BedsLife Magazine March 21 by BedsLife Magazine

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inside Captain Sir Tom Moore online book of condolence International Women’s Day Census 2021 Marston Vale Forest Nesting Birds £25 Prize Crossword

Captain Sir Tom Moore 1920 – 2021 www.bedslifemagazine.co.uk

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Council News Richard Fuller MP Mohammad Yasin MP Captain Sir Tom Moore Online Book of Condolence Volunteer Opportunities Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum East West Rail Route Campaign International Womens Day Bedford School Supports Sue Ryder Mamma’s House Love Libraries Home-School Help Online at the Higgins Marston Forest - Nesting Birds Prize Crossword Census 2021 Book of the Month The Composing Cook Recipe Chocolate Banana Bread Sue Ryder Fruit and Veg Stall Acorn House - What should I feed my dog? Phoenix French Bulldog Rescue Wood Green Gardening - Tools of the Trade Household Scraps for Birds Bedford Town FC Bedford Blues Advertiser Directory Useful Local Resources Last months crossword answers

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Captain Sir Tom Moore ce online book of condolen Day Internatio nal Womens Census 2021 Marston Vale Forest Nesting Birds £25 Prize Crossword

online Captain Sir Tom Moore e book of condolenc Census 2021 Day Internatio nal Womens Marston Vale Forest Nesting Birds £25 Prize Crossword

Captain Sir Tom Moore 1920 – 2021

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COMMUNITY

council news Bedford River Festival and Kite and Motoring Festival Postponed Bedford Borough Council has announced that the Bedford River Festival and the Kite and Motoring Festival are being postponed until 2022. With ongoing uncertainty about big outdoor events this summer due to COVID-19 and the months of planning required to organise the River Festival particularly, as one of the largest free

festivals in the UK, the Council has decided to postpone these events. The planned new date for the next River Festival is 23rd & 24th July 2022. The Council will continue to keep traders, exhibitors, local residents and businesses informed.

eCargo Bikes In Bedford Borough Following a successful funding bid to the Department for Transport, Bedford Borough Council has purchased six eCargo bikes to help the Council work in a greener way. eCargo bikes are electric bikes that have two or three wheels and a container for carrying items. They can be used to transport bulky items in a cleaner and greener way compared to traditional transport. Four of these bikes will become part of the Council’s vehicle fleet within the Sustainable Transport Team

and their work with schools and at events, within the Street Cleansing Team, and at Harrold-Odell Country Park for park maintenance. The other two have been loaned to the University of Bedfordshire and Flamme Rouge Cycles. The eCargo Bike Grant Fund scheme is funded by the Department for Transport and delivered by the Energy Saving Trust. The bikes were purchased following the award of £27,838 from the Department of Transport to Bedford Borough Council.

Council accepts £1.86m Getting Building grant from SEMLEP Bedford Borough Council has received £1,867,500 from the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP) to deliver a green energy park at a former landfill site in Elstow.

Alongside allowing the Council to make more efficient use of the 30-ha site, this project will generate more construction jobs locally and stimulate the local job market in the growing energy technology sector.

The Bedford Green Technology & Innovation Park project will deliver low carbon, clean energy generation technologies and encourage others to reduce carbon emissions, adopt innovative technologies and improve air quality.

The Council will be able to generate revenue through supplying onsite buildings and local businesses with low carbon, clean energy. In future, they plan to bring more commercial development opportunities through providing nearby distribution centres with green electricity.

The project will also provide an education and training resource through partnership working with the University of Bedfordshire, Cranfield University and local colleges, alongside promoting wider acceptance of renewable energy technologies. 4

The Council has started works to cap the ground with clay in accordance with the planning approval for this site, with the project due to be completed early 2022.

SERVICES

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MP COLUMN

views from

Richard Fuller, MP for North East Bedfordshire

Airports are wonderful places if you want to travel overseas – even when governments dissuade us from doing so – yet airports are also controversial. Put on one side the objections to airport expansion, it is the issue of accounting for the “externalities” of airports that really irritates me.

You see, Luton Airport is undergoing an expansion. The land is owned by Luton Council and both they and the airport operator are likely to profit handsomely from this expansion. Meanwhile, the residents of the surrounding towns and villages in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire pay the cost in terms of more air pollution, more noise pollution and greater congestion. These costs are the “externalities” and they are not recognised in the accounting by government. This irks me and I have been running a one-man campaign to persuade the government to look again and make changes. Opportunities do not come along often, but last month I spoke in the second reading of the Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill in Parliament. The Bill will grant new powers to modernise airspace to reduce noise and emissions and help to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys for passengers. It will also give powers to fine airports who don’t implement changes fast enough. All well and good, as modernising the use of airspace will allow us to generate lower CO2 emissions from aviation, reduce noise for those near flight paths and improve punctuality for passengers. 6

The Bill is particularly relevant for Bedfordshire as many people work at London Luton Airport and in its supply chain and because Cranfield University plays a leading role in our understanding of aircraft, airport and airspace management. During the parliamentary debate and in a meeting with the Minister last year, I raised the concern that many of my constituents felt their ability to participate in the consultation was curtailed, not just because of Covid restrictions, but because they were given a limited choice on what they were being consulted. The consultation offered just two options from flight paths from the east and two options from the west, however, it offered no option to object to any changes to the existing flight paths. All of the options will have noise and air pollution consequences for many towns and villages in Bedfordshire so I asked the Minister to ensure the Bill allows for the public to have a real voice in the resolution of deciding future flightpath changes. I also raised the sharing of benefits. The planned expansion of Luton Airport, which is the driver for the flight path changes, will be to the financial benefit of London Luton Airport and its landlord, Luton Borough Council who will gain from considerable increases in their revenues. I might not be able to get these amendments added to this Bill, but the time is surely coming when we will ask for a better sharing of the benefits.

SERVICES

Special Needs Carer required for severely disabled young girl. Working as part of a team of private carers within the family home in Flitwick, Bedfordshire.

Knowledge of hoisting and feeding pumps beneficial, but not essential, as full training provided. Waking nights, Day, Evening and Bank Shifts available – Full or Part-time. Competitive rates of pay with full benefits package. Please send enquiries / cv to melanie.brenchleyik@gmail.com

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MP COLUMN

views from

Mohammad Yasin, MP for Bedford and Kempston

Doctors Warn Mental Health Trauma from the pandemic “will last for years”

Throughout the pandemic I have supported doctors from the medical campaigning organisation EveryDoctor, a leading voice on doctor and patient safety, well-being and working conditions in the NHS. With the UK death toll surpassing 115,000 deaths — one of the highest in the world — healthcare staff are increasingly reporting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, severe anxiety, and depression. The Government tells us the NHS has ‘coped’ through the crisis but that was on the back of cancelled operations, delayed scans and diagnostic tests and the use of operating theatres as wards. The truth is, the NHS has coped off the back of medical staff who have worked week-in-week-out in what some have described as ‘war-zone medicine’ for nearly a year now, as the Government failed to prevent a second wave. The number of people in our communities struggling with grief is also at unprecedented levels. The stories of families saying a final farewell to passing loved ones over video calls, inadequate funerals. The impact on children’s development is still unfolding. The Government has rightly said that the NHS will get ‘whatever it takes’ to deal with Covid-19, and the same must be true for social care and mental health services. 8

Over the next three years, The Health Foundation projects referrals to mental health services for adults and children to increase by 11%, requiring an average annual funding increase to meet this demand of up to 1.4bn per year. The NHS is our most prized national treasure. The pandemic has exposed how undervalued it was under a decade of pay freezes and resource cuts. Yet we have also seen how vital it is and how frightening it is when its not there when we need it, as the colossal and growing backlog of care shows. The BMA estimates that between April and November 2020 there were,2.57 million less elective procedures and 18 million less outpatient attendances. When we talk about protecting the NHS, we don’t just mean protecting the service but protecting its most valuable asset – the highly trained staff. In a letter to the Prime Minister in February, leaders from all parts of the NHS are calling for a period of ‘recuperation’ for staff after the extreme and sustained pressures of the pandemic. If we want a properly funded NHS with supported staff, we are going to have to fight for it The Government must not come out of lockdown too soon or too quickly and risk a third wave. It’s not fair on the country and its certainly not fair to expect the burden of a third peak to fall again on the NHS. No one deserves to work in these conditions or under that amount of pressure. What we need, is for staff to recover, to enable them to begin to tackle the backlog of care once we are through the worst of the pandemic so I will be asking the government to put a COVID-19 Trauma Recovery Plan in place now.

