Beds Bulletin Borough edition October 2022

take an axe to services

THE revised bus timetables just released by Stagecoach has caused a great deal of anger amongst a large number of people

The bus company has resched uled and suspended services, two of which are routes 70 and 73 These two serviced the north east Bedfordshire towns of Biggles wade, Potton and Sandy and the villages on the way to Bedford

Huge numbers of people will be affected by these changes, typi cally those students attending Stratton Upper School and Bedford College

Also many people will struggle to get to outpatient appointments at Bedford Hospital

In and around Bedford a num ber of services have also had their timings altered to a lesser or greater extent which will impact on the villages of Willington and Moggerhanger

Continued on page 2

HUNDREDS of new rental homes could be coming to Bedford’s town centre, if a proposed scheme goes ahead.

Castlecap and its partners gave a presentation on its Build to Rent (BTR) scheme for the corner of Greyfriars and Midland Road (2/30 Greyfriars & 75/87 Midland Road) to Bedford Borough Council’s Housing Committee on Wednesday, September 7

The committee members were told the scheme would create “high quality and much needed” resi dential homes in Bedford, and remove “functionally obsolescent” buildings in the town centre

Piers Rooke, Castlecap’s CEO, said: “We feel that there’s a really unique and exciting opportunity, par ticularly given what’s happened post covid, to regen erate that area, to produce buildings and an offering that meets modern criteria ”

by John Guinn

– L ocal Democracy Reporter

The plan is to deliver a mix of studio apartments and, one, two and three bedroom homes The scheme would come with onsite facilities, which could include a gym, a cinema room and public spaces, all of which would be included within the rental fees

Councillor Stephen Moon (Conservative, Great Barford) asked how many units would be required to make the scheme viable

David Hughes, from Alchemy and is the develop ment manager for the scheme, said the larger institutional investors for this type of quality scheme look for a minimum of 250 to 300 units

Councillor Fouzia Zamir Atiq (Labour, Cauldwell) said: “I personally think the Midland Road area and Greyfriars area is a quite deprived area

100s more rental homes proposed for town centre

Continued page 1

“How did you arrive at £800 rent for a one bedroom flat in a deprived area,” she asked

Mr Hughes replied that BTR is very different to typical private rent sector offer

“You don’t get the quality of construction, you don’t get the quality of management of the scheme, you don’t get the amenities that are on offer in BTR schemes,” he said

“Whilst it is higher than maybe you would typically see currently, you get a lot more for your money and therefore people who live in those places will get a lot more benefit ”

Clint Bartman, from Cortland Consult, added: “This build to rent will help to uplift that area “And the goal is to uplift the area, that’s what should be the objective of all of us,” he said

Some of the homes will be available at a discount market rent (DMR) for key workers

Mr Bartman explained that its the council who determines who qualifies to go into the DMR (typical ly 20 per cent below market rate)

He added that the DMR units are tenure blind and blend in with the market rate units

“They get the exact same services, the exact same furniture, the exact same fit out, and they get that same level and quality of service which comes with BTR,” he said

Responding to a question on timescales Mr Rooke said: “We have time to work with the community and the council to communicate our vision to discuss and debate what we want to do

“We can afford the time to spend with you all, and with the local community, ensuring that we get this right,” he said

New business park should pr ovide mor e local jobs?

A NEW business park providing over 2,300 new jobs could be built in Wyboston if plans get the go ahead

An outline planning application for the development of a 23,400m2 business park at Wyboston Lakes Complex has been submitted to Bedford Borough Council

The applicants are looking to build the business park on land south of the A428 with the floor space being shared by 2, 2 5 and 3 storey buildings They also want to construct new access junction onto the A428

The planning application said the proposed site has an “exten sive” history of planning applica

tions, including permission for an innovation and technology centre development (May 2012)

REGIONAL CENTRE

The applicant said this proposal will support and enhance the Wyboston Lakes Complex as a regional centre for leisure, training and conferencing

The applicant said using the employment density information available on the government’s web site indicate that business park developments for the proposed uses can be expected to provide one full time employee per 10 m2 of floor area

On this basis, they said, the pro

posed development could poten tially provide around 2,340 new jobs

The application is for outline planning, with all matters reserved except for access

An outline planning application is used to determine if a develop ment is acceptable

While reserved matters are the specific details which will be con firmed at a later date

For example, reserved matters can include the layout of buildings, routes within the site, and also the appearance of the buildings

More information can be found on the council’s planning portal, reference 22/01774/MAO

Bus services axed

Continued from page 1

A spokesperson for Central Beds Council said: “The 72 and 73 bus routes between Biggleswade, Sandy, Potton and Bedford are cur rently run on a commercial basis by Stagecoach and so do not receive any support from the council

“Stagecoach recently advised us that these services have been run ning at a very significant loss and as such are no longer viable We have been in negotiation with them since they notified us of their intention to withdraw to try and avoid this situ ation and discuss with them possible options to keep the services operat ing, but we have been unable to reach agreement on this ”

Cllr, Ben Foley, who represents

some of the most deprived com munities in the Midland Road area of Bedford, said: “People will notice the loss of routes like the ones to and from Willington, Sandy and Biggleswade, meaning people in rural areas may lose out on work or education opportunities

“On top of that, the X5 is being cut to hourly off peak, and lost off peak journeys to Olney and Northampton are important, too, especially as the cost of living cri sis and low pay are likely to mean more people deciding they can’t afford to run a car anymore ”

