Bedford Borough Schools Go Gold for Sustainable Transport

Bedford Borough now has five schools that have reached Gold accreditation for their efforts to encourage and promote sustainable travel. Castle Newnham School (South Site), St James’ CofE VA Primary School, Westfield Primary School and Goldington Green Academy have all joined Shortstown Primary School as Gold standard schools. The accreditation comes from Modeshift STARS, the Centre of Excellence for the delivery of effective Travel Plans in education, business and community settings. All of these schools have followed a programme of initiatives supported by the Bedford Borough Council Sustainable Transport team and demonstrated a noticeable reduction in car travel to school over the last four years. The schools have worked with parents and pupils to deliver their initiatives and help to encourage lasting change. Alongside the five schools achieving Gold accreditation, Bedford Borough also has one school with a Silver accreditation, ten schools achieving Bronze and six with a Green accreditation. This means there are now 22 accredited schools within the Borough. School surveys conducted in 2021 show that 50.5% of children use active travel to get to school in Bedford, this is significantly higher than both the East of England average (44%) and national average (47%) as reported in the 2021 National Travel Survey. The amount of pupils travelling actively in Bedford is a huge achievement for residents and reflects their commitment to active travel and sustainable forms of transport. If you represent a school that would like to find out more about Modeshift STARS, you can contact Sustainable.Transport@bedford.gov.uk.

Bedfordshire Archives Retains Accredited Archive Service Status

Bedfordshire Archives has reached the accreditation standard to retain its Accredited Archive Service status, recognising its achievements in sustaining good work and coping with the ongoing impacts of the pandemic.

Archive Service Accreditation is the UK standard for, and signals the quality of, archive services. Being accredited means that Bedfordshire Archives meets the UK standard for collections management and access to collections, showing resilience and the ability to manage changing circumstances.

Accreditation helps archives manage and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their service through external validation and the identification of good practice. Being an accredited service also allows Bedfordshire Archives to apply for certain funding streams that would be otherwise inaccessible.

The Archive Service Accreditation is awarded every six years, with a review three years after it is initially awarded. Bedfordshire Archives was originally accredited in 2016 and then successfully reviewed in 2019.

Have you visited the Bedfordshire Archives? Anyone can make an appointment to visit on-site to the research room where you can see, handle and use the original records and where trained staff will help you to find what you want and give advice on your research.

To find out more go online to the Bedfordshire Archives website: https://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/Archives-Service.aspx

Sustainable Warmth

Across the UK, many households will see the cost of gas and electricity rise by more than 50% from April 2022 as the energy price cap, the limit on what energy suppliers can charge, increases.

There are changes you can make to try and keep energy costs under control. Energy-saving improvements could make your home more efficient and may help to control rising energy prices in your household.

Some households across the South East may even be eligible for a government grant to fund energy-efficiency work.

Sustainable Warmth is a new government grant scheme designed to fund energy-efficiency upgrades for residents who are most likely to be impacted by the high cost of rising bills. These improvements will help residents to use less energy and spend less on their energy bills by:

• using energy-saving technology and upgrades installed by approved installers
• creating warmer, healthier homes
• helping to cut carbon emissions
• providing funding for homes on and off the gas grid

The energy-efficiency grants will cover a range of energy-saving home improvements designed to balance the needs of residents with carbon reduction and grant availability.

The scheme is now open to private tenants/landlords and homeowners.

The registration portal is hosted by the Greater South East Net Zero Hub who we are working in partnership with.

You can check your eligibility and find out more at: https://www.bedford.gov.uk/environmental-issues/sustainability/sustainability-projects/sustainable-warmth

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