SERVICES

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Bedfordshire church launches online Book of Condolence for Sir Tom Captain Sir Tom Moore 1920 - 2021

The parish church of St Mary’s, Marston Morteyne, the parish where Captain Sir Tom Moore lived for so many years, has launched an online book of condolence, primarily for the people of Bedfordshire. Anyone may contribute to it, but Bedfordshire residents may identify themselves as such by ticking a box. The initiative is supported by HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedford Helen Nellis and The Rt Revd Richard Atkinson, Bishop of Bedford who want the communities of Bedford to be able to honour Sir Tom in this way and express their gratitude for his life and sorrow at his loss. St Mary’s has written a prayer for all who mourn his loss. The condolence book and the prayer can be accessed directly via www.sirtom.org and from the parish’s own website: stmarysmarston.org The Lord Lieutenant and the Bishop also expressed their own thoughts about Sir Tom: The Lord Lieutenant said: “We were all so sad to hear that Captain Sir Tom Moore passed away in Bedford Hospital this week and we send our thoughts and prayers to his wonderful family who are grieving the loss of a much- loved father and grandfather. 10

“Captain Tom was a national treasure who inspired us, and NHS staff, with his gentle, clear and hopeful messages, encouraging us to know that “tomorrow will be a good day.” The image of him walking 100 laps of his garden will always make us believe that we are all capable of doing something to help. “The twinkle in his eye and his humble dignity touched the hearts of the world and we are proud to honour him as a son of Bedfordshire whose remarkable contribution will be forever remembered by history.” The Bishop added: “To so many, Sir Tom represented the best of our courage and character. Though we are sad, we are also profoundly grateful for him and his magnificent contribution over the last year. “We will be learning lessons from his optimism and can-do approach to life for some time, but for now the impression left on me is of someone for whom it was never too late to make a difference and a powerful statement about the value of each person’s contribution. “Though we miss him, how much more will his loving and extensive family, who are in our prayers.”

SERVICES

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VOLUNTEERING

Refill Bedford Social Media Volunteer Refill Bedford is looking for someone to help grow their online presence and keep their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts exciting and upto-date. Could you help them?

Grand Union Housing Group – Telephone Befriender An opportunity to help others who feel isolated and lonely by listening with empathy, understanding without judgement, encouraging conversation and focussing on the positive.

Volunteering Opportunities

Many organisations are having to cut down on the activities that volunteers would normally engage in due to the pandemic. Others are busier than ever and not in a position to train new volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please register on our system and be patient as it may take a while for organisations to be able to accommodate you. Search for any of this month’s featured roles by adding the name of the organisation into the keyword field on our Simply Connect opportunity search at cvsbeds.org.uk/volunteer

Thomas Pocklington Trust – Bedfordshire Sight Loss Council Member Become a council member and make a difference by representing the voice of blind and partially sighted people under the six priority themes of education, employment, technology, health and social care, transport, sport and leisure. If you’re interested in gaining advocacy experience, and are a great communicator and confident with technology (or willing to learn), then don’t miss this opportunity to be an advocate from your own home! This role is for a blind or partially sighted person.

Tools with a Mission – Volunteer Speaker The role of the Tools with a Mission (TWAM) speaker is to talk to groups in your local community leaving them with the challenge to support TWAM through tool collections, financial provision or by volunteering. This is a Christian charity, sending tool kits to overseas countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Friends of Bedford Cemetery – Secretary Someone with good organisational skills and IT literacy is wanted to join a friendly group which raises funds for Bedford Cemetery. The secretary will ensure that meetings of the board are properly administered, fix meeting dates, prepare agendas, send out minutes and other papers.

43 Bromham Road, Bedford Call 01234 354 366 or Email: volunteering@cvsbeds.org.uk www.cvsbeds.org.uk 12

Are you interested in getting into Primary teaching? Would you like to find out more? Training with SAF ITT could be the way to achieve your dreams of becoming a teacher. We offer both primary and secondary initial teacher training courses. We are hosting a virtual Train to Teach information event on Thursday 22nd April. This will be held remotely via Teams. There will be two sessions; one at 10.00am - 11.00am, and one at 6.00pm - 7.00pm. This will be an opportunity to meet with the course leaders and gain an understanding of our primary and secondary programmes. Qualification requirements: • have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 or C in GCSE English and mathematics • if you intend to teach pupils aged 3 to 11 (primary) you should have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 or C in GCSE science subject • completed an undergraduate degree or in the final year of study • if you intend to teach in secondary, your degree should relate to your chosen subject specialism We look forward to seeing you at one of our virtual events. To book a place please email ITTAdministration@saf.org.uk indicating whether your interest is in training in primary or secondary.

“I have really enjoyed the personalised training.” SAF ITT trainee

Are you interested in getting into Secondary teaching? Would you like to find out more? Training with SAF ITT could be the way to achieve your dreams of becoming a teacher. We offer both primary and secondary initial teacher training courses. We are hosting a virtual Train to Teach information event on Monday 19th April. This will be held remotely via Teams. There will be two sessions; one at 10.00am - 11.00am, and one at 6.00pm - 7.00pm. This will be an opportunity to meet with the course leaders and gain an understanding of our primary and secondary programmes. Qualification requirements: • have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 or C in GCSE English and mathematics • if you intend to teach pupils aged 3 to 11 (primary) you should have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 or C in GCSE science subject • completed an undergraduate degree or in the final year of study • if you intend to teach in secondary, your degree should relate to your chosen subject specialism We look forward to seeing you at one of our virtual events. To book a place please email ITTAdministration@saf.org.uk indicating whether your interest is in training in primary or secondary.

“I have really enjoyed the personalised training.” SAF ITT trainee

We are the voice for Parent Carers of children & young people 0-25yrs with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities in Bedford Borough. We feed back your views to Education, Health, Social Care and other departments that provide SEND services. We are passionate about improving services for our children & young people, we’ve all had diﬀerent experiences so we need to hear your views. We hold regular Coﬀee Mornings and other events for parents to come along, give their views and meet other parents. We also run training sessions for Parent Carers.

If you would like to ﬁnd out more or become a member please contact us or complete our online membership form: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ParentCarerMembershipFormBBPCF

communications@bbpcf.org.uk www.bbpcf.co.uk

@bedsboroughpcf

07943 524553

@bedsboroughpcf

Are you or do you care for a child or young person aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and / or a Disability? Visit

for the latest information on accessing services, support and activities in Bedford Borough.

Our calendar for the first term of 2021 is below, you are welcome to book onto any of these free virtual events, please email us at communications@bbpcf.org.uk to book your place or call us 07943 524553

Monday 15th March 10am

Monday 22nd March 10am

Virtual Get Together What is personalisation?

Virtual Get Together Down’s Syndrome (impact from Covid)

This will be an online presentation which will let you know what personalisation is for your child with SEND. There will also be time for questions and discussion.

This will be an online discussion session about the impact of Covid on young people with Down’s Syndrome. We want to hear how it has impacted your family.

Campaign for a rethink on East West Rail Route through Bedford gathers pace.

A campaign, led by several Parish Councils, is gathering pace to urge Bedford Borough Council (BBC) to re-think its support for the new East West Rail (EWR) route that will run through the centre of Bedford, over the A6 and new bypass by the Aldi/ Sainsburys roundabout, and out through Clapham/ Woodlands Park and then the villages towards the south of St Neots. EWR is connecting Oxford to Cambridge and is a national infrastructure project to enable travel and housing development as well as freight movement from East coast ports. The Bedford to Cambridge section is due to be built between 2025 and 2030. The Mayor and BBC campaigned for a route that runs directly through the Midland Mainline station in order to support development plans for the town. The campaign against the chosen route argues this support, and its impact, was not properly debated or discussed with residents and that the benefits promoted could be met equally with alternative routes where trains run in and out of Bedford from the south. Campaigners argue that the chosen route has the worst environmental impact, incredibly significant engineering challenges with steep gradients requiring major banks and cuttings, high costs and will run a major overnight freight route through the centre of Bedford. Other concerns about the route include that it will bring years of major disruption to the north of the town including the main A6 route into Bedford from the north. It will also bring further traffic congestion and pollution around Midland station; it will significantly damage a fundamentally rural area and will open up north Bedfordshire for massive further housing development. The alternative routes, rejected by BBC and EWR, run along the A421 to the south of Bedford and across to the A1. These routes are flatter, presenting significantly less engineering challenges, and pass through an existing development corridor.

