CONNECT Staff Magazine January 2024

The Group host LSRN Event

Update from Wellbeing Group

Official openings across the Group

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Connect Valuing Teamwork | Inclusive | Student Centred | Improving Continuously | Open and Caring | Nurturing Educational Excellence

Highlights of the 2023 Autumn Term: Unveiling the revamped Bedford College Tower Block, and exciting updates from The Corby Sixth Form and Leighton Buzzard!

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Mohammed Jaman Communications Assistant mjaman@bedford.ac.uk

Editor’s Note In the latest CONNECT issue, we share some of the exciting developments across our campuses to meet the skills needs of our local communities. We also share how Ian Pryce celebrated his last two weeks at the Group as we welcomed Yiannis Koursis OBE as our new CEO. If you would like to add your staff news to the next issue of CONNECT, which will be circulated at the end of March, please send your articles and photos to communications@bedford.ac.uk no later than Friday 16 February 2024.

Dates For Your Diary

Contents 04

Yiannis Koursis OBE First CEO Update

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Corporation News

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Ian Pryce CBE’s Final Round Up

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Research News

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Wellbeing

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Group News

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People News

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Religious Festivals and Awareness Days January to March

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Perks

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January Wednesday 17 Bedford College Open Day, 5.00pm 8.00pm Thursday 18 Central Bedfordshire College Open Day, 4.00pm - 7.00pm The Corby Sixth Form Open Day, 5.00pm 8.00pm Saturday 20 Shuttleworth College Open Day, 9.30am 12.30pm Tuesday 23 Tresham College, Kettering Open Day, 5.00pm - 8.00pm Thursday 25 Tresham College, Wellingborough Open Day, 5.00pm - 8.00pm Wednesday 31 Tresham College, Corby Open Day, 5.00pm - 8.00pm

Alex Mortby Memorial Event The Group will be hosting a memorial event on Friday 19 January at 2.00pm in the Performance Theatre at Bedford College to honour our friend and colleague, Alex Mortby, who sadly passed away last month.

The service, led by Father Kevin from St Paul’s Church, will be non-religious and will feature readings. It is a chance for us to remember and celebrate Alex’s life and bid a final farewell.

Before the event, you can share your memories and messages on a card (available at your campus reception) to be placed on a memory board. During the event, there will be an opportunity to read all the messages.

Additionally, there is an online memorial board accessible here.

February

Alex’s family welcomes donations to MIND in his memory. For more details, visit ALEX Wednesday 7 Northants Business Expo DAVID MORTBY | memorygiving.com.

Monday 19 National College for Motorsport Open Day, Refreshments will be served after the event.

2.30pm - 4.30pm To help us plan accordingly, please let us Spring Half Term Begins know if you plan to attend by clicking here.

March Friday 29 Bank Holiday For more diary dates, please click the link here.

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Yiannis Koursis OBE

CEO, The Bedford College Group

Yiannis Koursis OBE First CEO Update Hello and welcome to my first column for CONNECT. I’m delighted and honoured to have joined you all and I’m looking forward to a great future working together.

commitment to excellence and innovation. Despite the difficulties and uncertainties caused by the pandemic, we have managed to maintain and improve our standards and outcomes.

I’d like to share some first impressions, experiences, and reflections from my first two months in this role, as well as some thoughts and aspirations for the future of our Group.

Looking ahead, I’m excited and optimistic about the future, which I believe has enormous potential and opportunities. As the Group CEO, my vision is to make our Group the leading provider of skills and education in our region and beyond, and to create a positive and lasting difference for our students, staff, employers and all of our communities.

One of the first things that struck me when I joined was the warm and friendly welcome I received from everyone. I felt a genuine sense of enthusiasm, passion and pride for what we do and who we are. I’ve been impressed by the diversity and flexibility of our Group. We offer a variety of programmes to meet the needs and aspirations of different students and employers in our region.

During my visits, I have been amazed by the quality and variety of our learning environments, which provide our students with the best possible experience and outcomes. I’ll make sure I visit the remainder of campuses now we have all returned.

I’ve also had the chance to meet and talk with many of you and our students and staff, who shared their stories, achievements and challenges.

I was inspired by their dedication, resilience and creativity, as well as the determination and passion for our transformational purpose.

