawing towards the light

Cold crops are ones that can be sown or planted in a cold frame (mini greenhouse) outside or a conservatory/ greenhouse and include Garlic Garlic is planted by splitting a bulb into individual coves and then planting each into 9 -11cm pots of seed compost or a low nutrient/ garden compost mix so that their pointy tips just show above the surface Water them well, leave them to grow in the cold and then plant them out when the soil conditions allow (around the end of Feb for me)

Onion sets can be planted in the same way or into 8cm cell type trays and these will get a head start compared to a March planting Great varieties include Setton, Sturon and Karmer which is an exceptionally sweet and colourful Red Onion

Shallots are expensive in the shops but are very cheap and easy to grow One set (bulb) will produce

around 9 to 10 Shallots by the end of July and are perfect in a stir fry, Mediterranean dish or stew Broad Beans are one of my favourite early veg and can be frozen when they are still young I grow

Masterpiece Long Pod and put two seeds 1 inch apart in John Innes No 1 or Seed Compost in a single cell of a 5cm x 5cm seed tray Water them and leave in a cold frame until the plants grow 10 - 12cm tall Plant out in March 23cm apart in double rows that are 30cm apart and with 80cm between each double row

Choosing a sunny spot will produce more flowers that will then each produce pods of around 6 to 8 white seeded, freezable beans

Veg seeds that require more heat include Sweet Peppers, Chillies, Aubergines and early Tomatoes

Early sowing is great for early crops and particularly of greenhouse grown varieties As these plants are tropical in origin, they require a high germinating heat of around 65 to 75°F above a radiator or with use of a heated propagator Transfer them to small pots when the first leaves are big enough to handle and then continue to grow in the warm and with as much light as you can

Sprouted seeds like Mustard and Cress are fun to grow and good to eat and they’re great for the kids too Microgreens of Rocket, Dark Opal Basil and Coriander all have the flavours of the larger plants but are produced in weeks rather than months Grow them on tissue paper in margarine tubs in a warm kitchen

And finally, don’t forget to grow a few flowers Begonia Semperflorens, hanging basket types including and non-Stops should be sown so that their tiny seed remain on the surface of moist compost in a heated propagator or a warmish room Later transfer the seedlings to seed trays 40 seedlings per tray or individually into 2-inch pots Geraniums (Zonal types) and Impatiens (Buzy Lizzies) can be sown in the same way and all will appreciate a warm environment and plenty of natural light

Other seeds to sow now are Snapdragons, Sweet Peas (cold sow), Delphiniums, Dahlias (warm), Coleus (warm), Lavender Hidcote or Munstead (will flower in their first summer from an early sowing), Gazanias and Cacti and Succulents

So, remember, sow now and save on your harvests later!

Maureen Catlin

Welcome to 2023, I do hope you had a chance to endulge in some of the end of year festivities at some of your local venuess

In addition to the deep recession the UK is immersed in Januar y and Februar y has always been a ver y challenging couple of months for venues within the hospitality industr y, the trend is usually the same ever y year, ever yone has spent all their money and venues hope what little revenue they have made over the festive season will be enough to see them through the dreaded months of Januar y and Februar y

Some venues however quite rightly still tr y their best to get bodies through the doors in Januar y by way of offering Januar y sales promotions offering discounted admissions and reduced drink prices, some of these promotions work but I cer tainly have reser vations as to how successful they will be during the currently economic downturn

I have looked at a few events scheduled throughout Januar y and Februar y and have chosen to look at an event coming to town on Friday, Februar y 3, at MIST Vibe Dining, 66 High Street, Bedford MK40 1NT

Fusebox DnB is proud to proud to announce that the legendar y world famous DnB (Drum n Bass) DJ Fabio will be per forming a live set with Lush Liquid at ‘Mist’ located on Bedford High Street

Bedfordshire’s newest monthly Drum N Bass event located in the hear t of Bedford Town Centre Lush Liquid is a new promotion where both world famous DJs and ar tists are bought together to play alongside a selection of local suppor ting ar tists who are par t of the FuseBox & Lush Liquid family

Music policy on this night will be strictly DnB, all the hosts and Mc’s are ver y carefully selected to ensure only the best acts are allowed to bring that unique par ty atmosphere to the town

