Bedford Borough Council thanks all volunteers

This Volunteers' Week, Bedford Borough Council is celebrating the selfless acts of kindness that have made a huge difference to the lives of residents, including some of the borough's most vulnerable residents since the outbreak of Covid-19.

As a result, since March more than 1,000 volunteers came forward to help the Community Hub support hundreds of the Borough's residents every week with shopping, collecting prescriptions, helping to pack and deliver food parcels or just simply having someone to talk to while isolating.

Environment Portfolio Holder Councillor Charles Royden and Bedford Borough Council are lining up alongside the Arboricultural Association, London Tree Officers Association, Municipal Tree Officers Association and the Association of Tree Officers in their campaign to ensure that newly planted trees are watered regularly over the summer months.

Mayor Dave Hodgson is celebrating World Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day by highlighting the work of The Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire MS Therapy Centre who provide a wide range of support and therapies to people living with MS.

The MS Therapy Centre which is on Barkers Lane has, like so many other organisations, had to adapt to working virtually during the Coronavirus Pandemic and has been offering Pilates and Tai Chi as well as physiotherapy and the occasional quiz digitally.

Responding to the news that £53million nationally will be provided to support services to help rough sleepers in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to build on that announcement and help bring rough sleeping to an end in Bedford Borough and across the country.

A scheme proposed by Liberal Democrat Ward Councillors to open up new routes for bicycles is set to deliver a boost for local cyclists in Newnham Ward in Bedford. The plans, which have been proposed by Newnham Ward Councillors Councillor Hilde Hendrickx and Councillor Jake Sampson using their ward fund, would see the removal of restrictions for bicycles on a series of one-way streets off Castle Road.

The National Lottery's new Coronavirus Community Support Fund for organisations is now open.

The fund will be aimed primarily at small to medium organisations in England.

The Fund has two key objectives:

1. To increase community support to vulnerable people affected by the COVID-19 crisis, through the work of civil society organisations.
2. To reduce temporary closures of essential charities and social enterprises, ensuring services for vulnerable people impacted by COVID-19 have the financial resources to operate, and so reduce the burden on public services.

Bedford Borough Council have had a tremendous response to the call for donations for the Active Minds scheme.

All the items have been sanitised and we are now in a position to send these out to local residents.

If you would like to request any puzzles, games, books, DVDs and more to help keep your mind active and engaged at this difficult time you can do so at https://www.bedford.gov.uk/social-care-health-and-community/public-health/coronavirus/active-minds-scheme/

Mayor Dave's surgeries have gone online, with the next one taking place tomorrow (Tuesday 26th May) between 4pm-6pm.

If you have a query or an issue you'd like to raise with Dave email him on daveshodgson@yahoo.co.uk to book at 10minute Zoom surgery.

Zoom is easy to use, you just click the link you will be sent and then use your phone/tablet/computer microphone and speaker, or headphones, to chat.