As part of the Council’s £500,000 investment in play areas, works are set to begin at a play area in Jubilee Park.

The play area nearest to the Jubilation Centre will have new play equipment installed including a seafaring play unit, see saw, hammock and wheelchair accessible roundabout and trampoline.

This new playground has been designed to improve accessibility and includes inclusive equipment, so more children can experience this fabulous, new sea themed space for play.

The works will begin on Monday 27 June and are expected to be complete by the end of July.

To enable these improvements to be undertaken, the currently fenced playground will have to be closed, but other play facilities in the park will remain open as normal.

Find out more about the Sea Themed Play Area.

Bedford Borough Council is developing a new vision for physical activity for 2022-2030, called “Movement to Change”.

This vision, written following work with a number of different partners, groups and clubs, focuses on tacking inactivity and inequality, outlines key priorities and themes, and will help to set the Council’s priorities for the provision of physical activity.

Movement and physical activity is really important for physical and mental health, and can be truly life changing; enabling people to live happier, healthier and more fulfilled lives, and to be more connected to their community.

The overarching vision for “Movement to Change” is that:
“By 2030 we want Bedford Borough to be a place where everyone has a great start to life, people live healthy and fulfilling lives, are enabled to achieve their full potential and contribute to their community.

“We know being active is one of the single most effective and sustainable ways to achieve the 2030 Vision for Bedford Borough. From better mental and physical health to social cohesion and a greener future, movement benefits us from the day we are born through to old age.”

There are four key themes to help achieve this vision: connecting communities, positive experiences for children and young people, connecting with health and wellbeing, and active environments.

Have your say by Tuesday 12 July 2022 by visiting our website.

Find out more about the Vision to Change.

Mayor Dave Hodgson has announced green investment at Brookside Care Home in Kempston and Eileen Wade Primary School, following a successful bid by the Council for £624,918 from the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

With the Council investing an additional top up, this major investment at Brookside Care Home in Kempston will see measures including new windows, a new insulated modern roof and a new energy and heating system, which will reduce energy use. In addition, solar panels will be installed on the roof enabling the care home to create green energy on site.

This will both reduce the carbon footprint of the care home, save money on energy bills, and make the home more comfortable for those who live there.

The council has secured funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) as part of its Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), delivered by Salix.

The scheme aims to put the public sector at the forefront of decarbonising buildings in the UK.

Works are expected to start at Brookside Care Home in summer and will be done at the same time as a broader refurbishment of the home. The Council is working with management, carers, residents and families to ensure this vital work is done with the minimum of disruption.

Find out more about the investment in tackling Climate Change.