What’s On

ON What’s

ARTS & CRAFTS, TALKS & DEMONSTRATIONS

Alpine Garden Society, Bedfordshire branch Monday 2nd March 7.30pm AGS president Chris Bailes will talk about ‘The Gondwana Garden’ Competitions, sale plants. Visitors welcome £3. Wilstead Village Hall, Cotton End Road, Wilstead MK45 3BX Forest of Marston Vale Learning Lunchtime Talks Monday 2nd March 11am to Noon Fantastic Facts, Figures and Folklore about Wild Flowers A Talk by Bob Hook and Judith Knight Monday 16 March 11am to Noon Born to Travel - the Migration of Birds A Talk by the Creator of the Big Garden Bird Watch - Peter Holden. Monday 16 March 11am to Noon Born to Travel - the Migration of Birds A Talk by the Creator of the Big Garden Bird Watch - Peter Holden. Monday 23 March 11am to Noon Bedford’s Highlanders A Talk on The Highland Division’s Stay in Bedford in WWI by Richard Galley. Free, no booking. Donations gladly receive Station Road, Marston Moretaine, Bedford MK43 0PR 01234 767037 or www.marstonvale.org/events

Bedford Floral Art Society Tuesday March 3rd 7.30pm Meeting with a floral demonstration by Doug Howard entitled “BILLIANTISSIMUM”. Visitors welcome £7 www.bedfordfloralartsociety.co.uk

Bedfordshire Family History Society Friday 6th March 7.15 p.m. Bedfordshire’s Secret War by Jean Yates Members free, visitors £1. Drama Hall, Mark Rutherford School. Wentworth Drive, Bedford MK41 8PX. www.bfhs.org.uk Hardy Plant Society, Cambs & Beds Saturday 7th March 2.00pm Paul Green will talk about ‘Plants of the Season’. Plants for sale (see www.greensleavesnursery.co.uk ) Garden sundries for sale. Visitors very welcome £4 including refreshments. www.hpscambsandbeds.co.uk/ The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JH Bedford Local Group of The Wildlife Trust Wednesday 11th March Meeting 7-15pm for 7.30pm ‘Planning for Wildlife – Development Pressure in our 3 Counties’ – an illustrated talk by Conservation Manager Matt Jackson. Plenty of parking. All welcome. No charge but voluntary contributions appreciated. Priory Methodist Church Hall, Newnham Avenue, Bedford MK41 9QJ Further details available under Events on www.wildlifebcn.org or 01234 266057 Bedford National Trust Association Tuesday 11th March 2.00pm for 2.30pm Speaker - Frank Burns - cyclist “From Vancouver to Mexico - 1700 miles” No need to book. Addison Centre, Bedford Rd, Kempston MK42 8PN. For further information ring Betty Thomas 01480 860 421 Historical Association Monday 16th March 7.30 pm ‘Tracing convict lives using digital technology’ Professor Bob Shoemaker of Sheffield University Free to members of the HA (Historical Association). Others welcome, donation £3 St Peter’s Chapter House, de Parys Avenue, Bedford, MK40 2TX Further details 01234 266839/07989 837819 The Friends Of The Higgins Tuesday 17th March 7.30 pm ‘Swifts: The fastens Bird on the Planet’ Illustrated talk by Bob Hook. Friends £4, Guests £9 The Higgins, Castle Lane, Bedford MK40 3XD www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk

Bedford RSPB local group Thursday 19th March. Meeting 7.30pm aiming to finish by 9.30pm Steve Portugal - a Senior Lecturer in Animal Behaviour at the Royal Holloway University of London will tell us all about “Migration - Avian Migration and Moult. The Annual Cycle”. Suitable for Experts and Novices, RSPB membership not essential. Entrance fee, group members £1 Guest £2 annual group membership £5 under 18s enter free. The facilities, including refreshments, are at ground level and there is secure parking. Reg.Charity No. 207076, more info www.rspb.org.uk/groups/bedford Meet at ARA club, Manton Lane Bedford MK41 7PF Embroiderers Guild, Bedford branch Thursday 19th March 7.30 for 8.00pm Alison Eskriett will talk about ‘A woman’s lot in the 18th Century’. Visitors welcome; £4. St Mark’s Church Hall, Calder Rise, Bedford, MK41 7UY University of Bedfordshire Beds Talks: Special educational needs and disabilities: current national and local issues, concerns and challenges. Wednesday 25th March 9.15am – 3.30pm Focussing on current issues and challenges in the area of special educational needs and disabilities.

