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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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

​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.