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YO U R L O C A L C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E A N D W E B S I T E
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CONTENTS
Don’t forget to check out our website www.bedslifemagazine.co.uk for even more local articles and lots of interesting and helpful local information! LIKE our Facebook page BedsLife Magazine to keep up to date with events, offers and local businesses and services. FOLLOW us on @bedslife_magazine and @bedsLife
The Missing Piece of Childhood
75th Anniversary VE Day The Missing Piece of Childhood
4 8
Prize Crossword Gardening
Advertising Christa Tel 01234 962929 07827 015170 E: christa@bedslifemagazine.co.uk
10 12
Design and Artwork Doug Dawson Creative Ltd www.dougdawson.co.uk
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YO U R L O C A L C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E A N D W E B S I T E
YO U R L O C A L C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E A N D W E B S I T E
VE Day 75th Anniversary £25 Prize Crossword
VE Day 75th Anniversary
Veterinary Hospitals
Veterinary Hospitals
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Gardening – Cracks ‘n’ Crevices
Gardening – Cracks ‘n’ Crevices
Gardening – Cracks ‘n’ Crevices
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INSIDE
VE Day 75th Anniversary £25 Prize Crossword
Stewartby
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YO U R L O C A L C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E A N D W E B S I T E
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3
y v e da raf n o t g n cardi given to ntion is e tt a h c llowing h mu ndon fo Althoug o L in s n bration e G erma the ce le nt of th e m e c e n ou urop ) the ann tor y in E ic V ( E er V surrend lebrated ourse ce c f o s a d RAF D ay w untr y an y o c e th ar t to pla all over a large p d a h n to Carding vent . e is in th daily
mps m the ca hat taken fro ts exactly w c s a u tr ll x E te th a 8 y in for Ma hough records e day alt th n o g penin wa s h a p way ! erstated d n u very r VE party in tely afte Garfield Str immedia eet rs u o h e 0 m ri p e th “At 15.0 y b t n e d m a e unc forces h the anno German er that the r te u is s in l rrend m nditiona o c n u s a d gw accepte nksgivin e of Tha the to t a Servic tation s a c d broa AF om the S world fr ents of R Detachm e th n o Cinema. s unit from all t n e m & WAAF h c eta a n ava l d . from Station, W.R.N.S 5 7 f o g n ti is s t n a co hment l Establis a v a t of 50 N n e e th detachm a d n a , ts) Woburn regimen various m ro the (f d soldiers acks fille ston Barr ice p rv m e e s K from y. The ll capacit C. fu B B to e a th m f cine Welch o r D y lie s b n d by Le was take conducte s a oress w y a g in ay o r & M The sing M e h T . e.� te, BBC e Servic Woodga ended th tt a rd fo of Bed n air t Germa constan e th of f s o ult rly stage As a res in the ea n o d n o L raids on VE Party in Albert Stree t 4
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the war the BBC moved all staff away from the capital initially to Bristol but later dec amped to Bedford and was to remain there for the duration of the war. All music programmes for these years were recorded in Bedford and many famous orc hestra and musical personnel too k part in these productions. Pictured below is ren owned composer and chorus master Les lie Woodgate who conducted the sin ging at celebrations at Cardingt on on VE day.
VE Party in Al
bert Street
The celebrations continu ed at the camp on the next day as foll ows: “Evening 09.05.1945 A Victory Ball was hel d in The Arcade which was attended by about 4,500 people. Co mic sports were held on the cric ket ground and in the evening the Sergeants Mess gave a dance in the gymnas ium. On the nights of VE Da y and VE Day plus one , the Station Headquarters Building was floodlit and the Me t Tower was decorated with Fairy Lights”
“
Co m ic sp or ts we re held on th e cr icket grou nd an d in th e ev en in g th e Se rgea nt s M ess ga ve a da nc e in th e gy m na siu m
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7
THE MISSING PIECE OF
childhood 8
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It seems that due to an enforced lock down and with many families spending far more time together than before, we have turned to nature and the outdoors to help us cope. Spending more time outside and amidst nature improves physical and mental health, boosts immune systems, builds resilience, confidence, the list goes on.
This increases our connection to the land – where our food comes from and the farmers who produce it. As online stores sell out of seed supplies and supermarkets sell out of flour because we are all reverting to baking and growing, we all feel a little bit more aligned with what we are eating and how it gets to our plate.
With schools set to return from June and the need to create physical distance between children many are starting to look outside for the answer. “ Not an ideal solution” some may say “its just not practical.”
The birds and wildlife that we can encourage into our gardens through bug and bird houses. The fact that we can make treats for them cheaply and easily and the satisfaction that we feel when the first bird sits on a feeder we have made.
But what if this enforced change actually brings MORE benefits and a BETTER Education system than we had before? Delivering more responsible, healthier and confident children with a broader set of skills who have the belief in themselves to cope with that life throws at them? What if their mental health is improved and because they are getting more exercise in the fresh air, their physical health too?
The joy of seeing a seed emerge as a seedling, that little green shoot of hope, has a new significance in our children’s lives now. They have succeeded in creating a new life and when that plant produces a tomato or a strawberry how much confidence and self esteem will they gain from that?
So by taking learning outside back into schools what kind of benefits could we start to see? Most of us have now experienced the physical and emotional benefits of spending more time outside, we understand why nature works and how it can help. Time spent on recreational activities in the fresh air have offered a welcome respite for us all. The chance to run outside, to play in the garden or park or just to breathe some fresh air and feel some of the tension slip away, it’s a release. However, behind the scenes, there is a far deeper cognitive process taking place here ? What if we are actually starting to feel more connected with the outside? What if we are starting to form an attachment to it? If the suggestion that spending more time in a place or an environment strengthens our connection to it then it makes sense that we will value it and want to nurture and protect it.
