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9 November 2026
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Community & Charity

All the latest community and charity news from across Bedford Borough. Everything you need to keep you up to date with what’s happening in Bedford Borough on your mobile or desktop via the Bedford Independent.

The Bedford Independent was founded to provide the people of Bedford Borough with a modern news desk that would give them easy access to genuine and unbiased Bedford news. We are independent in ownership and opinion.

Our mission is to inform and inspire the people of Bedford. To do this we will work hard to bring them the news that matters to them from our town centre to the most rural of the Borough’s villages.

Our editorial team are NCTJ trained and follows a standards code set out by the independent press regulator IMPRESS Standards.

Young Carer 2024 Charlie Lloyd (r) with Heart Academies Trust's David Morris., Image: Bedford Independent.

“It’s just sort of living for me”: Young carer on being recognised as Bedford Independent Everyday Hero

With nominations now open for the 2025 ‘Everyday Hero Awards’, there’s no better time than now to look back on previous winners and celebrate all their achievements and hard work... 
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(l-r) Everyday Heroes Award winner Frankie Pickup and Arabella who are now raising money for Frankie's school. Image: The Pickup family

“She is a superhero”: 10-year-old from Bedford onto next mission after Everyday Heroes Award win

After winning the Everyday Hero Award last year in the individual fundraiser of the year category, Frankie Pickup, 10, from Bedford, is onto her next challenge. The ten-year-old won...
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Excellence in Education 2024 (l-r) Bedford School's Hugh Maltby with winner Michael Walker. Image: Bedford Independent

“It’s all about helping and supporting the students”: Everyday Hero winner continues to put young Bedfordians first

With preparations underway for the 2025 Everyday Hero Awards, the Bedford Independent is putting the spotlight on the previous award winners and sharing their stories of going the...
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(l-r) Brogan Kowal and her dad Tony Botswain. Image Brogan Kowal

Much-loved Bedford ‘gentle giant’ remembered as daughter urges others to spot stroke signs

Bedford dad and much-loved teacher Tony Boatswain is remembered by his daughter Brogan, who is sharing his story to help people in Bedfordshire spot the signs of stroke earlier...
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Two St John's Ambulance cadets in green uniforms and attending a summer's event. Image St John's Ambulance

St John Ambulance seeks youth leaders as new cadet unit lauches in Bedford

The national first aid charity St John Ambulance is seeking young adult volunteers to become youth leaders at their new Cadet Unit in Bedford. The new unit will open on St John's...
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Sue Ryder's Christmas Treecycling (Bedfordshire and Borders) volunteers from Paul Brown Garden Maintenance standing on top of a pile of Christmas Trees. Image: Sue Ryder

Sue Ryder’s Bedfordshire and Borders Christmas Treecycling scheme raises ‘treemendous’ £21,000

More than 1,300 Christmas trees were recycled across Bedfordshire and borders in Sue Ryder’s Treecycling scheme, raising £21,035 to support palliative and bereavement...
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Brian Cunningham. Image: Cunningham family

Obituary: Brian Cunningham (1964-2025)

Brian Cunningham, the beloved director of Bedfordshire Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support (BRASS), has passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 61...
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Mel Robinson of Echoes of the Soul Grief Support setting up for a creative painting session

Grief support group uses creativity to help healing

A woman from Cranfield has launched a grief support group that uses creativity to help people express their feelings through art. Mel Robinson has been supporting people experiencing grief...
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Small seedling being held by a pair of hands

Seed Swap and Treasure Sale aims to celebrate London Road community

A new event is taking place this Valentine's Day (14 February) to bring people together to share and reuse, and celebrate the community spirit of London Road. Love iLearn Bedford: Seed Swap...
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East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) helicopter in flight. Image: EAAA

Nearly 1,900 people treated by air ambulance in 2025 with each rescue costing £4,250

East Anglian Air Ambulance treated 1,845 people last year, including 151 under-18s, with each emergency tasking costing £4,250 across Bedfordshire and the wider region...
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