BedsLife October 2021

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2021

inside Halloween Fun In the Stix – News from the Villages What’s On

OCTOBER 2021

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Council News Richard Fuller MP Mohammad Yasin MP In the Stix Volunteer Opportunities A Design for Life The Fashion Corner Online Mental Health & Wellbeing Hub Awesome Autumn Reads Local Author Prize Crossword Beat the Bug Halloween Fun Halloween Competitions Lyd Eats Food – Blue Monk The Composing Cook – Lamb Kofta Swirls What’s On Bedford Park Concerts NHS Giveaway Gangsta Granny Theatre Tickets Competition Milky’s Music Matters Music on Thursdays Hospital Radio Bedford Schedule Forest of Marston Vale – Fantastic Fungi Acorn House Pet Advice Ospreys of Rothiemurchus Gardening – Tidy Up Time Bedford Town FC Bedford Blues Advertiser Index Useful Local Resources Last months Crossword Answers

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council news Award of £280,000 for English language provision in Bedford Borough The Council has been awarded £280,299 from the ‘ESOL for Integration Fund (EFIF)’ to deliver a further year of English language classes and outreach to help address the barriers which prevent people learning English.

Following the success of previous programmes, Bedford Borough Council was invited by the Government to bid for further funding to deliver English language support.

The Bedford ESOL (English for Speakers of Other

Languages) Service has now been awarded over £600,000 in total, to deliver and coordinate this much-needed service in partnership with local community groups with previous awards of £180,000 in 2019/20 and £188,000 in 2020/21.

“Bedford Borough Council have been wonderful partners and we look forward to working successfully with them again this year.”

CO2 monitors in primary and secondary schools in Bedford Borough Bedford Borough Council has provided primary and secondary schools in the Borough with carbon dioxide monitors for the new term.

The portable monitors will allow schools to assess where ventilation needs improvement and take steps to improve air flow, such as opening a window or door, so that any potential virus particles from indoor spaces are blown away.

This is just one measure that will be in place in Bedford Borough schools to help reduce COVID-19

transmission and help keep students and staff safe.

Mayor Dave Hodgson said, “I’m delighted we were able to take this proactive approach to provide CO2 monitors to schools before the start of the new term.

These monitors, along with other COVID measures are in place to help keep students and staff safe.

“Schools are the best place for students to be, but the virus has not gone away and we must all remain cautious. I encourage anyone over 16 who has not yet got their vaccination to do so at one of the free walk-in sites.”

Rogers Court opens to provide accommodation for the vulnerable Rogers Court, a landmark facility with 20 units of selfcontained accommodation for those rough sleeping, or at risk of doing so, has opened in Bedford Borough.

The facility has been remodelled and refurbished by Kier Construction, working with their local supply chain in less than 6 months, following a successful funding bid by the Council to the Government.

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The building has been handed over to the Council and SMART Bedford, who provide services for those rough sleeping locally, and in this case, they will be providing support services to the residents of Rogers Court 24/7. After a tender process, SMART was awarded a three-year contract to develop and run this innovative service, giving a stable base for residents and allowing them a better chance of leading independent lives.

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The government is transforming the Further Education system with the rollout of new T Levels for those who want to progress into high-skilled employment or onto higher levels of technical education at college or university. The T Levels programme will require students to spend at least 45 days on an industrial placement, ensuring that students are able to apply their learning in a practical environment.

The government’s Skills and post-16 Education Bill, currently going through the Houses of Parliament, will introduce reforms that will help to create more routes into skilled employment in sectors the economy needs such as engineering, digital, clean energy, and manufacturing so that more people can secure well-paid jobs in their local areas and supporting communities to thrive and will bring greater parity between further and higher education.

Richard Fuller, MP for North East Bedfordshire In the Queen’s Speech earlier this year, the government said it would create a post16 and adult training and education system that was fit for the future, where every young adult has a range of opportunities open to them and removing the view that a university degree is the only path to a good career.

Employers will be at the heart of the skills system by making it a legal requirement that employers and colleges collaborate so that the training on offer meets the need of local areas and so people no longer have to leave their hometowns to find great jobs.

The Bill also supports the transformation of the current student loans system which will give every adult access to a flexible loan for higher-level education and training at university or college, useable at any point in their lives.

A new £7 million flexi-job apprenticeship scheme has recently been announced to increase the accessibility of apprenticeships, where sectors including the creative, agriculture and construction industries can bid for funding so that their apprentice can work across a range of projects and with different employers.

Finally, the Prime Minister’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee has now launched as part of the £2.5 billion National Skills Fund allowing 11 million adults to gain an A level-equivalent qualification for free.

These initiatives should help further our goals to provide opportunity to untap potential and talent at all stages of life.

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I was pleased then to meet a number of frontline service workers on 999 Memorial Day and David Carter and Liz Lees, Chief Executive and Chief Nurse of Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to get an update about services at Bedford Hospital.

It came at the end of a significant week in Parliament when the Government voted to introduce a 10 per cent national insurance tax hike to pay for health and social care.

Meeting the Covid 19 Bereaved Families for Justice to join them on a walk to the National Covid Memorial Wall was a powerful reflection on the trauma the public and the NHS has faced.

With the Covid death toll at 134,000, and Covid deaths still averaging over 100 a day it is so important that those who have lost and those that will lose loved ones in the coming months, will be front and centre of the Government’s decision making when it comes to the inquiry and memorialisation.

Mohammad Yasin, MP for Bedford and Kempston It’s been great to get back out into the community as we recover from the pandemic. I spent the summer knocking on doors to hear firsthand the concerns of my constituents in Bedford and Kempston. The issue that came up time and time again was the lack of access to face-to-face GP services and the backlog of care in the NHS.

It was a helpful background for my meeting with Bedford hospital where we discussed a range of issues that my constituents had raised.

Following successive CQC reports showing Bedford maternity services “require improvement”, I was given assurances about some very positive developments in maternity services with an increase in the number of midwives, and a drive for further specialist recruitment.

I saw the new A&E department with its improved waiting, triage and treatment areas – and was hugely impressed to learn that Bedford Hospital leads the region in processing patents from ambulance to admission, meaning local crews are back on the road ASAP, supporting more people.

However, the hospital is very concerned about the pressures the A&E Department is experiencing, with patient numbers already at levels seen during winter crises. Reasons for this are complex and varied and of course related to the pandemic and pressures on primary care services having a knock-on effect on hospitals and social care settings.

I’ve long argued that the NHS and social care need more funding after a decade of cuts, but many who voted for Brexit in the hope of securing £350 million a week for the NHS, or who voted for the Conservative party in the belief that taxes would not be raised, must feel very disillusioned at the Government’s new tax levies.

It’s fundamentally unfair that the asset rich are being paid for and protected by the working, asset poor – millions of whom are also getting their working tax credits cut next month on top.

We need a national and fair effort to deal with the crisis in social care, and a plan that goes far wider than just looking at funding. We need to address the recruitment and retention crisis in health and social care, which is the most urgent issue at present. It is vital that any long-term plans are included alongside immediate measures. We must properly value those in our health and social care workforce, not tax them to the hilt.

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IN THE The Mill at Bromham reawakens

After months of quiet, the Mill at Bromham started buzzing again over the August bank holiday weekend. With a complete makeover, the onsite café has re-launched as The Mill Coffee Shop offering barista coffee, light snacks and free WIFI. A full breakfast and lunch menu is coming soon.

Local patron Gemma Wasling said: “It’s such an amazing transformation and a great selection of food.

We will definitely be regular customers!”

Plans are afoot to reinvigorate the entire site as a leisure and cultural destination for all to enjoy.

Bromham Mill Trust Chairman Jim Francis commented: “Along with the coffee shop and Artists Network gallery which visitors can enjoy today, we’re working to attract further vendors to the site and to enhance and expand the Mill’s amenities and attractions.”

The Mill Coffee Shop and Artists Network gallery are currently open 9:30-16:00 Saturdays and 9:30-15:00 Sundays. Weekday openings will follow later this year.

Visitors to Felmersham may have seen some interesting characters lurking around throughout August when the village was overtaken by weird and wonderful scarecrows. The annual Felmersham and Radwell Scarecrow Festival was a great success with this year’s theme of Children’s Story Books proving a popular choice.