(A view from Ravensden towards Mowsbury medieval hillfort in the centre of the picture, Graze Hill is to the right and Oldways Rd runs across in the centre right to left. EWR could run right across these fields if it turns across towards Renhold on its way towards the A1)

A petition at https://bit.ly/3jPTvyg has been started to urge BBC to reconsider its support for the route through Bedford and is on the Councils e-petition website. There is also a Facebook page at http://bit. ly/3pjppo4

International Women’s Day Monday 8th March International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements or rally for women’s equality.

So, hand up high to show you’re in!

Marked annually on March 8th, International Women’s Day (IWD) is one of the most important days of the year to: •

celebrate women’s achievements

•

raise awareness about women’s equality

•

lobby for accelerated gender parity

•

fundraise for female-focused charities

Archana Jain, India

What’s the theme for International Women’s Day? The campaign theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is ‘Choose To Challenge’. A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day. We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world. So let’s all #ChooseToChallenge

Olivia & Elin Mendola, Sweden

Jim Nau, United States

Celebrating Local Women in Business ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Share on social media using #ChooseToChallenge #IWD2021.

Jessica Nakwo, Nigeria

Emma Foley opened Anorak, an independent fashion store in the heart of Bedford, 18 months ago, stocking forward thinking brands focussing on quality minimal classics, edgy fashion pieces and always with sustainability at the heart. One of my aims for the shop has always been about an experience, to feel comfortable and have fun. I want customers to walk away with clothes that really suit them, will last and have a true sustainable and ethical footprint. Lockdown forced me to think in new directions and I now offer a free online styling service called style box.

Aminah Rahman, United Kingdom

Adie Meshach, Nigeria

13 The Arcade, Bedford MK40 1NS Tel 07900 804417 www.anorakshop.com 19

Celebrating Local Women in Business ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Bonita is a dynamic PTSD trauma recovery therapist, coach and trainer who helps clients move from anxious to empowered by creating an individual and holistic care plan to achieve a future-proof self. Specializing in PTSD, grief, anxiety and stress, fears, phobias, lack of confidence and resilience using the ‘Integrated Trauma System’ developed from her previous teaching career, her knowledge of neuroscience, skills gained through working with clients and from her own experiences. Bonita has set up The Anxiety Recovery School for women who want to grow, share and learn how to manage anxiety and learn techniques to help manage life better.

Susan Young Garden Design creates gardens for new and existing garden sites all over the region typically with budgets over £20k. With a survey drawing and a brief Susan creates the garden concept and planting scheme, plan drawings and construction details for hard landscaping and plans for planting through to sourcing the plants and putting them in. Susan also has a small garden maintenance team who care for domestic gardens. In her spare time Susan is also a co-author of Stevington: The Natural History of a Bedfordshire Parish, organic allotmenteer and advocate for biodiversity and wildlife habitat in her half acre garden which has been open for the National Gardens Scheme charities and is currently undergoing extensive relandscaping works. In January 2021 Susan became a Member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture.

www.future-edgetherapy.co.uk www.facebook.com/groups/ theanxietyrecoveryschool/ https://www.anxietyrecoveryschool.com/tameyour-worry-monster www.linkedin.com/in/bonita-ackerman-dupreez-therapist 20

DESIGNER MEMBER

Tel 07787 158288 info@susanyoungdesign.co.uk

Lucinda Sunda – LTS Cleaning Ltd I started my business LTS Cleaning Ltd in 2015. I felt there was a need, firstly for cleaners in the industry to feel valued and secondly, I could see the need for a bespoke service that was compliant in every way. I have always been passionate about providing a service tailored to the clients needs. Over the years we have trained an army of employees, specialising in areas such as medical practises has meant that we need to ensure we are fully CQC compliant and our staff all highly trained. We are also on the national register of education suppliers providing cleaning and facility management for schools, universities and nurseries (incensu registered). COVID has drastically changed the way we do things we have adapted the way we clean to keep our frontline staff safe, and help combat the spread in all the premises we clean. We are looking forward to progressing in the future, and welcoming new clients.

Mayfair House Third Floor suite C 11 Lurke Street MK40 3HZ Bedford, Tel 01234 910760

Tabitha Walker has been running Pure Heart Boutique, based within Milton Ernest Garden Centre, for five years now and has some amazing and loyal customers. I recently grew my business to include selling online, when I took voluntary redundancy from my job with British Airways. I’m passionate about style and fashion and believe that whatever your age, shape or size you can look fantastic in great clothes. I stock a large range of ‘Made in Italy’ and ‘Lagenlook’ clothing, scarves, jewellery and accessories with sizes ranging from an 8-24. My handpicked pieces change with the seasons, but always represent my signature style of casual, effortless elegance at affordable prices. I would love you to come and say hello. I also sell some snazzy face masks!

If you prefer to stay in your pjs, browse at: Website: pureheartboutique.co.uk Facebook: Pure Heart Boutique VIP Instagram: pureheartboutique 21

Celebrating Local Women in Business ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Anna Shreeves – Kempston Paper Bag

Sophie Whelan – Bright Emotions

In 1967 my grandfather started Kempston Paper Bag selling paper bags above a sweet shop run by my grandmother. In 2019 I took over the business from my father David and aim to grow our support for businesses locally and within the UK with our products.

I started Bright Emotions in 2020; having battled with mental health from a young age and being a parent myself, I felt I understood the challenges faced by parents and children and realised there was

While we expanded online our customers have been amazing as we adapted our business during the pandemic. Staying on top of things last year to the demand for more products we have grown into a new warehouse and stocked more products than ever before. Growing our support we opened up a separate online trade website and we still supply a trade delivery service locally, delivered by my father in his blue van, whom many customers recognise. Today, we now supply cake boxes, takeaway bags, foil and plastic containers, multiple variants of tissue paper and have expanded upon our bag collections.

not enough support available. Through a BSc in Psychology and experience in mental health roles, my passion for emotional literacy developed. Bright Emotions focuses on emotional literacy as an early intervention tool. We help children to understand, express and manage their emotions through a range of engaging and fun exercises. ‘If a child can do advanced Math, speak three languages, or receive top grades, but cannot manage their emotions, practise conflict resolution or handle stress, none of the other stuff is going to matter.’ – Anon

We stand together with all our fellow female entrepreneurs locally and across the UK, stay safe and here’s to a brighter 2021

info@kempstonpaperbag.co.uk | 01234 838106 Kempstonpaperbag.co.uk 22

www.brightemotions.co.uk Facebook – @BrightEmotionsBedford Instagram – @brightemotions_ brightemotions@hotmail.com

Kerry Cash, founder of 5th Avenue Hair & Beauty Spa in Bedford, is now entering her 24th year in business.

Who said running any business was ever easy? Determination, innovation, risk taking, problem solving, fulfilling promises, keeping clients happy, building trust and consistently encouraging a team to share the same mind set, all contribute towards survival and success.

communication and keep spirits lifted. The team continue to train online and regular email updates go out to the business database. All regular clients have been contacted personally to let them know how much they have been missed.

“It’s a delight to see my team eager for development, this really motivates,” she says.

NEW online store now open! Offering a huge range of top hair and beauty brands, it’s a one stop shop for all shopaholics attracting 1000’s of visits since its launch in February. Products include ELEMIS, Redken, Decleor, Jessica, Mii, ghd and Spongelle. Please enter code: WOMENSDAY10 for 10% discount on your first purchase on all products until end March 2021. Shop link: http://bit.ly/5thaveshop

During her reign as President of Beds Businesswomen, Kerry organised various community events for likeminded women to connect and gain business from each other.

5th Avenue will be continuing all required Covidsafety measures upon return to work. Clients were impressed with the well-communicated Covid procedures put in place previously.

“International Women’s Day event with Ruth Badger from TV Apprentice was a highlight. Joining forces with Bedford College; we staged a huge event to celebrate ‘women empowering women’ and raised vital funds,” added Kerry.

