ISSUE 15: SEPTEMBER 2012FREE

The Bedford Clanger Group Page email: thebedfordclanger@gmail.com blog:thebedfordclanger.wordpress.com @bedfordclanger

For: music-lovers, culture-vultures, crafters, artists, makers, gardeners, traders, foodies, fashionistas

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

A Photo A DAy31 dayS and 31 wayS

oF lookinG aT ouR Town

inSidE on PaGE 14 :WIN £100 oF WAItRoSE VoUChERS!

Letter from the Editor

well, autumn’s nearly here, the schoolholidays are over and the nights are drawing in. But there’s plenty to look forward to in Bedford this month.

There’s a plethora of musical genres for you to enjoy from opera to Spanish guitar, classic soul to the Wet Nuns, as well as cycle powered cinema (yes, really!) and the return of We Are Bedford to the world of pop up events. We are also thrilled to present the cream of the 1,200 submissions we received to our A Photo A Day project in July. If your picture wasn’t picked, fear not. We are working on a very, very exciting project that will include all 1,200 of the images, so we’ll keep you posted.

Finally, don’t forget to enter our competi-tion to win £100 of Waitrose vouchers. Good luck!

Erica x

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

2 Check out the photo extravaganza starting on page 4!

SEPTEMBER 2012

ERIC thE BUtChER 3 ThE FaiRway, GoldinGTon, BEdFoRd, Mk41 9hd tEL: 01234 352831

UNIQUE BEDFoRD

For over 40 years, Eric the Butcher has been providing the good people of Goldington with their meat requirements. Although Eric originally trained as a chef, he then worked in Black Tom with fellow independent butcher, David Blunt (of DavidJon butchers, Stanley Street). However, it was in the early 70s that he began working at Ian Hinton’s butchers in Goldington. Ian left the business to establish York House Foods in Potton (which is now a multi-million pound business), so Eric bought the shop and a legend was born!

What have been the biggest changes to the trade?Supermarkets have affected our business. We’ve got Tesco on our doorstep here. When they opened we went quiet for a fortnight. Then our customers came back because we’re better! For most of our older customers it’s second nature to use their local butcher. We’ve been here so long that we’re now serving the 3rd generation. The youngsters might have moved away for a while, but when they come back they always say, ‘Eric! You’re still here!’

What’s the secret to your success?Our customers trust us. We make a lot of our own products (Eric is the only butcher in Bedford to make his own black pudding), including pies, sausages and faggots. We make an endless range of sausages and all are made with fresh ingredients, we don’t use any mixes. We have a number of South African customers who were missing the taste of their native all-meat Boerewors sausages, so now we make them! We make steak and ale, chicken and ham, poachers pies – again, all with fresh ingredients (a large pie is £3.35). We also sell cooked meat and cure our own bacon and ox tongue. That’s the difference between an independent butcher and a supermarket. We know our products and our customers. We even stock cow’s foot. We’ll try anything here!

What does the future hold for Bedford’s independent butchers?Well, without our customers we wouldn’t be here, so people definitely need to come to us. We are knowledgeable, approachable and there’s no need to be afraid of us being

expensive. If you’re having a dinner party, bring in your cookbook and we’ll help you choose the right meat for your recipe. We offer free delivery (out as far as Old Warden) with our sister shop, Ann’s Fruit Shop, so we can compete with the supermarkets. Retail is hard work, and there are no longer butchers’ Saturday boys to train up to take over. But we’re still here!

So, what are you waiting for? Our inde-pendent traders deserve our support. If we don’t use them, we’ll lose them. Pop down to see Eric when you’re next in the area. You can always pick up a copy of The Clanger while you’re there!

CLASSIC SoUL NIght ComES to ESQUIRES thIS moNthnorthern Soul dJ Geoff ware will be spinning his classic vinyl at Esquires this month, and The Clanger highly recommends that you get yourselves down there!Geoff has been DJing since 1970 and LOVES soul. “It started with Motown,” he explained. “And grew into Northern Soul and 60s R&B. I used to travel up to the Twisted Wheel at Blackpool and got into the scene.” It’s clear from talking to Geoff that the intervening 40 years have only served to cement this love affair! Playing only vinyl (and mainly 45s at that - although unreleased album tracks are permitted), Geoff reckons he’s got around 4,000 records. “My house looks like a

record fair!” he says. So what is Geoff’s must-have Northern Soul tune? “What, today? It changes all the time!” said Geoff. “She’ll Come Running Back by Mel Britt is upbeat and brilliant, while Someday by The Tempests is a bit more low key. Frankie Valli’s Beggin’ is a rare recent cross-over and never fails to fill the floor.” So, if you want a friendly, fun night with classic soul music and some fabulous danc-ing, you know where to go. Just don’t forget the talc. KTF.

Classic Soul Night at Esquires, Saturday 8th September

MuSiC

mICk thE FISh mAN!Think there

are no independent fishmongers in Bedford? Then think

again. Mick Dye, a born and bred Grimsby lad, brings the best fish Grimsby Docks has to offer to your door every Wednesday. There is no minimum purchase and the quality and variety of fish is second to none. As well as the usual cod and haddock Mick stocks fish such as lemon sole, sea bass, plaice and monkfish. He is also a thoroughly nice chap to boot. Want him to stop by? Then give him a call on: 07863 238423 and he will add you to his round.

Food

a supremely cool night out

So drop him a line!

nice to meat you.

Photos: Grahma Watson

Food so good, you’ll be hooked.

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

3Oxjam is looking action packed.

FESTiVal

at Bedford network we share with you our best experiences of Bedford.

We especially like checking out any new independent shops and so here we tell you about the recently opened cheesemonger and deli on Castle Rd (run by The Cheese Kitchen). It sells great products and most importantly - a lot of cheese… The Cheese Kitchen opened the new shop a couple of doors down from what is now The Cheese Kitchen Cafe on Castle Rd. This dedicated cheesemonger and deli (I like to think of it as a mature, older sister) has its own cheese room and lots of other deli goodies too. We feel very at home in the Cheese Room, surrounded by lovely cheeses all kept in an ideal temperature of 8 degrees and humidified to keep them in perfect con-dition. There are around 65 different types of cheese and Justin and Helen really know their stuff, so just ask if you’re wanting to try something new or just want to know what they have in! We recently tried Swiss

cheeses - Cirome and Schneeflockle - both very lovely... both very cheesey! And there is a lovely selection of meats and olives. Out in the deli there is bread, free-range eggs, homemade sausage rolls, quiches, scotch eggs (you get the idea!). They also stock Humbers Homemade chutneys, mar-malades and jam, lovely Chiltern olive oils and delicious pate. This names just a few things you will find on their shelves, we’ll leave the rest for you to explore! We’ll be popping in soon to try the 100% fruit Chilly Billy ice lolly... and perhaps a little more cheese too! Find the The Cheese Kitchen at 104b and 108 Castle Road, Bedford, MK40 3QR. They are also on Facebook and you can fol-low their tweets @CheeseKitchen Stay tuned to Bedford Network in September as there will be a rather brilliant competition to win a drinks voucher for the newly refurbished Burnaby Arms and lots, lots more about the best of Bedford!

www.bedfordnetwork.co.uk Twitter: @BedfordNetwork Facebook: www.facebook.com/Bedford-Network

BEDFoRD NEtWoRk

Phot

o: S

haun

Arm

stro

ng

Say Cheese!

SEPTEMBER 2012

Bedford’s first wrist-banded music festival in six of the town’s best music venues. Here’s Clare Sullivan, Oxjam Bedford Takeover Manager to tell us what she’s got planned between now and the big day! “So summer is nearly over, the nights are drawing in and Olympic and Paralympic fever are almost behind us. Blimey, I’ve just depressed myself writing that! Guess it’s just as well there’s lots of Oxjam fun to look forward to this month! We’re hoping the sunshine stays around for Sunday 9th September, when we’ll be staging Oxjam At The Kiosk. We’re work-ing with the lovely ladies of Kiosk At The Park in Russell Park, to bring Bedford a day of music and family fun for all. From 12pm to 6pm, the area by the Kiosk will be a hive of activity. There’ll be pitch and putt competitions, beat the table tennis cham-pion, tennis lessons, face painting, portrait artists, magic and of course, music! We’re delighted to be bringing The Nimblewits’ wonderful folk-tinged pop and Luke and Dave (from The Whybirds) heartfelt harmo-nies to Russell Park. We’ll also be inviting everyone to join our (Ox)Jam Session, for your chance to play with some of the best of Bedford’s live music scene. There’s no admission fee, just a small fee to pay to have a go at some of the activities, with all proceeds going to support Oxfam’s vital work. So come on down, and hopefully bring the sun-cream, not the brolly! Then on Saturday 22nd September, the Oxjam Bedford team are delighted to be working with Famous & Divine to bring Trying To Be Tom Waits to Bedford The-atre. The Oxjam Bedford Team want Ox-jam to be about more than just great bands,

giving great performances. We want to give the people of Bedford the opportunity to experience music you’ve loved, or even mu-sic you might have missed, in a new setting. Famous & Divine are a professional touring theatre production company, who are bring-ing their production of Trying To Be Tom Waits to Bedford Theatre to offer a unique and compelling theatrical experience, firmly rooted in the inspirational music of Tom Waits. Tickets are on sale now at www.we-gottickets.com/oxjambedford or through the Bedford Central Box Office. Priced at only £8 for adults and £6 for concessions, with 70% of the ticket price being generously donated to Oxfam by Bedford Theatre, we hope you’ll agree it’s a theatrical bargain! The final thing to keep your eye out for this month is the big Oxjam Bedford Takeover line-up announcement. We’re just finalising the details of the brilliant bands, performers and DJs that we’ll be bringing you on Saturday 27th October and we can tell you this much, it’s going to be a corker. Whatever you’re into, we’ve got something for your musical delectation and enjoy-ment. From folk to funk, from indie to In2 Beats DJs, Oxjam will have it all. If you want to save yourself a couple of pounds on our final ticket price, a limited number of early bird tickets are available now at www.wegottickets.com/oxjambedford for the bargain price of £6. Once they’re gone, they’re gone so get them whilst you can – at less than 20p per band, you can’t argue with the price! We can’t wait for this time next month when things will really be gearing up for the Takeover. In the meantime, if you’re a band, individual or business and you’d like to get involved or support the Takeover, please get in touch at oxjam.bedfordtake-over@gmail.com – we’d love to hear from you!

thE oxjAm BEDFoRD tAkEoVER SaTuRday 27Th oCToBER

64 Tavistock Street Bedford MK40 2RG

A take away delivery service is available covering Bedford and the outlying villagesAwarded a 4 star Food Standards Agency Rating by Bedford Borough Council

RooStERS tAkES FLIght to NoRth WINgSt Cuthbert’s Street sandwich shop (and Clanger contributor) Roosters, has opened a new outlet at Bedford Hospital’s North Wing on Kimbolton Road. Offering the same great, healthy sandwich selections, Ethical Addictions coffee and homemade cakes as its sister cafe, this is a boon for both patients and staff at the Enhanced Service Centre.

Food

BAkER BRothERS’ CARAt CLUB

Baker Brothers Jewellers on St Peter’s Street not only stock top brands such as Rolex and Tag Heuer, Dower & Hall and Georg Jensen, but have a knowledge of diamonds that is second to none. As final-ists in the Independent Retail Jeweller of the Year, the judges commented, “We were in awe of this family business’s exemplary standard of diamonds, training and innova-tive marketing”. Baker Brothers buy their own diamonds directly from the Antwerp cutting rooms , eliminating wholesalers and manufacturers costs, so they guarantee they cannot be beaten like for like on value. Baker Brothers have recently set up a Carat Club where members can receive ex-clusive offers including partner offers from Toni & Guy and Hanbury Manor. Want to join? Then simply visit their web-site: http://www.bakerbrothersdiamonds.com/or pop in store to complete a form and get your secret Carat Club Card. For further information please contact Gaynor Haylett 01462 683427 Baker Broth-ers 15 Leys Avenue Letchworth SG6 3EA and 11-13 St. Peters Street, Bedford MK40 2PN

RETail

SAUSAgE mAkINg WoRkShoPhome of the Bedford Banger, lingers Butchers are holding a sausage making workshop in their shop on the 26th September at 6.30.

Join their recent competition winners in sausage tasting and try your hand on the sausage making machine. Places are limited and cost £12 pp. Each participant will take home a selection of sausages to try at home. To book please email JamesHone200@yahoo.co.uk

SauSaGES!

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

4

SEPTEMBER 2012

A Photo A DAy31 dayS and 31 wayS oF lookinG

aT ouR Town

ESTABLISHED 198758a York Street, Bedford MK40 3RL

Supplying high quality Printing to the Bedford Communityfor 25 years

www.whitehartpress.co.uk

01234 270465 email: info@whitehartpress.co.uk

PhoToGRaPhy SPECial

SPONSERED BY:

A Photo A DAyjULy 2012 IN BEDFoRDin the June issue we launched a community photography project that we hoped would give a unique perspective on our town.