Ben went on to say: “These cuts are a consequence of having privatised bus services what we need to do is to recognise that bus services are just that services ”

New Museum Director

THE Panacea Charitable Trust has appointed a new Museum Director, Zara Matthews, to head up its Museum team in Bedford Zara most recently worked for Arts Council England in the Cultural Property team, and prior to that as Market Town Museums Manager for Leicestershire County Council working with Harborough, Melton and Charnwood Museums

Executive Officer of The Panacea Charitable Trust, David McLynn, said “We welcome Zara to the charity to head up our Museum and its staff Zara joins us with a breadth of knowledge and experience that will help the charity to lead the museum through its next phase of develop ment ”

Zara said “This is a great opportunity and I’m very happy to be here The Panacea Museum tells an extraordinary story and I am looking forward to working with everyone here to share this more widely ”

The Panacea Museum tells the story of the Bedford based Panacea Society a religious society founded by a group of women in 1919, who

followed the teachings of Joanna Southcott Southcott died in 1814 leaving a sealed box of prophecies and several published works Led by Mabel Barltrop (renamed Octavia), the group believed the original Garden of Eden was in Bedford and established a commu nity of about 70 members living close to each other as they prepared for the Millennium and the return of Jesus

WHY DO WE HAVE TO PUT UP WITH A DIRTY TOWN CENTRE?

TO THE EDITOR: As a business owner in Bedford Town Centre I fully agree with your article in last month’s Bedford Bulletin about the dirty state of the town centre pavements

This though is just one aspect of Bedford’s declining town centre.

Whilst I fully understand Bedford is not the only town suffering a decline, why has the current Mayor who has held office now for 14 years proved so incapable of reversing the decline?

Any followers of social media will see visitors and residents comments about empty shops

They will read about the filthy bus station where passengers have to run the gauntlet of drinkers and drug users, the begging by the payment machines at the car parks as well as rough sleepers beginning to frequent shop doorways again

This sadly is what people REALLY think A walk around the town would enable

the current Mayor see the dirt and filth lying in the empty stores doorways for himself. Why can’t Borough cleaners sweep them out on a regular basis?

Regarding the empty stores why doesn’t the Borough buy the empty sites of Beales and Debenhams itself?

In the Borough’s ownership it could either develop these sites on its own or in partnership with an innovative developer This way as site owner it can set its own rent levels and choose what businesses it wishes to have there.

I have managed the family business in the town for over 50 years and the town centre has never looked so bad with less and less people visiting Bedford needs a forward thinking, visionary, Mayor and Mayor Hodgson over the last 14 years has proved he is not up to the job

Robert Rigby, Bedford

New Top Team for the Bedfor d College Gr oup

THE Bedford College Group has announced a series of management changes to prepare the way for the proposed merger in February 2023 with Central Bedfordshire College

The changes will also support the key requirements of teaching areas across all campuses

Ian Pryce CBE relinquishes the role of Principal but remains as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Bedford College Group He is looking forward to celebrating 25 years in that role in December 2023 He has appointed two Deputy CEOs: Em Lowe, who will deputise on educational matters and Pat Jones who will deputise on financial matters

The post of Principal is now separated between Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire

Karen Campbell (pictured right) is now Principal of Bedford College, including overseeing Shuttleworth College

Robin Webber Jones has been appointed Principal of Tresham College in readiness for the new academic year across the three Northants campuses of Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough and The National College for Motorsport at Silverstone

When the merger takes place, Central Bedfordshire College will maintain what will be a third Principal within the Group “In February we will become one of the largest college groups in the UK Central Bedfordshire College needs to improve on its latest Ofsted result These manage ments changes will enable us to prepare to meet all those chal lenges and best serve our communities,” said Ian Pryce

Supporting the new Principals

will be a raft of Vice Principals to ensure individual campuses meet the local needs of the community and employers, whilst ensuring best practice is shared across the

Group

Vice Principals

Bedford College: Gail Cocozza and Dave Wilkins and Alex Mortby

Shuttleworth College: Dr Catherine Lloyd

Tresham College: Dr Jo Baxter, Nick Haywood and Dr Mohammad Milani

Vice Principal for Group wide maths, English and Progression Pathways will be Nina Sharp

The Bedford Sixth Form and up coming The Corby Sixth Form will come under Helen Smith as Group Head of Sixth Forms New to the Executive Group of Directors of Debbie Houghton who will be responsible for apprentice ships and business development She joins: Sheraz Amin, Sarah Baxter and Caroline Biddle, on this key strategic panel

Dead birds give rise to fears of Avian Flu on Bedford’s river

FOLLOWING reports that there have been three dead swans, one goose and several pigeons recov ered from the Ouse in Bedford, Joanne Gullon from St Bede’s Ford Swanery has urged the public not to feed the birds whilst they are on land, as this poses an increased risk of infection

Until the situation is clarified a Bedford Borough Council spokesperson said: “There have been reports of deceased birds on the River Great Ouse, which we are investigating alongside Defra

We cannot confirm their cause of death at this stage so are encourag ing residents to exercise caution

“If you come across any other dead or visibly sick birds in the local area, please do not feed or touch them Instead, report it to Defra’s GB helpline by calling 03459 335577

“If you keep poultry or other birds, wash your hands and clean and disinfect your footwear before tending to them

More advice and guidance is available on the GOV UK website

Sting operation traps Bedford paedophile

A BEDFORD paedophile was sen tenced to 46 months in jail on Monday, September 12, 2022, after being caught in a police sting