The Sun in Felmersham hosted the judging on Sunday 5 September when Revd Paolo De Leo from St Mary’s and barman, Tom Southam, had the tricky task of picking their favourites. Little Red Riding Hood scooped the top prize winning a £50 voucher for Mercedes Gray-Radburn to spend at The Wine Cellar in Felmersham. Second prize of Sunday lunch at The Sun went to the Yasseen family for their Peter Rabbit scarecrow with Donna Hulatt’s Spiderman coming third and earning a box of donuts from Minkiemoo Bakery in Radwell. A special prize, of a Hamper donated by St Mary’s Church in Felmersham, for the most comical entry was awarded to Sophie Wells for her mischievous Burglar Bill making his escape with a bag of swag.

Find the golden pumpkin!

Novel characters spotted in Felmersham Secret Pumpkin, a new five-acre Pick Your Own patch, has opened at Andersons Farm and Nursery in Moggerhanger. With 20,000 pumpkins growing on site, including 25 varieties of pumpkin and 10 varieties of squash, you can grab a wheelbarrow and head out into the field to find your own perfect pumpkin.

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E STI X Tickets include free parking, children’s activities – pumpkin carving, mini tractors, space hoppers and straw fun – plus plenty of unique photo backdrops.

Refreshments and toilets are also available on site.

And there’s more fun to be had with a Golden Secret Pumpkin hidden daily. Find it to win a prize! www.secretpumpkin.farm

valuable local example of burial practices in Bedford Borough at the time of the Roman Conquest of Britain.

To access the Historic Environment Record and to search a list of summary records, visit www.bedford.gov.uk

Happy anniversary Archaeological finds Odell WI! unearth Bedford Borough history

Odell Women’s Institute celebrated its 75th Anniversary with a tea party on a sunny summer afternoon in August.

An excavation on the edge of Biddenham uncovered a middle-to-late Iron Age settlement including enclosures (possibly to keep their animals), a round house, a well, and storage and cooking pits, as well as several Anglo-Saxon buildings. A large ‘hengiform’ monument potentially dating back to the Neolithic or Bronze Age (4000–700 BC) was also uncovered, highlighting the complex history of Bedford Borough.

Further excavations at a housing development on the land south of Wootton revealed a late Iron Age settlement and a cremation cemetery. Of the graves excavated, 15 contained near-complete urns and 13 contained additional vessels. The findings provide a

Tables were set out on the Village Hall terrace and decorated with flower arrangements, white tablecloths and napkins with rings displaying the WI logo and bunting adorned the area.

Members past and present were invited along with new ladies to the village. Rachel Halton (President) cut the celebration cake after which everybody enjoyed a celebratory glass of prosecco.

Do you have some village news to share?

Email jacqui@bedslifemagazine.co.uk Copy deadline for the November issue is 12 October 11

Bedford Credit Union – Secretary to the Board The secretary is the board member with particular responsibility for ensuring that the governance of this non-profit co-operative bank which provides fair loans to local people is in good order. This includes circulating agendas, preparing minutes and any formal resolutions for both the monthly board meetings and our AGM. As a full board member, you will also have the opportunity to be involved with the broader operations of the credit union.

Citizens Advice Bedford – Money Advice Assistant Volunteer

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering brings great rewards and your time will be well spent as you support the community around you. We are bringing new opportunities on to our Simply Connect system every week and you can view these and many more at our Simply Connect online facility where you can register as a volunteer and apply.

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

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

You will be part of CAB’s dedicated Money Advice Team and Caseworkers. You will speak with clients (face to face and by telephone) to explore and identify their financial problem and you will provide relevant information and guidance to enable them to deal with their situation more effectively. The role requires comprehensive training on Debt and Money and lots of opportunity for professional development.

Putnoe Woods Preschool – Charity Trustee You will be ready to put the Children’s welfare at the heart of every decision as you join an energetic, dynamic and friendly team at the pre school. You are especially welcome if you have knowledge or experience of early years education. The role is to assist in overseeing the work of the preschool manager and business manager, offering advice and support from an ‘outside’ view.

Mind BLMK – Crisis Cafe Volunteer Be part of a team of volunteers in Luton, Bedford or Milton Keynes. The crisis service runs every day between 5 and 11 pm to support those with mental health crisis outside of hospital. You will get the opportunity to learn the intricate process of deescalating crisis and promoting recovery pathways for individuals.

RNIB – Occasional Helper with Sighted Guiding You will be at the heart of supporting blind and partially sighted people in your area, offering sighted guiding and practical help to individuals enabling them to take part in events and supporting them in their volunteering activities. You will also be involved in raising arareness of issues that affect those living with little or no sight, and fundraising.

Our new monthly newsletter highlights all our new opportunities as they come onboard, and shares stories and volunteering hints and tips. Subscribe at www.cvsbeds.org.uk/volunteer-newsletter

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A Design for Life… The Kevin McCloud Column Designer, writer and television presenter, Kevin McCloud leapt into our consciousness with his vastly successful Grand Designs show on Channel 4. This month, the affable architect looks ahead to some design trends that might rise to prominence over the next few years.

I get asked a lot about future design trends and initiatives, and the truth is I wouldn’t know what a trend was if it hit me in the face! Over the years I’ve come to regard trends as very lucid, irregular things – they come about quickly, are mixed and remixed, then disappear out of nowhere; and with interior design that can be problematic given the semi-permanency of how we furnish our homes. It’s not like saying ‘this pair of trousers are out of fashion this year; I’ll wear a different pair tomorrow’. If you’ve added wood panelling to every wall in your home, it’s going to take a while to fix.

What I will say is what happens at the beginning of every century in design and architecture is that people stop and look back at the last century and say, ‘oh my God, we didn’t get any of that, quick, let’s have some’, and you get this rush of building and design and furniture which is kind of retro – we’ve seen it over the past decade or so with a complete craze for anything vintage from 1930-90s.

It’s fair to say we’re always looking forward as far as home design goes, both architecturally and in the patterns and designs within. If I had to put money on a style or theme over the next couple of decades, it

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would be eco-based. We’re seeing a real retune to very natural, sustainable materials - basic stuff.

Yet also, thanks to changes in technology and the way that we design, often using iPhones, we can survey and model things really cheaply now.

So that means we are going to see all manner of goods – from home products right through to personal stuff like shoes – made not in some factory in Germany, China or Portugal, but in a shop round the corner from where you live using really sophisticated 3D printing techniques.

Certainly, a look into the future is a view back towards bespoking our homes in our own design. The era of the IKEA mass-market products has helped us a lot, but technology is now freeing us to style our homes in much more personal ways. It will mean we can turn back into being a nation who make things for ourselves, in a bespoke way, which I think is a very exciting future.

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So, I’m not sure what has happened here but summer took on a part time role, we blinked and somehow ended up in October?!

It’s now time to pack away our summer clothes which barely had a chance to see the sunlight and dust off our winter woollies. Unpopular opinion: I’m such an A/W girl so I am HERE for this transition.

COLOUR PALETTE Big this season is all the GREEN tones. Alongside this, we have warm tones autumnal shades we know and love are back for 2021 with added pops of pink, red and yellow.

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If you love colour but not sure how to wear it then add bright bags and accessories to neutral outfits

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Animal print is also big this season and it all tones perfectly with the colour palette

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HAVE YOUR SAY. Head over to my Instagram @laurenfitzx and tell me what you want to see in the fashion pages of BedsLife.

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Bedford Borough Launch Online Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub Bedford Borough Council has listened to parents, carers, practitioners and school staff, about how they would like to have improved information on where to access support for mental health and wellbeing.

Working together with the Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum, BLMK CCG, Voluntary Sector, Public Health and CAMHS services the Council has created a dedicated page on the Bedford Borough Local Offer to bring the support and guidance into one easy to navigate space. The page includes; adult mental health support, wellbeing support for teaching staff, and where to signpost young people who may need additional support and guidance.

Cllr James Valentine, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Service and Education said, “We have listened to what’s been said and acted accordingly to produce this dedicated page of support and guidance. This collection of resources has had many contributors and reflects a truly multi agency approach to supporting emotional wellbeing of our children & young people and professionals in Bedford Borough.

“We want to ensure this page is as user friendly as possible so we would welcome any feedback on it, as well as any ideas on services or resources that should be included.”

