A partnership of voluntary sector Local Infrastructure Organisations in Bedfordshire, including BRCC, has been successful in its bid to the government’s Transforming Local Infrastructure Fund, it was announced on 2 February 2012.

At nearly £800,000, Bedfordshire’s award is the third largest in the country.

The funding will pay for the transformation of support services for voluntary and community sector organisations over the next 18 months, to help the sector to survive and thrive into the future. Thank you to those organisations who responded to our survey last autumn, which helped to provide evidence for the bid.

Further information will follow in later bulletins. In the meantime, you can read more about the successful applicants to the Fund here: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/

One of the Greensand Ridge Rural Development Programme’s major projects, the Holme Mills Heritage Centre near Biggleswade, marked the completion of its first stage in January with a topping out ceremony for its new visitor centre. The visitor centre is being built adjacent to the mill building, made famous by its appearance on Jordans cereal packets, which is being restored and developed as an educational facility to preserve and exhibit the unique 19th century roller mill.

The GRDP awarded £150,000 to the Jordan Trust towards this project.

The Heritage Centre aims to become one of the leading rural visitor attractions in Bedfordshire, and to re-connect consumers with how their food is produced. This story was covered by the Biggleswade Chronicle article, you can read an abbreviated version here: www.biggleswadetoday.co.uk/news/

The Greensand Ridge Rural Development Programme is managed by BRCC on behalf of a Local Action Group (LAG). Our latest award was for £14,677 to Summerfield Miniature Railways.

For further information on the Programme please visit: www.greensand.org.uk. You can also follow the LAG on Twitter: @GreensandRidge or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/greensandrd.

Are you committed to supporting vulnerable and isolated people living in Arlesey? Are you interested in a flexible local employment opportunity that you can fit around your other commitments?

BRCC is seeking to recruit a Village Agent for Arlesey. Village Agents work to connect people in their area to the services and support that they need.

You can download the recruitment pack below:
Village Agent Recruitment Pack (PDF 40KB)

Application deadline: Monday 5 March, 2012 at 9.00am
Interviews: Thursday 8 March, 2012

For an informal chat about the post, please contact Jon Boswell on 01767 626460..

BRCC is involved in new initiatives in both Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire to help people keep warm this winter, supported by the Department of Health’s Warm Homes Healthy People Fund.

If you know of anybody over 50 living in a village in Bedford Borough who could benefit from free help to keep their energy costs down and make their home warmer, please contact our Just Ask! scheme on freephone 0800 039 1234, and one of our Village Agents will be in touch.

For help in Central Bedfordshire you can phone 0300 300 8302 or visit: www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/ for more information.

A new care scheme, the Houghton Regis Helpers (HRH), was successfully launched in December by the town mayor at the Houghton Regis Town Council offices. Andrew Selous, the MP for South West Bedfordshire also visited the group to lend his support and wish the group well.

The aim of the scheme is to provide occasional help to residents who do not have close family or friends nearby. This may be in the form of transporting them to doctor or hospital appointments, helping with shopping, collecting prescriptions, carrying out light household jobs such as changing light bulbs or simply popping round for a chat or a cup of tea. All the ‘on the ground’ work is undertaken by volunteers who are covered by insurance and are CRB checked.

The group was helped to set up by BRCC, and will now join BRCC’s network of care schemes in both urban and rural areas across Central Bedfordshire. If you would like to become a ‘Good Neighbour’ volunteer with HRH, or if you would like occasional help from the scheme please phone 07587 004514 or email: houghtonregishelpers@hotmail.co.uk

The Houghton Regis scheme follows the creation of a similar scheme earlier this year in Dunstable, called Dunstable Action Network, operated by Dunstable Town Council (call 01582 513000 or visit www.dunstable.gov.uk).

Local residents in Biggleswade are now also poised to launch their own scheme, called Biggleswade Good Neighbours (contact Terri Anne on 01767 313610).

For more information about BRCC’s care schemes network, please contact Justine Hunt on 01234 832648 or email: justineh@bedsrcc.org.uk

YMCA Bedfordshire has announced its SleepEasy Event for 2012, which will take place in the grounds of Bedford High School for Girls, Bromham Road, MK40 2BS on Saturday 3rd - Sunday 4th March 2012. In the past two years over 1,600 people have braved sub-zero temperatures, raising a staggering £250,000 to help improve the lives of young people across the UK.

You can learn more about this important awareness raising campaign at: www.ymcabedfordshiresleepeasy.co.uk where an information pack is available for anyone interested in taking part. The SleepEasy 2012 press release can be downloaded here: YMCA Bedfordshire Press Release (PDF 389KB)

For further information on the SleepEasy 2012 please contact:

Amy Elliott, Supported Lodgings Coordinator on 07508807441 or 01234 307040

YMCA Bedfordshire
43 Bromham Road
Bedford
MK40 2AA

or via email: amy@ymcabedfordshire.org.uk

Bedford Borough Council is currently coordinating support for the third sector and invites applications for financial assistance from voluntary and charitable organisations for 2012/13.

To request an application form, telephone the Community Welfare Team on (01234) 276228 or write to:

Community Welfare Team
Bedford Borough Council
Borough Hall
Bedford
MK42 9AP

Application forms are also available to complete online at www.bedford.gov.uk

Deadline for completed application forms: 18th February 2012 (noon)

BRCC has produced a 2012 calendar, which you can buy directly from Southill Stores or send a cheque to:

The Old School, Cardington, Bedford MK44 3SX.

Price: £4.99

(NB: Click on the above image to view a low-resolution version of the BRCC 2012 Calendar.)