Fancy a change? They have a talented team of hair and beauty experts offering appointments 7 days a week with 4 late nights until 9pm.

Since opening, Kerry has employed over 150 people and supports apprentices, students, and schoolwork placements. Her team are rewarded, motivated, offered regular training and coaching to boost confidence and enhance customer service skills.

Over the year of Kerry’s Presidency, the group raised £23,000 for St Johns Hospice and Kerry won Beds Businesswoman of the Year award. The current climate has been testing for all business owners and innovation key. Kerry holds zoom meetings for her team to maintain

5th Avenue Spa 9 Howard Street Bedford MK40 3HS Tel: 01234 341377 / 320003 Email: info@5thavenuespa.co.uk www.5thavenuespa.co.uk 23

Big-hearted Bedford School pupils get arty to show support for Sue Ryder hospice Bedford School pupils have put their creativity to good use to show their support for hard-working staff at a local hospice.

These include a poignant painting of hospice staff celebrating their ‘Outstanding’ rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in 2019.

Budding young artists and writers have made paintings and poems to let workers at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice know they are thinking of them, as they continue caring for local people throughout the pandemic.

Pupils and staff at Bedford School have also supported Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice over the past year in other ways, including raising £537 through a mufti day.

Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice, in Moggerhanger near Bedford, provides compassionate palliative care for people with life-limiting conditions, as well as supporting their loved ones. Since the Coronavirus pandemic started last year, the hospice team has faced the many challenges that it has brought, including having to wear lots of PPE. To help boost morale, Sixth Form pupils at Bedford School set about creating a unique collection of thoughtful artwork and poems for staff to enjoy. 24

Other pieces include a painting of the hospice’s peaceful gardens in the Bedfordshire countryside, as well as an inspiring poem looking ahead to calmer times in the future with the line: “Fear not, brave people here, In St John’s in Bedfordshire!”

In May 2020, they donated thousands of stamps from Captain Sir Tom Moore’s 100th birthday card collection to the hospice. Many of his birthday cards were opened by staff, pupils and parents at the school, where Captain Sir Tom’s grandson is taught. The stamps from the cards were saved and donated to charitable causes, including half of them to the hospice so it could raise vital funds – for example by being sold to stamp collectors. In total, over £230 was raised.

Home Counties Loft Ladders, Quality You Can Trust! These days most homeowners suffer from a lack of storage space. So many precious items that need to be kept – but where to store it all? That’s where Home Counties Loft Ladders come in. The company, based locally, offers homeowners the opportunity to maximise their storage space with a loft ladder, 50sqft of boarding and a light - all fully fitted in less than a day from just £355! But it’s not just the affordability of the package that makes Home Counties Loft Ladders stand out, as manager Jamie Oakley explains: ‘Our

watchwords are Quality, Integrity and Value. Quality in the materials that we use for all our installations and the fact that all our loft packages are fitted by time served tradesmen, so our customers are assured of the best job.

- that simply wouldn’t happen if we didn’t adhere to our overriding principles. At the end of the day the old adage that happy customers lead to more happy customers is true and we work hard to make that happen for

every installation we carry out!’ So, if you want to make use of your loft space, call Jamie free on 0808 301 9559 and he’ll be happy to pop round and give you a no obligation quote so you too can make use of your loft!

Integrity in that we will turn up at the time we say and make sure the house is spotless when we leave, and value in that we offer our services at a price people can afford. Our business relies on referrals and we get a huge amount of our calls from people who have been referred to us by our existing customers

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Spring into March

Hello March! Although, it seems that there’s not been much to look forward to since well, last March? Having something to look forward to motivates us to keep going. Whether it’s a graduation ceremony at the end of our studies, or spending time with family and friends after a long week at work. So I’ve put a list together of things to look forward to this month. And, there is no chance of any of these being cancelled, even if we are still under restrictions.

I’d love to know what you’d add to this list, tag me @mammas_house on Instagram. 26

1. The clocks go forward on 28th March. We spring forward an hour, which means the sun will have already started to set later, the days will feel longer and we can get our daily dose of vitamin D to help lift our moods. 2. The first day of spring is officially 20th March. Which will bring with it fresh pastel colours, flowers in full bloom and more time outdoors. 3. With spring we get an array of new in season fruit and vegetables, why not try something new; artichokes, purple sprouting broccoli or grow some watercress with the children. 4. Participate in an age old tradition and Spring clean your home. Spring cleaning is a great excuse to go through your wardrobes and cupboards and get rid of things you don’t need, or clean the top of that bookshelf you’ve been meaning to get around to. It will also give you a sense of satisfaction which will put you in a good mood. 5. Other dates for your diary you can get involved with at home include; •World Book Day – 4th March • International Woman’s Day – 8th March • Mother’s Day – 14th March • St. Patrick’s Day – 17th March • International Waffle Day – 25th March.

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Love Libraries Activities for kids Visit the Virtual Library for learning support, plus fun crafts and activities to help break up the home-schooling. Britannica Library provides access to articles, journal entries, images, and videos all checked by Britannica’s editorial team and all copyright free. Information is presented at Junior or Student level. Use fun and useful tools such as learning games, biographies, country comparisons, and how to guides on book reviews and presentations.

When they’re ready for a break, visit the Virtual Library for fun crafts and activities that can all be done using materials from around the home, including this charming little catterpillar.

Discover your family tree Begin exploring your family history with free access to Ancestry Library Edition from the comfort of your home. You will findSearchable English census records 1841 – 1911 Census records for other areas of the UK and parts of the world Birth, marriage and death records Records of immigration into the US and of emigration from the UK Military records Directories and membership lists. Visit the Virtual Library at to learn more about Ancestry Library Edition.

Discover all this and more by visiting www.virtual-library.culturalservices.net 28

Home-school

Help

The Heritage Open Days (HOD) team have come up with some fantastic ways below to help with homeschooling. To keep up to date with the what’s happening for this years Heritage Open Days visit www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Or if you’re trying to keep the little ones engaged outdoors, the expert educators at the National History Museum are sharing weekly fun activities. www.nhm.ac.uk/events/ homework-club.html Struggling to get the kids excited about STEM subjects? Challenge them to create gravity-defying water or a fizzy fountain – just two of the experiments available on the Science Museum website www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/ learning

Connect your home to the British Museum for free live interactive workshops for children aged 7-11. From prehistory and ancient Egypt to Greek temples and Roman Britain - live activities, interactive quizzes and thought-provoking questions will enhance knowledge and understanding of the past www.britishmuseum.org/ learn/schools/samsungdigital-discovery-centre/ virtual-visits

Craft Club Thursday 11 March 10:30am – 12pm Free, Online Event

The Higgins Knitting and Crochet Group The Higgins Knitting and Crochet group is now online! While staying at home, you can join us to share photos and talk all things knitting and crocheting. Knitting for various charities, improving wellbeing and keeping each other company.

Treat yourself and join local illustrator, Katie Allen, for Craft Club! A relaxing, creative session for adults, where you can learn new crafty techniques, re-visit old ones, or just enjoy some colourful creative inspiration. Please visit www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk for more information.

The group meets every third Tuesday of the month at 11am, currently on Zoom. You can become a member of the Facebook group ‘The Higgins Knitting and Crochet Group’

Story Telling Sundays Sunday 7th & Sunday 14th March 2pm – 3:30 pm Free, Online Event Create your own imaginary story or poem inspired by a piece of art or an object from the collections at The Higgins Bedford. Share your ideas and feelings within this small sociable group, led by Satwinder Kaur. Ideal for those who may be feeling isolated, lonely or who want to be creative. Please visit www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk for more information.

Sketch Friday Online

Online at The Higgins

Every week we will post an object or artwork from the Higgins collections which we hope will inspire you to create your own piece of art. We would love it if you could share a photo of your work with us. No particular artistic skills required, any media that takes your fancy – it’s just for fun. We look forward to seeing what you come up with and welcome suggestions for future themes. You can become a member of the Facebook group ‘Sketch Friday’ Please visit www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk for more information

HIGH TEMPERATURE, NEW PERSISTENT COUGH, CHANGE IN SENSE OF TASTE OR SMELL

Free tests are available in Bedford. Book your test at nhs.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119 now.