Visit the Bedford Borough Local offer to view Bedford Borough Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub: https://localoffer.bedford.gov.uk/mentalhealthhub

Stevington 12k Future-edge Therapy are Bedfordshire’s top trauma specialists treating PTSD, trauma, grief, anxiety, stress, fears and phobia.

We work face-to-face in our office based at Bedford Heights, Brickhill Road, Bedford, MK40 7PH.

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This year’sTherapy race is being held on Sunday 19th • Rewind • IEMT • EMDR & Flash EMDR and is open to all comers of 17 September at 11am • Kinetic years oldShift and upwards and is a great event for club and fun runners alike.

To support women, Bonita has created The Anxiety Recovery School, a FREE Facebook group designed to support women The England liated and chip whorace sufferisfrom anxiety,Athletics stress andaffi trauma.

This positive group focusses teachingtakes techniques and via strategies to timed, and theoncourse runners country deal with daily overwhelm and support each other, learn and roads through the villages of Oakley and Pavenham grow together. Join the community NOW and search for The in an anti-clockwise returning to Stevington Anxiety Recovery Schooldirection in Facebook.

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The event is family friendly with hot and cold Contact details: refreshments, a licensed bar, BBQ, children’s playground and plenty parking. Changing facilities, Tel: 07970 011of235 Web: www.future-edgetherapy.co.uk showers and toilets are available to runners.

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Trophies will be presented to the 1st Senior Male, 1st @FutureEdgetherapy future_edge_therapy Senior Female, 1st Veteran Male, 1st Ackerman Veterandu Female @TheAnxietyRecoverySchool Bonita Preez @future_edge_ plus 1st Stevington resident. Finishing times range 20

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Please see the website for more details about the CQC Registered event. www.stevington12k.uk

The Elisabeth Curtis Centre Riding for the Disabled

AUTUMN FAIR Sunday 3rd October 11am - 3pm The Elisabeth Curtis Centre, Chestnut Avenue, Bromham MK43 8HP

Come and Meet The Ponies Refreshments, Tombola, Hand-Made Jewellery, Books and more

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Ageing Well Festival and Exhibition Wednesday 13th October 2021 Bedford Corn Exchange, 10am to 2pm

EVERYBODY WELCOME Free Information, Advice, and help on a wide range of topics including care, housing, money benefits, leisure and many more.

The Mayor of Bedford will be holding a clinic to meet and chat with attendees.

Refreshments served in the Howard Room accompanied by mindfulness music, hand massage and Age UK Bedfordshire offers.

For more details contact Jo on 01234 360510 or Email - enquiries@ageukbedfordshire.org.uk

22

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A r o ma C l e a no f f e r a f r i e n d l y , r e l i a b l e &h o n e s t d o me s t i c c l e a n i n g s e r v i c e t a i l o r e dt oy o u r n e e d s P o l i c e C h e c k e d&F u l l y I n s u r e d

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23

Awesome Autumn Reads coming your way A changing season and some hearty book options on their way, this month we’ve focused on the best non-fiction reads that will be filling the shelves.

The Squash and Pumpkin Cookbook by Heather Thomas Over 50 delicious wholesome and healthy recipes using your favourite autumnal fruits and vegetables, presented by highly regarded health and cookery writer and editor Heather Thomas, who has worked with many of the UK’s top chefs.

This cookbook will carry you through the colder months with nutritious homely and comforting recipes to suit every taste.

Published by Ebury Press on October 14th What Do Men Want? by Nina Power Writer, philosopher and regular contributor to The Telegraph and The Spectator, Nina Power seeks to examine just what has happened to the brand of masculinity that this country used to rely on.

She speculates that while men still rule the world, masculinity is in crisis, and ponders over how men and women can continue to live together in a society where capitalism and consumerism has replaced the values – family, religion, service, and honour – that used to give our lives meaning?

It’s an interesting read, but one that will still inflame those who believe a tome on the issues of men should only be written by the male species.

Published by Penguin on October 14th 24

Britain’s Best Political Cartoons

by Tim Benson With 2021 turning out to be another extraordinary year, from Covid crisis and vaccine victories to lockdown learning, haddock havoc and Capitol coups. But then, it has also been a very familiar story of Brexit blunders and Trumpian tantrums. The nation’s greatest cartoonists have recorded it all with searing wit and astonishing creativity, bringing much-needed humour to the chaos. This cartoon companion features the work of Steve Bell, Peter Brookes, Nicola Jennings, and many more of the nation’s finest cartoonists.

Published by Cornerstone on October 28th Honestly – My Story by Sheridan Smith BAFTA and Olivier Award-winning TV and West End star, top-10 recording artist and sell-out live performer, Sheridan Smith OBE is the latest to have been swayed by a publisher’s pre-Christmas autobiography pay-cheque.

While these books are usually forgotten no sooner than they are read, Sheridan does at least bring reallife warmth and charisma to the pages of this 320-page tome that’s packed with showbiz adventure, funny and warm, but dark times and heartbreak too.

From The Royle Family, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps to Gavin and Stacey, The C Word, Cilla and Moorside, through to Little Shop of Horrors and Legally Blonde on-stage, there are a world of memories that we can all share and enjoy.

Published by Penguin on October 14th

Life in Bedford during the Second World War Bedford historian Stuart Antrobus has written a new, well-illustrated local history Life in Bedford during the Second World War, published by Bedford Architectural, Archaeological and Local History Society [BAALHS].

This large-format paperback tells the story of how Bedfordians’ lives were affected by the dramatic upheaval of war between 1939 and 1945. Peppered with the voices and personal experiences of men, women and children who lived through this turbulent period, it captures the life-changing ways in which, while the armed forces fought around the world, people on the Home Front fought their own domestic war locally. The book is illustrated with over 80 photographs, some for the first time.

Home Guard invasion exercise in Bedford, 6 September 1942

The author describes the unique impact on Bedford’s life of the presence of BBC radio’s music and religious affairs departments which brought national orchestras and leading musicians to the town, and the Daily Service broadcasts to the nation from St Paul’s Church, Bedford. Similarly, the friendly invasion of thousands of young American servicemen to the airfields of north Bedfordshire brought a new vitality to the lives of all, but especially to Bedford’s women!

On sale at £9 at The Eagle Bookshop, 16-20 St Peter’s Street, Bedford, MK40 2NN. Tel. 01234 269295; info@eaglebookshop.co.uk or by post, £11 (cheque payable to BAALHS) from Bob Ricketts, 68, Mendip Crescent, Bedford, MK41 9EP. Tel. 01234 313608.

Bomb damage at the Grosvenor Hotel, Bedford, after German air raid, 23 July 1942

Sharnbrook House Care Home is set in the picturesque village of Sharnbrook in Bedfordshire and we specialise in high-quality residential care.

The team at Sharnbrook House are exceptional and wholly committed to providing the very best care. They are loving, caring, compassionate and have all been selected because they genuinely care and treat our residents with the respect and dignity that they deserve.

Please call us on 01234 781294 to arrange a Virtual Viewing of Sharnbrook House to ensure you know it is the right home for you and your loved one.

Or e-mail sharnbrook@greensleeves.org.uk for any other information or to request a brochure.

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25

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Bumper Prize Crossword Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this section and send to the address below before Friday 15th October Prize Crossword, BedsLife, 17 Foxbrook, Stevington, Bedfordshire MK43 7QY Last Months Crossword Winner – Allison Bygraves, Wootton

For last months answers please turn to P74

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27

BEAT THE BUG How to stop those nasty viruses our kids pick up at school from thriving.

If there’s one benefit to what we’ve all been through over the past couple of years as far as Covid is concerned, it’s a much greater awareness of health, hygiene and protecting those around us.

So, with our kids heading back to school, it’s probably a sensible idea to strengthen good habits in the weeks before our youngsters return to their studies.

After all, it may be near impossible to stop your little one from picking up germs and viruses while at school, but you can teach them how to overcome them and prevent the spreading of germs once they’ve brought them home.

ONE

Seeing is believing When it comes to kids, remember that seeing is believing. Getting a five-year-old to understand that when he or she sneezes they spray up to 100,000 bacteria in the air at 100mph, is not going to be an easy task, so it’s worth trying to find a fun way to help them understand the very basics of bacteria. A good way to do this is to prepare some hand sanitising gel with glitter in (which represents bacteria). This helps visualise the spread, meaning that when they wash their hands, they’ll have to clean them really well.