I’ve already had the pleasure of attending the opening of three of our new facilities; the Leighton Buzzard Centre now delivering well needed apprenticeship provision, The Corby Sixth Form, and the refurbished Bedford Tower Block with new specialist Health Sciences and Digital facilities.

I’ve also been impressed the strong performance and reputation of our Group, which reflects our 04

To achieve this vision, I have identified four key immediate priorities for our Group, which are: • To continue to improve our quality of education by improving our outcomes, standards, and attendance and showcasing our achievements and successes.

• To maintain our response to the changing needs and demands of students and employers, by offering more technical, skills-based and vocational qualifications, more apprenticeships, and more support for English, mathematics, digital literacy and employability skills to more students.

• To further collaborate with our stakeholders, including local authorities, employers and universities, to create more integrated and coherent education and skills systems, and to access new markets, partnerships, and funding sources.

• To promote and embed our values and culture of excellence, consistency, and relentless drive for improvement, which are based on inclusion, diversity and respect, and to foster a positive and supportive working and learning environment for our students and staff.

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Of course, I cannot achieve this vision alone. I need the help and support of everyone in our Group, as well as our external partners and stakeholders.

I believe that together, we can make our Group stronger, better, and more successful than ever before.

I look forward to sharing more updates and insights with you in the future, and to working with you to make our Group the best it can be.

Rachel Nicol

Group Director of Governance rnicol@bedford.ac.uk

Corporation News The Corporation had an extremely busy and productive autumn term with the official opening of The Corby Sixth Form and the launch of the newly refurbished Tower Block building, along with welcoming new members to the board.

Noor Nazir, the most recently elected staff governor, joined Joe Gallacher this term in ensuring the staff perspective is at the forefront of meetings. Two student governors, Yasmin Jones and Scarlett Ennis, were elected and provide a critical link for student voice at corporation level.

We are also delighted to welcome John Butcher to the Audit Committee and Tom Dove-Wallington to the Resource Committee.

John brings with him a wealth of experience in the HE sector and adult learning. Tom has specialist knowledge in Human Resources and digital learning. The Corporation welcomes the added strength both bring in terms of local knowledge, strategic vision and educational expertise.

On behalf of the Corporation, we wish you a happy and healthy 2024.

For more information on Corporation matters please contact the Group Director of Governance, Rachel Nicol on rnicol@bedford.ac.uk

John Butcher

January 2024

Tom Dove-Wallington

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Ian Pryce CBE

Retired CEO, The Bedford College Group

Ian’s Final Round Up It would be wrong for me to depart without a final thank you for everyone’s support, advice, loyalty and hard work over the last 26 years. A college might exist within buildings but it only exists because of its people, staff and students. During my time at the Group it’s estimated we have served over 250,000 students and employed over 5,000 staff. Together we have built the largest and most important college in the region, with the most diverse and comprehensive curriculum.

Our commitment to careful research before big decisions, and maintaining strong finances to see us through difficult times, has given us far more stability than most colleges in our sector.

I have been lucky to work alongside you. I know you will continue the successful history of our colleges. They have survived two world wars and the Great Depression. We survived the financial crash, austerity and Covid. I wish you all the best for the future, and thank you for letting “luck find its man”.

A summary of my 28 years at college, with thanks is also here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=0ycpTNSxVMk.

I know that the last year has been particularly exhausting, but it has been very pleasing that 2023 was also a year when we completed three major projects in three of our local authority areas: Leighton Buzzard Centre; The Corby Sixth Form, and the remodelled Bedford Tower Block. A year when we merged to bring together the two colleges in the Central Bedfordshire area. A year when our commitment to inclusion and diversity was recognised locally and nationally, with the national Beacon award.

Being CEO of the Group is the best in the region.

I have met royals, Prime Ministers, Secretaries of State, celebrities, supermodels, and been to lectures from the world’s brightest. I have been inside No. 10, Buckingham Palace, Parliament and Pop World! There are few jobs like that. But when I reflect at the end of each year, it is always the time spent with you, and our students and people in our community, that is the most valuable and most enjoyable.

We know the next few years will be very hard for all public services because of the state of our public finances. But we are well placed to continue to thrive and help our communities thrive too. Our communities are lucky to be served by you.

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Mahruf Shohel

Research and Development Manager mshohel@bedford.ac.uk

Research News Last November we hosted the Learning and Skills Research Network (LSRN) Regional Event 2023 for Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Hertfordshire. The day was filled with impactful presentations, insightful discussions and a shared commitment to advancing education through research.