So when our children return to school, if more of their day is spent outside then those links and benefits remain strong. The connection to the outdoors could remain a consistent and strong thread and we could just be starting to raise a generation of children who start to value nature, and the outdoors and who will feel more comfortable and engaged with this space and the benefits that this environment can offer. So bring it on,…. Take more learning outside and equip the next generation with the missing piece of childhood that is so essential in their ability to cope in life Better lives, better communities, better environments through better education. Rachael Frossell Founder of wild for life! www.wildforlife.co.uk
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ÂŁ25
PRIZE CROSSWORD Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this section and send to the address below before Friday 12th June. Prize Crossword, BedsLife, 17 Foxbrook, Stevington, Bedfordshire MK43 7QY
ACROSS
1 Covered furniture with fabric and padding (11) 9 To make a choice (3) 10 Express the same phrase in another language (9) 11 Seers, forecasters (8) 12 Part of a cowboy boot (4) 14 Track for storing spare trains (6) 16 Capital city of Greece (6) 18 Massive (4)
19 Leave in a will (8) 22 Visiting, being present at. (9) 23 Stain, tint (3) 24 Vigorous polishing or cleaning (5, 6)
DOWN 2 3
Paved outdoor seating area (5) Transcend, perform better than (8)
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4 Disorganised, forgetful (6) 5 Requires little effort (4) 6 Typical specimen (7) 7 Pile of rotting plant matter (7,4) 8 Large revolving fairground ride (6,5) 13 Skirmish, grapple (8) 15 Computerised numerical display (7) 17 Observing, watching (6) 20 Assistants, attendants (5) 21 Remove the outer wrapping (4)
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GARDENING
CRACKS ‘N’ CREVICES I love a crevice. A little gap between the lawn and the path; a cracked paving slab, or a little hole in a wall. These are tiny pockets where magic can happen. Does the crack or crevice sit mainly in the sun or the shade? If it’s sunny, you have a choice of plants with silvery or aromatic foliage. If it’s shady, choices will be more limited but there are still plants to suit. When planting, buy the smallest plants you can and gently strip off most of the compost. Squeeze them carefully into the crack or hole, water them and top dress with grit unless the crevice is in a vertical surface (because the grit will fall out!). Accept that some plants won’t survive, but if you monitor them and nurture them a little in the first year, watering and pushing a little more compost in if the rain washes any way, then most plants will establish themselves. The most successful time of year to plant cracks and crevices is March and April but don’t restrict yourself, any of these are worth trying.
Dianthus squarrosus
Russian dianthus produces mats of blue-grey leaves and single white flowers with a pretty scent.
Androsace sarmentosa ‘Sherriffii’
This little plant is my go-to because it’s sturdy, establishes easily and is topped with pretty pink rosettes in the spring.
Aubrieta deltoidei
I was always a bit snobby about this plant but when I saw it smothering an ugly cracked concrete wall at my son’s school, I fell in love with it. The purple against the pale grey concrete looked amazing. It can be sheared back after flowering to keep it in check but basically its bomb-proof. 12 Please mention bedslife when responding to adverts
Arenaria alvacariensis
My ten-year-old calls these ’alien blobs’ which doesn’t do them any justice. They are really easy to establish and form an attractive green dome of tight foliage, smothered with small white flowers in late spring.
Thymus serphyllum
Tiny-leaved thymes are great crevice plants, and useful in the kitchen!
Erigeron karvinskianus
sprinkle seeds into crevices and this tiny daisy will grow and then self– seed happily. It’s particularly good for dry, sunny areas.
Sempervivum
I have had a love affair with houseleeks since my student days. I wedge them into every crack and crevice in my garden. They will settle in and create little colonies almost anywhere you shove them, adding texture and colour. They’re evergreen too. What’s not to love?
Vinca
Periwinkles have the prettiest little flowers, available in white, purples and blues, that actually thrive in shade, so they are perfect for brightening that neglected corner of the patio...the bit with the loose paving stone that rarely gets any sun and always looks a bit drab. My dad referred to cracks ‘n’ crevices plants as horticultural haberdashery! The tassels, beads and bows of the plant world, that cover the ugly seams and embellish the plain areas. I think that’s a brilliant description of these hardworking little plants. Happy gardening. By Rachael Leverton
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BLACKTHORNS SUN CLUB – N AT U R I S T C L U B We’ve all had to follow the Government Guidelines since the Covid-19 Pandemic took hold, however, we are now allowed to travel further from home for exercise and sunbathing, so we are pleased to be back in business! Certain facilities are still not available whilst we remain in Lockdown but we are able to show you what you have to look forward to. Foreign holidays seem out of the question just now with hotels closed and planes grounded, so come and see what you will be able to enjoy once we have full use of our facilities once again. Meanwhile the pool is open and inviting and you are welcome to bring your own sun loungers or garden chairs and perhaps a picnic. We also have 15 acres of woodland to relax in. In our contained and controlled environment, we are able to trust each other to do the right thing
to stay safe and get through these hard times together. We have so much to offer in place of your cancelled holidays abroad. Enjoy the sunshine, soak up some Vitamin D and make new friends to spend time with this summer and beyond! Blackthorns Sun Club can be contacted by post, phone or email. Prospective members need to enclose their home address whatever method is used, as application forms for membership and subsequent membership acceptance will be posted out to their home address.
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