Aaron Dawe, 36, believed he was talking to two 12 year old girls called ‘Kirsty’ and ‘C’ but they really decoy officers

Prosecutor Max Hardy told Luton Crown Court said Dawe had engaged in sexually conversations with Kirsty

He sent her explicit images of himself and asked her to perform sexual acts She had told him she was aged 12 and from Wales

He said he was a 34 year old male from London, commenting: “So you like older men ”

Mr Hardy said when Dawe was arrested in March last year his phone was seized and it was dis

covered he had been talking explicitly to the other police decoy called ‘C’

She also said she was aged 12 Dawe of Garfield Street, Bedford appeared for sentence having pleaded guilty to two charges of causing or attempting to incite the sexual exploitation of a child

Defending, Nasreen Tincey gave the judge a letter from Dawe’s wife in which she said the offences were “completely ought of charac ter ”

She said the factory worker had been separated from his wife at the time, had started a new job and was isolated

Judge Steven Evans told him: “Your ultimate purpose was to gain some sort of sexual satisfied from contact with 12 year old girls ”

Former police inspector jailed for sex offences

A FORMER police officer who was jailed for child sex offences would have been dismissed had he not already resigned, a panel has ruled

John Nichols, 51, from Bedford, was sentenced to a total of 30 months in prison after admit ting attempting to arrange or facil itate the commission of a child sex offence and making an indecent photograph of a child He was caught following an undercover online investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service

A fast track misconduct hear ing was held at Bedfordshire Police HQ in front of Chief Constable Garry Forsyth yesterday (20 September), who found Nichols had breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour for integri ty and discreditable conduct Nichols had made admissions to

the hearing which amounted to gross misconduct

Mr Forsyth said: “Offences such as these involve such a funda mental breach of the public’s trust in police officers that inevitably brings the profession into disre pute

“The public would be both shocked and horrified by the con duct of former Insp Nichols and his conduct will undoubtedly dam age the standing and reputation of policing

“There is no place in our force for anyone who behaves in such a way, and we will continue to work with colleagues both in policing and externally to proactively root out anyone who falls short of the standards the public expect ” Nichols will also be placed onto the barred list

Bedford man to run his first ever marathon for Sue R yder hospice

FORTY one year old Michael Fry says the care his grandad, John Cullinane, and the wider family received from Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice twenty years ago, is the key inspiration for his fundraising feat this October He hopes that taking part in the London Marathon will also bring some positivity to his family following the difficult time they experienced through the Covid pandemic

Michael said: “I approached Sue Ryder for a running place at the London Marathon because my grandad was so well cared for at the local hospice I was in my early twenties at the time he died and it’s not something you are necessarily used to dealing with at that age

“Twenty years on though and I still have memories of how well looked after he was there and equally of the support they offered, not only to my grandad, but to my nan, and my family The staff were fantastic and we could not thank them enough ”

This is the first time that Michael will have run a marathon for charity but he has always been keen to give it a go

“I’ve been to London to see the marathon in action a couple of

times as my cousin, my aunty and best mate have all run it My brother in law is running this year too, to raise money for Bedford Hospital, and my wife, four year old daughter and family will be there so we are going to make a day of it,” he added

Michael who has been fitting in his training around being a husband, dad and running a busi ness, said: “I’ve got a goal, I know it’s leading up to something big and I am doing it for a cause close to my heart ”

Michael hopes to raise £3,000 for Sue Ryder and to help boost his fundraising total he held a charity quiz in June “My sister in law owns Bridges Espresso Bar at Riverside Square in Bedford so we are lucky to be able to use that as a venue for our fundraisers

A short church service followed in the Bunyan Church

Police say Redwood Grove f lat explosion was a deliberate act of arson

DETECTIVES investigating the fatal explosion at the Redwood Grove flats in Bedford now believe the person who died in the blaze deliberately started the fire

Reena James, 42, died in the incident on the morning of July 4, 2022, which resulted in a number of residents having to be evacuated after their flats were badly dam aged

Over the past two months a team of detectives has been carry ing out detailed examination of the scene, alongside Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service investigators and several leading experts from around the country

Residents who remain dis placed from their homes were updated on the latest developments at a special community meeting held on Thursday, September 1, 2022

DELIBERATE

Chief Superintendent John Murphy from Bedfordshire Police said: “We have been determined to find the cause of the explosion Whilst there remains some labora tory testing to be completed, the very clear indication from every thing we have discovered is that it was a deliberate criminal act of arson, targeted at a specific flat

“Our investigation has found that entry was likely to have been forced into that flat, after which several areas were doused in a flammable liquid

“The vapour from this acceler ant became so great that, when it was ignited, it caused an explosion followed by the fire which took hold of the building

“Forensic evidence, coupled with other enquiries, leads us to believe that Reena James, who was a resident elsewhere in the block, was solely responsible

“We therefore looking

for anyone else in connection with this crime We remain incredibly grateful for the support and patience of residents whilst the investigation has been carried out We do not underestimate the impact it has had on them, and we are providing them all with support as victims of crime We are also continuing to support to the family of Ms James ”

Once the investigation has been completed, a file will be passed to the coroner for a full inquest to be held to establish how Reena James died

Thanksgiving service for Lord Lieutenant

OVER 400 people from across Bedfordshire came together at St Paul’s Church, Bedford on Sunday 4 September 2022 to give thanks to HM Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis CVO CStJ and to welcome Lord Lieutenant (designate) Susan Lousada DL to the role