Nesting birds: creating the ideal home At this time of year, many birds begin building their nests, and you’ll start to see them transporting caches of building materials to their chosen nesting sites. Nests have one primary purpose – to contain clutches of precious eggs, and then later, to protect the defenceless young that hatch out of them. But despite sharing an identical purpose, nests vary greatly in shape, size and construction.

In the garden, you’re most likely to encounter the nest of a blackbird, robin or member of the tit family. Robins nest in holes and crevices. Gaps in trees and tight spaces amongst fences and climbing shrubs are favoured, although robins are also famous for building nests in more unusual places such as old wellington boots! The female bird builds the neat, cup-shaped nest alone over the course of about three days, from dried grasses, leaves and mosses. During this productive time, the male supports the operation by providing food for the female. A robin may have two to three broods each season, and will build a new nest for each new family. During February, blue tits also begin to start searching for a cosy cavity in which to nest. They will readily set up home in nest boxes in gardens. Nests are created by the female and made from moss and leaves, with a soft lining of feathers, hair and fur. Remarkably, the tiny blue tit lays an average clutch of between eight and 12 eggs, laying one egg each day. Timing is crucial: with so many young mouths to feed, blue tits aim to raise their families when caterpillar populations are at their highest during May. A female blackbird will spend up to two weeks creating her more substantial nest from twigs, grasses and other plant material, reinforcing and lining it with mud. Preferred nesting locations are in thick vegetation such as dense shrubs and hedgerows which offer protection from predators. Blackbirds lay two or three clutches of eggs each season, and male birds will often care for the young while the female prepares for the next brood. One of the most attractive nests you may come across is that of the long-tailed tit. Built by both the male and female over the course of around three weeks, this oval-shaped masterpiece is constructed from moss and hair bound together with spider silk and covered with delicate lichen. It is then lined inside with over 1,000 feathers to create a soft mattress for the tiny inhabitants. Nests are usually made within thick vegetation such as gorse or hawthorn. Watching birds collecting nesting materials and constructing their nests is fascinating, and becomes even more rewarding if you are able to witness them raising a family in their new home. You can help support birds during this busy time by continuing to feed them high-energy foods and also providing a supply of nesting materials for them, such as pet fur or short lengths of wool. If you are lucky enough spot a nest whilst out walking – or in one of our woodland sites – it’s important to remember to watch from afar or with binoculars so as not to get too close, as disturbance can cause birds to abandon their beautifully crafted nests.

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BUMPER PRIZE CROSSWORD

Last Months Crossword Winner – J.P Tipple, Bedford

ACROSS 1 5 8 9 10 11 12 14 18 20 22 23 24 25

Grand house (7) Verifiable truths (5) Dividends, earnings (5) Ghoulish, spooky (7) Evened the score (7) Coach, teach (5) Animosity, hatred (6) Stick, attach (6) Permit (5) Sincere (7) Beasts (7) Belief (5) Ledge (5) Pudding (7)

DOWN 1

2 3 4 5 6 7 13 15 16 17 18 19 21

For last months answers please turn to P46

Name: Address: 34

Tel:

Important business person (7) Sound (5) Brilliance, astuteness (7) Wanderers, travellers (6) One side of a many-sided object (5) Savoy, Red, or Napa (7) Severe, sombre (5) Depression, sickness (7) Ridicules (7) Drain, take out (7) Stopped (6) Collect, compile (5) Dock, levee (5) Bald, Golden or Pygmy (5)

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Book of the Month

ONE MAN VS THE CORONAVIRUS

by Spencer Brown

2020 was supposed to be a great year. Unfortunately, Tom Cooper, like the rest of the world, has found himself stuck in the middle of a pandemic. He’s going to be spending the next few months trapped inside a small flat with sole responsibility for his two single digit children. Separated from his girlfriend (and any possibility of help with childcare), Tom is plunged into a world of home schooling, awkward Zoom calls, supermarket feuds, al fresco workout sessions, cash strapped tooth fairies, aging parents who won’t stay home and competitive clapping for the NHS. Not to mention the problem of trying to fulfil his girlfriend’s request for an erotic selfie of his rapidly deteriorating body… Join Tom as he navigates the lockdown in the stand-alone sequel to last year’s hilarious The Rebuilding of Tom Cooper. Laugh-out-loud with real heart. Lockdown has never been so entertaining!

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The Composing Cook The Composing Cook

It was inevitable that, at some point, I would make banana bread. As you read this, we may still be in a further extended lockdown and I know that banana bread has been a very popular lockdown cake that everyone is baking; I might as well get on the bandwagon, right? Lockdown or no lockdown you have to make this chocolate banana bread. It’s easy, moist and soooo moreish, and it can be frozen. If you think you have exhausted the banana bread, think again. Make this and tell me it doesn’t rock.

INGREDIENTS: 250g self raising flour 1 level teaspoon baking powder pinch of salt 150g caster sugar 100g butter, softened plus extra to grease your loaf tin 4 small/medium very ripe bananas 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 75g dark chocolate chips 1 loaf time (measuring approximately 30cm x 11cm x 6.5cm) Serves 6-8 40

CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD Preheat oven to 170°C (fan 160°C) and grease and line loaf tin In a large mixing bowl sieve the self raising flour, baking powder and pinch of salt. Add the butter and caster sugar and using your fingertips, rub it in until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. In a separate bowl, add the bananas, eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Pour this mixture into the breadcrumb mix and stir. Add the dark chocolate chips and give another mix. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf tin, smooth the top, and bake in the oven on the lowest shelf for 45 minutes, by which time, the top should be set. Remove from oven and place tin on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from tin and allow the chocolate banana bread to cool completely, if you can wait that long. Cut into slices and eat away.

You can watch me making this recipe and many others by visiting my YouTube channel, The Composing Cook. All you have to do is go to: www.youtube.com/TheComposingCook and there you will find me. Make it. Enjoy it. You will LOVE IT!!

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Locally Grown Fruit & Veg Stall Supports Sue Ryder Based in Clapham allotments situated on the High Street, Raff Cataldo has set up a small shop selling locally grown fruit and vegetables to support Sue-Ryder. He has been running the shop since 2017 and was previously a landscape gardener who owned a well-known nursery. During the early 80’s Sue-Ryder headquarters approached Raff about taking on a large landscaping project for them. Since then, Raff has been a regular donator and since retiring, dedicates many hours to the shop in order to continue supporting the charity. The shop is open from around 8am and closes at dark all year round and is open daily. We would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all the local farmers and supermarkets who have very kindly donated produce to keep the shop running throughout the harsh winter months. Also, a big thank you to the

parish council who have allowed us to set up the shop, and finally a big thank you to all the customers that have purchased from the shop and supported us throughout the years.

Home reared/local meat & p Fruit/vegetables. Homemade Wide range of artisan cheese

B rown s o f S t a g s d e n In March we celebrate both British Pie Week and National Butchers Week and what better way to mark these occasions than with a visit to Browns of Stagsden. Browns of Stagsden is a ‘proper’ farm shop on a family run farm producing their beef, pork and Turkeys. The rest of the meat they sell, is supplied from other local farmers to the same high standards as their own. They also make all their sausages themselves and have won various awards for them over the years.

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Each week, they hand make their pies including pork pies and various meat pies such as steak & ale, chicken & bacon and Venison. Due to the coronavirus they have adjusted their opening hours to Tuesday – Saturday 10am to 3pm. If you would prefer not to come into the shop please phone/email to place an order which you can collect from outside the shop or they can deliver locally. Deliveries may be outside our opening hours, and keyworkers can arrange to collect at times when they are not open. Card and contactless payments only. Manor Farm, High Street, Stagsden MK43 8SQ Tel: 01234 822330 www.brownsofstagsden.co.uk

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Why choose Acorn House ?

Acorn House was the first Veterinary Hospital in Bedford To be awarded hospital status, a veterinary practice must: • Pass regular rigorous inspections by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons • Ensure that nursing staff are on site 24 hours a day • Ensure that veterinary surgeons are available 24 hours a day • Provide specialist equipment for diagnosis and treatment • Employ veterinary surgeons with advanced qualifications and experience

The highest accreditation a veterinary practice can be awarded is Veterinary Hospital status

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16/05/2019 14:16

What should I feed

my dog?

There is a huge range of pet food available, and a lot of conflicting opinion as to which is best. So how should pet owners decide what to feed their dogs?