NEW HARMONY

This Lush Liquid St Valentines Launch Par ty sees the phenomenal DJ Fabio take Bedford DnB to a level it has never been before, joining Fabio on the night will be 7EVEN (FuseBox Crew),

MILO (Dose Radio), CHARLESTON (Release), REBEL AC (GoldDust Radio) Hosts on the night include MC Gold and SLINNA

Advanced tickets to this event are available from £10 on Skiddle com

by Tony Hendrix

Biddenham Gardeners

Association: Tuesday 17th January 2023 at 7 30 Biddenham Village Hall “My Garden” By 2 local speakers Visitors very welcome Admission £5 per meeting for non members – includes Raffle & Refreshments Contact: www biddenhamgardenersassociation org uk k

Sharnbrook Men’s Group:

unemployed, working from home, 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 Bedfordshire who come along and have coffee and toast from 10am1 30pm every Friday Contact: Steve Marvell on 07904 176698

Kempston & District

Model Railway Society:

Meets every Wednesday evening, from 7 30pm to 10 00pm in Kempston East Methodist Church, entrance from the Car Park Our members have a wide range of experiences backgrounds and ages Anyone interested is welcome to drop in one Wednesday evening and get to know more over tea and biscuitsContact: 000

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

Man Cave: If you are looking for some male company then look no further that the Man Cave in Sharnbrook Scout Hut Coffee and toast from 10am-1 30pm every Friday Contact: Bernard Brown on 07711 664451 or Steve Marvell on 07904 176698

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

Bedford Music Club:

Contact: www bedfordmusicclub co uk

Tudor Reeds Folk Dance

Club: Barn dance group meets every other Wednesday 8-10pm, St Mark’s Church Hall, Brickhill £2 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 Senior Citizens

Club: DANCING, WHIST, BINGO Meets Wednesday 10am-12noon Friday 10am-4 00pm Centenary Hall behind Kempston Town Hall, contact: Sheila Cobban, on 01234 347306

Bedford Folk & Acoustic

Club: Acoustic and folk music roundthe-room, 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

Yoga: Priory Methodist Church, Newnham Avenue, Bedford MK41 9QJ 2pm Mondays Contact: June for details: juandhannigan@yahoo co uk:

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

Sandy Historical Research

Group: Beeston Methodist Church Hall, The Baulk, Beeston, Sandy SG19 1NR New members always welcome Contact: Sally Carlow 07722 121691t:

Tuesday Art Group

Kempston:

We are a 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 We are looking for new members who would like to come and join us Initially we charge £3 per session however if you would like to become permanent members this would translate into a termly fee Contact Matthew on 01234 295433.

Bedford Probus Club:

We invite you to join our semi-retired- or retired group from all walks of life to include business and professional men & ladies We 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 Free Car Parking is available Do come and enjoy the company meeting new people & gaining knowledge Contact: Dawn Rice Tel 01234 750651 or e mail

rdawn615@gmail.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 Enrolment day January 5 First meeting of the new year is January 11

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

Christmas Craft Day:

The Sandy Guild is a group of local people offering friendship support and fundraising within Sandy and the local community Saturday 3rd December at the Baptist Church Hall in Sandy The day is split in to two sessions The first session is a Children s Craft morning 10 am to 12 noon Tickets cost £6 each The second session, make your own Christmas wreath takes place in the afternoon, 1-3 pm Tickets cost £45 each Tickets can be booked by emailing sandyguild2019@gmail com via our Facebook, page or by contacting 07500 907715 All profits will go to our chosen charity, which this year is St John’s Hospice, Moggerhanger

Bedfordshire Prostate Cancer Support Group:

Meets second Monday of the month at Bedford Borough Bowling Club Goldington Road, Bedford MK40 3NF Contact: Steve Pearce steve@sp vp co uk 01234 960414 or 07717 531715

Bedford RSPB Local Group:

Meet at the ARA club Manton Lane Bedford MK41 7PF On Thursday 15th December Meeting 7 30pm – David Wilding – head warden at RSPB Otmoor The RSPB have spent over 24 years turning Otmoor nature reserve back into an amazing natural wetland It’s a very special oasis that feeds, shelters and sustains threatened lapwings snipe and curlews David will explain much more about a reserve that many of us enjoy visiting Group members £1 Guest £2 annual group membership £5 under 18s enter free Contact: 07905199769

Bedford Floral Art Society: meeting on Tuesday December 6th at 7 30pm at the Addison Centre Kempston Floral demonstration by Alison Suffolk entitled ‘Christmas Sparkle Visitors welcome £7 Contact: www.bedfordfloralartsociety.co.uk

Sandy Historical Society:

Sandy Street Names by Richard Barlow (Sandy Historical Research Group) Friday 27th January @ 7 30pm Stonecroft Hall, St Swithins Way, Sandy SG191BB Admission £3 00 including refreshments Members & Students free Contact: 01767 68017

Bedford Local Group of

The Wildlife Trust: Wednesday 11th January 2023 Meeting 7-15pm for 7 30pm Priory Methodist Church Hall Newnham Avenue, Bedford MK41 9QJ Wildlife Trust Communities Work in Bedfordshire’ An illustrated talk by Ruth Sneath ‘Plenty of parking available, All welcome no charge but voluntary contributions are appreciated Further details available under Events on www wildlifebcn org or Contact: 01234 266057

Bedford RSPB Local Group:

Invite you to join for our first Talk of 2023 At the ARA club, Manton Lane Bedford MK41 7PF Thursday !9th January Meeting 7 30pm aiming to finish by 9 30pm Chris Collins The return of one of our popular wildlife lecturers, travel company owner & world traveller “unknown Antarctica: The Birds of the Ross Sea and New Zealand Sub Antarctic Islands” ‘Suitable for Experts and Novices, RSPB membership not essential Entrance fee group members £1 Guest £2 annual group membership £5 under 18s enter free More info www rspb org uk/groups/bedford or Contact: 07905199769

Bedford National Trust Association: Next meeting 2 15pm Tuesday 17th January Speaker Chris Truran - Scenes of Crime Officer “ DABS and DNA This covers the development of fingerprints from the first burglar being arrested using fingerprints, to the development and use of DNA in 1984 I also cover James Hanratty, Lockerbie, the Tsunami, and the Brighton Bombing In the Addison Centre, Kempston, MK42

comedy

Looking forward to another spectacular year!

Castle Comedy had an incredible 2022, putting on 50 shows with over 100 top comedians per forming

Acts that appeared included Russell Kane, Rosie Jones, Tom Davis, Seann Walsh, Paul Sinha & Suzi Ruffell

They are taking a well-earned rest in Januar y, but the plan is for 2023 to be their biggest year yet! The next shows for your diar y are -

Thursday February 9, at The Quarry Theatre, Bedford Castle Comedy is back at The Quarr y Theatre for an early Valentine treat The show will feature star names, Roses (chocolates) for ever yone and loads of laughs!

Headlining the show is SUZI RUFFELL She is a suited and booted comedy dynamo Her show ‘Dance Like Ever yone’s Watching’ was nominated for Best Stand Up Show in the National Comedy Awards 2021

Suzi has most recently appeared on Live at the Apollo, Hypothetical, The last Leg and The Jonathon Ross Show

“Instinctively, exquisitely funny” The Evening Standard JONNY AWSUM is a comedic whirlwind, he has a special feelgood brand of musical comedy He is the gag slinging guitar hero sure to get you singing along

He was a semi-finalist on Britain’s Got Talent “He’s awesome” Time Out

Saturday February 11, at The Weatherley Centre, Biggleswade The Big Februar y Show at the Weatherley Centre will feature 3 headline quality acts and be the ultimate comedy night out!

Headlining the show is PAUL ZERDIN He is the UK’s number

one comedy ventriloquist and winner of Series 10 of America’s Got Talent!

He has appeared on countless TV shows including Michael McIntyre’s Big Christmas Show (BBC1) and three appearances at The Royal Variety Per formance!