We chose a word for each of the 31 days of the month and asked readers to take a photograph a day that evoked that particular

word. There were only a couple of rules: the photos had to be taken on the specific day and they had to be taken in and around Bedford. Oh, and you had to be happy to have your work published. We didn’t know what to expect, but the response was phenomenal. We now have around 1,200 photographs that capture everyday life during one brilliant Bedford summer. Some of our contributors are pro-fessional (or at least trained) photographers, while the majority are just happy snappers. Some of photos are abstract, some are of people’s kids, some are simply beautiful. The common denominator is that they all represent how people feel about our town. As people began posting their photos on the A Photo A Day Facebook page an online

‘virtual’ community began to emerge. Encouragement and praise were given. Good-natured jealousy was shown when someone had achieved a particularly great shot! Previously overlooked aspects of our town were hailed. Secrets shared. It was flipping awesome!

Credit must go to @hiddenbradford in Bradford (who I found on twitter) for the inspiration and for generously sharing their idea. Also thanks to Jez Brown and Marisa Straccia for sharing the honour of choosing the top pics. What a task! So, here’s our pick of the crop. If your photo hasn’t been chosen here, fear not. We have big, big plans for this project. Watch this space…

day 1: water

day 2: Style

day 3: Park

day 4: independent

day 5: holiday

“water - Something the ducks didn’t

seem that interested in today!”

“Queens Park:This man was delighted and

proud to show off his allotment...”

“was going to try and avoid words for this one, but when something

is written in foot-high red

letters you can’t ignore it.

Taking this photo involved mild

peril (standing in the middle of the

a6).”

“Bargain alley: Everyone loves a

bit of toot...”“holiday in the Bedfordshire countryside!”

“The drink, the sign, the music at andaluz all remind me of

holidays!”

Photo:Christian Webb

Water: Tracey Wright

Water: Imogen Bowis

Photo: Pia-Maria M

eyer

Style: Sarah Dunn

Style: David Litchfield

Photo:Jon West

Park: James Pharoah

Park:Erica Roffe

Photo:Kristian Purcell

Independent: Jon West

Independent: Sharon Edwards

Photo:Gemma Kirkham

Holiday: Sarah Dunn

Holiday: Caroline Wise

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

5

SEPTEMBER 2012

day 6: Childhood

“Bridge over to Queens Park”

day 7: Bridge

day 8: Torch

day 9: Street

day 10:Music

day 11:Transport

“Made in Sweden 1966, lived in Bedford since 2006. Travelled to 12 countries in Europe last year. Twice over

the 8 km oresund bridge between denmark and

Sweden (once by road, once by train).”

“...Seeing the smile on my daughter’s face made up for all the rain...”

“...The busy ‘high Street’ in Queen’s Park. lots going on all

day, many nationalities, dif-ferent styles of dress from all

corners of the globe...”

“he did a nice three point turn in the end!!”

“Bedford Classic Car Cruise (Bedford Embankment. Every

last Sunday of the month - 7pm).”

Photo:Abi Dudleston

Childhood:Leanne Drake

Bridge: Jack Sharp

Photo: Clare McCrow

Phot

o: A

bby

Sim

pson

Music: Jon West

Music: Emma Mundell

Photo: Tara Gillen

Bridge: Emma Mundell

Torch: Melissa Banthrop Transport: Tony&Chris Somerveil

Photo: Clairey Lou Sunshine

Transport: Sarah SayerPhoto: Emma Mundell

Street: Janine Valiero

Street: Jon West

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

6

SEPTEMBER 2012

day 12:(re)Cycle

day 13:Culture

day 14:wood

day 15: Together

day 16:Funny

day 17:home

“it’s not a great drying day, but my clothes pegs hang in there

together.”

“wooden crates at Bedford market.”

“Me and my dog noodle at the beach

end of Priory Park.”

Culture: Erica Roffe

Together: Christian WebbTogether: Jon West

Wood: Christian Webb

Photo: Lisa Tilley

Photo: Jon West

Recycle: Em

ily McG

regorR

ecycle: Jacqueline Haddock

Cutlture: Jo M

idgley

Wood: C

laire Raines

Photo: Adam Boreham

Photo:Hazera Forth

Photo:Jane Perrone

Funny:Erica Roffe

Funny:Gemma Rogers

Photo: Pia-Maria Meyer

Trying To Be Tom Waits, part of The Oxjam Bedford Takeover, is a unique and compelling theatrical experience, firmly rooted in the inspirational music of Tom Waits. You can experience this kaleido-scopic journey through the lost loves, born losers, and broken hearts which make the world conjured by the songs and music of Tom Waits on Saturday 22ndSeptember.

Using silent physical comedy, striking visuals and puppetry, Gomito present a new comic romance, The Alchemystorium. On 29th September, you can enter a curious world of absurd magic as the inhabitants of The Alchemystorium get their first taste of love.

Don’t miss the opportunity on Monday 8th October to see The Boy With Tape On His Face: More Tape. A recent perfor-mance at the Edinburgh Fringe received a glowing review in the Guardian: “Sam Wills’ silent comedy character has graduat-

ed to the big league on this year’s fringe … with a show that has mainstream hit written all over it.” Experience mime with noise, stand-up with no talking and drama with no acting – a delightful, wry, many-layered, hilarious performance that transcends the barriers of language and culture.

Suitable for everyone aged 4 and up, is Theatre of Widdershins’ production of Rapunzel and the Tower of Doom. This traditional tale has been taken right back to its roots, the tangles teased out and styled into a beautifully coiffured hairpiece! This enchanting puppet show promises plenty of body, volume and loads of highlights. Make an appointment to see the show on Saturday 13th October – because you’re worth it!!!

The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik, Deep Sea Explorer, on Wednesday 17 October, is an award-winning, one-man micro-epic puppet show that melds technol-ogy and multimedia into a touching story of enduring love and the end of the world. En-

counter Alvin Sputnik, a solitary explorer, who must venture to the bot-tom of the ocean to find his wife’s lost soul and save humanity.

On Thursday 8 November, the Idle Motion Theatre Company present The Seagull Effect. As a couple’s relationship crumbles and they’re confronted by its de-bris, Britain is hit by the unexpected 1987 storm. Using exciting and evocative staging, multimedia and personal recollections, Idle Motion pick their way through the chaos left behind during those remarkable six hours. They reflect upon the waves of destruction and the paths of the individuals it crossed.

Bedford Theatre is located in the heart of

Bedford School, just off De Parys Avenue in the town centre. The Theatre is clearly signposted from the School’s main entrance. For your convenience, free car parking is also available on site.

Website: www.bedfordtheatre.co.ukTwitter: @bedford_theatre

By Paula Walkerif you enjoy going to the theatre, you don’t need to venture to Milton keynes or london, as the new autumn programme at the Bedford theatre offers some of the best professional touring theatre, comedy, dance and live music in an individual and intimate setting.

On 7th September is Asena, a one-woman play exposing the horrors of sex traffick-ing through the personal story of a young Albanian woman, whose life becomes irrevocably changed after being trafficked into the UK.

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

7So many things to go and see this month!

in association with

Bedford Borough Council’s Premier Entertainment Venue

ThE L I S t I N gGetting out and about in Bedford This September

johNNy PARRy’S CoNCERto mAgNIFICENt: an anTholoGy oF all ThinGS

ChoiR

world premier at Bedford Corn Exchange 27th September 2012, doors open 7.30pm!

Over the summer, Bedford Creative Arts brought together a big-hearted army of people to develop a new suite of songs with Bedford-based composer Johnny Parry. Johnny worked with the people of Bedfordshire to collect lyrics within the universal themes of Love, Death, Childhood and Religion. He then brought together a new community choir, who have been rehearsing these new songs throughout the summer. The choir, with Johnny and orchestral backing, will present this work in an all-consuming spectacle at Bedford Corn Exchange on Thursday 27th September. Johnny Parry is a composer who creates operatic contemporary music for orchestra and voice. Johnny’s own Chamber Orches-tra released their new album ‘Fields & Birds & Things’ in April 2012. MOJO dubbed this album “compelling... intoxicating... This is complex, cinematic music that builds intricate landscapes of sound. Parry and his orchestra are an unusual delight”, while Monocle describes it as “a beautiful place”

and Clash Magazine sites it as “Absolutely Dazzling”. This one-off performance is a chance to see the culmination of 5 months’ worth of work composed by one of Bedfordshire’s most talented young musicians, working in collaboration with members of the public. Set in the grand surrounding of the historic main auditorium at Bedford Corn Exchange, the performance is seated and tickets cost £5 in advance from www.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk, the box office on 01234 269519, Luscious Juice Bar or alternatively through the events page at www.bedfordcreativearts.org.uk.

ThEaTRE

SEPTEMBER 2012

BEDFoRD thEAtRE

The Boy with Tape on his Face

LImEhoUSE LIzzy limehouse lizzy are officially one of the hardest working bands in the uk and they’re bringing their thin Lizzy tribute show to the Bedford Corn Exchange on Friday 7th September.

Renowned for an action-packed py-rothechnic-fuelled explosion of a show, Limehouse Lizzy continue to keep the spirit of Celtic rock icon Philip Lynott and his band Thin Lizzy alive, well and dominat-ing stages worldwide. The band have also added a tribute into their show to ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist (and world renowned solo

artist) Gary Moore who sadly passed away last year. Attention to detail, playful audience in-teraction and that all important X-factor that leaves you with the feeling of witnessing the real thing have led to their performance being described as “beyond tribute”, by both audience and critics alike. Fans of the Irish rockers can expect to hear classic Celtic influenced tracks like, ”Whisky in the Jar” and, “Black Rose”, amongst the usual razzamatazz and favou-rites such as, “The Boys are Back in Town”, “Sarah” and many others we’ve come to expect from one of the most highly rated acts on the circuit. Book tickets at: www.bedfordcornex-change.co.uk

RoCk

By Chris Phelps (NBYO producer) Bedfordshire youth opera was formed in 1981 as a part of the Bedfordshire youth music service. The company is made up of singers and actors from Bedfordshire and Luton aged between 14 and 25, and over the years has performed a wide range of repertoire and has launched the careers of a number of successful opera and musical theatre performers. Last year, the break-up of Bedfordshire Music led to funding being withdrawn. Determined to continue the company’s work, former and current members of the company worked hard and donated gener-ously in order to set up New Bedfordshire Youth Opera as an independent company. The first NBYO production was last year, performing Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial By Jury and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas – a par-ticularly appropriate choice as Dido was the first opera ever performed by the company thirty years earlier. This year’s production is Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods, a darkly

comic reinterpretation of classic fairytales that sees familiar characters journeying into the woods – Cinderella to attend the King’s festival, Red Ridinghood to visit her grandmother, Jack to sell his cow and The Baker to lift a Witch’s curse. In the woods they meet wolves, princes and giants, and at first the parallel stories follow traditional plotlines, but as the characters’ journeys intertwine the boundaries between good and evil become harder and harder to define, and happy endings aren’t always guaranteed. Into The Woods is performing at The Place Theatre, Bradgate Road, Bedford, from Wednesday 5th to Saturday 8th Sep-tember, at 7:30pm. Tickets are priced at £10 and are available from Bedford Central Box Office (01234 269519) or The Place www.theplacebedford.org.uk In addition to the main produc-tion, NBYO also runs an annual touring production to local Lower and Primary schools, providing young children with a unique opportunity to experience opera in a live setting. Usually this production is a specially-written piece exploring the work of a particular children’s author, with music ranging in style from grand opera to Disney-influenced pop and with audience

participation actively encouraged. As well as being a lot of fun to perform and watch, this has left a successful legacy – there are current members of NBYO who first be-came aware of the company over a decade ago when a touring production visited their Lower School! For any information about the company, if you would like to book a schools’ tour or if you are interested in auditioning, e-mail bedfordshireyouthopera@gmail.com or check out the website www.nbyo.co.uk

oPERa NEW BEDFoRDShIRE yoUth oPERA

RuMBa nuEVo!LIVE SPANISh mUSIC At thE ENt ShEDWant to experience a night of authentic Spanish music? Then head to The Ent Shed (next to the Gordon Arms on Castle Road) on 22nd September to see Spanish sensations D’Callaos. The band plays a type of music called rumbo nuevo (like a contemporary laid back flamenco style - think Chambao/Ojos de Brujo) and they have been flown in specially by Andaluz for this one-off gig. The evening will see the band playing as a two piece (guitar and vocal). D’Callaos’

latest recording garnered 100,000 down-loads and they are huge throughout Spain, so this is a great opportunity to see them in such intimate surroundings.Tickets £12 from Andaluz, Castle Road.