Helen Nellis was officially appointed as HM The Queen’s representative in Bedfordshire in November 2011 and took up office in February 2012 Throughout this time, Helen has worked extremely hard to tell the positive story of Bedfordshire by seeking out those who work in so many ways to build communities where all can feel valued, thrive and have a sense of belonging Helen’s husband, Professor Joe Nellis, has been by her side during her time as Lord Lieutenant and has supported her every step of the way

Vice Lord Lieutenant, Chris Sharwood Smith MBE, Bishop of Bedford The Rt Rev Richard Atkinson OBE and St Paul’s Church The Rev Canon Kevin Goss welcomed guests from across the county and beyond to the service, including High Sheriff of Bedfordshire Lady Jane Clifford and Sir Timothy Clifford, MPs from across Bedfordshire, Chief Fire Officer Andrew Hopkinson, Chief Constable Garry Forsyth, Chief Executive of Central Bedfordshire Council Marcel Coiffait, Mayor of Bedford, Mayor of Luton, Vice Chair of Central Bedfordshire Council, Town Mayors and representatives of countywide organisations and armed forces personnel

At the service, Mrs Susan Lousada was welcomed as the new Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Susan swore to honour her allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen and serve her as Lord Lieutenant diligently and faithfully She made a solemn promise to serve the people of Bedfordshire and strive to build a loving and inclusive community

Susan Lousada officially became HM Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire on Wednesday, September 7, 2022

Speaking after the service the Lord Lieutenant, Helen Nellis said “During these past wonderful

years as HM Lord Lieutenant, I have been blessed to have met so many exceptional people in our county who have lit a fire in me and in others to work towards building stronger and kinder communities where everyone can feel valued and have a sense of belonging Thank you all for your warmth and compassion and for

believing that each one of us can act to make a difference My heart will be with you and with Sue Lousada always as she leads us in this joint endeavour”

Susan Lousada said: “I am deeply honoured to have been appointed by Her Majesty The Queen to become the next Lord Lieutenant of

Bedfordshire and I look forward to representing Her Majesty across the county It is important to me to support those who work to make this county prosper, ensuring opportunities are open to all Bedfordshire is a truly beautiful and great place to live, and I look forward to serving the people who live and make their lives within it ”

DURING the Second World War, the Inter Service Special Intelli gence School was initially based in Ardor House on Bedford’s Broadway

The leading tutor was retired Captain Oswald Tuck, a man who had learnt Japanese during the early years of the 20th century when he was based in the Far East and when the two countries were allies He was a natural teacher, able to instil his own enthusiasm for the Japanese language to his students

The first course started on February 2, 1942 Normally it would take an absolute minimum of two years to learn basic Japanese but Bletchley Park’s senior crypt analysts (codebreakers) wanted adequate linguists in six months

20 or so students, aged 18 or 19 years old, were on each course, many of them from university (par ticularly Oxbridge) Classics cours es, but also others who showed an expertise in crosswords, chess or music and were felt to be best suit ed to problem solving

The teaching and learning was intense but despite this Tuck fos tered an informal atmosphere while at the same time pushing them hard The course was narrowly

focussed on material drawn from Japanese military communiques before moving on to code breaking exercises After just five months, Bedford students were able to translate a captured Japanese air force code

Tuck was later assisted by other tutors and the school moved for the second course to 7 St Andrews Road, then 52 De Parys Avenue and 1 Albany Road, where the bulk of courses were held

Eventually some 225 students

passed through the eleven courses at Bedford, with a failure rate of only 4% About half of the school’s graduates were sent to Bletchley Park (where the Japanese section took over ‘F’ block); the rest were deployed to a variety of locations including the Admiralty’s Naval Intelligence Department and to the Far East

Their codebreaking work was vital to the successful conduct of the war which led to victory in 1945

The Mayfair House 11 Lurke Street, Bedford MK40 3HZ Tel: 01234 964911

The Will Writing Company is celebrating its 25th 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.

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In our nation we are going through a great transition As we continue to remember our late Queen, her remarkable life of service and duty, and her deeply moving funeral, we move to the era of our new King

The need to change the monogram on everything from post boxes to military uniforms just a small outward sign of a deeper inward transition

Like all good transition there was much planning and preparation

There has been ritual and ceremony to assist There has been sensitivity and aware ness on the part of King Charles As always there is adventure and much uncertainty as the new phase emerges We pray for our King and for all that lies ahead

Transitions are a feature of the lives of us all Those milestones such as starting and leaving school, commencing employment,

reaching retirement and that ultimate transi tion that is death Also, those occasions when either we hand on to another or someone else hands on to us

The transitions at work where we pass on our responsibilities to another; or in the community when someone else takes forward what we have done for many years Those family moments when one generation hands onto another

Not every transition goes well All too often there is a reluctance to go.

The preparation can be inadequate Crucial information is not passed on

As a vicar taking on a new parish, I didn’t always receive from my predecessor the details of congregation and parish that I needed All too often there is a failure of the next generation to adapt as circumstances change Political transitions as we know can

be particularly tricky

Above all else there is a need to empower the person who comes next Too many busi nesses falter when no one has been prepared to take things forward, especially when the founder steps down.

In contrast, it was noticeable over the last few years how our Queen enabled Charles to step up

Jesus’s ascension to heaven, after his resurrection, is a moment of divine transition As Jesus returns to heaven he hands on his mission to his disciples He commissions them and he empowers them The gift of the Holy Spirit is part of ensuring they are equipped for the task

Transitions are not easy, even for monarchs They are times for prayer Who do we need to empower so that when the time comes, they are ready?