“Super funny, super talented and super professional there is nobody that wouldn’t enjoy your per formances David Walliams

Opening the show is FIONA ALLEN She is a twice Emmy

winning actor and comedian Fiona Allen has been a mainstay of our TV screens over the past two decades She has starred in various sketch shows, including Goodness Gracious Me and The All Star Comedy Show, but most famously Smack the Pony!

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

Doors 7pm Shows star t 8 00pm Shows finish 10 45pm Visit www castlecomedy co uk

bedford park concerts

Get ready to par ty

Soul pop icons The Jacksons, ultimate disco divas Sister Sledge and British soul pioneers The Real Thing are ready for the ultimate par ty night in Bedford Park

All three legendar y groups will join forces for an incredible show on Friday June 23

It will be another sensational night in the magnificent grounds of Bedford Park, which is set for its biggest ever summer of live music

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

Signing their first record deal in 1967, the family group, with the late Michael Jackson, made histor y in 1970 as the first recording act whose first four singles reached Number One on the US Billboard Hot 100 Building a reputation for their combination of music and brilliant choreography they went on to score 17

Top 40 singles on the Hot 100 – together with 22 UK Top 40 singles – including Never Can Say Goodbye,

Show You The Way To Go, The Love You Save and Dancing Machine

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

Under the vocal direction of founding member Debbie Sledge, they specialise in ‘bringing the par ty’ as Debbie, Camille Sledge, Tanya Ti-et, Thaddeus Sledge and David Sledge make one funky family affair

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 ground-breaking 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

The Jacksons, Sister Sledge and The Real Thing join George Ezra, Sting and West End Proms among the Bedford Park Concer ts headliners – with many more ar tists still to be announced

Ministry of Sound with top line-up comes to Bedford

Bedford Park, will provide the per fect backdrop for an incredible live music spectacle as Ministr y of Sound Classical hits the park next summer on the July 1 2023

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 breathtaking 30-piece orchestra, top DJs, stunning vocalists and a sound and light experience like no other

The unmissable show heads to Bedford on Saturday, July 1 – with Roger Sanchez (pictured), Judge Jules, K-Klass and Ellie Sax among the stars to take to the decks on the night

So, get ready for an incredible show with such classics as Hey Boy Hey Girl (The Chemical Brothers), Sunchyme (Dario G) Insomnia (Faithless) Right Here Right Now (Fat Boy Slim) plus many more, delivered like never before Tickets are on sale now go to: www bedfordparkconcer ts co uk

Since 1991, Ministr y of Sound has dominated dance music, establishing itself as one of the world’s most iconic brands It redefined the compilation album, with its all-conquering ‘The Annual’ series and attracts millions of clubbers to its global events annually

Ministr y of Sound Classical has previously played to packed audiences at London’s Royal Festival Hall and heads to The Royal Alber t Hall in September 2023

West End Proms

Sheridan Smith and Danny Mac have been announced as the headline acts for the Proms Spectacular in Bedford Park on Sunday,June 25, 2023

The soloists will be accompanied by the The Novello Orchestra, who have quickly become renowned for their passionate, enigmatic per formances and a charisma that has injected an energy and innovative take on the whole orchestral concept Expect passionate playing and breathtaking orchestrations

The Bedford Park Concer t West End Proms will have one of the best laser shows in the countr y and a firework spectacular to finish the evening The Proms will not only bring you some of the top West End Musical hits but will also be delivering all the much-loved pomp and patriotism, flag waving favourites from Jerusalem, Rule Britannia to Pomp and Circumstance No 1

Sheridan Smith, has had an illustrious career to date, an awardwinning actress which includes a Baf ta, an NTA and BPG as well as two Emmy nominations She has also released two albums, one of which went to top 10 in the album char ts and has appeared in a whole number of West End Musicals from Little Shop of Horrors, Legally Blonde, Funny Girl, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and who can forget her stunning por trayal of the late Cilla Black in Cilla the ITV series

Actor and singer Danny Mac has starred in countless musicals from Les Misérables where he played Gavroche, to Legally Blonde, Wicked and more recently Pretty Woman Many will recognise him from his role as Mark Savage in the hit TV drama Hollyoaks and his fan favourite appearance on Strictly Come Dancing, where he was the first highest-scoring male celebrity to ever appear on the show, at the time