There will be three sessions that will take us through the law, to the general picture across England, to a specific example at individual child and family level. There will be time in each session for you to discuss the major issues, and for a question and answer slot between the audience and the speakers. Polhill Avenue, Bedford, MK41 9EA Alpine Garden Society, Bedfordshire branch Saturday 28th March 11.15 - 3.00pm Colourful annual Spring Show. Plants, flowers and photographs. Plants to buy from Monksilver Nursery. Refreshments. Visitors just £1. Wilstead Village Hall, Cotton End Road, Wilstead MK45 3BX

CHARITY & TABLE TOP SALES/ FAYRES

Spring Coffee Morning Sunday 29th March 10am-12 noon Refreshments, stalls, come and meet our horses. The Elisabeth Curtis Centre- Riding for the Disabled Chestnut Ave, Bromham MK43 8HP Table Top Sale Saturday 14th March 9am to Noon Entry 50p, Refreshments available. Tables £5 - must be prebooked. Christ the King Parish Hall, Harrowden Rd MK42 0SP For information call on 01234 965497 Charity table top sale at MS Therapy Centre Saturday 21st March 10am – 12pm Entrance 50p, Bric a brac, books, clothes, bacon rolls MS Therapy Centre, 155 Barkers Lane MK41 9RX R.A.T.S. (Rehoming Animal Telephone Service) Easter Fayre Sunday 29th March 1 pm to 3.30 pm Stalls, Homemade Refreshments, Tombola etc. Details of Animals looking for new homes. Great Barford Village Hall, Fishers Close, Great Barford MK44 3JL.

COMMUNITY/CHARITY EVENTS

Quiz Night at MS Therapy Centre Friday 13th March 7pm Teams of up to 6 - £11pp inc supper 01234 325781 or email fundraising@ mscentrebedsandnorthants.com MS Therapy Centre, 155 Barkers Lane, Bedford, MK41 9RX Afternoon Vintage Tea Friday 27th March 2pm to 4pm Admission £4 - Tea, home-made cake and friendship Christ the King Parish Hall Harrowden Road, Bedford MK42 0SP For Information call 01234 326291

Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th March Nightly at 7.30pm and matinee on 7 March at 2.30pm ‘Daisy Pulls It Off’ A comedy play parody of an English 1920s boarding school by Denise Deegan www.sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk/tickets /Pick-a-Lily, Sharnbrook. Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Trust, 103 Mill Rd, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1NP. Music workshop of Terry Riley’s In C Saturday 7th March 10.30am – 1pm As part of this year’s Contemporary Music for All Festival bring your instrument (wind, brass, string, keyboard or percussion) and join members of the Joby Burgess Percussion Collective in this instrumental music workshop for young people and adults. Elstow Abbey, Church End, Elstow MK42 9XT Joby Burgess Percussion Collective Saturday 7th March 7.30 pm – 9.15 pm Hear the Joby Burgess Percussion Collective in a special performance celebrating new music. Marimbas, bass drums and aluminium harp feature in the atmospheric Elstow Abbey Elstow Abbey, Church End, Elstow MK42 9XT Cantamus Chamber Choir Saturday 7th March 7.30 pm ‘At the Gates of Heaven’ An evening of varied church music through the ages sung by Cantamus chamber choir Conductor Gary Mudd. Organist Ian Runnells. Tickets £10 at the door. Bunyan Meeting church, Mill St, Bedford. Proceeds to Friends of Bunyan Museum Music on Thursdays Thursday 19th March 7.45pm Ashwell Trio Featuring local horn player and Young Musician finalist Ben Goldscheider, with Callum Smart, violin and Richard Uttley, piano Music by Haydn, Huw Watkins, Mozart, Brahms Bedford School Recital Hall Tickets on the door £18, Student (18-25) £5, Under 18 £2 on the door or phone 07584 102043 www.bedfordmusicclub.co.uk Sharnbrook Mill Theatre, Gilbert & Sullivan with The Wandering Minstrels, in period costume! Saturday 28th March 7.30pm Sharp wit of W.S Gilbert, enchanting music of Sir Arthur Sullivan. Tickets £15 (£1-b/fee) www. sharnbrookmilltheatre/tickets/Pick-a-Lily, Florists, Sharnbrook Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Trust, 103 Mill Rd, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1NP.

BedsLife Magazine cannot be held responsible for any changes, amends or cancellations of an event. For more Events visit www.bedslifemagazine

From March 2020 (no yoga 30 Mar) CREATE HEALTH& WELLBEING YOGA

in Bedford MONDAYS - 2.00pm £5, 1hour class @ PRIORY CHURCH 63 Newnham Ave, Bedford MK41 9QJ Drop in, Mixed Ability. Please bring a mat Text/Phone: June Hannigan07551290364 email: juandhannigan@yahoo.co.uk