The last few weeks has seen the nation come together to mark the life and service of Her Majesty the Queen.

Her Majesty’s passing, without doubt, marks the end of a very long chapter in the history of our country that has seen so much change and for most people, her presence was one of the few constants throughout their lives

Throughout her life, Her Majesty served the country with absolute dedication, honour and dignity

From serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War Two until her very last public duty meeting the new

Prime Minister, she never once shied away from public duty

Her life will forever be interlinked with that of a period of great change within the UK and although many today would struggle to recognise the world she was born into, she always seemed to belong very much in the present

The Queen will be deeply missed within the UK, the Commonwealth and further afield May she rest in peace I would like to thank everyone who signed the Book of Condolence or laid a floral tribute in memory of Her Majesty St Paul’s Church held a special

Thanksgiving Service, as did a number of other churches, and The Corn Exchange showed Her Majesty s funeral to ensure no one had to watch the funeral alone I would also like to thank all those who attended the County and Local Proclamations of Accession for King Charles III

Finally, I would like to thank all of Bedford Borough Council’s staff who worked hard to ensure we were able to mark the passing of Her Majesty the Queen and the Accession of King Charles III in a dignified and safe way

Mohammad Yasin – MP Kempston and Bedford Schools shouldn’t have to beg for basic facilities

It was a joy to attend the opening of the £2 million teaching block at Grange Academy school in Kempston on Friday 16 September What a remarkable transition from the decrepit buildings I’d visited in 2019 to see the brand new double storey building with 10 great teaching rooms

It was almost 3 years ago to the day since I first received a letter from the head teacher, Catherine Assink, of the wonderful school which provides specialist education for pupils, aged 5 16, with a diverse range of special educational needs

It was a heartfelt plea from a dedicated teacher who was distraught that her pupils, some of the most vulnerable in society, were being taught in dilapidated class rooms.

I went to see the school for myself and was surprised at the state of disrepair

Despite the obvious need for investment, the school had just lost their first bid for capital funding

When schools become Academies, to receive funding for repairs, they must put together bids to beg from central Government

In January 2020 I raised the issue of the school’s failed funding bid at Prime Minister’s Questions with Boris Johnson and asked his government to urgently review the funding formula for capital and revenue, so that schools for children with special educational needs and disability are not disadvantaged simply because they have fewer pupils

In a response letter, I learned that Grange Academy had failed in their initial funding application because they didn’t score enough points “Schools and colleges

can increase their marks” I was told “if they are able to make a significant contribution towards the proposed project ”

How was a school, already underfunded by the Government with no reserves being expected to take out a loan to even qualify for funding to fix dilapidated classrooms?

I hope my follow up letter highlighted the school’s plight and made the Government rethink the rejected first bid I was delighted when the next bid for fund ing was a success

I’m pleased this is a story with a happy ending, but schools should not have to jump through these complex hoops and feel so humbly grateful to receive the funding to cover the basic costs of running a school in a safe and suitable environment. Surely this is what we pay our taxes for, yet how many other schools are still fighting?

Dave Hodgson Mayor of Bedford Her Majesty’s death marks the end of a long chapter

by Maureen Catlin

When the daylight hours have really shortened and there is thzat special light we are in Autumn The leaves are starting to change to more muted tones before they fall and there is a sense that everything in the garden is winding down for a good sleep For gardeners it’s a special time as we prepare for another year of plant delights

Planting in autumn allows more time for new roots to grow in warm soil so plants are less vulnerable to dry periods the following summer The colder soil during the winter encourages flowering as soon as the weather warms up Evergreens become particularly well established in autumn without the difficult fluc tuations of spring weather and need less water to establish

Autumn is also the time to plant all spring flowering bulbs like daffodils crocus and tulips and change the summer flowering bedding plants in our patio tubs to primroses winter pansies and violas

Towards the end of October is the best time to plant hedges and soft fruit which are usually available as bareroot plants, an economic way to buy them, when you are planting

larger quantities

It is a good time to take stock of what is actually providing that last burst of colour and interest to our gardens before winter sets in Here are some additions you might like to include to increase the spectacle

Two new varieties of the Smoke Bush Cotinus are a must The pale orange new leaves of Cotinus Golden Lady in spring turn a gorgeous pure yellow in summer and then brilliant orange in autumn before leaf fall It is a large shrub for the back of a border which is easy to grow bushy and drought tolerant It is a good foil for Cotinus Lilla which is a compact form growing to 1m with rich purple leaves from spring to autumn when the foliage turns pink orange scarlet and red

Another new variety is Weigela florida Sunn Fantasy It has a very long flowering period from May to October with interesting colourful leaves variegated green cream and red that show good autumn colour before leaf fall It is very easy to grow, compact and performs well in patio tubs if garden space is limited It is drought resistant like many weigelas and loves sunny places

Physocarpus All Black is another dramatic deciduous shrub with very dark purple black foliage and stems in summer The leaves in autumn

turn red orange and yellow giving an entirely different contrast to any surrounding plants in the border It has pink flowers in May and June and will thrive in sun or part shade

New introductions for Buddleias are the Humdinger series They are compact semi evergreen shrubs more suitable for smaller gardens and patio tubs The flowers appear in early summer as 20 to 30 cm long panicles and last well into autumn All vari eties are very easy to grow in a sunny place and are loved by Butterflies Moths and Bees Buddleia Little Angel has long white flowers and silvery foliage while B Candy Little Lila has beautiful pale lilac flowers