Avoid sudden changes

When new puppies are taken from their mothers and moved into their permanent family homes, this is a time of great change and upheaval for the pup. Finding out which food the puppy has been fed by the breeder and continuing with this food for at least the first weeks, will reduce stress and avoid upset tummies.

Ensure the food is balanced and complete, safe and hygienic

Most dog food manufacturers are registered with the Pet Food Manufacturers Association, which proves that they have met legal safety and quality standards including regular testing and quality control of foods. Look out for the PFMA logo. In the UK, meat used for pet foods must be of a standard that would also be acceptable for human consumption (this is not the case in some other countries).

What about raw food?

Several raw food companies are registered with the PFMA and their foods meet standards of nutritional balance and hygiene (usually obtained by careful batch testing and prolonged freezing to reduce the risk of infectious disease despite the food being uncooked). However, purchasing raw meat intended for human consumption from a butcher or supermarket and then feeding it raw to your pet is strongly discouraged. This type of meat is legally permitted to have a bacterial level much higher than raw food intended for pet consumption (because it is sold with the expectation that it is going to be cooked). This can be dangerous for your dog but even more so for human members of the household when the dog licks hands and faces after eating the raw food..

Medical conditions

Dogs with particular issues such as gastrointestinal upsets, allergic skin disease, arthritis, kidney / liver dysfunction or diabetes may all benefit from a change in diet to assist in the management of these conditions. Your vet will be in the best position to advise on this, after a careful examination of your pet. 45

we know that many people find a great deal of comfort and purpose by creating a tribute fund in their name, for a cause close to their heart. By

for a loved one, please visit inmemory.woodgreen. org.uk or contact Wood Green’s In-Memory Giving team on 0300 303 9333 option 3.

Raising Frenchies from the Ashes, with TLC

Phoenix French Bulldog Rescue has been established in the UK since 2017 not only to offer a home to any French Bulldog, or cross-breed thereof, in need within the UK, but also to educate the public on this wonderful breed, promote and support good ownership and to help keep Frenchies at home with their families wherever possible. Sometimes, people just need advice and support to be able to manage and keep their pet, at other times they need our non-judgemental, professional help in rehoming their dog. As much

as we can often be heard to say that it is ‘all about the dog’ we never lose sight of the fact that there is often a broken-hearted human at the end of a surrendered dog’s lead. We will never judge and all our volunteers are mindful of this. Other dogs may be genuine ‘rescues’ and our Team are well-versed in collecting these and seeking appropriate medical attention immediately, before they even reach their specialist foster-homes where the real mending can begin. All our dogs receive the very best care, medically and psychologically, during foster and afterwards in adoption. We will never turn away a dog in genuine need unless there are extremely exceptional circumstances For General Enquiries please call 0300 772 7716 or email: enquiries@phoenixfrenchbulldogrescue.org www.phoenixfrenchbulldogrescue.org Registered Charity No. 1171943

Transforming pets’ behaviour The support services offered by Wood Green, The Animals Charity have helped thousands of pet owners in the past year. Going beyond the rehabilitation and rehoming of dogs, cats and small animals, Wood Green is also able to help people resolve any pet-related queries or concerns.

work to be done. Sue Ketland, an experienced Dog Behaviour & Training Specialist at Wood Green, arranged a series of free one-to-one sessions with Mabel and her owner at a local nature reserve. Over this 10-week period, Mabel slowly learned to meet people and other dogs – including Sue’s dog, Reef – with plenty of positive reinforcement along the way.

These come in many different shapes and sizes, like one distressed dog owner who called Wood Green’s Pet Support team after her puppy, a Border Collie called Mabel, had bitten her vet through fear. As a first step to address the situation, Mabel joined one of Wood Green’s puppy training courses and the owner was given tailored advice to continue the training at home.

If you are struggling with any pet-related issue, however big or small, please contact Wood Green as soon as possible. The charity may be able to offer a solution through advice, behavioural support or even financial support. If you are no longer able to care for a pet, their friendly team can help with that too.

Mabel’s behaviour and emotional wellbeing improved during the course, but there was still

Talk to Wood Green’s team on 0300 303 9333 or visit woodgreen.org.uk to find out more.

Looking for free pet advice? Our team can help. At Wood Green, we can support you with all aspects of pet care – from behavioural problems and dietary needs, to health and happiness.

Registered Charity Number 298348 00782ks0620

To find out more, please call 0300 303 9333 or email pet.support@woodgreen.org.uk 47

Having an Office in your garden is inherently ‘Green’ ...and our buildings are super insulated with eco insulation. First of all, Garden Buildings are inherently ‘green’ and environmentally friendly if they cut down on commuting when used for WFH office purposes. The shift towards more flexible working patterns since the turn of the century was already an unstoppable surge and the events of 2020 have only accelerated this shift. But beyond this, WFH Green are committed to being an environmentally friendly company who determinedly put sustainability at the heart of our company values and ethos. All of our buildings are extremely well insulated, with minimal air leakage, creating an environment that has high energy efficiency. As well as being green, this also saves on your energy bills! Despite the fact that we usually don’t have to apply for Building Regulation approval, our buildings still comply with Part L of the Building Regs in terms of thermal efficiency and energy conservation. In addition to Garden Buildings we are also a fully established landscaping company. We carry out contracts for domestic and commercial clients completely independently from our garden buildings. However, we also do get quite a few projects where we are doing both. Frequently we find that when someone is getting a new garden building, they will often want a patio or some decking to compliment it, or simply a path extending so they can get there without walking across the grass.

For more information call 01480 509 250 or email info@wfhgreen.co.uk www.wfhgreen.co.uk

At WFH Green we pride ourselves on our market leading commitment to first class customer service and 100% client satisfaction, as well as our utterly uncompromising dedication to deliver a finished building of the highest possible quality and energy efficiency, all 100% hand-built to Architect designed details that exceed modern construction industry standards. All of this is achieved whilst ensuring that our focus always remains on keeping our prices as low as we possibly can to guarantee that we will give you unbeatable value for money. Environmental friendliness and sustainability are central to our company philosophy and a prerequisite of everything we do. The ‘Green’ in WFH Green was included for a reason!

Landscaping Professionals and Garden Room specialists Now is the perfect time to get the garden and outside space you have been dreaming of Contact us today to arrange a free consultation and garden visit

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Tools of the trade

The right tools make gardening easier, and in my opinion you should buy the best you can afford then look after them so they will last many years. But which tools are essential? Gloves – Gardening is hard on the hands. Weeds, roots and digging are brutal on the skin. Buy a thick, good quality multipurpose pair to begin with. Make sure they fit. My first pair were too large and cumbersome. I was so naive I didn’t realise they came in different sizes...much like gardens...and gardeners! Secateurs – The task of pruning comes around with alarming regularity, so a good pair of secateurs is one of the most used items in my garden tool kit. Find a pair that feel good to hold, are well-balanced and easy to operate with one hand. Keep them clean and sharp and they will serve you well for many seasons. Trowel – Useful for hand weeding, dividing smaller plants, planting, potting on, and seed sowing. Hand Fork – A hand fork is essential for breaking up compacted soil. Sometimes it’s easier to use than a trowel and is less likely to damage roots in more densely planted areas or when separating smaller plants. Watering can – A large watering can is great, but very heavy when full so if you have arthritis or not much upper body strength choose a smaller watering can that you can handle easily and make a few more trips to the tap. A rose allows for a gentle sprinkler effect on tiny seeds and seedlings. You can use a hose if you garden a larger area. Choose a multi-tasking one with misting and sprinkler attachments Spade – You can’t dig large areas without one. As with hand tools, I prefer stainless steel. Keep it clean, with a sharp edge for digging, planting, and edging beds. Choose one that feels right for your height. Fork – A stainless-steel fork is great for stony soil, and for breaking up compacted earth. It’s also good for lifting shrubs without damaging the root system too much. Dutch Hoe – Weeding is a necessary task (and a somewhat relentless one during the growing season). The Dutch hoe has a shallow angled blade with a front cutting edge for keeping weeds down between seedlings and established shrubs and plants. Ground rake – Use this for breaking down the soil to that fine tilth gardening books go on about. Use the wide head and teeth to open and level the top surface of the soil, then use the back of the rake to firm it down. It makes seed-sowing easier and more likely to produce healthy seedlings.