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

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Saturday 1st September •••••••••••••••••Bedford Floral Art Society MeetingFeaturing a demonstration by Jan Law, ‘Designed to Please’. Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm. £5 for visitors, at The Addison Centre, Kempstonwww.bedfordfloralartsociety.co.uk•Woodworks FestivalA festival to celebrate woodland, complete with crafts, skills and music. Arena displays, children’s activities, folk and roots music, food and real ale. 11am-5pm Sat and Sun. £6 adults, £4 children (10-16). Children under 10 go free.The Forest Centre and Millennium Country ParkTel: 01234 767037 www.marstonvale.org/woodworks•Priory Wildlife Watch GroupLearn how to survive in the wild with the Country Park Rangers. An activity for children aged between 8-12yrs. 2-4pm, £2 per child, at Priory Country Park Visitors Centre.Tel: 01234 364213•Red Hot Chili Peppers Photography ExhibitionBrought to you by Tony Wooliscroft at Rock City Art Gallery. The show runs until 6 September and entry is free. Castle Lane, BedfordTel. 01234 910448 info@rockcityart.com www.rockcityart.com•West End Wendies Free Open DayExperience our Performing Arts School for ages 4-18yrs before the Autumn term begins. South Bank Arts Centre, BedfordWeb: www.westendwendies.com•Betaboy Play The Terrace SessionsAlfresco, acoustic music. Summer, unplugged. 7.30-10.30pm The Lane, Castle Lane, Bedford@theLaneBedford #Terracesessions•Band NightLive music from 9pm at The King’s Arms, St Mary’s StreetTel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk•Fat Lads’ DiscoHosted by Intobeats radio DJ, Ian Congdon-Lee. 10pm at The Exec Club, Lurke Street, BedfordTel: 01234 401500•Charity Event in aid of Sue RyderLive music on the Main Stage, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•All Star ZeroLive music from 8.30pm at The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•Loaded Clubnight @ The PadIndie/rock n roll/old skool hip hop/beats & bass. 10pm-3-am, free entry before midnight.07860 454530 http://www.facebook.com/#!/thepadnight-club

Sunday 2nd September •••••••••••••••••••La Plume - Burlesque Masquerade BallA fabulous evening of fine food and entertainment in the elegant surroundings of The Bedford Swan Hotel. Featuring Pavabotti, the Italian Tenor with a difference plus entertainers including well-known band The Corsairs. Take part in a tatty raffle and help raise funds for two local causes. Doors 6pm, tickets £14-£36 from Lady K’s, by phone or online.Tel Kendall Joel: 01234 910697 www.ladyks.co.uk•Time Explorers History & Archaeology Day with the RSPBArchaeologists and experts will provide demonstrations, hands on fun and informative walks. Children can turn into an ancient warrior with a woad face paint, design and paint cave art, throw a spear and join in with other great activi-ties. 10am to 5pm. Adults £2, children £1. Free parking. RSPB, The Lodge, SandyTel: 01767 680541 www.rspb.org.uk/thelodge•Jazz in the AfternoonLive music at The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd. 2-4pm.Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•All Star ZeroLive music at The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd. From 8pm.Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Maxwell Hammer & SmithLive music from 5pm in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Jon’s Music QuizUp to £300 prize money! The King’s Arms, St Mary’s Street

Tel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk

Monday 3rd September •••••••••••••••••Bedford Floral Art Society MeetingFeaturing a demonstration by Susie Barwick, ‘Wild at Heart’. Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm. £5 for visitors, at The Addison Centre, Kempstonwww.bedfordfloralartsociety.co.uk•Alpine Garden Society MeetingChristine and Jim McGregor, the Society’s Director and Webmaster, will be talking about the plants they are grow-ing in their garden. A raffle and free refreshments will be available, as well as a professional nurseryman. 7.30-9.30pm, £3, visitors welcome.Wilstead Village Hall, Cotton End RoadTel Mrs Elsie Willett: 01767 626185Email Mr Robert Amos: mail@bedfordshirealpines.com www.bedfordshirealpines.com•Jazz EveningEvery Monday with a featured artist, 8.30pm at The Bedford Arms, Bromham Rd, BedfordTel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Tony’s General Knowledge QuizThe King’s Arms, St Mary’s StreetTel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk

Tuesday 4th September ••••••••••••••••••Kathy Brown’s Garden Open DayGroup visits, lectures, books and garden design practice. 1-5pm, £4.50 per person, children free.“A garden of exuberant imagination, atmospheric and brimful of ideas, with a strong emphasis on garden art.” The Manor House, Church Road, Stevington. 01234 822064 www.kathybrownsgarden.homestead.com

Wednesday 5th September •••••••••••••Bedford Floral Art Society MeetingFeaturing a demonstration by Nick Grounds: ‘Flotsam and Jetsam’. Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm. £5 for visitors, at The Addison Centre, Kempston, MK42 8PNwww.bedfordfloralartsociety.co.uk•Beer Tasting ClubTasting a range of bottled ales and discussing their merits. Please register your interest with Bev.From 8pm, The Bedford Arms, Bromham Rd, BedfordTel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Yoga ClassesSessions cover limbering physical postures, some breath-ing and relaxation, with a gradual focus on meditation. Friendly, welcoming group. Beginners and experienced students welcome. 6.15pm.Contact Racheall: 07910835994 www.om-hayoga.com •Save The Children Fundraising Quiz Night£5pp including ploughman’s supper.The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•The Biggest Jam Night in TownHuge open mic night in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com

Thursday 6th September ••••••••••••••••Bedford Floral Art Society MeetingFeaturing a Christmas demonstration by Lorena Dyer, ‘A Christmas Wish’. Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm. See the website for costs, at The Addison Centre, Kempston, MK42 8PN www.bedfordfloralartsociety.co.uk•Birdwatching at the RSPBEnjoy the birds on view with the latest binoculars and telescopes. An expert will be on hand.From 10am to 4pm. Free to attend.RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy Tel: 01767 680541 www.rspb.org.uk/thelodge•FIA European Drag Racing Championship FinalsTelevised action from the final round of Europe’s premier Drag Racing Championships, attracting over 250 of the top drag racing teams including top fuel dragster, plus jet cars, stunts, monster trucks, traders and sideshows. Gates 8am, tickets £8-£80. Running until 9th September. Santa Pod Raceway, Airfield Road, Poddington, Wellingborough Tel: 01234 782828 www.santapod.com•Traditional Music SessionJoin in this monthly folk jam, 8.30pm at The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Bedford Alternative Music ShowcaseLive music in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, Bedford Tel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com

Friday 7th September •••••••••••••••••••••Bedfordshire Family History Society TalkInterested in family history? Then come along to this informative monthly talk to find out more. Details of this month’s talk can be found on the website. Doors 7:30pm, talk starts at 7:50pm. Free for members, £1 donation non-members. A specialist bookstall and library will also be available.Mark Rutherford School, Drama Hall, Wentworth Drive, Bedford Email: secretary@bfhs.org.uk www.bfhs.org.uk•Bedford Auction Centre Books, Maps & Ephemera AuctionSpecialist book auction for vendors and buyers. Includes sports books, travel and topography, aviation and military, maps and prints, children’s books, modern first editions and historical documents. See website for viewing dates and times. Auction from 3pm.Bedford Auction Centre, Newnham StTel: 01234 266366 www.peacockauction.co.uk•Date with Nature - Dusk Watch at the RSPBExperience the sights and sounds of the reserve as dark-ness creeps over and secretive nocturnal creatures begin to emerge. From 7.30pm until late. Booking essential. RSPB members £4, non members £6 - includes parking and entry.RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy Tel: 01767 680541

www.rspb.org.uk/thelodge•Bedford Floral Art Society MeetingFeaturing a demonstration by Sue Woodward, ‘Give Me Water’. Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm. £5 for visitors, at The Addison Centre, Kempston.www.bedfordfloralartsociety.co.uk•Bedford Auction Centre Antique Furniture and Col-lectors Items AuctionA specialist auction of antiques and collectors’ items including furniture, pictures, ceramics and glass, silver, metalware, militaria and other effects. From 11am. Free to attend. Bedford Auction Centre, Newnham Streetwww.peacockauction.co.uk•“Smoking’s Cool” ExhibitionPhotography can seriously damage you and others around you! An exhibition of the coolest rock stars indulging in their favourite pastime, runs until 25th October.Castle Lane, BedfordTel. 01234 910448 info@rockcityart.com www.rockcityart.com•Guided Meditation EveningsElizabeth Drake uses unique healing meditations to take you on a journey to inner peace. Take some time out, relax and meet like minded people. Refreshments included. All levels welcome. From 6.30-8.30pm, £5 per person (first session free). Friends Meeting House, Lansdowne Road, BedfordTel Elizabeth Drake: 07816 236659 elizabethdrake@live.co.uk www.elizabethlilydrake.co.uk•Yoga ClassesSessions cover limbering physical postures, some breath-ing and relaxation, with a gradual focus on meditation. Friendly, welcoming group. Beginners and experienced students welcome. 6.15pm.Contact Racheall: 07910835994 www.om-hayoga.com •The Scandal Of Frank Spooner – The Falling Apart Of A Driven ManFind out more about this interesting subject at the talk run by the Bedfordshire Family History Society. Specialist Bookstall and library also available. 7.30pm in Drama Hall at Mark Rutherford School.www.bfhs.org.uk•Limehouse LizzyRenowned for an action-packed pyrotechnic-fuelled explo-sion of a show, Limehouse Lizzy, one of the hardest work-ing bands in the UK continue to keep the spirit of Celtic rock icon Philip Lynott and his band Thin Lizzy alive. The band have also added a tribute into their show to ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore. 8.30pm at the Corn Exchange, Bedford, tickets £14.00.www.limehouselizzy.com•AsenaExposing the horrors of sex trafficking through the per-sonal story of a young Albanian woman whose life became irrevocably changed after being trafficked into the UK. 8pm, tickets £8 (concessions £6)Tel: 01234 362269 Email: admin@bedfordtheatre.co.ukwww.bedfordtheatre.co.uk •The X-CertsLive music in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, Bedford Tel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Karaoke with Diamond Fire8pm, The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•Exec Club Karaoke9pm, The Exec Club, Lurke Street, BedfordTel: 01234 401500•Hellfyre Club NightHoly Moly’s, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com

Saturday 8th September •••••••••••••••••Sporting Targets Junior Taster SessionAn opportunity for under 18s to experience archery, air rifles and clay pigeon shooting, a two hour event under the supervision of fully qualified instructors. Individual and group bookings welcome. 10am-12noon, tickets £28, pre booking essential. Sporting Targets, Riseley, BedsTel: 01234 708893 www.sportingtargets.co.uk•West End Wendies Saturday Performing ArtsHoliday workshops from 10am-1pm for children aged 4-18yrs. Classic Movie Magic themed sessions offer a fantastic opportunity for students to tweak their skills with the help of professional tuition from West End stars. Book early. South Bank Arts Centre, Bedford www.westendwendies.com•Bedfordshire Walking FestivalTake part in the second annual Bedfordshire Walk-ing Festival, running 8-16th September. Nine days of guided walks for all abilities in various locations across Bedfordshire, many easily accessible by public transport. Gentle amble or a more strenuous challenge. See website for more details.Email Barry Ingram: walking@madasafish.com www.bedswalkfest.co.uk•Heritage Day Displays at St Paul’s ChurchA chance to see displays on well known Bedfordians organised as part of National Heritage Day. St Paul’s Church will also be open to those on the Bike ‘n Hike list and light. Refreshments will be available. 10am-4pm. St Paul’s Church, BedfordTel: 01234 340163 www.stpaulschurchbedford.org.uk•Nature Detectives Open Day at Randall’s FarmExperience self-led activities such as pond-dipping and minibeast hunting at the Randall’s Farm Nature Reserve. The reserve has a large pond, meadow (great for picnics!), woodland trails plus equipment and information. 11am-4.30pm, free although pre-booking is essential.Randall’s Farm Environmental Education Centre and Nature Reserve, Broadmead Email: randallsfarm@wildlifebcn.orgTel: 01234 768542 www.wildlifebcnp.org/educationcen-tres/education-randalls.htm•Heritage Fashions & Fabrics Display at Dovecote & StablesA display by Willington Local History Group and the Bed-ford National Trust Association. Featuring Tudor fashions

in association with

Bedford Borough Council’s Premier Entertainment Venue

ThE L I S t I N gfor children to try on, plus items from the National Trust collection. 1-5pm. A donation of £1 towards the upkeep of the beautiful buildings appreciated. Tea and toilet facilities in St. Lawrence Church nearby.National Trust Dovecote and Stables, Church End, Wil-lingtonTel: 01234 404879 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-willingtondovecote•Photography & Glasswork Exhibition at Eagle GalleryAn exhibition of photography and glasswork by two local artists. Running until 15th September. Open Monday to Saturday, 10am-5.30pm. Eagle Gallery, Castle Road, BedfordTel Sarah Buckingham: 07983 759294 www.eaglegalleryartists.co.uk•Exhibition of work by Carla Sealey & Mark BurleyAt the Eagle Gallery, 101 castle road, BedfordTel: 01234 346995 www.eaglegalleryartists.co.uk•Striding for Survival 201210 mile challenge walk to raise money and awareness of pancreatic cancer. All proceeds go to Pancreatic Cancer Action. 10:00am at Grafham Water, Huntingdonwww.stridingforsurvival.org.uk•Castle Quarter Chilli & Beer FestivalEnter your homemade chilli! Festival is followed by live music indoors in the evening.The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•Foxy Belles Vintage Revival NightA special night of music, dancing and cocktails. DJ Ade is spinning the records from the 40s, 50s and 60s whilst Sarah’s Do Wop Dos provides the hairdos.From 8pm, The Bedford Arms, Bromham Rd, BedfordTel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Soul Classics with Geoff & HammyHoly Moly’s, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•East-West promotions presents Green On Reds’ Dan StuartLive music on the Main Stage, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, Bedford Tel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Band NightLive music from 9pm at The King’s Arms, St Mary’s Street Tel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk•Fat Lads’ DiscoHosted by Intobeats radio DJ, Ian Congdon-Lee. 10pm at The Exec Club, Lurke Street, BedfordTel: 01234 401500•Loaded Clubnight @ The PadIndie/rock n roll/old skool hip hop/beats & bass. 10pm-3am, free entry before midnight.07860 454530 www.facebook.com/#!/thepadnightclub