TWO

Education energy To really engage kids with serious topics, it’s always a good idea to use things like books and songs. A Germ’s Journey by Katie Laird and What Are Germs? by Katie Daynes make for clever and entertaining reads, while handwash brand Carex 28

have a great selection of hand washing songs you can download from their website for free.

What’s more, buying a hand soap which smells nice will also help make hand cleaning fun.

THREE

Top technique Teaching kids to properly blow their own noses, wash hands frequently and cover their mouths when they sneeze will not only save the rest of your family from the never-ending onslaught of illness, but it will also serve them well in the future.

FOUR

Immunity boom Of course, the best way to help kids beat the bugs is by using their own natural immunity. That means plentiful fruit, vegetables, vitamins and minerals, drinking of plenty of water and getting a lot of night-time rest.

FIVE

Moderation nation And while maintaining good hygiene is important, parents need to be careful they don’t go too far the other way. Kids should be allowed to play, explore, get mucky and thrive in their local environments without fear of infection at every turn.

They can build sensible immunity by gentle exposure, whilst still doing what’s required to stay clean, healthy and, most importantly, happy.

Taking things too far can create OCD elements in our children, which might hamper their progression in other parts of their lives.

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29

Halloween Fun There is loads going on at Herrings Green Activity Farm in Wilstead this Halloween. All Wizards, Witches and Warlocks are invited to a magical Harry Potter themed weekend on Saturday 9th October and Sunday 10th October. There will be a magical Owl flying display, Harry Potter Quiz and you can even dress up as a Wizard or Witch with a prize for the best costume! You can also go Pumpkin Picking from October 16th – 22nd and take part in the themed activities, feed the animals and have a go at flying an owl! You can finish off with a visit to the Centre of Hocus Pocus from Saturday October 23rd to Sunday 31st October where there will be Creepy Critter Encounters, Halloween Crafts and much more!

Herrings Green Activity Farm & Birds of Prey Centre, Herrings Green Farm , Cotton End Road, Wilstead, Bedfordshire, MK45 3DT www.birdsofpreycentre.co.uk

Jordans Mill in Biggleswade will be running a Toil and Trouble Halloween Activity Trail every Thursday to Sunday from the 21st to the 31st October.

Creep around Jordans Mill, if you dare, and watch Halloween come alive with ten 3D spooky posters.

Find the hidden potion ingredients and complete the spell, and hand back in at the Mill Shop for a prize!

Trail sheets are £2.50. www.jordansmill.com

The Forest of Marston Vale will be hosting Halloween Garden Games & Activities from Monday 25th October to Friday 29th October at the Forest Centre From Monday 25th – Thursday 28th you can go along and play ghoulish garden games and activities from 10am till 3pm! There will be 5 games to play including pumpkin bowling and witchy golf PLUS explore the Sensory Garden and help Winnie the Witch find her friend before the full moon strikes! £5 per child. On Thursday 28th and Friday 29th October from 5pm till 8.30pm your little ghouls can dust off their best fancy dress costumes and get ready to dance, scream and play lots of party games. Price includes kids’ meal and squash. Parental supervision is required. Suitable for ages 3+. £9 per child. There will also be Halloween Creepy-Crawley Crafts on Friday from 10am till 4pm where you can make your own spooky spider. £3 per child. Pre-booking for all activities is essential.

The Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine, Bedford MK43 0PR www.marstonvale.org/events

Don’t Get Locked In escape rooms in Bedford will be taken over by Ghosts and Ghouls for some Halloween scares in ‘Extortion’ and ‘The Secret Hut’.

‘Extortion’ is set in an apartment in Bedford, a game with a creepy twist you and your friends are invited to come play between Friday 1st and Sunday 31st October. The Secret Hut, a 1940’s themed room will also be turned into a dark and creepy game. Beware: These games are extremely immersive and do include jump scares and live actors.

Think You Are Brave Enough To Escape?

23-27 Allhallows, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK40 1LN www.dontgetlockedin.com

SECRETPUMPKIN NEW ‘PICK YOUR OWN’ FARM ANDERSONS FARM & NURSERY BLUNHAM RD, MOGGERHANGER BEDFORDSHIRE MK44 3RA

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31

A FAMILY TICKET TO HERRINGS GREEN FARM’S CENTRE OF HOCUS POCUS!

Simply email competitions@bedslifemagazine.co.uk with the subject HOCUS POCUS by Monday 18th October Family Ticket is for 2 Adults and 2 Children Tickets are non-transferable, non-refundable, nonexchangeable and cannot be re-sold. No cash alternative will be given.

Choose from escape rooms ‘Extortion’ or ‘The Secret Hut’ and see if you are brave enough to get out in time!

Email competitions@bedslifemagazine.co.uk with the subject Don’t Get Locked In by Monday 18th October Winners will be chosen at random. Entrants must be over the age of 18.

Tickets are non-transferable, non-refundable, nonexchangeable and cannot be re-sold. No cash alternative will be given.

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Blue Monk Take a step off the high street and into the oasis of Blue Monk. Based right in the middle of town, this hidden gem is a tranquil paradise of delicious Indian and Nepalese food. You’ll be greeted at the door with a smile by smart waiting staff in waistcoats and there’s plenty of cosy tables and booths for family meals, a romantic date or a night out with your mates.

The menu is innovative and brings together flavours you know and some that are a little different. There are plenty of the classics available, from big, juicy chicken tikka to expertly cooked biryani. I would definitely advise you try out some of their Specialty dishes, the Eso Jhol is bursting with spices and will tantalise your taste buds. I can never resist a plate of Nepalese Momo, a traditional dumpling, or the street food favourite Samosa Chaat. There is a whole host of veggie options available too, the Nizami Paneer is perfection!

Gorgeous food in lovely surroundings, what more could you want?

If you can’t make it to the restaurant, do not fear!

You can order takeaway on their website and enjoy the Blue Monk experience at home.

Find me on Instagram @lydeatsfood for all your local foodie finds!

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35

The Composing Cook The Composing Cook

LAMB KOFTA SWIRLS

Well, all I can say about this recipe is you may need to double the quantities as my Lamb Kofta Swirls are so moreish, you will be coming back for more. They are so easy to make, yet they look so impressive and taste amazing. Go on, give them a go.

INGREDIENTS: 450-500g minced lamb 350-400g ready rolled puff pastry sheet 1 large egg beaten For The Spice Mix 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon garlic granules 1 teaspoon garam masala 1 teaspoon dried mint 1 teaspoon salt a good grinding of black pepper Makes 12 Swirls

Preheat oven to: 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6.

In a bowl, add the minced lamb with all the spices (as listed above), mix with hands until well combined. Put to one side.

Lay the puff pastry out flat on a work surface, take the lamb mixture and spread it all over one side, leaving ½ cm around the edges. Take your beaten egg and go around the edges.

Take the long edge of your pastry and start rolling the pastry as tightly as you can. You will end up with a long cylindrical piece of pastry.

Cover the pastry all over with the remaining beaten egg and then cut into 12 thick slices.

Place on 2 baking trays (6 on each) both lined with grease proof paper. You want to place them flat on the tray so if you are looking at them from above you can see the swirls. Egg wash the swirl side that is visible to you.

Cook for 40 minutes, but after 20 minutes swap the top tray with the bottom tray. They should be golden brown.

Remove from oven and leave for 2 minutes before placing them on your serving dish.

Eat away and enjoy.

These go amazingly well with my Kale Tabbouleh. Why not head over to my YouTube channel, The Composing Cook, www.YouTube.com/TheComposingCook, where you can watch me make both of these recipes amongst many others.

36

-FRESH GRIMSBY FISHTHE FISH SHACK AT MILTON ERNEST GARDEN CENTRE ON THE MAIN CAR PARK.

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37

What’sOn

AUTUMN FAIR Sunday 3rd October 11am- 3pm Come and Meet the Ponies. Refreshments and stalls. Something for Everyone Elisabeth Curtis Centre- Riding for the Disabled, Chestnut Ave, Bromham MK43 8HP BEDFORD FLORAL ART SOCIETY, Tuesday 5th October 7.30pm present a floral arrangement demonstration

by Mark Entwistle entitled “The Secret Life of Colour” Visitors welcome £12 Addison Centre, Bedford Road, Kempston MK42 8PN www.bedfordfloralartsociety.co.uk 43RD BEDFORD BEER AND CIDER FESTIVAL Wednesday 6th October – Saturday 9th October 80 Real ales, 40 real ciders and perries will be available in the main hall. Craft and International beers available also. Mead and Wine will be making a return. Hot and cold food will be available upstairs.