SERVICES

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Household Scraps for Birds Feeding garden birds doesn’t need to be expensive – Here are some ideas from the RSPB on many of the things you throw away that would provide suitable food for birds!

BACON AND OTHER FATS You can put out fat from unsalted cuts of meat in large pieces for the birds. Birds, such as tits, can remove morsels from them. Make sure they are well anchored to prevent large birds flying away with the whole piece! This kind of food can attract magpies and gulls, and also neighbourhood cats. If this is likely to be a problem, it’s best avoided.

FAT Fat, including suet, is particularly welcomed by tits, great spotted woodpeckers, thrushes and wrens. However, please avoid polyunsaturated fats – they don’t give the birds the high levels of energy they require in winter. 52

CHEESE Mild grated cheese is a favourite with robins, dunnocks, blackbirds and song thrushes. It will also help wrens if you place it under hedgerows and other areas in your garden where you’ve noticed them feeding. SALT Garden birds are practically unable to metabolise salt. It is toxic to them in high quantities and affects their nervous system. Under normal circumstances in the wild, birds are unlikely to take harmful amounts of salt. Never put out salted food onto the bird table, and never add salt to bird baths to keep water ice-free in the winter. FRUIT Dried fruits, such as raisins, sultanas and currants are particularly enjoyed by blackbirds, song thrushes and robins. Soak them during spring and summer. NOTE: as some dogs and cats react badly to these fruits please do not put them out in areas where these animals might get to them. Apples, pears and other fruit, including bruised and part rotten ones, cut up, are very popular with all thrushes, tits and starlings.

PASTRY Pastry, cooked or uncooked, is excellent – especially if it has been made with real fats.

BREAD All types of bread can be digested by birds, but ideally it should only be just one component in a varied diet. Bread does not contain the necessary protein and fat birds need from their diet, and so it can act as an empty filler. Although bread isn’t harmful to birds, try not to offer it in large quantities, since its nutritional value is relatively low. A bird that is on a diet of predominantly, or only bread, can suffer from serious vitamin deficiencies, or starve. POTATOES Baked potatoes (cold and opened up), roast and even mashed potatoes with added real fats are all suitable food for birds. Chips are rarely eaten by birds. Photos by Tony Pay Photography

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Bedford Town

Football Club

2021 START 1967

The Complete Roofing Specialists

Championship fixtures announced

ROOFING

The fixtures for the 2021 Greene King IPA Championship season have been announced as Bedford Blues return to action after a 12-month absence. By the time you read this Boris Johnson should have made his post lockdown statement, and hopefully the Southern League will also have decided what is to happen to Bedford Town’s season. It is likely there will be no more football at the Eyrie this season; and again, like last year this season will be declared null and void. There is however brighter news on the horizon for next season with Bedford Town and Biggleswade FC agreeing to groundshare at the Eyrie until such a time as Biggleswade’s new Central Bedfordshire home is completed. As that project is yet to start, Bedford could be hosts to the fellow Southern League Division One Central side for the next two or three seasons potentially. With Bedford Ladies continuing their Sunday matches it will mean the Eyrie open for matches on multiple days of the week. Saturday home league games will likely alternate between the teams, while the Eagles will have first choice of cup fixtures. Midweek home matches for the Eagles will continue to be on a Tuesday, with Biggleswade moving theirs to Wednesday nights. The arrangement is a positive move for both clubs as it ensures Biggleswade have a home, brings additional income into the Eyrie for the Eagles after two exceedingly difficult seasons, and finally for the fans it gives them additional days of top non-league football in the town

Bedford will open their Championship account with Leadwork Experts Insurance Work a trip to Butts Park Arena to renew old rivalries Tiling Council Approved against Coventry before beginning Slating Alltheir Workhome Guaranteed campaign with the visit of Hartpury in Round Two. Flat Roofs All Types of Roofing Facias and Guttering The other home fixtures see Jersey Reds, Richmond Established 1967 with overto40 years experience and Ealing Trailfinders also head Goldington Road before a mouth-watering final day clash against near neighbours, Ampthill, in the battle of Bedfordshire to conclude the regularROAD, campaign. 3, PRINKNASH PUTNOE, BEDFORD, MK41 8DJ

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The Blues will travel to Cornish Pirates, Saracens, Doncaster Knights and Nottingham following the curtain raiser against Coventry. Full Bedford Blues fixture list (all dates and kickoffs to be confirmed): Coventry vs BEDFORD BLUES – W/E of 6th March BEDFORD BLUES v Hartpury University – W/E of 13th March Cornish Pirates v BEDFORD BLUES – W/E of 20th March BEDFORD BLUES v Jersey Reds – W/E of 27th March Saracens v BEDFORD BLUES – W/E of 10th April BEDFORD BLUES v Richmond – W/E of 17th April Doncaster Knights v BEDFORD BLUES – W/E of 1st May BEDFORD BLUES v Ealing Trailfinders – W/E of 15th May Nottingham v BEDFORD BLUES – W/E of 22nd May BEDFORD BLUES v Ampthill – W/E of 29th May

Bedford Town

Football Club Limited

Offering a wide variety of services, including: • • • • • • • •

Commercial & Domestic Skip Hire 2 yard - 20 yard skips We r ec 14 yard enclosed skips at le ycle ast Grab service Wait & Load of w % Same Day Service a rece ste ived 20 yard - 40 yard ro/ro bins A club is facilities only as good as its fans, and that is Account available certainly the case with Bedford Town, whose Recycling Rubbish Reclaiming Resources supporters have stuck with them through thick Tel: 843326 and thin over01234 the years. From the days of taking Email: richesskips@aol.com on Arsenal and Newcastle at the original Eyrie in Bromham Painting QP.pdf 1 01/05/2019 www.paul-riches-skips.com Queens Park, to nowadays as the sleeping giant begins to wake at their home in Meadow Lane.

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2021

Championship fixtures announced The fixtures for the 2021 Greene King IPA Championship season have been announced as Bedford Blues return to action after a 12-month absence. Bedford will open their Championship account with a trip to Butts Park Arena to renew old rivalries against Coventry before beginning their home campaign with the visit of Hartpury in Round Two. The other home fixtures see Jersey Reds, Richmond and Ealing Trailfinders also head to Goldington Road before a mouth-watering final day clash against near neighbours, Ampthill, in the battle of Bedfordshire to conclude the regular campaign. 12:08 The Blues will travel to Cornish Pirates, Saracens, Doncaster Knights and Nottingham following the curtain raiser against Coventry. Full Bedford Blues fixture list (all dates and kickoffs to be confirmed): Coventry vs BEDFORD BLUES – W/E of 6th March BEDFORD BLUES v Hartpury University – W/E of 13th March Cornish Pirates v BEDFORD BLUES – W/E of 20th March BEDFORD BLUES v Jersey Reds – W/E of 27th March Saracens v BEDFORD BLUES – W/E of 10th April BEDFORD BLUES v Richmond – W/E of 17th April Doncaster Knights v BEDFORD BLUES – W/E of 1st May

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Directory ARTIFICIAL GRASS Prestige Lawns

FARM SHOPS Browns of Stagsden

BUILDERS Highpoint Construction

FOSTERING Nexus Fostering

CHARITY Age UK Phoenix French Bulldog Rescue Wood Green Animal Charity

39 46 47

CHIMNEY SWEEP The Black Horse Chimney Sweep

FUNERAL SERVICES Neville Funeral Service

GARAGE DOORS Almond Garage Doors Garolla Holdings Limited

58 5

CURTAINS & BLINDS Emperor Blinds

GARDEN SEVICES/SUPPLIES Bryan Johnson Landscapes Colourfence Ltd Eden Tree Specialists MJ Nicholson Prestige Lawns TPI Garden Services WFH Green Garden Buildings & Landscaping Whites ES Ltd Garden Machinery

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE REPAIRS JB Domestic Ltd

GUTTERING SERVICES MK Guttering

EDUCATION Sharnbrook Academy Federation

LAUNDRY & IRONING SERVICES Bubbles Laundrette

ELECTRICIAN Craddock Electrical Services Ltd M Halls Electrical

54 27

LOCKSMITH A Rocket

LOFT LADDERS Home Counties Loft Ladders

CLOCK SALES & REPAIRS Bedford Clocks

COMPUTER REPAIR/MAINTENANCE/ SALES Oakley IT 27

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y MEDAL FRAMING & MOUNTING R&M Duchemins OPTOMETRIST John Kaye Optometrist PAINTING & DECORATING Bromham Painting & Decorating Craig Johnson David Lower Decorating PLASTERER CM Plastering