Sunday 9th September •••••••••••••••••••National Heritage Open Day at Bedford CemeteryTake part in guided heritage walks and browse the cem-etery record books. There will also be vehicles from the Chiltern Preservation Vehicle Group on display. 2-4.30pm, refreshments available. Bedford Cemetery, Foster Hill RoadTel Margaret Carpenter: 01234 360003 www.bedfordcemeteryfriends.org.uk•Biddenham Village ShowAn annual traditional show with stalls, produce, arts and crafts, competitions and displays. Tea and cakes served in the nearby Village Hall. Gates open 12-4pm, with an official opening by the Mayor of Bedford Borough Dave Hodgson at 1pm. Adults £1, OAPs and children 50p. Please note that dogs are not allowed on the school playing field.St James’s School, Main Road, Biddenham and Village HallEmail: jonsmith278@btinternet.comwww.biddenhamshow.org•Mayor’s Charity Golf DaySupporting local charities in Bedford, as nominated by the Mayor of Bedford Borough Dave Hodgson. One Club Championship - 9 holes, from 12noon onwards. Anyone can enter. Closing date for entries Friday 7th September. Entry £30 per team of three, £1 to enter the putting com-petiton. Free practice round for all entrants, any day after 2pm at Mowsbury Golf Club.Tel Malcolm Summers: 01234 772700 Email: mowsbury@bedford.gov.uk•Jazz in the AfternoonLive music at The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd. 2-4pm.Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•MojoLive music from 5pm in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•BrigantéLive music at The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd. From 8pm.Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Rob Hallward + GuestsLive music on the Main Stage, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•White Horse Quiz NightTeams of up to 6, 8.30pm, £1pp entry. Free bingo game for Sunday quizzers!The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•Jon’s Music QuizUp to £300 prize money! The King’s Arms, St Mary’s Street Tel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk

Monday 10th September ••••••••••••••••Jazz EveningEvery Monday with a featured artist, 8.30pm at The Bedford Arms, Bromham Rd, BedfordTel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Open Mic Night

Hosted by local singer/songwriter Matt Roberts, 8.30pm til close. Just listen or join in!The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•Tony’s General Knowledge QuizThe King’s Arms, St Mary’s StreetTel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk

Tuesday 11th September •••••••••••••Tuesday Morning Walks at the RSPBWeekly walks around the reserve. Admire the wildlife and enjoy the site. Everyone welcome. 9.30am-11.30am, free for RSPB members, otherwise £3.RSPB, The Lodge, SandyTel: 01767 680541 www.rspb.org.uk/thelodge•Kathy Brown’s Garden Open DayGroup visits, lectures, books and garden design practice. 1-5pm, £4.50 per person, children free.“A garden of exuberant imagination, atmospheric and brimful of ideas, with a strong emphasis on garden art.” The Manor House, Church Road, Stevington. 01234 822064 www.kathybrownsgarden.homestead.com•Bedford College Part-Time Open Evening5-8pm. Tel: 01234291921 www.bedford.ac.uk/openday•White Horse Quiz NightTeams of up to 6, 8.30pm, £1pp entry.The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk

Wednesday 12th September•••••••••••••Yoga ClassesSessions cover limbering physical postures, some breath-ing and relaxation, with a gradual focus on meditation. Friendly, welcoming group. Beginners and experienced students welcome. 6.15pm.Contact Racheall: 07910835994 www.om-hayoga.com •Stitch ‘n BitchBring any crafty project to The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd, 7.30pmbeverlyjoburridge@gmail.com Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Autism Bedfordshire Fundraising Quiz Night£5pp including ploughman’s supper.The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•The Biggest Jam Night in TownHuge open mic night in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com

Thursday 13th September •••••••••••••Book ClubRead the book and join in! Discussing The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham at The Bedford Arms, Bromham Rd, 8.00pmianstrgss@googlemail.com Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Shuttleworth College Part-Time Open Evening5-8pm. Tel: 01234291921 www.bedford.ac.uk/openday•Gold Skies AheadLive music in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, Bedford Tel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com

Friday 14th September •••••••••••••••••Bedford Art Society Meeting Featuring a demonstration by Keith Morton, ‘Portrait through Acrylics’. Starts at 7.30pm. £5 for visitors, at Putnoe Heights Church.Tel Jean Paterson: 01234 307210www.bedsartsociety.co.uk•Bedfordshire Steam & Country FayreShowcasing steam engines, tractors, heavy horses, work-ing demonstrations, flying displays and fairground organs from a bygone era. Ticket includes entry to the historic airplane collection, Swiss Gardens and English School of Falconry. Running 14-16th September, 10am-5pm. Adults £10, children £5. The Mansion House, Shuttleworth Park, Old Warden, Beds. Tel: 07850 195622 www.bseps.org.uk•Yoga ClassesSessions cover limbering physical postures, some breath-ing and relaxation, with a gradual focus on meditation. Friendly, welcoming group. Beginners and experienced students welcome. 6.15pm.Contact Racheall: 07910835994 www.om-hayoga.com •Guided Meditation EveningsElizabeth Drake uses unique healing meditations to take you on a journey to inner peace. Take some time out, relax and meet like minded people. Refreshments included. All levels welcome. From 6.30-8.30pm, £5 per person (first session free). Friends Meeting House, Lansdowne Road, BedfordTel Elizabeth Drake: 07816 236659 elizabethdrake@live.co.uk www.elizabethlilydrake.co.uk•Vinyl Revival NightDust off those LPs & singles and come to play them at The Bedford Arms, Bromham Rd from 8pm.Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Hub WhipleyLive music in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, Bedford Tel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Fall Short For Glory – EP LaunchLive music on the Main Stage, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, Bedford Tel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Exec Club Karaoke9pm, The Exec Club, Lurke Street, BedfordTel: 01234 401500•Mutiny Club NightHoly Moly’s, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com

Saturday 15th September ••••••••••••••The Circus of Illustration presents ‘The Drawing Room’

Bedford Corn Exchange Box office: 01234 269519 www.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2012

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

9 CoMEdy CoMinG Soon: Rhod gilbert Monday 26th november

SEPTEMBER 2012

A hands on drawing installation at the We Are Bedford Pop Up, 24 Mill Street Bedford. www.wearebedford.co.uk •Bedford Auction Centre Rock, Pop, Film and TV Memorabilia AuctionThis auction will include everything from singles, albums, autographs, flyers, concert programmes, film posters and other memorabilia. From 10.30am.Bedford Auction Centre, Newnham Streetwww.peacockauction.co.uk•Card Making WorkshopLearn all the skills necessary using the most up to date products to create special cards with qualified instructor Anita Brooks. 10am-4pm.Art Centre and Gallery, Howard Street, BedfordTel Maureen Cerri: 01234 344784•West End Wendies Saturday Performing ArtsHoliday workshops from 10am-1pm for children aged 4-18yrs. Classic Movie Magic themed sessions offer a fantastic opportunity for students to tweak their skills with the help of professional tuition from West End stars. Book early. South Bank Arts Centre, Bedfordwww.westendwendies.com•The PistonzLive music from 8.30pm at The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•Band NightLive music from 9pm at The King’s Arms, St Mary’s Street Tel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk•Fat Lads’ DiscoHosted by Intobeats radio DJ, Ian Congdon-Lee. 10pm at The Exec Club, Lurke Street, BedfordTel: 01234 401500•Absolution Club NightHoly Moly’s, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Loaded Clubnight @ The PadIndie/rock n roll/old skool hip hop/beats & bass. 10pm-3-am, free entry before midnight.07860 454530 www.facebook.com/#!/thepadnightclub

Sunday 16th September •••••••••••••••Crafts, Cake and a Cuppa in WoburnA wide variety of high quality local handmade arts and craft items for sale. Hot and cold refreshments available all day. Free parking in the large car park outside the hall. 10am-4pm. Woburn Village Hall, free entry. www.ccc-craftfairs.co.uk•BMW Show at Santa PodFeaturing modern, classic and modified BMWs including the new mini. BMW only RWYB with show ‘n shine, clubs, off track entertainment plus traders. Tickets £9.60 to £25. Gates open at 8am. Santa Pod Raceway, Airfield Road, Poddington, WellingboroughTel: 01234 782828 www.santapod.com•Visit the Orchard at the Manor House GardenVisit the Manor House Garden in Stevington to enjoy an orchard rich with fruit, with apple press at the ready! Entry £4.50, children free. 12noon-5pm. The Manor House Garden, Church Road, StevingtonTel: 01234 822064 Email: info@kathybrownsgarden.comwww.kathybrownsgarden.com•A History of the Art of DiningA talk by Michael Sutherland, organised by the Bedford National Trust Association. 2pm for 2.30pm start. Mem-bers £2, non-members £3. Addison Centre, KempstonTel Garry Telling: 01480 860439•Autumn Herbalist’s Walk at the RSPBDiscover the many medicinal uses of plants. Medicinal herbalist Julie Dore returns with her very popular walk, showing how leaves, roots and berries can be used to treat anything from colds and constipation to headaches and stress. 2-4pm, adults £5, RSPB members £4, children £3, RSPB Wildlife Explorers £2. Booking essential.RSPB, The Lodge, SandyTel: 01767 680541 www.rspb.org.uk/thelodge•Jazz in the AfternoonLive music at The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd. 2-4pm.Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Kerry Jo Hodgkin & The Blue SteelersLive music from 5pm in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Sean+Luke+LiamLive music at The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd. From 8pm.Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•White Horse Quiz NightTeams of up to 6, 8.30pm, £1pp entry. Free bingo game for Sunday quizzers!The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•Jon’s Music QuizUp to £300 prize money! The King’s Arms, St Mary’s StreetTel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk

Monday 17th September •••••••••••••••Exhibition of Original Art at Eagle GalleryA new exhibition of original art by 45 Bedfordshire artists. Open Monday to Saturday, 10am-5.30pm. Running until 18th October.Eagle Gallery, Castle Road, BedfordTel Sarah Buckingham: 07983 759294 www.eaglegalleryartists.co.ukMembers’ General ExhibitionAt the Eagle Gallery, 101 castle road, BedfordTel: 01234 346995 www.eaglegalleryartists.co.uk•Jazz EveningEvery Monday with a featured artist, 8.30pm at The

Bedford Arms, Bromham Rd, BedfordTel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Open Mic NightHosted by local singer/songwriter Matt Roberts, 8.30pm til close. Just listen or join in!The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, Bedford Tel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•Tony’s General Knowledge QuizThe King’s Arms, St Mary’s StreetTel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk

Tuesday 18th September ••••••••••••••Tuesday Morning Walks at the RSPBWeekly walks around the reserve. Admire the wildlife and enjoy the site. Everyone welcome. 9.30am-11.30am, free for RSPB members, otherwise £3.RSPB, The Lodge, SandyTel: 01767 680541 www.rspb.org.uk/thelodge•Bedford National Trust Association: The Civil War in Bedfordshire The meeting is organised by the Bedford National Trust Association featuring apresentation by a Detachment of Prince Rupert’s Blue-coats. £2 for members, £2.50 for National Trust Members, £3 for non members. Doors 7pm for 7.30pm start.Addison Centre, Kempston, BedfordTel: 01480 860439 www.bedfordnt.org.uk•Cash on DeliveryA riotous and hilarious farce by Michael Cooney. A DSS fraudster, an alcoholic DSS Inspector, a confused undertaker, a bemused lodger, a comatose hospital porter, a bewildered counsellor and a rather rebellious washing ma-chine, all make this a cautionary tale of complex intrigue which becomes increasingly ridiculous and bizarre. Starts 7.30pm nightly until Saturday. Tickets £8-£10 from Cen-tral Box Office, Tel: 01234 269519 or from Sharnbrook Post Office. 10% Discount for parties of 10 or more.Sharnbrook Mill Theatre, Mill Road, Sharnbrook, Bedswww.sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk•White Horse Quiz NightTeams of up to 6, 8.30pm, £1pp entry.The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk

Wednesday 19th September •••••••••••Yoga ClassesSessions cover limbering physical postures, some breath-ing and relaxation, with a gradual focus on meditation. Friendly, welcoming group. Beginners and experienced students welcome. 6.15pm.Contact Racheall: 07910835994 www.om-hayoga.com •Beer Tasting ClubTasting a range of bottled ales and discussing their merits, from 8pm. Please register your interest with Bev.The Bedford Arms, Bromham Rd, BedfordTel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•De Parys Rotary Fundraising Quiz Night£5pp including ploughman’s supper.The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•The Biggest Jam Night in TownHuge open mic night in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com

Thursday 20th September ••••••••••••••Poetry/Spoken Word: Ouse MuseBedford’s premier spoken word open mic returns for the Autumn, new performers always welcome, turn up from 7.30 to reserve your spot, or contact ian.mcewen@ntlworld.com. £3 audience, £2 readers. 8pm Harpurs Cellar Bar, 46-48 Tavistock St

Friday 21st September •••••••••••••••••••Yoga ClassesSessions cover limbering physical postures, some breath-ing and relaxation, with a gradual focus on meditation. Friendly, welcoming group. Beginners and experienced students welcome. 6.15pm.Contact Racheall: 07910835994 www.om-hayoga.com •Guided Meditation EveningsElizabeth Drake uses unique healing meditations to take you on a journey to inner peace. Take some time out, relax and meet like minded people. Refreshments included. All levels welcome. From 6.30-8.30pm, £5 per person (first session free). Friends Meeting House, Lansdowne Road, BedfordTel Elizabeth Drake: 07816 236659 elizabethdrake@live.co.uk www.elizabethlilydrake.co.uk•Appleshift 7 + RSILive music in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, Bedford Tel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Karaoke with Diamond Fire8pm, The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•Exec Club Karaoke9pm, The Exec Club, Lurke Street, BedfordTel: 01234 401500

Saturday 22nd September ••••••••••••Cycle Power WorkshopLearn how to turn your bike into an electricity generator in preparation for the Cycle Powered Cinema later that evening. £22pp. The workshop will take place at the We Are Bedford Pop Up, 3pm – 6pm, 24 Mill Street Bedford.Email: Kayte@goodthingsltd.com•Cycle Powered Cinema presents Belleville RendezvousBedford’s first Open Air Cycle Powered Cinema presents Belleville Rendezvous (12) at a secret Bedford location. Meet at 8pm The Lane, Castle Bailey Gardens, Castle Quay, Bedford. Bring your bike and a blanket. Pedestrians welcome. Free but £3 suggested donation.

•Mail Art ExhibitionCurated by Annie Stijelja at the We Are Bedford Pop Up, 24 Mill Street Bedford. For more info on times and how to take part visit:www.wearebedford.co.uk•West End Wendies Saturday Performing ArtsHoliday workshops from 10am-1pm for children aged 4-18yrs. Classic Movie Magic themed sessions offer a fantastic opportunity for students to tweak their skills with the help of professional tuition from West End stars. Book early. South Bank Arts Centre, Bedfordwww.westendwendies.com•Silent Walk at the RSPBA sensory, silent walk led by Josa Pepper to experience stillness and silence through the body, using meditation, breathing and awareness to connect with nature. 11am-12.30pm, adults £4, RSPB members £3, children £3. Booking advisable, not suitable for children under 16. RSPB, The Lodge, SandyTel: 01767 680541 www.rspb.org.uk/thelodge•Stargazing & Twilight Walk at the RSPBThe RSPB have teamed up with the Bedford Astronomical Society to take a twilight walk around the reserve, fol-lowed by a search for the planets and stars in the night sky. There will be a chance to use your own equipment to take photos with advice and assistance. If the night is overcast, a talk by the Bedford Astronomical Society will be given instead. From 6.30pm to late. Adults £4, children £3. Please book and pay in advance. RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy Tel: 01767 680541 www.rspb.org.uk/thelodge•Shefford Art Society Annual ExhibitionAn annual art exhibition at Shefford Community Hall. Open 10am-5pm, Sat and Sun. Free entry, refreshments available.Shefford Community Hall, Ampthill Road Email: massey-1@tiscali.co.uk•Detecting Forged Antiquities by Andrew Oddy A talk by the Bedford National Trust Association. Coffee will be served before the meeting and the shop will be open. Visitors are welcome, 7pm for a 7.30pm start,.£3 entry for non-members.The Addison Centre, Kempston Tel: 01480 860439•Trying To Be Tom Waits Part of Oxjam, Oxfam’s music festival. This is a kalei-doscopic journey through the lost loves, born losers, and broken hearts which make up the world conjured by the songs and music of Tom Waits. 8.00pm, tickets £8 (£6 concessions)Tel: 01234 362269 Email: admin@bedfordtheatre.co.ukwww.bedfordtheatre.co.uk •Cash on DeliveryA riotous and hilarious farce by Michael Cooney. A DSS fraudster, an alcoholic DSS Inspector, a confused undertaker, a bemused lodger, a comatose hospital porter, a bewildered counsellor and a rather rebellious washing ma-chine, all make this a cautionary tale of complex intrigue which becomes increasingly ridiculous and bizarre. Starts 7.30pm nightly until Saturday. Tickets £8-£10 from Cen-tral Box Office, Tel: 01234 269519 or from Sharnbrook Post Office. 10% Discount for parties of 10 or more.Sharnbrook Mill Theatre, Mill Road, Sharnbrook, Bedswww.sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk•The Skamasters + Irregulars + Vrang Matang + DJ Simon TurnerLive music on the Main Stage, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Fat Lads’ DiscoHosted by Intobeats radio DJ, Ian Congdon-Lee. 10pm at The Exec Club, Lurke Street, Bedford Tel: 01234 401500•Band NightLive music from 9pm at The King’s Arms, St Mary’s Street Tel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk•Loaded Clubnight @ The PadIndie/rock n roll/old skool hip hop/beats & bass. 10pm-3-am, free entry before midnight.07860 454530 www.facebook.com/#!/thepadnightclub

Sunday 23rd September •••••••••••••••••Jazz in the AfternoonLive music at The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd. 2-4pm.Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Thunderbird 5Live music from 5pm in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•A Day in the Life of.. The Bedford ArmsBedford photographer Jez Brown will be taking photo-graphs all day at The Bedford Arms, capturing a day in the life of a unique town centre pub. Everyone welcome.The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd. From 12 noon.Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Treadmill BuddhaLive blues band fronted by Tom the Beds Arms landlord.The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd. From 8pm.Tel: 0134 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•White Horse Quiz NightTeams of up to 6, 8.30pm, £1pp entry. Free bingo game for Sunday quizzers!The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•Jon’s Music QuizUp to £300 prize money! The King’s Arms, St Mary’s Street Tel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk

Monday 24th September ••••••••••••••••Bedford Auction Centre Valuation Day You are invited to bring along antique and collectible items for complimentary valuation advice with no obligation. For larger items, home visits can be arranged. Entries currently invited for specialist sales include antiques,

jewellery, 20th century design, rock & pop and memories of childhood. From 10am-4pm. Bedford Auction Centre, Newnham StreetTel: 01234 266 366 www.peacockauction.co.uk•Jazz EveningEvery Monday with a featured artist, 8.30pm at The Bedford Arms, Bromham Rd, BedfordTel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Tony’s General Knowledge QuizThe King’s Arms, St Mary’s StreetTel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk•Big Band Xtra Jam NiteHosted by local singer/songwriter Matt Roberts, 7.30pm til late. Just listen or join in!The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk

Tuesday 25th September •••••••••••••Drag Racing National FinalsChampionship finals plus Top Methanol, Wild Bunch, Nostalgia Fuel Altered Association and the ACU National Drag Bike Championship including SuperTwins. Gates open at 8am. See the website for prices.Santa Pod Raceway Tel: 01234 782828www.santapod.com•Tuesday Morning Walks at the RSPBWeekly walks around the reserve. Admire the wildlife and enjoy the site. Everyone welcome. 9.30am-11.30am, free for RSPB members, otherwise £3.RSPB, The Lodge, SandyTel: 01767 680541 www.rspb.org.uk/thelodge•Bedford College Sixth Form Open Evening5-8pm. Tel: 01234291921 www.bedford.ac.uk/openday•White Horse Quiz NightTeams of up to 6, 8.30pm, £1pp entry.The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk

Wednesday 26th September •••••••••Lingers Sausage Making WorkshopThe workshop includes a sausage tasting, the basics of sausage making and an opportunity to get hands on with the sausage making machine. £12pp, each participant will take home 3lbs of sausages. Email: JamesHone200@yahoo.co.uk•Bedford Organ & Keyboard Club ConcertPresenting popular European organist Dirkjan Ranzijn in concert. 8-10.30pm. Members £4, non-members £5, pay at door.The Addison Centre, Kempston Tel Brian Noble:01234 344423 Email: bedsokc@gmail.com•The Smiths & Morrisey Photographs ExhibitionShowing at Rock City Art until 29 October.Castle Lane, BedfordTel. 01234 910448 info@rockcityart.comwww.rockcityart.com•Yoga ClassesSessions cover limbering physical postures, some breath-ing and relaxation, with a gradual focus on meditation. Friendly, welcoming group. Beginners and experienced students welcome. 6.15pm.Contact Racheall: 07910835994 www.om-hayoga.com •Stitch ‘n BitchBring any crafty project to The Bedford Arms, Bromham Rd, Bedford, 7.30pmbeverlyjoburridge@gmail.com Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Openway Fundraising Quiz Night£5pp including ploughman’s supper.The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•The Biggest Jam Night in TownHuge open mic night in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com

Thursday 27th September •••••••••••••••The Last Chance Ragtime BandLive music from 8pm at The Bedford Arms, Bromham Rd, BedfordTel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk

Friday 28th September •••••••••••••••••Yoga ClassesSessions cover limbering physical postures, some breath-ing and relaxation, with a gradual focus on meditation. Friendly, welcoming group. Beginners and experienced students welcome. 6.15pm.Contact Racheall: 07910835994 www.om-hayoga.com •Guided Meditation EveningsElizabeth Drake uses unique healing meditations to take you on a journey to inner peace. Take some time out, relax and meet like minded people. Refreshments included. All levels welcome. From 6.30-8.30pm, £5 per person (first session free). Friends Meeting House, Lansdowne Road, BedfordTel Elizabeth Drake: 07816 236659 elizabethdrake@live.co.uk www.elizabethlilydrake.co.uk•Exec Club Karaoke9pm, The Exec Club, Lurke Street, BedfordTel: 01234 401500•Lost For WordsLive music in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, Bedford Tel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Hellfyre Club NightHoly Moly’s, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com

Saturday 29th September ••••••••••••••Starlight HikeTake part in this sponsored 10km beautiful woodland walk with surprises at every turn. Release candles onto the lake

in memory of loved ones. Registration from 9.30pm, walk starts at 11pm. £18 registration fee. Refreshments, t-shirts, goodie bags and medals for all participants.The Shuttleworth Collection, Old WardenTel: 01767 642412 Email: danielle.brandon@sueryder.orgwww.sueryder.org/events•West End Wendies Saturday Performing ArtsHoliday workshops from 10am-1pm for children aged 4-18yrs. Classic Movie Magic themed sessions offer a fantastic opportunity for students to tweak their skills with the help of professional tuition from West End stars. Book early. South Bank Arts Centre, Bedfordwww.westendwendies.com•MacmIllan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning10am-noon at The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•The AlchemystoriumThe Alchemystorium Cafe dispenses coffee in a highly un-usual fashion, more unusual still is the supernatural service offered as an accompaniment to your cappuccino. Using silent physical comedy, striking visuals and puppetry, Gomito present a new comic romance. 7.30pm, tickets £9 (£7 concessions)Tel: 01234 362269 Email: admin@bedfordtheatre.co.ukwww.bedfordtheatre.co.uk www.gomito.co.uk•Karakoke with Crazy Horse8pm, The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•The Magazine GapLive music on the Main Stage, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, Bedford Tel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Band NightLive music from 9pm at The King’s Arms, St Mary’s Street Tel: 01234 354494www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk•Fat Lads’ DiscoHosted by Intobeats radio DJ, Ian Congdon-Lee. 10pm at The Exec Club, Lurke Street, BedfordTel: 01234 401500•Loaded Clubnight @ The PadIndie/rock n roll/old skool hip hop/beats & bass. 10pm-3am, free entry before midnight.07860 454530 www.facebook.com/#!/thepadnightclub