Opening Times: Wed: 4pm – 11pm, Thur-Fri: 12pm – 11pm, Sat: 12pm – 10:30pm Admission Fees: Before 4pm (All days): £2 After 4pm: Wed: £3 Thur: £4 Fri: £6 Sat: £3 CAMRA members (with valid membership cards): Free!

Join CAMRA here: https://camra.org.uk/join/ membership-rates/ *We cannot accept advanced bookings* Bedford Corn Exchange, St Paul’s Square, MK401SL

MILTON KEYNES NATIONAL TRUST ASSOCIATION Thursday 7th October 2pm – 4pm The talk will be the postponed talk by David Squibb on Malta. £2 for members of the MKNTA and £4 for non-members. The venue is a well ventilated, light and airy place, hand sanitation facilities are provided and the use of face masks is a personal choice.

Oak Tree Centre, Wallinger Drive, Shenley Brook End, Milton Keynes MK5 7GZ BROMHAM VILLAGE CRAFT & GIFT FAIR Saturday 9th October 1pm-4pm Come along and find that perfect gift for your loved ones. There will be a host of traders offering all sorts of gifts from handmade

jewellery to flowers and more, get a gift for a loved one or treat yourself.

Bromham Village Hall, Village Road, Bromham MK43 8JP

WALK TO REMEMBER Sunday 10th October 9.30am Join with family and friends and walk 5k along the beautiful Bedford embankment and through Russell Park. You will have the opportunity to place a dedication on route in memory of loved ones. Your entry fee includes a Walk to Remember t-shirt, medal, hints and tips to maximise your fundraising and of course, a special day out – all in support of Sue Ryder’s local palliative and bereavement care.

Join today: sueryder.org/stjohnswalk ST PAUL’S TUESDAY LUNCHTIME CONCERTS & RECITALS Tuesday 12th October 1.00pm.

Lottie Bagnall vocal : A mixed recital by leading local soprano Tuesday 26th October 1.00pm.

Joanna Reveley flute and Justin Waters piano Entry is free with retiring collection.

St Paul’s church, St Paul’s Sq, Bedford, MK40 1SQ Further details at www.stpaulschurchbedford.org.uk/ Tel 01234 340163 BEDFORD ARCHITECTURAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL & LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY Talks on Bedford’s rich history – open to all Wednesday 13th October starting at 7.30pm ‘An illustrated history of Bedford from King Offa to Queen Victoria’ by Bob Ricketts Wednesday 10th November starting at 7.30pm ‘The Festival of Britain in Bedfordshire, 1951’ by Stephen Coleman Wednesday 8th December starting at 7.30pm Quiz – ‘Bedford since 1939’ Wednesday 12th January starting at 7.30pm ‘An illustrated history of Bedford from 1837 to 1914’ by Bob Ricketts Putnoe Heights Methodist Church, Putnoe Heights, Bedford, MK41 8EB: Due to COVID-19 event information is being updated frequently and events may be cancelled or postponed. Please ensure you check ahead before visiting any event listed.

© Caroline Greenwood

Bedford Park Concerts To Give Away 8000 Tickets to NHS workers for just £1 for Bedford Park Proms on Sunday 31st July 2022 the legacy he leaves behind along with some wise personal words from his grandson Benjie who talked about the importance of family –

Bedford Park Proms, which is sponsored by Eagle Brewery (part of Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Co), celebrated their 25th Anniversary on Sunday night with a spectacular classical picnic concert, complete with laser show and firework finale! The Proms show is a firm family favourite and on Sunday the guest vocalists of the night were opera star and TV sensation Wynne Evans and soprano Victoria Joyce.

Hannah Ingram-Moore continues to raise further funds and awareness in her Fathers honour, at The Captain Tom Foundation. Captain Tom and family remained always at the local heart of the community and so it was a delight to welcome them to Bedford Park Proms (which is well known as a firm family favourite show) to speak about Captain Tom and

© Caroline Greenwood

However it was a very special guest appearance by Hannah IngramMoore and Benjie Ingram-Moore, which became a very poignant and emotional moment of the show. The music came to a halt for Hannah and Benjie to talk about their late father / grandfather Captain Sir Tom Moore and his amazing legacy and achievement of raising £38.9m in three and a half weeks, with donations from 163 countries.

“Please treasure your parents, please treasure your grandparents, they are absolutely incredible, please don’t take them for granted. Living with my grandfather was my biggest pleasure.” Benjie IngramMoore Captain Sir Tom’s daughter Hannah went onto announce that the promoter of Bedford Park Concerts, Mark Harrison is giving 8000 tickets away to NHS workers for just a nominal charge of £1.00 for the 2022 Proms concert. This £1.00 will be donated straight back to the NHS and given to The Bedford Hospital Charity. Hannah went onto thank the audience and our amazing NHS – “Thank you for ensuring my father’s lasting legacy of hope lives on” Hannah Ingram-Moore Bedford Park Proms 25th Anniversary (Part 2) takes place on Sunday 31st July 2022. Tickets for NHS workers are on sale and can be purchased here – https://www.bedfordparkconcerts.co.uk/events/ bedford-park-proms-2022-tickets/

39

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From the acclaimed producers of Horrible Histories comes the amazing story by David Walliams, the UK’s best-selling author for children.

It’s Friday night and Ben knows that means only one thing – staying with Granny! There will be cabbage soup, cabbage pie and cabbage cake and Ben knows one thing for sure – it’s going to be sooooooooo boring! But what Ben doesn’t know is that Granny has a secret – and Friday nights are about to get more exciting than he could ever imagine, as he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime with his very own Gangsta Granny!

WIN a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) for Gangsta Granny at Milton Keynes Theatre on Wednesday 3rd November at 7pm

42

Please mention bedslife when responding to adverts

ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes To be in with a chance to win email your name and phone number to competitions@bedslifemagazine.co.uk and tell us who wrote the book Gangsta Granny by Friday 15th October.

T’s & C’s: • The tickets are valid on Wednesday 3rd November at 19:00 only • Tickets will be sent via email in advance of the performance.

• Tickets are non-transferable, non-refundable, non-exchangeable and cannot be re-sold.

• No cash alternative will be given.

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A short de-brief will conclude this very special experience. You can even share the time at the controls with a friend or family member.

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MILKYS MUSIC MATTERS FOCUS ON UPCOMING BEDFORD GIGS COACH PARTY + MUMBLE TIDE + KORTS: FRI 15th OCTOBER Vibrant, fizzing indie-popsters Coach Party will finally get to grace the Esquires stage after multiple covid related rearrangements. Hailing from the Isle of Wight, this four-piece features Jessica Eastwood (vocals/bass), Stephanie Norris (guitar), Joe Perry (guitars) and Guy Page (drums) and caught the attention of ultra-cool London label Chess Club (which released early work by Wolf Alice, Jungle and Mumford & Sons). With a clutch

of digital singles and two physical releases, they’re building up to an album release and will be touring extensively from late September. What do the critics think… “Poppy, witty and experimental” The Observer (One to watch) / “the foursome are cultivating the perfect grunge-pop sound” -The Line Of Best Fit / “wild-eyed flair … stylishly blends punk rock and new wave” – I / “Coach Party make light of the drabness of modern life with spiky songs in the vein of, say, Wolf Alice” – Music Week. Support comes from Bristolian bedroom-pop duo Mumble Tide, formed out of a mutual frustration, both Gina and Leonard had previously been involved in different projects, which left them feeling, “restricted” and tired of their ideas being rejected. Embracing a “no rules, no questions”, approach to writing and recording the pair were able to fall back in love with making music.

Local faves Korts open proceedings. Grab a ticket now, these bands are all on the rise.

