Household bin collections will take place as normal on Bank Holiday Monday (25 May) for Bedford Borough households. Those households whose black, orange or green bin is due for collection on the Bank Holiday are asked to put it out for collection as normal.

You can check your bin collection day at www.bedford.gov.uk/bins

If you have things that you no longer want, or need, that can be reused don't throw them away. Donate instead and give them a new life.

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, many charities are struggling due to a lack of donations and so a lack of income.

Emmaus Village Carlton, who provide a home and meaningful work for formerly homeless adults in Bedfordshire, is reopening for donations on Wednesday 27 May.

The Booktastic Children's Book Festival has brought a wide array of wonderful children's authors to Bedford over recent years, with the event having taken place at local venues including the Higgins Bedford, the University of Bedfordshire Polhill Campus and The Place Theatre.

This year's event has sadly had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the organisers have instead taken it online, and arranged for numerous popular authors and illlustrators to deliver a programme of interviews, panel discussions, workshops and in-conversation sessions, all live streamed on the Booktastic YouTube channel

A brand new newsletter covering Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) issues in Bedford Borough has been launched.

'SEND Matters' is produced in partnership by Bedford Borough Council, the Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum and Bedfordshire CCG, and is intended to help keep people informed of everything that is happening within the world of SEND in Bedford Borough.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, and Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats are highlighting the many resources available to help people look after their own mental health and to support others.

This theme of the week is kindness, which has been chosen because of the close link between kindness and mental health and its importance for good mental health and wellbeing.

From tomorrow, Thursday 21 May, you will be able to dispose of more types of waste at the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) on Barkers Lane.

With more onward disposal sites for waste collected at the HWRC starting to open and the success of the new system at the Barkers Lane site to facilitate social distancing, the Council are now able to allow more types of waste to be disposed of.

The Chair of Bedford Borough Council's Planning Committee has thanked everyone involved for 'making democracy happen in difficult circumstances', after the committee's first virtual meeting took place on Monday.

The meeting, which was broadcast live on YouTube, saw committee members, Council officers and members of the public take part remotely online via video due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Bedford Borough Council is encouraging people to be kind to others and to themselves as part of Mental Health Awareness Week with this year's theme of Kindness.

The coronavirus pandemic and lockdown has been very challenging and people's mental health may have been affected in various ways.

Kindness and mental health are deeply connected. Many people will be feeling lonely, isolated, stressed and anxious during this difficult period, so it's important we do all we can to look after each other and support one another's mental wellbeing.