Another exciting semi evergreen shrub with especial autumn interest is Abelia Kaleidoscope In spring the leaves are yellow and green intensi fying in colour throughout summer and turning bright orange red and purple in autumn The flowers are pale pink and appear in summer last ing well into autumn It grows to about 1m and likes a sheltered sunny place and compost rich soil

All borders in the garden benefit from some evergreens which keep the colour going when other plants have lost their leaves Choisya Sundance is an absolute favourite with bright golden waxy leaves that when crushed have a herby scent It also has white flowers during summer which smell of orange blos som Another variety Choisya Goldfinger has the same golden foliage which is finely cut with white flowers in late spring a beautiful contrast when planted near Berberis Darts Red Lady

Two Pittosporums are worth a mention for prolonging the evergreen theme Pittosporum Tom Thumb has purple leaves which darken as the weather gets colder In spring the new leaf growth is bright apple green with small dark honey scented flow ers It is small compact easy to grow and very drought tolerant a good contrast to Lavender and other silver foliage evergreens Pittosporum Silver Queen is a larger variety with silver variegated decorative foliage

Bedford Sinfonia: Saturday 22

October 7 30pm St Andrew’s Church, Kimbolton Road, Bedford MK40 2PF

Conductor: Michael Rose

Piano Soloist: Paul Searle Barnes

Mozart: Symphony No 35 in D Major, K 385 (Haffner)

Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No 2 in F Major, Op 102 Haydn: Symphony No 99 in E flat Major

Contact:

Art Society: 7:15 for 7:30 start

Putnoe Heights Church, Bedford MK41 8EB

Anne Marie Abbate Talk/demonstration of Collage Anne Marie s practise focuses on a multidisciplinary approach through, sculpture, print, textiles, painting and collage Free for members £5 for visitors

Contact: Jean Paterson on 01234 307210 or www bedsartsociety co uk

Biddenham Gardeners

Association: Meets Biddenham

Village Hall

Tuesday 18th October at 7.30 365

Days of Colour” By Nick Bailey

Tuesday 22nd November at 7 30 The Autumn Flowers of the Peloponnese” By Joe Sharman

Tuesday 20th December at 7 30 “Christmas Party/Quiz”

Visitors very welcome

Admission £5 per meeting for non members includes Raffle & Refreshments

Contact: www biddenhamgardenersas sociation org uk

Car Boot Sale: Milton Ernest Garden Centre, Radwell Road, Milton Ernest MK44 1SH, Cars £5 vans £10 Sellers setup 9am

Buyers 10am 2pm October 2 Contact: (01234) 823033 or enquiries@miltonernestgarden centre co uk

Shanbrook Men’s Group:

Unemployed, working from home, retired, widowed or just need to talk to someone

The Man Cave in Sharnbrook Scout Hut could be for you We have men from all over north Bedfordshire who come along and have coffee and toast from 10am 1 30pm every Friday Contact: Bernard Brown on 07711 664451 or Steve Marvell on 07904 176698

Kempston & District Model Railway Society:

Meets every Wednesday evening, from 7 30pm to 10 00pm in Kempston East Methodist Church entrance from the Car Park Our members have a wide range of experiences backgrounds and ages Anyone interested is welcome to drop in one Wednesday evening and get to know more over tea and biscuitsContact: 000

Oakley Rural Day Centre for the elderly: The Old School Lovell Road Oakley Beds MK43 7RX We provide a fun filled day of activities, games and good old conversation The day includes refreshments and a two course lunch Contact: Lynne, Tuesday to Thursday on 01234 824935 or Mobile: 07733 227374. www.oakleyruraldaycen tre weebly com Email: oakleyruralday centre@yahoo com

Cotton End Village Hall: MK45 3AU 60/70s Night, October 8 £12 00 (includes refreshments) 7 30 start Jumble/Table Top sale October 15 11am Contact: Angela 01234 743858

Man Cave: If you are looking for some male company then look no further that the Man Cave in Sharnbrook Scout Hut Coffee and toast from 10am 1 30pm every Friday Contact: Bernard Brown on 07711 664451 or Steve Marvell on 07904 176698

Bedford Folk Dance Club:

Friendly Country and Folk Dance Club Thursdays 8:15pm to 10:15pm St Mary’s Church Hall Church Lane Goldington Bedford MK41 0HL No partner required Good fun for only £3 Contact: Ron Law 01234 825574

Bedford Music Club: Contact: www bedfordmusicclub co uk

Tudor Reeds Folk Dance Barn dance group meets every other Wednesday 8 10pm St Mark s Church Hall, Brickhill £2 inc refresh ments Contact: Jenny 01234 217621t

Sandy Women’s Institute:

Meets on the third Tuesday of every month (except August) at Sandy Conservative Club Bedford Road Sandy New members are always very welcome Visitors are charged a small fee of £4 For further information contact: Ann Patterson 01767 680644

Kempston Senior Citizens Club: DANCING, WHIST, BINGO

Meets Wednesday 10am 12noon Friday 10am 4 00pm, Centenary Hall, behind Kempston Town Hall contact: Sheila Cobban, on 01234 347306

Bedford Folk & Acoustic Club: Acoustic and folk music round the room, every Thursday evening from 8:30pm at the Bowls Pavilion of Kempston Hammers Club, MK42 7BN Musicians, singers and poets all welcome, at every level