DUB PISTOLS: SAT 16th OCTOBER Sometimes you must go through the mill to realise why you were put on this Earth. So, it is with the Dub Pistols, the reggae-breaks-jungle mashup, the gangster-swaggering festival stalwarts whose rollercoaster story reads like a rock’n’roll cautionary tale on a grand scale. When big beat ruled the clubs, the Pistols were snapped up for $1.5m by legendary Interscope magnate Jimmy Iovine and anointed Geffen Records’ priority act for America. But Geffen put their 44

SUPPORT THE BEDFORD LIVE SCENE – UPCOMING GIGS FOR YOUR DIARY Esquires Fri 1st Oct Sat 2nd Oct Tue 5th Oct Fri 7th Oct Sat 8th Oct Wed 13th Oct Thur 14th Oct` Fri 15th Oct Sat 16th Oct Sun 17th Oct Wed 20th Oct Fri 22 Oct

Willie J Healey Old Sea Legs Justin Sullivan (New Model Army) The Hawkmen Red Rum Club Jaya the Cat Hawklords ft Nik Turner Coach Party + Mumble Tide + Korts Dub Pistols Echobelly The Courettes Neville Staple Band (Specials)

Sat 23rd Oct Wed 27th Oct Thur 28th Oct Fri 29th Oct Sat 30th Oct Sat 6th Nov Sun 7th Nov

Hands off Gretel CUD + Bowfinger TV Priest + Genn Sea Power Ferocious Dog Baby Strange + The Dunts The Nightingales + Pete Astor

The Great Meadow concert Sun 31st Oct Halloween Town Festival–The Levellers + Peter Hook & the Light

+ many more Check listings at bedfordesquires.com for details or facebook.com/bedfordesquires Tickets available from Esquires, Slide Record Shop and online – seetickets.com

album out the week that 9/11 happened, so the Dub Pistols ended up broke and label-less instead of US superstars. This is how it happens. They get knocked down — but they get back up. Over an 18-year career the Dub Pistols have worked with heroes like The Specials, Busta Rhymes, Horace Andy, Madness and Gregory Isaacs. They’ve burned through different members and hundreds of thousands of pounds on assorted capers and hedonism and done — in the words of dapper frontman and prime mover Barry Ashworth, a ducking, diving South London graduate of the Summer of Love generation who started a band because he loved Happy Mondays and never looked back. Guaranteed PARTY.

COMING UP, COMING UP Bands who will go onto bigger things (don’t miss your chance to see them before they play much bigger venues) –Coach Party, TV Priest, Wille J Healey, Baby Strange).

Big names – Echobelly, CUD, Sea Power, The Nightingales, Justin Sullivan Party vibes – Dub Pistols, Jaya the Cat Ska – Neville Staple Band (Specials) Blues/Rock/swamp – The Courettes Keep music live, Milky.

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Music on Thursdays Bedford Music Club is a registered charity that promotes six professional classical music concerts each season under the umbrella ‘Music on Thursdays’.

We are pleased to announce our Concert Season for 2021/22.

This Season is as eclectic as ever with music spanning six centuries from three continents, exploring classical music in all its endless variety.

The internationally renowned choir Stile Antico returns for our first concert (7 October) with a contemplative programme reflecting the journey from sunset to dawn. How appropriate as we look forward with hope after a long, dark year!

On 11 November we present a recital for French horn by a sensational new talent, Ben Goldscheider and his partner on the piano, Huw Watkins. Huw is widely regarded as one of Britain’s finest composerperformers.

We strike out in a new direction on 20 January with a fascinating concert of classical Indian ragas by a true master of the sitar: Mehboob Nadeem. This really is World Music in the sense that it has profoundly influenced Western composers from Debussy to the Beatles.

On 24 February we present a recital of songs by Vaughan

Williams, Rachmaninov, Brahms and Schubert by the Russian-British baritone Theodore Platt who joins us from his day job at the Bavarian State Opera. He is accompanied by Bedford Music Club’s Artistic Director and multiple award-winner, William Vann.

One of the world’s leading ensembles, Phoenix Piano Trio, join us on 24 March for an attractive programme of trios by Haydn and Beethoven, together with a recent work they commissioned from local composer Cheryl Frances-Hoad.

The Season concludes on 28 April with a brilliant young quintet, Connaught Brass, who took first prize in the inaugural Philip Jones International Brass Competition in 2019. Their programme includes arrangements of popular operatic selections plus work specifically written for brass quintet.

We thank our Artistic Director, William Vann, for the considerable effort and vision that has gone into planning this series.

Detailed programme information about the first concert by Stile Antico is on our home page: Website www.bedfordmusicclub.co.uk Tickets www.ticketsource.co.uk/bedfordmusic Facebook www.facebook.com/bedfordmusicclub Email enquiries@bedfordmusicclub

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Learn French at home New members are welcome to join French daytime and evening classes on Zoom.

Individual lessons are also available.

Please see the website or call for details.

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FANTASTIC FUN Fungi are everywhere: on trees and plants, in the soil, in food, drink, medicine … even on our bodies! They do not contain chlorophyll, so are neither plant nor animal but are classed as a separate kingdom.

With no chlorophyll they cannot make their own food, so take their nutrition from their surroundings. This quality makes them instrumental in nature’s decomposition and recycling processes, and has resulted in the evolution of a remarkable and mutually beneficial relationship with trees and other plants.

Fungi exist as thread-like structures called ‘hyphae’ which are too small to be 50

seen. These hyphae grow and mesh together, forming a thread or mat called ‘mycelium’ that is visible to the naked eye. Mycelia often grow underground but can also thrive in other places such as rotting tree trunks. Mycelia are generally white and look like the soft strands of a cotton wall ball. You can sometimes see mycelia if you look closely at healthy soil or well-rotted compost.

Mycelia are of vital importance to soil. As they spread, enzymes are released from the hyphae which break down adjacent organic material and enable the fungus to absorb the resulting nutrients. This is

a major contribution to the recycling process. By breaking down organic matter, mycelium helps create new and fertile soil. Mycelia in the soil also help to remove toxins, help plants to absorb nutrients and provide food for insects and invertebrates.

Research has shown that without fungi, plants grow far less well – its presence is really crucial to sustaining life!

Some fungi can be harmful to people through poisoning or infections and some can damage plants, but overall they have a crucial and beneficial effect on the environment.

– they are the fruiting bodies – a bit like an apple being a small part of a tree. There are many different shapes and sizes of fruiting bodies as well as the traditional mushroom, and while some are edible, many are poisonous, so you need to be confident about your ID skills before you get the cooking pot out!

UNGI Many trees will not grow well, if at all, without their partner fungus. Certain trees have a symbiotic relationship with particular fungi species which is mutually beneficial for both.

Hyphae from mycorrhizal fungi grow around, and in some cases, penetrate the fine roots of trees and are able to transfer nutrients and water to and from them. In return, the fungi can take about 20 per cent of the sugars produced by the tree. This relationship between fungi and trees can help with identification.

Fungi grow all year round but are most plentiful from September to November.

If you’re heading out on an autumn or winter walk in the Forest of Marston Vale or anywhere in Bedfordshire, keep your eyes open for wild fungi growing in fields, on the forest floor and on tree bark. Here are a few species you might encounter while exploring: Common puffball: Widespread in woodlands and on pastures, this creamy white, pear-shaped fungus is covered in tiny spines which fall off as it matures. As it ages, the fungus turns brown and a

small opening is revealed on the top, from which the spores are released when the fungus is touched.

Fly agaric: The quintessential mushroom with a red cap speckled with white scales.

Usually found under birch in late summer or early autumn, but occasionally with pine or spruce. Despite its attractive appearance, it is a dangerously poisonous mushroom.

Beefsteak fungus: This aptlynamed fungus resembles a hunk of raw meat and can be found growing on the bark of oak trees. Although edible, it is reportedly rather bitter in flavour. Moist and sticky to the touch, this fungus can cause rot in oak so is not always a welcome guest!

Shaggy Inkcap: Found in late summer and autumn in lawns, pastures and grassy roadside verges. The cap is elongated and covered in white shaggy scales. As it matures, the edge of the cap curls up, dripping a black inky liquid.

The mushrooms that we associate with the word ‘fungus’ are actually just a small part of the whole fungus 51

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Reducing stress when your cat visits the vet

Veterinary surgeries can be offputting places for cats to visit.

The journey in the car, waiting in proximity to other cats and dogs, and the unfamiliar “medical” smells in the consulting room can all create stress for cats and their owners.

