Four local charities have been selected to benefit from Bedford Borough’s Mayor’s Charity fundraising during 2025/26.
The charity was started in 2005 by the then mayor, Frank Branson and last year it was agreed that all newly appointed speakers of the council would be invited to nominate charities for their period of office.
The Trustees of the Mayor of Bedford’s Charity Committee heard on Tuesday (24 June) that mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative) nominated the Elisabeth Curtis Centre and The Place Theatre.
The speaker of the council, Cllr Colleen Atkins (Labour, Harpur) put forward Music for Memories and Friends of Bedford Cemetery.
She said the Tibbs, Music from Memory is a “very respected charity, which is doing wonderful things for people and their carers, or their relatives, bringing music and memories back for people who have some memory loss or dementia.”
“The volunteers that are running [Friends of Bedford Cemetery] are doing a really, really good job for the community,” she added.
Each chosen charity must reflect the Trust’s objectives to support arts, music, and charitable causes across the borough.
Mayor Wootton added that all four charities “cut the mustard” and he was pleased to recommend them to the committee.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