Contact: us on facebook, or come and meet us at the Bowls Pavilion

Yoga: Priory Methodist Church, Newnham Avenue Bedford MK41 9QJ 2pm Mondays Contact: June for details: juandhannigan@yahoo co uk:

Walking Football: Sessions every Tuesday at Upper Caldecote 1 30pm to 2,30pm taking place at Harvey Close Upper Caldecote SG18 9BQ Contact: Colin Harries on 01767 317099

Bedford Local Group of The Wildlife Trust: Wednesday 12th October, Meeting 7 15pm for 7 30pm Priory Methodist Church Hall, Newnham Avenue, Bedford MK41 9QJ

‘The Hidden World of the Cow Pat and more an illustrated talk by Nancy Reed Plenty of parking available, All welcome, no charge but voluntary contributions are appreciated Further details available under Events on www wildlifebcn org or Contact: 01234 266057

Tuesday Art Group

Kempston: We are a small self help art group that meets every Tuesday in school term time from 10 00 to 12 00 at Kempston East Methodist Church Participants are free to do their own thing in any medium of their choice and the group participants can chip in with help, encouragement and advice We are looking for new members who would like to come and join us Initially we charge £3 per session however if you would like to become permanent members this would translate into a termly fee Contact Matthew on 01234 295433

What’s On at St Peter’s:

Friday 27th October 7 30pm Dr Sean Long of Ruskin University Raj and Reality; understanding British in India Chapter House St Peter s Church De Parys Avenue, Bedford, MK40 2TX

Annual talks for Bedford branch Historical Association resume LIVE (with others on zoom) None members welcome with a donation Further details Contact: James Collett White Tel 07989 837819

What’s on at St Paul’s Church October:

TUESDAYS LUNCH TIME RECITALS, 1 00 pm FREE with retiring collection in aid of church funds Suggest min £5 00

Monthly Saturday organ recitals 12 noon also FREE with retiring collection in aid of church funds

Sat 8th 12 noon Organ, Simon Headley, (Loughborough)

Tues 4th 1 00 pm, Paul Edwards and friends, Piano & Organ

Tues 11th Osman Tack Piano Tues 18th Samuel Finch Flute Tues 25th Solstice Vocal Duo Contact: Ann Collett White Tel: +44 (0)1234 266839 Mobile: +44 (0)7989 837819

Sandy Historical Society:

The History of Nation Service by Ken Lewis 7 30 Friday 28th October

Stonecroft Hall, St Swithins Way, Sandy SG191BB

Admission £3 00 including refreshments

Members & Students free Contact: 01767 680171

Bedford RSPB Local Group:

Meet at ARA club, Manton Lane Bedford MK41 7PF 7 30pm Thursday October 20

Andy Harding Presents, “The Danube Delta Paradise for Birds”‘Suitable for Experts and Novices, RSPB membership not essential Entrance fee group members £1 Guest £2 annual group membership £5 under 18s free Contact: 07905 199769

Bedford Floral Art

Society: Tuesday, October 4th at 7.30pm at the Addison Centre, Kempston, MK42 8PN A special flower arranging demonstration by National Demonstrator, Coral Gardiner, entitled ‘Autumn Opulence’ Visitors welcome £15 at the door or online Contact: tickets@bedfordfloralartsociety co uk

Sandy Historical Research Group: Saturday 22nd October 2022

SHRG Photographic Exhibition at Sandy Town Council Chamber, 10 Cambridge Road, Sandy SG19 1JE 10am 2pm; non members £4 00, Refreshments £1 00 7 30pm Tuesday 8th November How much do you know about the town in which you live? Come along to the SHRG AGM and quiz night to find out at Beeston Methodist Church Hall, The Baulk, Beeston, Sandy SG19 1NR New members always welcome Contact: Sally Carlow07722 121691

Biggleswade & District

Choral Society: The One Day Choir, UNITED FOR UKRAINE Presents THE PEACEMAKERS By Karl Jenkins St Andrew s Church Biggleswade SG18 0JB Saturday 22nd October at 7:30pm Entry by generous donation Proceeds to Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund Musical Director : Karen Beer Accompanist: Anne Wright Contact:

Bringing

Castle Comedy is launching a new club in Sandy. They are teaming with up with the iconic Roundabout Club venue, which has just undergone a big refurbishment to its upstairs function room. So, the stage is set to welcome some brilliant comedians and bring the laughter to Sandy!

Friday October 14, Castle Comedy Sandy at The Roundabout Club.

BOB MILLS is a bona fide comedy legend with over 30 years at the top of the UK circuit. You will recognise him from his cult classic 90’s TV show ‘In Bed with MeDinner’ and his presenting of ‘Win,Lose or Draw’ on ITV. He is one of the current stars of TalkRadio where he has his own show ‘Tragedy Plus Time’ where he talks comedy to the biggest stars in the country. Perhaps his biggest achievement in radio was being crowned BBC 5Live’s ‘Fighting Talk’ champion of champions in 2010.

“He’s a master of irony, and wears his world-weariness well, teasing and wrong-footing the youngsters in the front row, and passing comment on the changing face of comedy, from someone who’s seen it all!” CHORTLE

FIONA ALLEN a twice Emmy winning actor and comedian she has been a mainstay of our TV

screens over the past two decades. She has starred in various sketch shows, including Goodness Gracious Me and The All Star Comedy Show, but most famously Smack the Pony.