What can you do to make sure your cat can receive proper veterinary care without becoming distressed?

The cat carrier

Choose a cat-friendly practice

Help your cat to hide

Veterinary practices can provide cat-only waiting areas and hospital wards, use cat-soothing pheromone diffusers in cat areas, and provide catfriendly accommodation such as “feline forts” which allow cats to choose whether to hide away inside or climb on top. Staff should receive regular training in treating cats with gentleness and respect. Acorn House Veterinary Hospital has been accredited as a Gold Standard Cat Friendly Clinic by the International Society of Feline Medicine, confirming that the top level of cat friendly practice is being adhered to.

Choose a carrier that your cat can enter end-on, but that has an easily removable top section. The end-on opening means that you can keep the carrier out at home at all times, sometimes leaving tasty treats inside, so that your cat learns that this is a safe and welcoming place to spend time in. A top section that lifts off easily means that cat-friendly vets can remove this and allow the cat to sit safely in the bottom half of the carrier whilst examination is carried out – this makes cats feel much more secure than being pulled out of the carrier and deposited onto the exam table!

Consider waiting for your appointment in the car or car park until the vet is ready to call you in. If it is necessary to wait in the waiting room, covering the cat carrier with a large blanket or towel will provide some security.

Consider medication Cats that are very nervous travellers or patients may benefit from anti-anxiety medication given an hour or so before the vet visit. Your vet will be able to advise further.

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12:08

The Ospreys of Rothiemurchus WILDLIFE IN THE BRITISH ISLES – GREG COYNE, WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER

Every summer there is one wildlife subject that I just have to go and see.

I pack my gear and head up the M6 into Scotland and keep heading north until I reach Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands. Most people who have heard of Aviemore know it as a skiing area but each spring the stunning osprey flies back from Africa to their breeding grounds in the UK. Some head to Wales, some stay over at Rutland, and some head much further north into Scotland; the same birds return to their same nesting sites year after year, often with the same partner. They usually arrive in the UK in early April and stay for around five months before departing our shores again to fly back to Africa.

Once they are in the UK they need to fish and are very partial to estuary fish in Wales, the trout at Rutland Water (but won’t turn their nose up at pike, roach and perch) and, in Scotland at Aviemore, they like to dive into the lochs and rivers for trout and salmon.

Eventually the fishery owners, who were regularly losing fish to the ospreys, caught on and realised that they could cover the cost of the fish losses by building and renting out photography hides for morning and evening diving osprey sessions. It’s now big business for the operators with the hides fully booked to eager photographers between April and August, who want to experience the adrenaline rush of an osprey diving for fish – either to feed itself, a female on the nest, or two or three youngsters at the nest.

To photograph these birds from the hides at Rothiemurchus in Aviemore (they have five hides around the small lochan) you need to be in the hide before light, so the birds don’t see you going in and out. This year, that meant getting into the hide by 3.45am – definitely silly o’clock. You are then in the hide until around 9am when you depart for breakfast. This really is a waiting game and takes a lot of patience, but you must be ready to photograph any second.

Having a camera that can operate in low light is a necessity and your camera and lens will be tested to the maximum. These are large birds, having an incredibly big wingspan, but don’t for a second think they are slow. The real challenge is being able to achieve fast speeds on your camera in very low light.

The fishery usually provides a spotter – this is someone who sits a short way from the hides

with a good vantage point over to the lochan.

It’s his job to alert you when there is an osprey in the air and whether it looks like it will fish. An osprey usually circles the lochan or pond until it sees and fixes its gaze on a fish. It will then circle lower and lower and, if you are lucky, you will eventually get a call over the walkie-talkies from the spotter saying, “diving, diving, diving”.

Often the bird will abort the dive as something, anything, may just put it off and the process starts again.

On a successful dive the osprey crashes into the water, talons outstretched to catch and hang on to its fish. Once in the water, and holding the fish, it needs to turn the fish around so that the head of the fish is facing forwards, and then manoeuvre itself to face into any wind or breeze, before it starts to flap those huge wings to gain lift to exit the lochan and head back to the nest.

As a photographer, you don’t focus on the fish diving down as any movement or glint of a lens can put the bird off diving. Once it crashes into the water, you lock focus on to the bird, taking some shots and then follow the bird out of the water as it flies off – still taking camera shots all the time. If you are lucky, and have chosen your hide well, the bird will fly towards you. But so many times you can end up with “bum shots” where you just see the tail end of the bird as it flies away from rather than towards you. The excitement of photographing and seeing an osprey dive is immense and if you ever have the chance to see the experience please take it – like me, you will be hooked for life.

If you would like to see more of my osprey images, please visit my website galleria at gregcoynephotography.co.uk or my Facebook Page: Greg Coyne Photography.

Tidy up Time

By October the garden can look a little tired: perennials collapse, leaves die back, and there’s debris everywhere. It can only mean one thing, clean up time.

Cut Peonies, Leucanthemum, Nepeta, Delphiniums, Hardy Geraniums, and Phlox back to ground level, but leave anything with ornamental seed heads such as poppies, Alliums, and grasses. When the first frosts hit these plants will gain a new lease of life and add some sparkly architectural beauty to the garden.

Leave more delicate perennials such as Penstemons with the top growth in place to provide some winter protection. You can cut them back in the spring just before new growth occurs.

Herbaceous perennials can be divided now and moved around to fill gaps in the border. Perennials can become congested and tired, and flower less as they age. Dig up the clump and break it up with a sharp spade, selecting the best, newer chunks from the outside to replant. The dying centre of the plant

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can be composted. Most plants need to be divided every three to five years but some more vigorous varieties like Achillea require it more often and others.

The exception is Peonies, which hate any kind of disturbance. Leave them alone.

Once the borders are cleared and plants have been relocated, it’s time to get rid of any weeds, which have flourished in the autumn sunshine. Then you can mulch using compost or leaf mould. Mulching helps to protect the more tender plants while improving the structure of the soil and generally making things look neater. Make a layer around 3-4cms deep but don’t cover the centre crown of any plants.

TYPES OF ORGANIC MULCH Compost Bark Grass cuttings Composted manure Newspaper Shredded Leaves Straw

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Guttering Problems?

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Bedford Town Football FThe Eagles Emirates FA Cup run in recent years has not been as successful as the club and fans would have liked, but so far this season they are enjoying a promising run and will have hoped to overcome fellow PitchingIn Southern League Division One Central side Welling Garden City to progress to Third Qualifying Round on Saturday 2 October.

Bedford have been fortunate this season with home draws in the competition so far, and have seen wins against St Neots Town, and Bedford’s old rivals Canvey Island although that victory took two attempts after a goalless draw at the Eyrie. The Tuesday night trip into Essex produced a very pleasing result for seasoned followers of the Eagles, who had never seen them win at Canvey Islands, Park Lane ground. Rene Howe sealed the 2-3 win with a 91st minute unstoppable effort.

October will see trips to league new boys FC Romania and Colney Heath, as well as home ties against Thame United, Barton Rovers and current bottom side Kidlington.

Club

Success on the pitch has seen crown numbers steadily increasing this season, and the new online ticketing system is the best way to ensure your entry to home matches, particularly if success in the cup competitions continues. Whilst you can once again pay cash on the turnstyle, there is an increased admission charge for cash payments. Tickets can however be brought online right up to kick-off at https://bedfordtownfc.ktckts.com/ October Fixtures Saturday 2 – FC Romania (Away) or FA Cup Third

Qualifying Round Saturday 9 – Buildbase FA Trophy Second Qualifying

Round (TBC) Tuesday 12 - Thame United (Home) Saturday 16 – Kidlington (Home) or FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round

Saturday 23 – Colney Heath (Away) Saturday 30 – Barton Rovers (Home) or FA Trophy Third

Qualifying Round See www.bedfordeagles.net for the latest fixture updates.

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To advertise with us, please contact christa@bedslifemagazine.co.uk

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Blues Community October Provision

Following a fantastic Summer provision throughout August, Bedford Blues Community are delighted to announce details for the next rugby camp to be held across October Half-Term.

Hosted once again at Goldington Road, the threeday camp will run between Tuesday 26th October – Thursday 28th October as Blues Community continue to showcase and deliver rugby coaching under ‘Play the Blues way’ principles.