This regional event brought educators, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders together from the region to share their latest research and scholarship works. By bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise, it fosters a dynamic exchange of knowledge and ideas that will contribute to the enhancement of educational practices and policies.

Speakers from the Group included Nina Sharp, Group Vice Principal (Maths and English), who set the tone for the event with an engaging opening speech on “Leading with Insight: Unveiling the Impact of Research on Policy and Leadership in Colleges.”

In a keynote address titled “Shouldn’t we be doing more desk-based inquiry?”, Emeritus Professor Gareth Parry from the University of Sheffield challenged the audience to reconsider the role of desk-based inquiry on research into learning and skills.

“Born too late?: Why when you are born really matters” was presented by Dr Anne Haig Smith, Director of Training and Apprenticeships at Active Apprenticeships. Anne delved into the intriguing topic of how the month in which we are born, relative to the academic year, can impact on our experience of education.

“We Need to Talk: An investigation of participant perspectives on features of effective dialogue in an FE-based initial teacher education programme”

by Wendy Horrex, Trainer in Professional Development at West Suffolk College. In this presentation, she shared her doctoral research on effective dialogue within teacher education programmes. Her findings shed light on the importance of communication in shaping successful teaching practices.

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“Flipped Learning Model: An Innovative Model to Enhance Students Engagement” by Farzana Khan, Higher Education Manager at The Bedford College Group. She introduced flipped learning as an innovative teaching strategy. Attendees gained valuable insights into motivating learners through this forward-thinking approach. The presentation concluded by underlining the broader positive influence of flipped learning on student motivation, achievement and retention.

“Student Engagement and Satisfaction with Poll Everywhere” by Vera Duarte, Lecturer in Early Years at the Group was a showcase of the power of technology in education and explained how to use Poll Everywhere.

Keynote speaker for this event was Ian Pryce CBE who challenged colleagues to ask questions about how FE could help the ‘whole person flourish’ – not just meet the immediate demands of employers for a particular skill set.

“What’s it all about? FE” – is a musical reference by the guitar-playing management accountant who said: “I’m not a researcher but I am in awe of research and appreciate what it can teach us all.”

The LSRN Regional Event 2023 was a resounding success, bringing together passionate educators and researchers dedicated to advancing learning and skills.

Vera Duarte, one of the attendees said, ‘‘I really enjoyed the event, it was great to meet other people and listen to everyone’s presentations. This being my first time attending this type of event, it has been very enriching to learn about other research methods /topics and to be exposed to other literature such as other researchers, articles and books”.

Wendy Horrex said, ‘‘I enjoyed the event very much, especially the opportunity to network with other practitioner researchers in FE settings and to hear about the research that is being undertaken.”

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Robin Webber-Jones Principal of Tresham College and Sixth Forms rwebber-jones@bedford.ac.uk

Wellbeing Compassion and Care - An update from the Wellbeing Working Group I recently got the opportunity to attend the celebration of the Group’s Prince’s Trust 75th Team programme. This was a significant milestone for the Group – for 25 years there have been Prince’s Trust teams taking place with us. All students that took part were able to authentically and humbly share their stories, often describing enduring a hardship that hopefully most of us will never know. All the participants agreed that engagement in the scheme has been transformative; it developed important skills like team work, communication, tolerance, and helping others. These are human skills. Skills that are developed day in, day out in our colleges – not just in the brilliant Prince’s Trust programme but in everything that we do.

Skills that are so important, the new Local Skills Improvement Plan for the region places them as a priority.

To help the thousands of students we engage with each year, and to support people to contribute to their communities, we have to exercise both compassion and care. These two things have been fundamental in shaping the recent work of the Wellbeing Working Group and can be seen in the activities that took place at the end of last term.

As part of the Group’s commitment to the AOC Mental Health Charter, discussion has focussed on where we can get resources to help students with their mental health. For anybody interested the following organisations are highly recommended: • Charlie Waller Trust • Education Support (for staff and leaders) • Anna Freud • R;pple • Togetherall • Kooth / Qwell

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The Charter is being relaunched nationally this month and we will be following up with further information.

This important work for students, however, will only go so far unless the care and compassion for all our staff is in place to support wellbeing.

