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.

Bedford volunteering legend collects his MBE from HM The King

Bedford volunteering legend and a Bedford Independent Everyday Hero, Charan Sekhon, has collected his MBE from His Majesty The King at Windsor Castle this week (31 January)...

Memories of Mandela needed for new podcast

A new podcast is asking Bedfordians to share their memories of Nelson Mandella visiting Bedford Borough for a new podcast. The anti-apartheid activist and politician, who served as the first...

Everyday Heroes Awards 2022: Who deserves Bedford’s Excellence in Education Award?

Now in its third year, the Bedford Independent Everyday Heroes Awards recognise people who have made a difference to our Borough and who make Bedford brilliant...

Can you help Bedford’s Baby Bank find a new home?

A charity providing essential items to struggling families is hoping the Bedford community can help it find a bigger home. The FACES Baby Bank was set up in 2022 by...

‘Number 2s’ for Bedford’s toilets as they twin with others around the world

It might make you 'flush' and think about 'spending a penny' but a unique charity idea has seen more toilets across Bedford twin with other 'big white telephones' across the world. Toilet twinning...

Local pub company raises £10,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust

Festive foodies have helped local pub company, Wells & Co. raise £10,000 to support their 2022/23 partner charity, Teenage Cancer Trust. Over the Christmas period...

Refugee families from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine welcomed to Bedford Borough since 2016

Bedford Borough Council has taken part in various schemes to resettle refugees in the borough, a meeting heard. A report presented to the Housing Committee...

Opinion: Bedford’s generosity is more than just financial

This month, Bedford was crowned the second most generous town in the UK by the donation platform JustGiving. Of course, this is no surprise to most people who live here...

11-year-old boy raises £2,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of his ‘Grammy’

An 11-year-old pupil from Castle Newnham School has smashed his fundraising target by 'braving the shave' and cutting his hair in aid of Macmillan Cancer Care. Vaska...

JustGiving names Bedford as UK’s second most generous town

Bedford has been named the second most generous town in the UK, according to the fundraising platform JustGiving. In JustGiving's round-up of 2022, Bedford...