For ages between 6-12 years old, with all ability levels welcomed, the price of the full three-day camps, from 10am – 3pm each day, remains £70 per person. Head to www.bedfordrugby.co.uk/tickets to purchase!

Blues Community continue to monitor the latest guidelines from the Government and the RFU

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in accordance with Bedford Blues’ COVID risk management plan. For the safety of all participants, certain preventative COVID measures will remain in place including readily available hand sanitising stations and staggered toilet breaks.

These camps will work with the RFU regulations to support player development and re-introduce key elements of rugby which were missing throughout the pandemic and first re-introduced throughout the Summer.

There is a £10 discount available to any Bedford Junior Blues members on the three-day camp only, therefore costing just £60, which can be redeemed once using the unique code from the appropriate BJB age group coach.

For any further information, or to hear about the latest offering from Blues Community, please contact Head of Community, Adam King on community@bedfordrugby.co.uk.

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57

Soft Furnishings Cool & Classic

Laundry & Ironing Services

67 57

54

Will Writing The Will Writing Company

75

Windows, Doors & Conservatories 65 16

Plumbing & Heating BHC Heating & Plumbing 9 CM Plumbing 63 The Bedford Plumbers 57 TR Donnelly 71

Bromham Windows Cloudy 2 Clear Kempston Windows

16 76 56

Window Cleaning Jason Beeby

13

Property Agents Artistry Property

2

A DV E RT I S E R I N D E X

CLOCK SALES & REPAIRS

CLASSIFIEDS

Clock Repairs • Clock Sales Call Michael:

01234 217104 Associate member of the British Horological institute for 25 years

www.bedfordclocks.co.uk OLD CLOCKS WANTED FOR PARTS DANCE LESSONS

GARAGE DOORS

ALMOND GARAGE DOORS LTD

Ballroom, Latin, Sequence, Freestyle, Fitsteps Classes for adults & children in Bedford www.countydance.webs.com 01767222038 or 07908819244

FURNISHINGS

M&S

Upholstery

01234 828953

info@almondgd.co.uk

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

GARDENING SERVICES Complete Re-upholstery Service

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

ANTIQUE & MODERN FURNITURE REPAIR AND RESTORATION IN BEDFORDSHIRE

RESTORERS OF ANTIQUE & MODERN FURNITURE. FRENCH POLISHING. French Polishing&•MODERN Kitchen FURNITURE. Worktop Sand & Re-oil RESTORERS OF ANTIQUE FRENCH POLISHING. HAYDN CLARKE Desk Leathers Supplied & Fitted • On-Site French Polishing HAYDN CLARKE Work Insurance, Fire & Flood work TEL:Undertaken 01923 252738 MOBILE: 07958 710979 59 TEL: ELSTOW ROAD, KEMPSTON, BEDS. MK428HH Collection & Delivery 01923 252738 MOBILE: 07958 710979

E-MAIL: HCRESTORATIONS@SKY.COM WWW.HCRESTORATIONS.CO.UK 59Haydn ELSTOW ROAD, KEMPSTON, BEDS. MK428HH Call on 01234 851 624 or 07958 710 979 E-MAIL: HCRESTORATIONS@SKY.COM WWW.HCRESTORATIONS.CO.UK hcrestorations@sky.com • www.hcrestorations.co.uk

70

 Bedford & Milton Keynes  New Sales & Installations  Existing Doors Automated  Spare Parts

MOBILE HAIRDRESSER

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

DEBORAH

MOBILE HAIRDRESSER BEDFORD Perms, Cuts, Colours - highlights etc Special Occasions and Wedding Hair

01234 210337 07976 394798

Also Available Indespenison & Brian James Trailers

Deborah mobile hairdresser yell (Bedford) and more.

TUITION

K H Garden Services

• All garden maintenance undertaken • Grass cutting, hedge cutting etc • Regular maintenance and contract work • Reliable, professional, friendly service • Locally based company - Fully insured

Anna Humphreys Worried about lockdown gaps in your child’s Maths and English?

Calm, friendly tuition with an experienced teacher for Primary age children.

Email: annahtutoring@gmail.com Instagram: annahtutoring

Contact: 07708 594746 HEATING ENGINEER

USED CAR DISPOSAL

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

01234 307 667 | 07967 643 405 MEDALS

VEHICLE HIRE

R&M DUCHEMINS

• Medal framing and medal mounting.

• Full size and miniature • Regimental gifts, British replica replacement Army, RAF, medals.

Royal Navy & Merchant.

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

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

rentxpressltd.co.uk 01234 339008 71

Useful

Resources ACCESS BEDFORD 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 Tel 07376 262 873 www.accessbedford.org.uk

BEDFORDSHIRE RURAL COMMUNITIES CHARITY Delivering a wide range of rural development and community projects.

Tel 01234 838771 www.bedsrcc.org.uk

BEDFORDSHIRE WELLBEING SERVICE Offers a range of free and confidential talking therapies and specialist support to help you feel better.

Tel 01234 880400 www.bedfordshirewellbeingservice.nhs.uk

BEDFORD WOMEN’S CENTRE

Local organisation solely devoted to the welfare of the over 50’s in Bedfordshire.

Supporting women in the community who may have experienced Domestic Abuse or want more information about healthy relationships.

Tel 01234 360510 www.ageuk.org.uk/bedfordshire

Tel 01234 316801 www.bedfordwomenscentre.org.uk

AGE UK BEDFORDSHIRE

AUTISM BEDFORDSHIRE Independent charity dedicated to improving the lives of autistic people and their families across Bedfordshire..

Tel 01234 350704 www.autismbedfordshire.net 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

BOLD Supporting and advocating for people with a learning disability and challenging behaviours.

Tel 01234 352899 www.bo4ld.org.uk

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

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

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

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

CITIZENS ADVICE

MINDBLMK

An independent charitable organisation that helps people resolve their problems by providing information and advice.

Supporting positive mental health and wellbeing.

Tel 01234 867944 www.bedfordcab.org.uk COMMUNITY VOLUNTARY SERVICE BEDFORDSHIRE (CVS ) Support for voluntary and community sector organisations in Bedfordshire.

Tel 01234 354366 www.cvsbeds.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

FACES (FAMILY AND CHILDREN’S EARLYHELP 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 FRIENDS FOR LIFE A local charity working to address the social isolation of residents in Bedford’s care homes Tel 07460 575410 www.friendsforlifebedford.org.uk

OPEN DOOR Charity providing FREE and confidential counselling to young people aged 13 – 25.

Tel 01234 360388 www.bedfordopendoor.org.uk

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.

Tel 01234 843345 www.rvtrust.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

MEN AS VICTIMS Group support is provided for men who have experienced domestic abuse in a safe, therapeutic environment.

This service is for male victims living in Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire or Luton.

Tel 01234 341977 www.bedsdv.org.uk/get-help/men-as-victims/

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

SUE RYDER ST JOHN’S HOSPICE A specialist palliative care and treatment centre providing hospice care for people facing a frightening, lifechanging diagnosis.

Tel 01767 642412 | www.sueryder.org

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

SEPTEMBER PRIZE CROSSWORD

Answers

SEPTEMBER PRIZE CROSSWORD

Answers

James Mellor Creative

Bespoke Cartoons & Corporate Copywriting for publications, websites, social media, presentations and conferences www.jamesmellorcreative.com @jamesdfmellor 74

Please mention bedslife when responding to adverts

The Will Writing Company Mayfair House 11 Lurke Street Bedford MK40 3HZ Tel: 01234 964911

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.

OFFER ENDS 31st October 2021

FREE WILL VOUCHER

This voucher entitles you to a FREE Mirror Will (normal cost £125) or a FREE Single Will (normal cost £85)

Valid until 31st October 2021 The Will Writing Company

Mayfair House, 11 Lurke Street, Bedford, Beds, MK40 3HZ

Tel 01234 964911

Email:enquiries@thewillwritingco.co.uk

Terms and Conditions. Office and telephone appointments available. This voucher can not be exchanged for cash – The voucher must be produced at your appointment.

Have Your Windows Steamed Up? Replace the pane, not the frame!

“I really liked the fact that they were a local community run business” Janet Beard All glazing backed by our

We are a Which?

Trusted Trader Social distancing in operation

Faulty locks, handles or hinges?

Priority freephone www.cloudy2clear.co.uk

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