Therefore, the Wellbeing Working Group has developed a series of wellbeing calendars with a wide range of activities for all of our staff community to engage in. The calendars are on CONNECT and are regularly updated with new events that are taking place. There is a spread of activity across all regions. This has included everything from yoga sessions, swimming, spa treatments and more. If there are activities that individuals would like to see then please let us know and we will add it to the calendar.

While a compassionate college will help everyone in our community, and the wider communities we serve, we work in a sector focused on learning and discovery and members of the committee have been keen to understand how we can learn more about our culture of wellbeing. Therefore, members of the Group are working towards a number of kitemarks including North Northants Healthy College kitemark, and the Milton Keynes Council Health and Wellbeing Awards.

Additionally, in the new calendar year, a number of workshops and activities are being planned with staff and students to explore how we can continue to take the wellbeing work forwards.

The working group will continue to promote compassion and care through our culture and we are keen to hear from anyone who would like to be part of planning and taking part in our activities.

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Group News Ian’s Retirement Celebrations

Ian was also presented with a student ambassador top before he then concluded his visit by a solo performance wearing his new top!

As part of Ian Pryce CBE’s retirement celebrations, staff, students, former colleagues, business partners, MPs and contemporaries from the education sector all had the opportunity to say a thank you and good luck over the course of a number of official events hosted in his honour.

On the second day of his tour around campuses, Ian visited Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough campuses where he enjoyed a fantastic performance by Performing Arts Students, visited Health and Social Care, enjoyed a two-course lunch with 40 colleagues and student representatives and had a chance to meet with students from the Students Union.

On Thursday 7 December, more than 100 guests, including members of the Board who originally employed Ian 28 years ago in his first post with the College as Finance Director, joined for a formal dinner hosted in The Bedford Sixth Form’s Grand Hall.

After 26 years in premier position, Ian was then surprised with a ‘This is Your Life’ Ian Pryce CBE Special with eight guests stepping up to speak and share stories of the highlights of his history. A ninth was zoomed in from overseas who talked about Ian’s support for, what was 25 years ago, a pioneering football academy project – used as a model in colleges throughout the UK.

On the final day of his tour, Ian visited Shuttleworth for one last time where he got to visit some of the animals, drive a tractor and meet with staff.

He ended his tour at Bedford College with a surprise party hosted in the Performance Theatre attended by approximately 120 staff.

At every campus he visited, Ian planted a tree or rose. All have a plaque saying “Planted by Ian Pryce CBE, CEO of The Bedford College Group, on his retirement after 28 years of service in December 2023.”

Football has always been an abiding passion of Ian’s who managed to bring Chelsea FC into any of his speeches together with the phrase: “I have the best job in Bedford”. The club has sent him a letter of congratulations.

Following the more formal celebrations, Ian then continued, in the last week of term for many, to visit all of the different colleges that make up what has become The Bedford College Group under his leadership.

First off, was a visit to everyone at Central Bedfordshire College (CBC) where he met with Pathway students before planting a rose, watched a short film made by students and enjoyed a buffet lunch with a great cake all prepared by the Catering team at CBC.

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Tower Block Opening

Royal Visit For Corby

On 30 November, the new-look Tower Block at Bedford College Cauldwell Street Campus was officially reopened, illuminating the town skyline. The £12.6 million project involved transforming a 1959 building into a modern hub for Health Sciences and Digital Skills. This renovation allows an additional 250 students to join the existing 4,000 connected to the campus, generating essential foot traffic for the town centre. Notably, £3 million of the funding stemmed from the Bedford Town Deal, which secured £22.6 million from the Government to revitalise the town centre.

The new Corby Sixth Form received a royal visit from HRH The Duke of Gloucester, alongside local leaders like Cllr Jason Smithers and Tom Pursglove MP, who officially opened the institution on Tuesday 9 November.

During the visit, they toured the facilities, met students and engaged with stakeholders to learn more about the project. The ceremony also introduced Yiannis Koursis OBE, the new Chief Executive Officer of The Bedford College Group, who expressed enthusiasm for the future of The Corby Sixth Form and thanked everyone involved in making it a reality.

The renovation of the 5,000 square meter tower by The Bedford College Group demonstrates its dedication to achieving a net-zero status through retro-fitting and innovative technologies to cut carbon emissions. The Group has successfully reduced carbon emissions by 633 tonnes since 2018-19, an achievement equivalent to saving emissions from over 2,500 buses.

