Council News

Bedford Borough Supports Sunfl ower Lanyards

Last year, in 2020, Bedford Borough Council, Cambridgeshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, The Harpur Centre, Love Bedford (Bedford BID), Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum and Access Bedford announced their support for hidden disability sunfl ower lanyards in the borough.

Sunfl ower lanyards are free and can help people who have disabilities that are not immediately obvious to others. This could include people with learning diffi culties, those living with dementia or poor mental health, as well as mobility, speech, visual or hearing impairments.

Wearing the sunfl ower lanyard indicates to others, including shop workers, members of the community, colleagues and health professionals that additional support, help or a little patience may be needed. Throughout the pandemic, sunfl ower lanyards have been used by many people and has helped others to recognise those that may require additional support or assistance and easily identify that someone may be exempt from wearing a face covering. BedfordBID recently received funding from the Town Centre Grant to purchase sunfl ower window stickers and tuition packs for town centre businesses. So far, almost 50 shops are now displaying stickers and posters in their windows, this will allow those customers with hidden disabilities to easily identify those businesses that have trained their staff in recognising hidden disabilities and what the sunfl ower lanyard means. To get a free lanyard for yourself, a family member or friend with a hidden disability, visit one of the following places in Bedford Borough. Please continue to follow social distancing guidelines:

• Bedford Central Library • The Higgins Bedford • Halifax bank • Lloyds Bank • Morrisons • Sainsbury’s • Tesco • M&S food halls

If you or someone you know has a hidden disability and want more information about services, support, information and advice, clubs and activities then visit the Bedford Borough Local Offer.

To see the businesses that have opted to join the scheme and received training from the BedfordBID visit

www.lovebedford.co.uk/sunfl ower.php

Bedford Borough Council Appoints New Chief Exec Phase Two of High Street Improvement Works Begin

Following approval at Full Council on Wednesday 14 July, Laura Church, is set to become the new permanent Chief Executive at Bedford Borough Council and will take on the new role later this year. Laura has been at Luton Borough Council since 1988, working initially in planning and since taking on roles such as the head of Regeneration and service director for Business and Consumer Services.

She then led the Council’s work on Place and Infrastructure as the Corporate Director, before becoming Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director for Population Wellbeing with responsibility for adult social care, public health and housing. Since February 2021, Bedford Borough Council has been delivering high quality regeneration works to Bedford High Street in order to permanently make it one lane only for traffi c and create more space for shoppers and pedestrians.

Phase one of these works, which is now complete, ran from St Peters Street to Mill Street and the Council has now started the second phase of works which stretch from Mill Street down to St Paul’s Square. The works are planned to last until November 2021. As part of these works, the Council will be making the pavement wider and repaving the section of the high street with high quality York paving and granite kerbstones. Speed cameras will also be installed along the road to enforce the 20mph speed limit on Bedford High Street.