Sting bringing his World Tour to town

Sting is bringing his My Songs World Tour to Bedford Park for a sensational outdoor show

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 goldplated back catalogue ”

A musical journey taking in hits like Fields of Gold, Shape of my Hear t, Roxanne and Demolition 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

Charity FACES appoints new CEO

FAMILY and Children’s EarlyHelp Services (FACES) is pleased to announce that Michaela Martindale has been appointed as their new CEO, succeeding Wendie Harvey who retired in March 2022 upon the appointment, Chairperson Eve Burt MBE, shared her thanks to both postholders

“FACES would like to extend our gratitude to Wendie for her dedication to the charity, having successfully steered the charity since its 2013 launch We are now looking forward to the future under the leadership of Michaela, who has a significant amount of experience and knowledge to ensure we deliver even more services to our community ”

Michaela has been a valued member of the FACES team for 9 years, having previously been a volunteer of the charity (formerly Home Start) from 2005-2008, and came with a wealth of experience having worked in childcare for over 30 years, including working at children’s centres in Bedford Borough Her work at FACES has involved supporting families under a number of projects and she has successfully built relationships with families, colleagues and other professionals

Taking up the role, Michaela confirmed her ongoing commitment to the charity; “I am really excited to now be leading this amazing charity and I look forward

to continuing working with our strong team of trustees, staff and volunteers to continue fulfilling the FACES mission, which now more than ever before is such an important help to our community and its families

As a team we have an excellent reputation for working in partnership with a range of agencies such as health, social services, voluntary organisations and education, to ensure services are complementary, coordinated and community orientated Continuing to develop these relationships will ensure that FACES remains consistent in offering a tailored package of support, which is unique to the services we offer ”

FACES support families so that they can provide a safer, happier and healthier home in which their children can thrive and reach their full potential

BASED on Hillgrounds Road, Kempston Rovers has all you need to make it your local The club is a members AND non-members facility, open to all who are looking for somewhere to relax

Memberships are available for all to purchase, for just £25 a year, members receive discounts on a number of purchases behind the bar £1 of this membership is a share into the business, entitling you to a vote at AGM/EGMs

Kempston Rovers facility is a Community Benefit Society, meaning that we they are incorporated cooperatives that conduct business for the benefit of their community Profits cannot be distributed among members, or external shareholders and are instead reinvested into the club or returned to the community

Money over recent years from contributions and grants has benefitted the club, by relaying an AstroTurf pitch, a roof added on our decking and fencing off our facility Members will have the chance to voice their thoughts about future investments

The club also has pool and darts teams which play on Tuesdays and Thursday respectively, the teams are always looking for new additions at all levels to join SkySports and BT Sport will be showing all your favourite matches from a range of different sports, having six screens to choose from Venue hire is also available, whether this be a birthday, anniversary etc

For more information administrator@kempston-rovers co uk or call 01234 852346

KEMPSTON Rovers Football Club has submitted a planning application to convert its natural grass stadia into an Artificial Turf 3G pitch with replacement floodlighting, covered standing area, associated fencing and hard standing.

The application said the provision of the new external 3G Artificial Turf Pitch would provide “increased performance and usage” for the benefit of Kempston Rovers

It added that both the Football Foundation and Bedfordshire FA would support the conversion

But this is subject to the project meeting FA design guidance and a further consultation with both organisations

The Local Football Facilities Plan for Bedfordshire, a ten-year priority plan for facility investment into local football, had identified the need for a 11v11 3G pitch

The new flood lighting system (with four 22m high masts) is to satisfy the planned usage, and would be used after dusk and up to the approved curfew hour

The hours of use are to be determined as part of the planning application process

The proposed hours are Monday-Friday 8am to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 10pm

The application said these hours will maximise football developmental outcomes both during the day, during evenings and at weekends via “pre-arranged and structured community” access

Pre-application advice said a FIFA Quality pitch would be sufficient for this conversion, adding that this also allows for maximum use by local community teams

The advice also said that it is “unlikely” that the proposal would impinge on neighbour amenity

More information about the application can be found on Bedford Borough Council’s planning portal, reference 22/02633/FuL

at the Club

by John Guinn – L ocal Democracy Reporter