55 35 58

PLUMBING & HEATING BHC Heating & Plumbing Bliss Plumbing CM Plumbing The Bedford Plumbers TR Donnelly

29 27 7 9 59

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE HomeFix ( Home Counties ) Ltd Mr Fix Property Maintenance TJ Odd-Job Services

11 9 59

ROOFING/ROOFING MERCHANTS Bridge Roofing Start 1967 Roofing

41 54

SKIP HIRE Paul Riches Skips

TREE SURGEONS Eden Tree Specialists

UPHOLSTERY M & S Upholstery

USED CAR BUYERS Paul Jones Cars

VETS Acorn House Veterinary Hospital

WILL WRITING The Will Writing Company

WINDOWS, DOORS & CONSERVATORIES Bromham Windows Cloudy 2 Clear Kempston Windows

9 64 11

CLOCK SALES & REPAIRS

GARAGE DOORS

Clock Repairs • Clock Sales

ALMOND GARAGE DOORS LTD

Call Michael:

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www.bedfordclocks.co.uk OLD CLOCKS WANTED FOR PARTS DECORATING SERVICES

01234 828953

info@almondgd.co.uk

Unit 1a, College Farm, Oakley, MK43 7RX

GARDENING SERVICES

DAVID LOWER DECORATING SERVICES Interior & Exterior Decorating Local – Bedford based Over 40 years experience Competitive Rates Discounts for Senior Citizens

Call 01234 307411 or 07973 470650 FURNISHINGS Complete Re-upholstery Service

M&S Upholstery

Quality Service Call now at: 01234 302883 Or: 07954161786

● Traditional and modern ● 3 pc suites, wing chairs, arm-chairs, recliners, dining room chairs and stools ● Frame repairs, re-springing, and replacement cushion fillings ● Domestic and contracted work undertaken ● Free estimates and friendly advice

WHITES ES LTD

Domestic & Commercial Garden Machinery College Farm, Lovell Road, Oakley, MK43 7RX 01234 826066 in info@whites-online.co.uk www.whites-online.co.uk www.whites-online.co.uk Tel: 01234 826066 College Farm, Lovell Road, Oakley, Bedford, MK43 7RX Sales, Service, Parts, Repair & Hire Briggs & Stratton Service Centre

Also Available Indespenison & Brian James Trailers and more.

HANDYMAN SERVICES

MEDAL FRAMING

T J Odd-Job Services

General House & Garden Maintenance

R&M DUCHEMINS • Medal framing and medal mounting. • Full size and miniature • Regimental gifts, British replica replacement Army, RAF, medals. Royal Navy & Merchant.

Give me a call, see if I can help you Tony Joslin T: 01234 218923 M: 07761 561131 E: tjoddjobs@yahoo.com

Tel: 01234 268738 Mobile: 07877 242408 www.duchemins.co.uk

HEATING SERVICES

VEHICLE HIRE

T.R.Donnelly

HEATING SERVICES

557766

Local Engineer Specialising in all heating appliances Breakdowns & Installations Fixed Boiler Services £65 Landlord Gas Certs Power Flushing All Plumbing Repairs Carried Out

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• Self Drive Hire • Contract Rental • Financial Lease • Large Fleet of Standard • Refrigerated • Specialised Vehicles

rentxpressltd.co.uk 01234 339008

UsefulResources AGE UK BEDFORDSHIRE Local organisation solely devoted to the welfare of the over 50’s in Bedfordshire. Tel 01234 360510 www.ageuk.org.uk/bedfordshire

CARERS IN BEDFORDSHIRE Local charity helping unpaid carers of all ages and backgrounds to cope with the stresses of their caring role. Tel 0300 111 1919 www.carersinbeds.org.uk

AUTISM BEDFORDSHIRE Independent charity dedicated to improving the lives of autistic people and their families across Bedfordshire.. Tel 01234 350704 www.autismbedfordshire.net BEDFORD DAYCARE HOSPICE Provides individualised holistic care to patients suffering with a life-limiting condition from the point of diagnosis through treatment to remission or palliative care. Tel 01234 352 015 www.bedforddaycarehospice.org.uk

CATS PROTECTION Tel 0345 260 2505 www.cats.org.uk/bedford

CHUMS Mental health and emotional wellbeing service for children and young people 01525 863924 www.chumscharity.org

COMMUNITY VOLUNTARY SERVICE BEDFORDSHIRE (CVS )

BEDFORDSHIRE RURAL COMMUNITIES CHARITY

Support for voluntary and community sector organisations in Bedfordshire.

Delivering a wide range of rural development and community projects.

Tel 01234 354366 www.cvsbeds.org.uk

Tel 01234 838771 www.bedsrcc.org.uk BEDFORD WOMEN’S CENTRE Supporting women in the community who may have experienced Domestic Abuse or want more information about healthy relationships. Tel 01234 316801 www.bedfordwomenscentre.org.uk

FACES (FAMILY AND CHILDREN’S EARLY-HELP SERVICES) local independent charity offering practical and emotional support to families under stress. 01234 270601 www.facesbedford.org

FAMILIES FIRST BEDFORDSHIRE 01234 341977 www.familiesfirstbedfordshire.org.uk

OPEN DOOR

FRIENDS FOR LIFE A local charity working to address the social isolation of residents in Bedford’s care homes

to young people aged 13 – 25.

Tel 07460 575410 www.friendsforlifebedford.org.uk

Tel 01234 360388 www.bedfordopendoor.org.uk

Charity providing FREE and confidential counselling

MENCAP (BEDFORD) A voluntary organisation operating in Bedford and surrounding areas supporting individuals with a learning disability and their families. Tel 07973 859940 www.bedfordmencap.org.uk SMILEY CLUB (PART OF BEDFORD MENCAP) Provides a fun social club for boys and girls from 9 to 18 who have learning disabilities. Tel 07798 762 808

ROAD VICTIMS TRUST Offers a range of free support services to residents of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire who have been affected by fatal road collisions.

BOLD Supporting and advocating for people with a learning disability and challenging behaviours. Tel 01234 352899 www.bo4ld.org.uk

THE JOBS HUB Provides an all age careers advice and employment support service for people that live in and around Bedford. Tel 01234 223510 www.bedfordjobshub.co.uk

ACCESS BEDFORD

MINDBLMK

Works with the D/deaf and hard of hearing community to make Bedford Borough more accessible. They also have a facebook social group for Deaf people living in and around Bedford

Supporting positive mental health and wellbeing.

Tel 07376 262 873 www.accessbedford.org.uk

Tel 01234 843345 www.rvtrust.org.uk

Tel 0300 330 0648 www.mind-blmk.org.uk

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS THERAPY CENTRE BEDS & NORTHANTS Provides help, support and therapy for those with MS in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire. Tel 01234 325781 www.mscentrebedsandnorthants.com

BEDFORD BOROUGH LOCAL OFFER A place where parents and young people with Special Educational Needs and or disabilities can find clubs, activities and services to support them and their families Here you will find details of upcoming events, clubs and services available in the Borough of Bedford. www.localoffer.bedford.gov.uk

FEBRUARY PRIZE CROSSWORD

Answers

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Answers

CMY

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Free Will & Testament The Will Writing Company is celebrating its 22nd 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 n the above number between the hours of 9:00am-5:30pm Monday to Friday.

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BedsLife Magazine March 21

Articles inside

Bedford Blues

Household Scraps for Birds

Last months crossword answers

Useful Local Resources

Bedford Town FC

Gardening - Tools of the Trade

Wood Green

Phoenix French Bulldog Rescue

Acorn House - What should I feed my dog?

The Composing Cook Recipe - Chocolate Banana Bread

Marston Forest - Nesting Birds

Book of the Month

Prize Crossword

Home-School Help

Online at the Higgins

Volunteer Opportunities

Council News

East West Rail Route Campaign

Mamma’s House

International Womens Day

Richard Fuller MP

Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum

Captain Sir Tom Moore Online Book of Condolence