PRESIDENT OBONJO an upcoming and increasingly successful stand-up comedian. As the larger-than-life, uber-confident, self-appointed, side-splitting dictator of ‘Lafta Republic’, President Obonjo has quietly been leading a comedy revolution to become the first President to take over the comedy industry by storm!

“It’s a great comic construct, with lots of seized opportunities for playing with the clichés” Chortle

Doors 7.30pm, show starts 8.15pm. Tickets £12+ booking fee from www.castlecomedy.co.uk

It’s Halloween ‘Reloaded’ at the Empire

by Tony Hendrix

The summer is drawing to a close and the nights are drawing in… which must mean that Halloween is just around the corner!

If you like a bit of Halloween fun there are a few Halloween events in Bedford this year that I'm sure will get many of you dressed up in those awesome creepy Halloween costumes to celebrate an event that sees the creeps come out to play in many towns and cities worldwide.

The first event that I want to cover is called ‘Reloaded’ to be held at the Empire Nightclub in Bedford.

Before I get into the details of this night I can guarantee that this will probably be the spookiest party in town. This notorious nightclub some 10 years ago when it was called Mission was actually built within a grave yard. I was fortunate enough to work at this stunning venue when it first opened up, I was completely blown away to see the head stones were still in place around the perimeter of the club.

This Halloween Special event will take place at The Empire on October 29, doors creek open at 10.30pm till 4am.

Special guest DJs on the night include Logan D, Majistrate, and Critical impact the Music Genres will be Drum’n’Bass and Jungle.

This event will bring together some of the big names in drum’n’bass to one of Bedford’s biggest nightclubs, don’t be left out side with the zombies as the event will be busy, tickets are available from Skiddle.com.

Great Barford Village Hall are proud to announce the Swingsters Halloween Party on Saturday, October 29, featuring Laura B. Laura B is the UK’s foremost authentic Rhythm & Blues vocalist and performer. Her powerhouse vocals are inspired by original legends such as Ruth Brown, Big Maybelle, Lavern Baker and Etta James. Laura B is backed by her fabulous all-star band.

This exciting seven-piece combo rocks you really need to be there to experience this amazing band, entrance is £18.

Tickets can be purchased in advance from: Swingsters spellbinding Venues/Events or via dance@swingsters.co.uk

Dress Code can be fancy dress

or formal, Vintage or Scary. Haunted House Doors Creak Open 8pm Broomsticks at 11.30pm which is when you fly home.

The venue is located A five minute drive from the Black Cat Roundabout.

Now the biggest Halloween Party on the calendar for this Halloween was to be held at

Meadows Bank, the organisers have issued a statement regarding the cancelation

It in is with huge disappointment that we regrettably inform you that Halloween Town Festival 2022 is cancelled.

We will be automatically

refunding any monies that have been paid for this event back to the

banking / credit card from which the tickets were originally purchased.

We look forward to seeing you all next year for Halloween Town Festival 2023.

More details will be coming so stay tuned to our social channels.

Best regards, The Halloween Town Festival Team.

by Michael Jarman-Webb Eight out of eight!

BEDFORD’S journey in the The Emirates FA Cup ended abruptly at the hands of Gary Setchell’s former team Kings Lynn Town.

Having seen off local rivals Kempston Rovers in the previous round The Eagles faced the trip to The Walks, to face the side that were relegated from the National League at the end of last season

The Linnet’s are looking to bounce straight back and are enjoying an undefeated season in the National League North, with a record of six wins and two draws Bedford on the other hand at the same time sat in fourteenth place in the division below

Few Eagle’s fans making the journey to Norfolk expected anything but a loss, but the Bedford side, as it did so many times last season had other ideas Despite the home sides domination in the play, it was the visitors that would find the net first as Drew Richardson fired in a spectacular effort in the last seconds of the first half

The lead was to be short lived however as Kings Lynn equalised nine minutes into the second half, which is how the score would remain resulting in a Tuesday night replay at the Eyrie

Setchell in his post match interview suggested that the task ahead on Tuesday would be more difficult with The Linnets being fitter full time professionals

He was proven correct as Bedford ended up on the wrong end of a 0 3 score line, meaning it would be the Linnets that would host Bedford’s old rivals Kettering Town in the next round

Bedford did have success in the Pitchin In Southern League Premier Central during September, with the most notable result the home win again their nemesis over the years Hitchin Town

Two goals from Tyrone Lewthwaite and another from Hugh Alba Jones were enough to seal maximum points from the visiting Canaries

NEW PARTNERSHIP

Off the pitch, Bedford Town Football Club have announced a new partnership with the NSPCC to raise funds for the children’s charity and help keep children safe from abuse Events are already in the pipeline for supporters, play ers and families throughout the 2022 23 season in a bid to help the charity tackle child abuse across the county

The latest information about fundraising for the charity and fixture information can be found on the Bedford Town website www bedfordeagles net and on social media

by Rowland White

R E A L B e d f o r d F C retained their place at the top of the Spartan S o u t h M i d l a n d s Division 1 table after a comfortable 5 0 win o v e r t h i r d p l a c e d Moulton on Tuesday, September 20.

The Step 6 side, for merly known as Bedford FC, was taken over by Bitcoin podcaster Peter McCormack over the summer.

McCormack appointed former Stevenage mid fielder Rob Sinclair as manager and the team has gone on to win all eight competitive games so far of the campaign

PARTNERSHIP

Real Bedford recently announced partnerships with youth set up, Bedford Park Rangers, and Bed ford Ladies and Girls, bringing over 400 boys and girls under their umbrella.