The state-of-the-art campus in Corby is ecofriendly and has its first group of students studying various A Level subjects and some Diplomas. It will expand to welcome up to 660 students yearly, offering subjects like maths, English, sciences, humanities, languages, as well as Diplomas in fields like business, health, and social care.

The new campus has been delivered in partnership between The Bedford College Group and North Northamptonshire Council.

The campus was made possible due to funding from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities received by NNC. The project has been facilitated through the Corby Towns Fund, which sees the Corby area receiving £19.9m from Central Government for four projects, including the new Sixth Form.

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Opening of Redeveloped Leighton Buzzard Campus Following the merger between Central Bedfordshire College and the Group in March, we welcomed £90,000 from long standing supporters of ours, The Connolly Foundation, to put towards improving equipment and facilities available for engineering skills training at the dedicated campus in Leighton Buzzard.

The Leighton Buzzard campus is now dedicated to delivering engineering Apprenticeship Standards from January 2024.

Ideally situated for employers and apprentices to access, the campus is located within close proximity to a number of businesses within the engineering and logistics sectors.

Connolly Foundation Chief Operating Officer David Oldham said: “The Leighton Buzzard campus meets the Foundation’s objective of giving young people the opportunity to build careers. The equipment that we are funding will provide skills that are needed in the county. We are delighted to be part of this facility.”

The campus has been supported by the local MP Andrew Selous who also recognised the need to develop a high-class provision such as the Leighton Buzzard campus within the area.

He commented: “The Central Bedfordshire College campus on Chartmoor Road in Leighton Buzzard is a really important facility ... I warmly welcome the new apprenticeships and training opportunities and new engineering equipment we now have.”

of Apprenticeships, Central Bedfordshire College’s Principal, Sarah Mortimer, and employers.

Looking forward, Yiannis said: “This is a fast growing area and we look forward to forging more partnerships with employers and other organisations. We thank the Connolly Foundation for their generous support to the Group.”

Ian said: “The Group is grateful to MP Andrew Selous for challenging us to ensure that Leighton Buzzard has a training centre which meets the skills needs of local companies.”

Principal of Central Bedfordshire College Sarah Mortimer thanked regional economic organisation SEMLEP for their earlier contribution. She also pointed out that the premises in Leighton Buzzard were available for hire for business meetings by companies in the area, as facility for all.

As a member of SEMLEP Judith Barker was also involved in the original vision for the unit, now as Assistant Director of Place at Central Bedfordshire Council, she so spoke about how “great it is” to see the aspirations of 2017 now meeting the skills demands for the region.

Employers within the area have highlighted a skills shortage within the engineering sectors, a shortage which is felt not just regionally but nationally too. Employers are struggling to recruit for qualified engineers, therefore relying on entry routes such as apprenticeships to fulfil their staffing needs.

Leighton Buzzard campus will now be vital for the development of local skills within Engineering as well as providing an opportunity for existing staff to upskill.

Employers will be invited to contribute to the curriculum to ensure qualifications delivered will be fit for purpose and in line with employer needs.

“Many employers are offering well-paid jobs to people with the qualifications which are being provided here, and I’m very pleased that we now have a high-quality offer in the town so people don’t need to travel elsewhere and I’m grateful to The Bedford College Group for making this possible”, he added.

This was new CEO, Yiannis Koursis OBE’s, first official event for the Group and he welcomed guests alongside retiring CEO Ian Pryce CBE, Debbie Houghton Executive Director

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Northamptonshire Schools Business Alliance Educational professionals gathered at Tresham College’s Wellingborough Campus on Thursday 19 October, for the Northamptonshire Schools & Business Alliance.

Principal Robin Webber-Jones highlighted the significant role of FE Colleges, educating 1.6 million individuals yearly, including adults, 16-18 year olds and apprentices. He stressed the importance of collaboration between employers and educational institutions to support progression, discussing a range of educational options beyond A Levels.

“Co-construction” was emphasized, a method involving industry experts in designing courses relevant to various sectors like motor sports, hospitality, public services, and hair & beauty.

Tresham College’s involvement in Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIP) demonstrated their alignment with regional educational initiatives focused on engaging businesses and fostering students’ practical skills development.