Sunday 30th September •••••••••••••••Calling all Japanese Car enthusiasts!The finale event for Japanese car enthusiasts with HKS drag series, show ‘n shine, RWYB competition, club displays, drifting, drag demos and traders. Gates 8am, tickets £9.60 to £30.Santa Pod Raceway, Airfield Road, Poddington, WellingboroughTel: 01234 782828 www.santapod.com•The Lodge House Take a tour around the RSPB’s working headquarters with local historians Derek Niemann and Barry Groom. Experts will also be on hand to discuss the special trees and plants that fill the organic gardens. Booking essential, adults £5, RSPB members £4, children £3. Under 12s and RSPB Wildlife Explorers go free.RSPB, The Lodge, SandyTel: 01767 680541 www.rspb.org.uk/thelodge•Randall’s Farm Wildlife Watch GroupThis is the junior branch of the Wildlife Trust and is for children aged 8-12yrs. Featuring a close-up encounter of our feathered friends with Randall’s Farm bird ringers. 2-4pm. £2 per child. Randall’s Farm, StewartbyTel Irene Sabiniarz: 07870 747038 Email: randalls.farm.watchgroup@gmail.com•Food & Farming Display at Dovecote and StablesCome and view ‘Food and Farming’ - a display by Willing-ton Local History Group and the Bedford National Trust Association. Features archive photos and memorabilia showing the important part agriculture and market garden-ing have played in a small Bedfordshire village.1-5pm. A £1 donation towards the upkeep of the beautiful buildings appreciated. Tea and toilet facilities in St Law-rence Church nearby.National Trust Dovecote and Stables, Church End, Wil-lington Tel: 01234 404879 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-willingtondovecote•Jazz in the AfternoonLive music at The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd. 2-4pm.Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•A Tribute to Marc Bolan & T.RexLive music from 5pm in Danny’s Bar, Esquire’s, Bromham Road, BedfordTel: 01234 340120 www.bedfordesquires.com•Luke ‘n DaveLive music with two of the Whybirds boys at The Bedford Arms, 2 Bromham Rd. From 8pm.Tel: 01234 214656 www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•White Horse Quiz NightTeams of up to 6, 8.30pm, £1pp entry. Free bingo game for Sunday quizzers!The White Horse, Newnham Avenue, BedfordTel: 01234 409306 www.whitehorsebedford.co.uk•Jon’s Music QuizUp to £300 prize money! The King’s Arms, St Mary’s StreetTel: 01234 354494 www.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

10 I love the weirdos at Esquires!

SEPTEMBER 2012

Portuguese restaurantAvailable from 25th August: Espetadas (Portuguese style kebabs, made with meat or fish)

4 Newnham Street, Bedford MK40 3JR Tel: 01234 364400 www.baiadecascais.co.uk

A local community pub in the Castle Road area of Bedford

6 Cask Ales. plus 3 Real Ciders.

32 Dudley Street, Bedford, MK40 3TB

Tel 01234 359329

Our Sister Pub ‘The Burnaby Arms’ now open in Stanley Street MK41 7RU

RoCk CiTy aRTS - thEy’RE SmokIN’From 7th September til 25th October, Rock City Arts will be bringing an exhibition of some of the most iconic nicotine-fuelled photographs to Bedford. Stylish smokers including Keith Rich-ards, Paul & Linda McCartney, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, the Happy Mondays and of course, Lemmy will all be on show.Get yourselves along, just don’t inhale.Rock City Arts, 26 Castle Lane, Bedford, MK40 3US

PhoToGRaPhy

MuSiCSUPPoRt ESQUIRES!in the current economic climate, independent bars, pubs, restaurants and clubs really need our support. if we don’t use them, we’ll lose them, so show your

support says Sam mellonie:I’d like to let people know that despite Rob & Tracy’s departure from Esquires it is still open as a business. However, the next few weeks are crucial for its survival. For those of you who have never been or have been put off by the old reputation of a club full of weirdos and heavy metal, yes we have nights like that, but we also have a great variety of other music, free live

bands and club nights as well as those you have to pay for. Visit www.bedfordesquires.com to see some of the great things lined up over the next few weeks. Please

spread the word and help support this local venue - it has been running for over 20 years, and has brought many great memo-ries to people of all ages, and is one of the unsung gems of Bedford.

New Menu, New LookLunchtime Salad Bar, Eat-In or Take-Away

Freshly prepared take-away ready meals – Wine available too!

Fully Licensed 20 Castle Lane, Bedford

Tel: 01234 269961www.cafeangelo.com

@cafeangeloscafeangelos

bedfords blackrock grill

••Follow the cafeangelos duck on facebook••

Now in Castle Quarter!

FLAMENCOFriday evenings 8-9pm

St Cuthbert’s Hall, Newnham Street

Beginners welcome £4.50 per class

www.lafresaflamenca.wix.com/classesTel: 07511 759394

www.woodfi nes.co.uk

For further information, please contact Nicola:

nadcock@woodfi nes.co.uk

Date: Wed 10th October 2012Venue: Bedford Corn Exchange Time: 6pm – 8pm

Woodfi nes Solicitors are holding an informal evening where you can ask any question about the house-buying process. Call in at any time between 6pm and 8pm for a free chat and get the answers and guidance you need.

Looking to buy your fi rst home?

Need advice?

WF0243 FTB Ad Resize 105x85 AW.indd 1 21/8/12 17:01:08

oPEN AIR CyCLE PoWERED CINEmA ComES to toWNon the 22nd Sept at 8pm cyclists and pedestrians are invited to a meet in the Castle Bailey Gardens, outside The lane. From there they will be guided to a secret location to take part in a cinema experi-ence quite unlike any other they will have encountered in Bedford. Not only will they enjoy an evening of animation under the stars they will also have the chance to power the cinema themselves using cycle powered generators. The featured film is ‘Rendezvous Belleville’ (12) , a critically acclaimed classic animation about love, life and the Tour de France. This is a free event, although a £3 donation is suggested,

and has been brought to you as part of the European Mobility Week. The Lane, The Clanger, Bedford Borough Council and We Are Bedford have sponsored the event. Bring a blanket. Power to the pedals! For anyone interested in the technol-ogy behind cycle power generators there is also a Cycle Power Workshop between 3 and 6pm on the same day taking place at the 24 Mill Street Pop Up. Places are limited and cost £22 pp. Participants will learn how to assemble a cycle-powered genera-tor and will create the generators that will then power the cinema later that evening (no pressure!). For more information, or to book a place email Kayte@goodthingsltd.com

FilM

Illustration: David Litchfield

MuSiCThe Pad Presents.. WEt NUNS + ThE JEBS & FilThy ViSualS Saturday 15th September @ Esquires

WET NUNS are returning to Bedford in a couple of weeks, barely six months since the Lo Fi Blues Punk 2 piece from the deep south of Sheffield last played the towns iconic venue. Back in March they tore Esquires apart, cementing their place as one of the most fierce Live buzz bands of the moment. This latest tour is in support of new single ‘Why So Cold?’ - one of Radio 1s Huw Stevens top 5 tracks of the month and on the back of their Reading and Leeds performances where they were awarded by Thrashits with one of the best 6 bands of the weekend. NME Radar favourites Clit Eastwood and Crude law (we suspect not their real names!) were best descirbed by

The Indepen-tent as “beer brawl dust rock, pounded by snarly riffs and dirty witchcraft into sirloin slabs of devil rock with crystals of arthouse-satanic menace. By Taking the Sabbath dirge of Kyuss with a pinch of the Tarantino energy of the Jim Jones Revue they created obtuse death blues with is more Black Mirror than Black Keys”. All we know is that last time they were here not only were they one of the venues highlights of the year so far, it was also almost sold out - these guys crazy live shows are earning a devoted, cult like, following and you will be next to be converted should you dare. Support comes from the fantastic Jebs, who

already have an impressive gig CV under their belt for such a new band and Filthy Visuals who have cheekbones almost as sharp as their tunes. Tickets are £5 advance and from Seetickets, Esquires or Luscious Juice bar. Doors open at 8pm and there is a free aftershow party at The Pad. Warning! - Do NOT drink with Wet Nuns at The Pad, it will only harm you.

yorkshire Blues

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

11

SEPTEMBER 2012

day 18:Time & Motion day 19: animals

day 20: heritage

day 21: River

day 22: Festival

day 23: Play

day 24: Clanger

day 25: Tea

“a self-portrait photographic artwork, ‘inside out’, exhib-ited at Bromham Mill, Bedford as part of Bedfringe 2008.”

“Mum-in-law down for the weekend and taking afternoon tea at woodland Manor, Clapham. The real deal..”“Gotta have a Bedfordshire Clanger in there somewhere,

this one from Gunns Bakery, the only bakery in town to supply the Clanger.”

“Ring bell for...Tea

in vintage china and delicious cake at

Fancy on Roff

avenue”

Photo:Charlotte Tenneson

Photo:Tracey Wright

Heritage:Jon West

Heritage:M

elissa Banthorpe

Time&Motion:Jon West

Time&Motion:Kimberley Boreham

Photo: David Litchfield

Ani

mal

s By

Kitc

hen

Tabl

e Se

win

g

Animals Gemma Louise Cavill

River: Tracey Wright River: Christian Webb

Phot

o: Im

ogen

Bow

is

Fest

ival

: Ter

esa

Bro

oks

Photo: Gemma Louise Cavill

Fest

ival

: Est

her S

nels

on

Play: Pia-Maria Meyer

Play: Erica Roffe

Photo: Kimberley Boreham

Photo: Jon West

Clanger: Esther Snelson

Clanger: Pia-Maria Meyer

Tea: Emma Mundell

Tea: TJ Butterfield

Phot

o: D

avid

Jone

s

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

12

SEPTEMBER 2012

day 27: Sport

day 26: Texture

day 28: night

day 29: Reflection

day 30: Food

day 31: Made in Bedford

“The community herb garden at the roundabout on Castle Road. as if by magic these fabulous herbs appear and get bigger and better each

year, and they’re for sharing! ”

“Sport: Cople argus 2nd Xi top batting award 2010.”

Photo:Christian Webb

Photo:Jon West

Texture: Jack Sharp

Text

ure:

Mel

issa

Ban

thor

pe

Spor

t: Er

ica

Rof

fe

Phot

o: Jo

Mid

gley

Phot

o:Em

ma

Mun

dell

Nig

ht:E

rica

Rof

fe

Reflection: Tracey Wright

Night: Tracey Wright

Photo:Emma Mundell

Photo:Christian WebbHome:Christian WebbHome:Emma Mundell

Made In B

edford: Caroline W

ise

Made In B

edford: Esther Snelson

Refl

ectio

n: C

hris

tian

Web

b

Food:Ginn AugustiFood:Marianda Twydell

“Sock Monkey enjoys the

balmy evening in his tree.”

A family business providing support and service when you need it.Open and honest pricing policy37 St Cuthberts Street, Bedford MK40 3JGTel: 01234 363191 (24 hours) www.molyneuxjones.co.uk

Molyneux JonesFamily Funeral Directors

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

13Top foraging tips, Jane! foraging

GREaT BEdFoRdianS

GaRdEninG

SEPTEMBER 2012

gLUtBUStERS by Jane Perrone

Massed armies of slugs and snails, the summer squalls and cold spells notwithstanding, many gardeners and allotment holders will, by now, be experiencing some kind of glut. The usual suspects are courgettes, but it could be that you’re sinking under a moun-tain of lettuce, runner beans, or tomatoes: theproblem with these crops is that, unlike onions, potatoes, carrots and apples, they aren’t easy to store. It’s easy to begin to feel overwhelmed by the baskets of crops com-ing in from the garden, but there are several easy ways to deal with this most fortuitous of problems. First, remember that a glut shared be-comes an act of friendship - a bag of fruit or veg left by the office fridge will be snapped up by your colleagues, and there’s nothing like a couple of fresh lettuces to break the ice with the neighbours. In the villages around Bedford it’s not uncommon to see a table in a front garden stocked with fresh veg and an honesty box for payment: I am not sure how’d that would work on Castle Road or Brickhill Drive, but I’d love to see someone give it a try! The other option is to eat and preserve your way through the glut. Here’s my glut-busting recipe ready reckoner:

Lettuce - makes a tasty summersoup with any combination of the following: lovage, peas, cucumber, potatoes and chives.

Courgettes - they’re great pickled (recipe here: http://is.gd/uNYohd), made into chutney, added to risottos and stews, but my favourite recipe is Delia Smith’s courgette and potato cakes with mint and feta (http://is.gd/jrdUDH).

Beans - again, chut-ney’s an option, but unlike courgettes, beans freeze very well: just boil for 3 minutes to blanch them, then dump them into a pan of iced water, drain and pack them in one of those zippy plastic bags (top tip: use a straw to suck out all the air).

Tomatoes - If you are lucky enough to experience a tomato glut, halve the fruits, top with slivers of garlic and a glug of olive oil and some pepper and roast in the oven. Once cool, slip the flesh out of their skins and bag them for freezing.

