A ballot of local businesses in the town centre has backed the renewal of the Bedford Business Improvement District (BID) for a further five years.

Business ratepayers in Bedford with a business of the required rateable value to be eligible to vote were issued with a postal ballot to say whether or not they supported the renewal of the BID.

It's Apple Day at Bromham Mill on Sunday 20th October, with the popular event for all the family taking place at the historic mill from 11am to 4pm.

There is a wide array of events and activities to be enjoyed at this fun family occasion, organised by Bromham Parish Council. In addition to the customary apples and cider other attractions include market stalls, live music, pony rides, a children's animal area and more.

There's lots of half-term fun to be had in Bedford Borough, with activities and events at our local museum and art gallery, and all five local libraries.

'Enter the World of Dreams and Nightmares' is the theme for half-term activities at The Higgins Bedford, following the opening of new exhibition 'Dreams and Nightmares'. Holiday activities are sponsored by Oxford Brookes University.

It is National Adoption Week, 14 - 20 October and Bedford Borough Council is urging adoptive families to come forward in an effort to provide homes for children.

The focus for 2019 is on those children who wait the longest to find a loving home - those in a sibling group, children from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, older children and those with complex health needs or those with a disability.

Bedford Borough Council has signed up as a Refill Station, joining Refill Bedford creating a network of local places where people can go fill up their reusable water bottle for free.

'Refill' is a nationwide campaign working to connect people with thousands of local businesses, community venues, transport hubs and public fountains where they can refill for free. They have launched a free 'Refill App' where anyone can find Refill Stations where they can refill on the go.

The 2019 Festival of Lights will take place this Saturday (19th October) at The Bunyan Sports Centre on Mile Road.

The event will be hosted by the Bedford Indian Community and it promises to be a Cultural Extravaganza including Classical Indian performances, Bollywood dances, Musical performances and lots of stalls.

As part of the Black History Month celebrations, The Place Theatre will be screening the film Pressurethis evening.

Hailed as Britain's first black feature film, Pressure is a hard-hitting, honest document of the plight of disenchanted British-born black youths. Set in 1970s London, it tells the story of Tony, a bright school-leaver, son of West Indian immigrants, who finds himself torn between his parents' church-going conformity and his brother's Black Power militancy. As his initially high hopes are repeatedly dashed - he cannot find work anywhere; potential employers treat him with suspicion because of his colour - his sense of alienation grows. In a bid to find a sense of belonging, he joins his black friends who, estranged from their submissive parents, seek a sense of purpose in the streets and in chases with the police. An angry but sincere and balanced film, Pressure deals with the identity struggles that children of immigrants have to face and Horace Ov makes the most of his combination of professional actors and local non-actors from the from the streets of London.

Bedfordshire Police have relaunched their SNAP dance event for children aged between 12-15 years old at The Corn Exchange in Bedford this Thursday (17th October).

800 tickets are available for children at a cost of £10 each and the event will be run from 7.30pm to 11pm. The ticket price includes drinks so that children do not need to bring money with them.