Autumn At Shuttleworth College Shuttleworth staff and students have had a great year, getting involved in a range of activities. Lambing and calving seasons proved to be a highlight, with over 350 lambs and the arrival of the college’s muchanticipated AI calves born on site, students were certainly kept busy!

maintaining and developing our environmental habitat areas at the farm by installing fencing and making owl boxes.

KINGSHILL FARM REDEVELOPMENT The new intake of T Level in Agriculture and Horticulture began, which has also seen the redevelopment of Kingshill Farm which will be officially opening in the Spring. The redevelopment includes a new workshop, classrooms and staff offices.

ZOOLOGICAL EDUCATION CENTRE The Zoological Education Centre (ZEC) has enjoyed another successful year, working closely with BIAZA (British and Irish Association for Zoos and Aquariums), taking part in the ‘Love your Zoo’ ethos of 2023, focusing on captive husbandry and care, training students to industry standards.

The ZEC team has proudly enjoyed teaching and learning with a range of species. They have successfully bred a range of vulnerable species with support from students. Some of these species includes the Jacksons chameleons from Tanzania where the female produces live young rather than relying on egg incubation, Sticky toed Palm Geckos, to the wonderful, majestic Mikado Pheasants originating from Thailand and not forgetting our unusual spiny mammals from Madagascar, the Lesser Tenrec as part of zoological breeding programs.

The ZEC has a wonderful learning atmosphere for students and staff, who have been enthusiastically designing enrichment opportunities for all our animals within our modern habitats to keep them active and in great condition.

Students from other land-based colleges visited to showcase cattle handling, ending with a cattle handling competition. Our own Shuttleworth student was reserve winner with their Red Poll, two-year-old heifer, Shuttleworth Lulu.

Following this, the show team of staff and students travelled to the South Suffolk Show in May, with our heifer Shuttleworth Marmalade winning the breed championship.

The team continue to develop the herd and have been using no fence cattle collars effectively to extend the grazing season.

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PEOPLE NEWS Job Opportunties Prince’s Trust Development Worker Northampton - Vernon Terrace Community Centre Permanent - Full Time £22,000 22/01/2024

Teacher of Law (Maternity Cover) The Bedford Sixth Form Fixed Term - Full Time from £28,000 23/01/2024

Associate Lecturer- Social Studies Bedford Sessional - Hourly Paid £25.00 per hour 23/01/2024

Learning Support Assistant- Fixed term until 31/10/2024 Bedford Fixed Term - Term Time £22,000 per annum (pro rata) 24/01/2024

Catering Assistant Bedford Permanent - Term Time £23,861 per annum (pro-rata) 23/01/2024

Lecturer in Business and Finance Bedford Permanent - Full Time to £32,000 per annum 25/01/2024

Personal Achievement Tutor Wellingborough campus Permanent - Full Time from £24,000 23/01/2024

Cover Supervisor- English Northampton Permanent - Term Time £22,000 per annum (pro rata) 31/01/2024

Technician – Science The Corby Sixth Form Permanent - Part Time £22,000 23/01/2024

» View and apply for our full-time and part-time vacancies via The Bedford College Group vacancy portal which can be found on CONNECT staff intranet.

Teacher of Social Science (Fixed Term) The Corby Sixth Form Fixed Term - Part Time from £31,000 23/01/2024

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Religious Festivals and Awareness Days January

Cervical Health Awareness Month I Thyroid Awareness Month I Dry January

1 January Mary, Mother of God - Catholic Christian

Gantan-sai (New Year) - Shinto 4 January

World Braille Day

5 January Twelfth Night – Christian

Birthday of Guru Gobindh Singh - Sikh 6 January Epiphany – Christian

Feast of the Theophany - Orthodox Christian 7 January Feast of the Nativity - Orthodox Christian

Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christian 8 January Seijin no hi (Coming of Age Day) – Shinto 13 January