How to get a glut without gardeningIf you are thinking, hang on, I should be so lucky to have a glut, there are ways of creat-ing a gardening-free glut of your own. First, forage for it. The most obvious wild harvest is the blackberry, to be found all over the town in hedgerows and rough ground, but it doesn’t stop there: elderberries can be picked in abundance for jellies and add-

ing to other fruits in a tart, or try making elderberry schnapps (just Google for the recipe - it’s simple). Then there are cobnuts and hazelnuts (try the trees leading up to the Oasis Pool); crab apples and rowan berries for fruit leathers, jellies and jams (try the streets around Castle Road); and greengages and plums on street trees all over the town and around its satellite villages. Mirabelle plums- the little round bright yellow ones

- are particularly common and totally delicious, eaten raw or made into crumble, pie or jam. If that all sounds a little like, well, hard work, there are a few quick-return crops you can start off now for your own mini-glut. Dried peas, soaked for a few

hours then sown in a seed tray with a couple of inches of compost will soon produce a healthy crop of crunchy pea shoots; a winter lettuce variety such as The Marvel of the Four Seasons sown in a pot will provide a cut-and come again crop within weeks, and early this month’s a good time to sow oriental leaves such as mustard, pak choi and mizuna for anautumn crop.

Look out for our special feature on apples and Bedford’s apple-related heritage in the next issue of The Clanger.

Follow @janeperrone on Twitter or visit her personal blog at perrone.blogs.com

St Paul’s Square in Bedford has got it all going on right now!To add to the beautiful ‘lace in place’ windows, we now have a Golden Post-box – thanks to the Royal Mail and the Olympic Gold medallist Etienne Stott. Etienne won gold in the C2 canoe slalom event at the London 2012 Olympics along with partner Tim Baillie, team GB’s first ever gold in the slalom event. Stott, 31, attended Biddenham Upper School, and leaned his craft at the Viking

Kayak club in Bedford. Incredibly, he was not the only ex Biddenham Upper pupil to win an Olympic medal in London – the gymnast Sam Oldham, 19, was also a student at the school. Sam won a bronze medal as part of the mens’ gymnastics team – another historic result for Bedford. Headmaster David Bailey said: “We look forward to them returning to school to show off their med-als and inspiring the next generation of Biddenham students!” Perhaps the sight

of a golden postbox in St Paul’s square – a reminder that Bedford continues to produce world-class athletes will inspire future Olympians too – or a golden generation of postmen, perhaps?

Gold!

Photo:Tracey Wright

Are you Jewish? Would you like to celebrate the High Holy days in a warm and welcoming community?

Join us at Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue for Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur. All welcome!

Erev Rosh Hashanah: Sunday 16th September (eve)Rosh Hashanah: Monday 17th Spetember (am)Kol Nidre: Tuesday 25th September (eve)Yom Kippur: Wednesday 26th September Pre-booking is essential, tickets for non-members £25, covers all High Holyday services

Contact us for more details!Tel: 0845 869 7105 Email: info@Bedsps.org.uk website: www.Bedfordshire-ps.org.uk

Are you Jewish? Would you like to celebrate the High Holy-days in a warm and welcoming community?

Join us at Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue, for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. All welcome!

Erev Rosh Hashanah Sunday 16th September (eve)Rosh Hashanah Monday 17th September (am)

Kol Nidre Tuesday 25th September (eve)Yom Kippur Wednesday 26th September

Pre-booking essential, tickets for non-members £25, covers all High Holyday services.

Contact us for more details!Tel: 0845 869 7105

Email: info@Bedsps.org.uk Website: www.Bedfordshire-ps.org.uk

Are you Jewish? Would you like to celebrate the High Holy-days in a warm and welcoming community?

Join us at Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue, for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. All welcome!

Erev Rosh Hashanah Sunday 16th September (eve)Rosh Hashanah Monday 17th September (am)

Kol Nidre Tuesday 25th September (eve)Yom Kippur Wednesday 26th September

Pre-booking essential, tickets for non-members £25, covers all High Holyday services.

Contact us for more details!Tel: 0845 869 7105

Email: info@Bedsps.org.uk Website: www.Bedfordshire-ps.org.uk

By Phillipa Partington of Viking Kayak Club, Bedford. www.vikingkayak.co.uk

Viking kayak Club’s olympic Gold Medallist, Etienne Stott Returns to his Club. For the first time since winning a gold medal in his sport of Canoe Slalom at the London Olympics 2012, Olympic gold medallist, Etienne Stott, returned to Bedford to visit his home club, Viking on Wednes-day 23rd August 2012. Etienne, who has been a member of Viking Kayak Club for twenty years, paddled with fellow members from the club to Duckmill Weir, where at the age of 12 he had first trained in the discipline of canoe slalom. Upon arrival at Duckmill he was warmly greeted by fans many of whom last saw him there before his Olympic triumph when he spoke at the launch of the new White Water Arena. His unassuming, natural friendliness, which has not changed at all since winning gold for Team GB, is regularly commented upon, so it was no surprise that Etienne took the time to sign autographs and to have pictures taken with fans of all ages, whilst they either held or wore his precious medal. An ex-student of Biddenham Upper School, Etienne first started to paddle at the age of 10 with St Andrews Scouts, Bedford. There Tim and Mark Pryor, both prominent local paddlers themselves, encouraged him to participate in the paddle sports of kayak-ing and canoeing. Two years after, Etienne joined Viking Kayak Club and has been a member ever since. Here, it was Chris Wilde who first coached Etienne in canoe slalom skills. Three years later, in 1995, Etienne was a member of the Great Britain Junior Team and in 2000 made his interna-tional debut as a member of the Great Brit-

ain Senior Team. Etienne paired up with Tim Baillie to paddle double canoe slalom in 2004 and the two went on to win medals at the 2009 European Championships, the 2010 Australian Open and the 2011 World Championships. However, getting gold at the 2012 London Olympics has undoubtedly been the greatest achievement of their joint careers. Their victory is all the more sweet because it was so hard won. Earlier in the season Etienne suffered a serious shoulder injury which required major surgery. At that point his Olympic chances seemed poor, but he recovered and made it into the GB Olympic Team. He and Tim did well in the first heats, but were the last to get into the finals and for this reason had the first run down the exacting course at Lee Valley White Water Centre. They set those that followed them a cracking time of 106.41 seconds which none of the following canoe-ists, including three-time gold medallists, the famous Hochschorner twins of Slovakia, were able to beat. To add to the delight of the British fans, Team GB also took silver in this event. In his usual exuberant style, Etienne jumped into the water when he rea-lised that he and Tim had won gold and was soon joined by silver medalists, Florence & Hounslow and all their coaches. Etienne Stott & Tim Baillie don’t yet know whether or not they will be participat-ing in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. We certainly hope that they will and all at Viking Kayak Club wish them the very best of success.

have you been inspired by our olympic successes? If you want to know more about sports clubs in your area, Bedford Borough Council’s Sports Development team will point you in the right direction. Visit www.bedford.gov.uk/sport for a list of sports clubs in your area, alternatively contact the

olyMPiC Gold MEdalliST: EtIENNE Stott,

team on 01234 718827,and for borough facilities visit www.bedford.gov.uk/lei-sure_and_culture.

Illustration: Andrew Foster

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

WOW! Check out the small print!14

RECIPESuMMER SaladGrasp the last of the summer sunshine with this month’s Rooster’s Recipe. It’s Granny G’s summer salad, which the Roosters gang intend to make into a wrap special in a few weeks time. Yum!

Serves 4-6 Take about 2llbs of cooked chicken cut into 1cm cubes and season well with salt and pep-per. Then make up the dressing. In a bowl, mix 150ml mayonnaise with 75ml of double cream and a generous teaspoon of chopped, fresh tarragon and 3-4 finely chopped spring onions. Pour this over the chicken and combine thoroughly before ar-ranging on a platter of fresh, crisp lettuce leaves. Garnish the salad with about 100g sliced, seedless green grapes which have been halved and a sprig or two of watercress.

Eat with a glass of chilled Primo Prosecco from the Blue Glass. Cheers!

RECIPE SPONSERED BY:

SEPTEMBER 2012

WIN!!! CLANgER READERS, hoW WoULD yoU LIkE to WIN

£100 oF WAItRoSE/johN LEWIS VoUChERS?

Simply email your name and address to thebedfordclanger@gmail.com by 30th September and it could be you!

1.Entries must be via e-mail and entry into the Draw implies acceptance of these conditions. 2. Only one entry per household. 3. Entrants must be UK or Channel Island residents, at least 18 years of age and not employees of the John Lewis Partnership, The Bedford Clanger their im-mediate families or their agents or anyone else connected with the promotion. 4. All entries must be received by 30th September 2012 . No responsibility will be accepted for any entries that are incomplete, illegible, or lost or delayed in the post. 5. The prize of a £100 of Waitrose or John Lewis vouchers will be awarded to the first entry

drawn at random on 30th September 2012. 6. The judges’ decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into. 7. All prizes must be accepted as offered, there are no cash alternatives. 8. Winners will be notified by 30th September 2012. Winner’s name and county will be available by sending an SAE to The Bedford Clanger. 9. No purchase necessary. 10. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute the prize with one of equal or greater value if reasonably unforeseeable circumstances arise. 11. Your details will not be used by The John Lewis Partnership which is inclusive of Waitrose any any of their third parties for marketing activities. Phew!

Food

it cannot have escaped your notice that Waitrose has recently opened the doors of its sparkly new store on Goldington Road. As Mayor Dave Hodgson said, “Waitrose’s commitment to Bedford is more good news for our local economy, bringing new jobs and investment, and I wish the store the very best.” Dave The Mayor officially opened the new shop on 9th August together with representatives from Bedford and District Cerebral Palsy Society who are part of the shop’s Community Matters charity scheme during the first month of trading. Through its Community Matters scheme Waitrose Bedford will donate £1,000 every month between three local causes as nominated by customers and Partners. Customers receive a green token when they shop which they can put in the box of their cause of choice.

WAItRoSE ComES to toWN

Bedford and District Cerebral Palsy Society will be joined by two other causes in the scheme’s first month at the shop: Friends of Bedford Counselling Centre and Goldington Friendship Over 55’s. Partners at Waitrose Bedford will also be

offering 250 hours of their time every year to support local causes through the retailer’s Partner Volunteering scheme. Anyone interested in either Partner Volunteering or Community Matters should speak with a member of staff in branch.

JOHN PIPER EXHIBITION Original Prints

1ST- 29TH SEPTEMBER Howard Street, Bedford MK40 3HS

Tel:01234 344784

Is read by around 10,000 peopleif you’d like to promote your business to our readers then contact

gemma Rogers on 07799067052

email:bedfordclangerads@gmail.com @clangerads

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

CoFFEE & CakEBy Alice Smith

thE gRoUND FLooR CoFFEE ShoP, aMPThill RoadThe side of an old office building behind a car-park on ampthill Road may not immediately spring to mind as the perfect location forBedford’s latest and extraordinarily stylish coffee shop - and yet, it most certainly is.

The old Crayola building is being given a new lease of life in style! It has its own car park, bike racks and even a convenient bus stop right outside with regular services to and from town, meaning that it is easy to get to, as well as being ‘the closest thing that Bedford has to a drive-through coffee shop’! The Ground Floor Coffee shop is run as a social enterprise, supported by The Kings’ Project, in association with the Kings’ Arms church. It is run by Kezia and Anna, who are friendly, helpful and adept at chatting whilst whipping up the perfect cappuccino. A fabulous space; open and airy with high ceilings and polished wood floor, the café is furnished with second-hand tables and chairs found at vintage shops and fairs. Packing cases, trunks and apple carts have found new lives as coffee tables, and the sight of a fabulous retro-typewriter greets you as you arrive. There are sleek brown leather sofas and comfy armchairs, and plenty of space in which to recline and drink the excellent coffee. The ideal place for a business meeting, or to catch up with emails using the free WiFi, it is also a great place to take children. The home-made cakes are the triumphs of a local Canadian baker, whose twists on traditional recipes

are proving very popular. As I was there ably assisted in my tasting duties by three children, we tried several delights including a beautifully gooey triple layered chocolate fudge cake, complete with smooth, creamy topping; cupcakes with cream topping and jam inside - a variation on a mini Victoria sponge, and an unquestionable hit with the children. We also tried the Rise and Shine loaf cake, which was the surprise hit of the day. Packed with apple, cinnamon and pumpkin seeds, this is what Kezia informed me is the ‘ideal cake for 10 am. Because you don’t necessarily want a huge slice of choclate cake at that time in the morning.’ And she is right; this is the perfect alternative. Served as a mini-loaf cake, it is just the right size, and feels less like cake and more like the healthy way to approach a mid-morning snack, owing to the fact that it tastes just as a good wholefoods shop smells – delicious. Ground Floor Coffee also serve savoury baguettes, jacket potatoes, croissants and offer a children’s menu which includes junior home-made lasagne, a mini graz-ing board and beans on toast. They are, incidentally, astonishingly tolerant of small children using the raised area to the back of

the cafe as an impromtu performance area, and told me that they are regularly treated to dance displays and improvised concerts by their younger customers. As my children tap-danced their way across the stage, and I finished up the remains of the cappuccino froth, I decided that we would be back. Very soon.

it’s the type of cafe we love

waitrose will be supporting local causes

Try the ‘Rise and Shine’ loaf!

