The Higgins Bedford is joining Bedford Central Library, The Place Theatre, A Different Brew Café and other partners to celebrate Refugee Week 2019.

Refugee Week is a national programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution of refugees in the UK. There will the chance to discover stories of displacement, explore the lives of refugees and the people who welcomed them through the generations, all around this year's theme of 'You, Me and Those Who Came Before. '

Thanks to the Town Centre Champions community group and 77 independent businesses who have signed up to take part, Bedford's first Fiver Fest is under way and runs through until Saturday 15th June.

Fiver Fest is a celebration of small businesses and shops, with local traders putting on special £5 offers over 1 week to help promote and showcase the range and quality of retailers and attractions in the town centre, and to thank those who support them. It is running for a week, having kicked off on Saturday 8th June.

Network Rail are holding a public information event about the works they are carrying out on the Bromham Road Bridge later this month, that will last until 2020. The Network Rail event is taking place today, Tuesday 11th June, between 3pm and 7pm at The Bedford Centre Hotel on St. Mary's Street.

As well as Network Rail, Govia Thameslink Railway and Stagecoach will be attending to answer questions.

In his latest monthly column for the Bedford Borough Bulletin, Mayor Dave Hodgson has highlighted the strength of his new Cabinet and stressed the importance of 'hitting the ground running in the task of continuing to save services, create jobs and protect our environment.'

The column notes the inclusion of a new Portfolio in the form of Cllr Henry Vann's Town Centres and Planning brief, adding that Cllr Vann's 'passion and commitment to our towns' will help to deliver the strong and effective response we need in the context of the growing challenges for all UK town centres.

On the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, Mayor Dave Hodgson has paid tribute and highlighted the 'extraorindary, eternal debt of gratitude we all owe.'

Commenting on a graphic setting out the numbers involved in the D-Day landings, which you can see here, Mayor Dave said: "A sombre reminder, from BBC History Magazine, of the scale of the D-Day landings, and of what an extraordinary, eternal debt of gratitude we all owe."

Today is World Environment Day, and with this year's theme being air quality, Mayor Dave Hodgson has taken the opportunity to promote public transport as an alternative to car usage.

Commenting on social media, Mayor Dave wrote: "It's World Environment Day today, and this year's theme is air pollution.'

Mayor Dave Hodgson has wished a happy Eid-al-Fitr to all.

Commenting on his Facebook page earlier, Mayor Dave said:

"Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating across Bedford Borough and beyond. Wishing a happy Eid-al-Fitr to all. #EidMubarak‬"

Mayor Dave Hodgson has thanked everyone involved in a packed weekend of free family festival fun in Bedford, following the International Kite Festival and first Bedford Festival of Motoring at Russell Park and the Embankment.

There were an estimated 30,000 visitors over the weekend enjoying the spectacle provided the kite flyers from around the world in Russell Park, the 300 vehicles on show on the Embankment, the 'Party in the Park' on Saturday evening and more, including funfair rides and food & drink in the park and 'come and try it' activities by Canoe Trail.