The latest weekly coronavirus snapshot for Bedford Borough has been published.

The figures show that in the seven days up to August 22nd:

• 7,604 PCR tests were taken
• There were 504 Coronavirus cases (105 fewer than the previous week)
• The weekly positive cases per 100,000 population was 290.8 (down from 351.4 in the previous week)

With schools and colleges opening after the summer break next week, secondary school and college age students, including pupils in Year 7 and 8 at middle school, will be required to take two onsite lateral flow tests at the start of the term, which will take place between three to five days apart.

After this, students will be encouraged to continue twice weekly lateral flow testing from home.

The South East Midlands Local Economic Partnership is opening the next round of its Community Grants programme next week. The Community Grants programme offers Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations grant funding from £10,000 to £20,000 to deliver local projects that make a difference within local communities in the South East Midlands.

Applications open on 6th September and you can apply until 30th September. There are more details about the scheme at https://www.semlep.com/community-grants/.

We are flying the Red Ensign today at Borough Hall to mark Merchant Navy Day.

We are flying the Red Ensign today at Borough Hall to mark Merchant Navy Day.

The Desire Paths pop-up art installation event is taking place in Bedford town centre this weekend.

Running from Friday 3 September to Sunday 5 September, the event will see performance group Third Angel draw a large map of Bedford on the ground in Harpur Square and invite residents to rename the streets around a hope, dream or ambition that they have for the future.

On Thursday 9th September 2021, Healthwatch Bedford Borough in partnership with East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT), Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group (BLMK CCG), MIND BLMK and Bedford Borough Council will host an online Mental Health Forum.

*This event will take place on Zoom and will have full British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation throughout*

Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have welcomed the Environment Agency's Waterways team work to create a pollinator paradise along the River Great Ouse.

Biodiversity and boaters are benefiting from wildflowers, bird boxes, bee hives, bee hotels and shrubbery, which have been installed along the river.