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

15Don’t forget to shop at our independents too!

SPonSoRS oF: LoCAL hERoES

loCal hERo - CARoL hARRISoN

This month’s Bedford Clanger kiosk at The Park local hero is nominated by Bedford resident and kiosk regular Sally Brown. Sally is a journalist who works from home juggling a busy freelance journalist life with family life and further studies in Psychol-ogy: “I’d like to nominate my fellow Samaritan volunteer, Carol Harrison, as a Local Hero as she is a truly community-spirited individual who never asks for or expects thanks for what she does. As a volunteer for the Bedford Branch of the Samaritans, she definitely goes beyond the call of duty. As well as supporting callers in distress - often stepping in at the last minute when needed - she mentors new volun-teers, helps co-ordinate the duty rota and is involved in volunteer training. Carol joined

SEPTEMBER 2012

PAUSE FoR thoUght

(Quite literally!)By Sharon Grenham-Toze

Perhaps it’s a hangover from school days, but i always think of September as the be-ginning of the year. After the long lazy days of summer, there’s definitely a sense of gearing up for action. New uniforms to be bought, the slightly straggly garden to tidy up, and we have to go back to the office some-time! For most clergy too, it’s the start of a hectic few months, as we plough through Harvest Festival and then fix our eyes on the twinkling lights of December. A bit like the ‘real’ New Year, quite often we start the Autumn with a resolution or two, usually trying to keep that holiday mood going – things like ‘I will not get so stressed by my annoying boss,’ or ‘I will eat more salad/drink more (or less!) red wine/ keep applying fake tan.’ But with all the activity, the return to routine, even (dare I mention it) Christmas planning, we soon lose that laid back feeling and before we know it we’re not so much chillaxed as pole-axed. Well, realistically, we can’t usually change our schedule. Work won’t wait and stuff still has to be done. Now I enjoy being a bit of a hippy with the best of ‘em, but I get really annoyed by people (often religious) who say ‘forget the doing, just concentrate on being’. In this day and age that’s just not going to happen, and anyway, what does it really mean? We are, partly, what we do – whether that’s paid work, or

caring, or planning things for our family. But I do think it’s good to have a plan of action, instead of just racing hell for leather towards the next goal. It’s good to set ourselves achievable targets, instead of expecting the impossible of ourselves and others, and then wondering why we’re so grumpy. And I do think it’s essential to make sure we factor in time for reflection, peace and just noticing what’s going on around us. You know, the season will burst into colour around us before too long. The early morn-ings will present us with dew-laden spider webs and that tell-tale mist across the fields. The birds flying across the sky will change, the constellations at night will shift position. Summer gives way to Autumn. The world is turning, and it would be a shame if we were so busy spinning around that we missed it.

The Revd Sharon Grenham-Toze is the Co-ordinating Chaplain at HMP Bedford. She is an Anglican priest, and lives locally. She’s also a regular broadcaster for BBC Radio 2 and 4 – you may have heard her on BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show, with Chris Evans, giving us ‘Pause for Thought.’

BEhIND thE SCENES At thE mUSEUm ThE CoSTuME CollECTion

By Victoria PartridgeKeeper of Fine and Decorative Art

This week i’ve been looking at the costume collection with the keeper of Social history, lydia and our volunteer, Victoria.

A costume conservator was helping us have a close-up look at some of the costume that will be going back out on display when The Higgins reopens in spring 2013. Looking at objects with a conservator always makes me see things in a new way, lovely details are revealed that I would never have spotted if I hadn’t been studying it in minute detail. The conservator showed us how things that would be considered disastrous if they had been happened to a painting can add to the history of a dress. If you had a Monet that had sections of the paint missing and other sections repainted by an amateur it would be awful but if a dress has been chopped about and altered it means it’s had a life, it’s changed with fash-ions and it’s been worn and loved by lots of

different women. The dresses we were looking are the earliest in the collection, from around the 1740’s. A time when fashion-able dresses were so wide you had to walk sideways through the door. Both are made from woven silk, and will have started off their life as very fine dresses for wealthy women. Whilst one dress has remained unaltered the other, a beautiful yellow dress, shows tell tale signs of alteration: stitches in a different thread, parts not hanging quite right and details missing. The conservator explained that this isn’t unusual, whilst the dress will have started off for the lady of the house, when she tired of it, she may have been passed on to her ladies maid (in this case a smaller woman as the

shoulders have been taken in). I need to do some more research into who owned them, but I can’t wait to see them on their mannequins, being lit beauti-fully in the new Higgins.

SWEEt tAStE oF SUCCESS FoR ARCADIATop sweet shop, arcadia (in Thearcade) beat over 30 other shops in July’s window dressing competition that attracted over 1,200 public votes. Organised by Bedford Borough Council, the competition involved Bedford’s High Street and neigh-bouring roads and helped celebrate our Great Summer in Bedford. Cancer Research UK (located on High-street) won the Charity Shop category with their professional ‘from stock to science’ display showing what the number of items sold can then pay for in terms of cancer research.

RETail

REliGion

Photo: Grahma Watson

i want candy

ThE aRT CEnTRE & GallERy’S

FEaTuREd aRTiST FoR SEPTEMBER: johN PIPERPainter and printmaker John Piper (1903-1992) is exhibited at the Art Centre and Gallery this month. John Piper was born at Epsom in Surrey the son of a prosperous London solicitor. Following his father’s wishes Piper spent five years as a reluctant articled clerk in the family law firm before changing career to study art, firstly at Richmond School of Art (1926-27) and then at the Royal College of Art (1927-29). In the early 1930s Piper exhibited with

the progressive London Group alongside young artists such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and John Skeaping. Piper’s pictures at that time included many of the English Channel coast and although some showed the influence of Braque’s images of the French coast they were generally quite conventional. As well as being a renowned painter and printmaker Piper was a successful writer, designed stage sets, made ceramics, worked with textiles and created stained glass designs. He received several public commissions such as his design for the stained glass in the Baptistery window at Coventry Cathedral in 1957. He was

made a Companion of Honour in 1972 and received many Honorary Doctorates from universities.The Art Centre & Gallery, Howard Street, Bedford.

aRT

the Samaritans eight years ago because she had some ‘free time’ and wanted to do some voluntary work and, as a teenager, had contacted the Samaritans – suffer-ing from what she now describes as ‘the usual teenage angst’ - and was listened to with genuine interest and compassion by a volunteer. It’s a testament to her unflagging energy levels that she says she had ‘free time’ – as well as being married to John for

31 years and mum to Lianne, 25, Callum, 22, and Rhys who is almost 13, she works as a teaching assistant in the special needs unit at Edith Cavell Lower School, and as a keyworker at Rutherford Rascals preschool on Wentworth Drive. She says she loves seeing the children she works with develop both emotionally and physically. Somehow, she has also managed to find the time to be Tawny Owl at the St Marks Church, Brickh-

ill, Brownie pack for the last 14 years. Carol doesn’t think that she does anything out of the ordinary and never seeks the limelight – she will probably be a bit embarrassed by this nomination. But it was about time she got a pat on the back for being a truly caring person and for going the extra mile – she doesn’t need David Cameron and his Big Society to tell her to volunteer. Doing her bit for her community is simply in her

DNA!”

Many Congratulations to Carol – we’d be delighted to invite you to join us at The Kiosk in Russell Park to receive your cer-tificate at a special tea party for yourself, your husband John and your nominator Sally Brown.

last month’s ‘local hero’ winner, Linda Robinson, receiving her award and coffee & cakes. Cakes by www.nikkiscakes.org

THE BEDFORD CLANGER

16

Celebrating 30 years in Bedford as an independent family owned business.Sewing machines may of changed but our good old-fashioned service values haven’t

We now have a brand new selection of hundreds of fabrics for curtains and blinds from Simpson, Fibre Naturelle, York, Jones Interior and many more with

33% OFF SELECTED LINESWe now offer a NEW curtain and blind making service too so call in for a quote.

BEDFORD in Lurke Street 01234 350186 SingersBedford.com

BEDFORDMORE THAN JUST SEWING!

Thank youSThe Bedford Clanger is a labour of love for a lot of people. No one’s making a fortune, we just want to encourage people to embrace and love our town. As ever, this issue would not have been possible without the immense talents of the following people:Designer Extraordinaire: Marisa Straccia (@madamebogg)Advertising Director: Gemma Rogers (@clangerads)

Listings Supremo: Bev Burridge (Clangerlisting@gmail.com)Front Cover: Marisa ‘Tetris’ StracciaGreat Bedfordian illustration: Andrew FosterSnappy Snappers: Graham Watson, Tracey Wright, Shaun Armstrong & the fabulous A Photo A DayersCoffee & Cake Correspondents: Alice & Tilly SmithFoodie: Stephen Bywater

Gardening Editor: Jane PerroneAdditional Editorial: Caroline Wise & Sue Gough (@BedfordNetwork), David Litchfield,, Alice Smith, Gareth Barber, Paula Walker, The Reverend Sharon Grenham-Toze, Phillipa Partington , Victoria Patridge, Sam Mellonie, Chris Phelps.

Pop into the The Mill Street Pop Up!

ThEaTRE

SEPTEMBER 2012

ChRIStmAS 2012 whERE ThE wild ThinGS aREBy David Litchfield

i have had the same copy of Maurice Sendak’s ‘where The wild Things are’ since i was 0 years old. It has been a gigantic influence on my illus-tration work and absolutely continues to be at the forefront of my own creative output. ‘Where The Wild Things Are’ will always have a resonating impact on me every time I read it. So, when Alex Levene and Cally Law-rence of the The Place Theatre told me that No Loss and Dumbstruck Productions were staging a joint production based on Maurice Sendak’s classic I was incredibly excited. I was even more excited when they asked me to design and illustrate all of the marketing material and help design the characters and sets. I jumped at the chance. However, once the initial excitement settled down and I had time to truly think about the project, the prospect of drawing those beloved characters and having them be seen by the public became daunting and a little terrifying. I was asked by Alex and Cally if I would be interested in taking on the task just two weeks before the news of Mr Sendak’s death was announced and somehow, this very sad fact made the task even more intimidating. In my eyes Sendak’s drawings are perfect and can never be bettered. But then, after a few days of fretting over the project, I decided that the best approach was not to try and copy Sendaks’s drawing’s but to simply pay homage to his work and put my own spin on such an

iconic cast of characters. My first attempt was with this very subtle ‘teaser’ poster for the show that you should be seeing around Bedford very soon. Over the next few months I will keep you updated with other snippets of designs, costumes, behind the scenes pics and

sketches for the show and keep you posted on my progress throughout this very excit-ing project. ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ booking information will follow in the October issue of The Clanger.Let the wild rumpus start!

thE PoP UPPoPS UP !

we are Bedford are back with another empty shop adventure.

Working in partnership with Stimpsons Eves the people behind the Castle Quay Weekender have returned to bring 24 Mill Street to life. As a result of their We Are Bedford Bursary they are working with a number of people and groups to schedule a range of events including an interactive drawing installation by The Circus of

Illustration, a Mail Art exhibition curated by Anne Marie Stijelja, a unique interpretation of the A Photo A Day photographs, a Comic Book artwork exhibition by Adam Boreham and as well as a range of musical treats from the irrepressible Oxjam team. All events will be taking place on weekends through-out September and early October. For full information about all of the events please visit www.wearebedford.co.uk or join the We Are Bedford facebook group.

PoP-uP

if you’ve been inspired by the olympics and andy Murray’s gold medal you can get on court with the Beacon Tennis Project from September 22nd onSaturday mornings in Bedford Park.Sessions run from 8.45 to 11.30am and are split between Mini Red Players (8 and Under) Mini Orange/Green (for 9 & 10 Year olds), Yel-low Ball (11+ yrs) and adults. Furthermore, the sessions are part funded by Bedford Borough Council and Britsh Tennis which makes the Project accessible to everyone. You’ll get 50% discount on your first term so you can get a taster with-out breaking the bank ! You’ll find a great bunch of people having fun and improving their game with our qualified LTA Coaches. Ever wondered why your backhand is wayward or why your second serve is getting walloped back? We can help you out !

Gary Richardson runs the sessions and has had a busy summer with the Beacon Tennis Project - starting at the River Festi-val, through to the Olympic LIVE! site and culminating in an open day for Paralympic Atheletes at Riverside Tennis Club to cel-ebrate Olympic fever in Bedford. If you want to get involved you can check out our website www.beacontennis.co.uk to download a form or contact Neil Frankel at doc@riversidetennisbedford.co.uk

SPoRTA goLDEN oPPoRtUNIty to gEt

INVoLVED IN BEACoN tENNIS

Paralympic atheletes...

...Visiting Riverside Tennis Club

anne Marie: She’s been busy Philately