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Lohri/Maghi – Hindu, Sikh

14 January Old New Year – Orthodox Christian 15 January Martin Luther King Jnr Day

Makar Sankranti – Hindu Pongal – Hindu 18 January

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – Christian

20 January Timkat – Ethopian Orthodox Christian 21 January

World Religions Day

24 – 25 January

Tu BiShvat – Judaism

25 January Conversion of Saint Paul – Christian Thaipusam – Hindu 27 January

Holocaust Memorial Day

30 January Mahayana New Year Begins – Buddhist

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February

LGBT + History Month I UK National Heart Month

1 February

World Hijab Day Time to Talk Day

4 February

World Cancer Day

11 February International Day of

Women and Girls in Science Shrove Tuesday – 2 February Imbolc – Wicca/Pagan 13 February Christian Candlemas (Presentation

of Christ in the Temple) – Christian 14 February Ash Wednesday – Christian 3 February Setsubun-sai – Shinto

Sunday of the Prodigal 15 February Parinirvana Day/ Nirvana

Son – Orthodox Christian Day – Buddhist 18 February Zacchaeus Sunday – Orthodox Christian

6 February International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM

20 February

World Day of Social Justice

7 February

24 – 25 February

Lailat al Bara’ah – Islam

Lailat al Miraj – Islam

10 February Lunar New Year – 25 February Triodion begins – Confucian, Daoist, Orthodox Christian Buddhist 26 – 29 February

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Intercalary Days – Baha’i

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March

Women’s History Month I Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month I Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal

1 March International Wheelchair Day

Saint David’s Day – Christian

Nineteen Day Fast begins – Baha’i 3 March

World Hearing Day

8 March

International Women’s Day Maha Shivaratri – Hindu

10 March Meatfare Sunday – Orthodox Christian

Ramadan begins – Islam 14 March

Nanakshahi (New Year) – Sikh

17 March Saint Patrick’s Day – Christian

Cheesefare Sunday – Orthodox Christian 18 March

Great Lent begins – Clean Monday – Orthodox Christian

19 March

Saint Joseph’s Day – Christian

21 March World Down Syndrome Day

International Day for the

Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Ostara – Wicca/Pagan

Naw-Ruz (New Year) – Bahai

Norooz (New Year) – Persian/ Zoroastrian

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23 March Lazarus Saturday – Orthodox Christian

Purim begins – Judaism 24 March

Purim ends - Judaism Holika Dahan – Hindu Palm Sunday – Christian

25 March The Annunciation of the Virgin

Mary – Christian

Annunciation to the Theotokos

– Orthodox Christian

Holi – Hindu

Hola Mohalla begins – Sikh

International Day of

Remeberance of the Victims of

Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade 26 March

Khordad Sal (Birth of Prophet Zarathushtra) – Zoroastrian

27 March

Hola Mohalla – Sikh

28 March

Maundy Thursday – Christian

29 March

Good Friday – Christian

30 March

Magha Puja (Sangha Day) – Buddhist; World Bipolar Day

31 March

International Trans Day of

Easter Sunday – Christian

Visibility

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Lynsey Travers

HR Manager ltravers@bedford.ac.uk

STAFF PERKS What is The Bedford College Perks Scheme?

The Perks Scheme is available to all core staff and offers a variety of discounts at retailers from fashion, books, dining, travel and many more.

The Social Recognition Wall is your way of making someone feel special through recognition. You can recognise another staff member for a job well done, living the values or to celebrate an occasion.

How can I save money?

• Instant Vouchers – you can purchase vouchers for a set amount and a discount will be applied. Most supermarkets offer at least 4% discount saving you money on your weekly shop.

• Cashback – earn money when you shop online. Any cashback you earn can be used as you wish either towards future purchases or transferred to your bank account.

News from the Wellbeing Centre

How do I access the Perks Scheme?

You can access Bedford College Group Perks via the Quick Links on Connect or download the ‘SmartSpending’ app through Google Play or Apple App Store.

When you access the Perks Scheme, you will also have access The Wellbeing Centre and the Social Recognition Wall.

The Wellbeing Centre provides education, support and tools to help you live a healthier and happier life, because your wellbeing matters.

January 2024

Providing education, support and tools to help you live a healthier and happier life, becuase your wellbeing matters!

You can access all this: • Fitness Video of the Week • Expert guides, tips and tools to help you manage your money better and improve your financial wellbeing • A collection of mindfulness audios and tips to reduce stress and help you sleep better • Recipe of the Day Social Recognition Wall It is great to see that staff have been recognising their colleagues and sending cards to say ‘Thank You’ and ‘Well Done’.

If you wish to make someone’s day by sending an e-card please visit the Bedford College Perks scheme at https://bedford. rewardgateway.co.uk/SmartHub and click on Say Thank You.

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