Bedfordshire

Just days after it was launched Mayor Tom Wootton has responded to the latest EWR consultation with a list of demands and attacks on the previous executive of Bedford Borough Council saying "the...

Bedford Borough Council is to receive a £2.3 million share of the government’s bus services funding scheme.

75 years ago, in the Summer of 1949, Bedfordshire Times Editor, Dick Dellow along with Army Captain Percy Burke wrote to Bedford Blues for permission to begin a supporters association...

Read more about the grant scheme.

The money, part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), will help enhance the lives of people by opening up more opportunities to take part in, and enjoy, artistic and cultural experiences.

The (UKSPF) Culture Grant Scheme demonstrates Central Bedfordshire Council’s commitment to nurturing artistic talent, championing grassroots arts and culture projects, and helping the cultural sector thrive.

Councillor Tracey Wye**,** our Executive Member responsible for Arts & Culture, said:

I truly believe artistic and cultural expression in all its forms, from a professional theatre production to someone sat at home musing over their watercolours, is a built-in part of human nature.

This Culture Grant Scheme offers a fantastic opportunity to turn creative ideas into a reality and open-up more opportunity for people to benefit from the arts.

I really encourage everyone to look into this grant scheme and apply through our chosen community foundation for the opportunity to make creative ideas into a reality.

Applications can be made from now until 9 January 2025; the scheme is part-funded by the UKSPF and us. Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation is administering the fund on our behalf.

The scheme aims to:

Encourage a sense of pride in place

Celebrate and enrich the beauty, character, history and heritage of Central Bedfordshire through art and culture, fostering a sense of pride and belonging among residents.

Nurture wellbeing and inclusivity

Cultivate a vibrant offer that promotes the wellbeing of its residents, nurtures strong and sustainable communities, brings communities together and ensures that everyone feels included.

Create a thriving arts and cultural sector

Support the development and growth of the arts and culture sector within Central Bedfordshire.

Do you recognise this man?

Campaign group Bedford for a Re-consultation (BFARe) has responded to the third non-statutory East West Rail project consultation, saying the new rail line will be 'devastating" and...

New figures have revealed the number of public electric vehicle chargers drivers had access to in Bedford rose by more than two-thirds last year.

The Greenacre Centre will provide an upgraded, spacious, and welcoming environment, enabling the library’s resources to expand and better serve the growing community. The Simpson Centre, which has served the community for numerous years in different forms, has aged, and the library’s new home will provide a more accessible, modern space.

Stotfold Mayor, Councillor Steve Buck, shared his excitement about the move:

The new library at the Greenacre Centre will be a wonderful facility for everyone in our community. It represents an investment in our future—a place where people of all ages can come together to explore, learn, and grow. I look forward to seeing residents enjoying all that this new space has to offer.

Councillor Tracey Wye, our Executive Member for libraries, said:

The relocation of Stotfold Library to the Greenacre Centre is a significant step in enhancing the library services we offer. Scheduled to begin in December, the works will create a more adaptable space designed to better meet the needs of the community. With improved resources and accessible spaces, the new library will be a vibrant community hub, ready to support Stotfold’s growth for years to come.

Construction is set to begin in December, with completion anticipated in spring 2025.

​The Christmas holidays are nearly upon us, and the pressure to buy more ‘stuff’ is growing, especially gifts for children. It’s so easy to over-indulge at this time of year, only to emerge with a hangover and run-down bank account when it’s all over.

A very special event is taking place at the Higgins this week, when Peter Brathwaite, artist, singer and writer talks to Dr Lucy Peltz, Head of Collection Displays (Tudor to Regency) and Senior Curator 18th Century Collections at the...

The countdown is on for the annual Bedford Christmas Tree Festival as it once again casts its spell over St Paul’s this December and sprinkles some festive magic for visitors of all ages. From 4 - 8 December, the festival returns for its...

A plan to close an ambulance service 999 base in Bedford has left a neighbouring council “dumbfounded”, a meeting heard.

It comes as users flee Twitter 📱

Real Bedford Women are now the only unbeaten side in Women's National League Division One South East after a sixth win in nine league games against Dulwich Hamlet at the Ledger Stadium...

Bedford Town pulled off the ultimate smash-and-grab in front of a densely packed 2,000 fans at Latimer Park on Saturday (16 November), snatching a last-gasp 2-2 draw...

‘I'd been groomed and everything was making me feel more and more fearful’ 😨

There are approximately 88,000 people in employment in Bedford Borough. Of these, it’s estimated there are 2,744 people on zero-hours contracts. I have always been concerned about...

A man who caused an explosion inside a makeshift laboratory inside his home in Sharnbrook has been jailed.

A man described as 'dangerous’ and who caused an explosion in a makeshift bedroom lab at his Sharnbrook home has been jailed. Matthew Haydon, 48, suffered life-changing injuries...

East West Rail's (EWR) third non-statutory consultation opened yesterday revealing new details about how the new rail line linking Oxford and Cambridge through Bedford will be built...

A woman who died after a collision on the A6 near Haynes at the weekend has been named.

The family of a man who was stabbed to death in Bedford have paid tribute to him.

If you’re looking to gain new skills or to change careers, there’s new scheme offering people in Bedfordshire the chance to learn how to drive a bus for free.

Bedford Borough Council will be adding 12,000 more homes to its glass collection trial next month. The Climate Change Committee heard this week (Monday, 11 November) that the results...

East West Rail is asking people living along the route to share their opinions on its updated plans to connect Bedford with Oxford, Milton Keynes, and Cambridge with a new consultation opening today (November 14).