BEDFORD, SANDY & BIGGLESWADE RECIPES P10 COMPETITIONS P29 WHAT’S ON? P12, 15 & 21 MAGAZINE & WEBSITE THE GO-TO GUIDE FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILD raring2go.co.uk AUTUMN 2022
To give a child a uniform to be proud of, visit: buttleuk.org/uniforms Or you can give: £5 by texting BUTTLE5 to 70007 £10 by texting BUTTLE10 to 70007 You will be charged £5 or £10, plus your standard network rate. 100 per cent of your donation will go to Buttle UK. By texting, you are agreeing for Buttle UK to phone or text you to tell you about its work and how you can help. If you wish to donate and not hear from Buttle again, end your text with the word NO (eg, BUTTLE5 NO or BUTTLE10 NO). For more information call 020 7828 7311. Buttle UK is a registered charity 313007 (England & Wales), SC037997 (Scotland) Ill-fitting or incorrect uniforms can make kids feel incredibly self-conscious, and sometimes leave them feeling isolated. Some may even miss school. That is why Buttle UK are delighted to be working with George at Asda to provide some of the most vulnerable children in the UK with school uniform this year. You can help too. A donation of £20 will provide another child with skirts, trousers, shirts or shoes. The start of a school year should be an exciting time. But for many parents struggling with the cost of living crisis, it presents an extra challenge – how to afford new school uniform.
raring2go.co.uk 3 Raring2go! WELCOME Welcome to the Autumn Edition! I hope you all had a fabulous Summer and could enjoy some of the events, activities and places to go featured in the last edition of Raring2go! Autumn is finally here and the new school year has begun. Many of you will have little ones who have just started school and older children embarking on their secondary school journeys. I hope they are settling in and making new friends. I love the colours of Autumn, it’s such a great time to venture out and about and enjoy the beauty of nature. Take a look at the “Autumn Activities” for some great ideas! Of course, Kids also love Halloween! We have got some gruesome recipes for you to try and some great suggestions of “What’s on” for Halloween. You can also discover more about things to do on our website www.raring2go.co.uk/bedfordand-biggleswade and by following us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We would love to see photos of you having fun, trying out the Halloween recipes and visiting some of our suggestions in the “What’s on” guide. Please share them with us on our social media pages! Please visit our website to subscribe to our monthly newsletters, enter our fantastic competitions and take advantage of our offers! Have a wonderful Autumn. Tilly xx 07855 952956 bedford@raring2go.co.uk Copyright © 2022 by Gemini Print No part of the publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying & recording, or by any information storage & retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Published by Raring2go! Bedford Tilly Bartens Phone: 07855 952956, Email: bedford@raring2go.co.uk All information in the booklet is published in good faith. We do not guarantee the services and products from any business featured. Printers: Gemini Print: 01273 464884 Layout by Free Range Design: 01234 315493 General Competition Rules: No cash alternatives to prizes. Please refer to individual closing dates. Personal data only used to administer competitions. f Stay In Touch! Make sure that you re-subscribe so we can keep telling you about the great offers, competitions and things ? Are you getting your message across? Free Range design & print solutions helping you to crow about it I business cards I flyers I leaflets I logos I brochures I posters I banners I stickers I adverts... designed, printed, delivered. 01234 315493 I enquiries@freerange-design.co.uk www.freerange-design.co.uk
4 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! HELPING HANDS HEALTHY PARENT CARER PROGRAMME Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum are leading on the delivery of the programme to parent carers of children who have SEND in Bedford Borough. The members delivering it are all parent carers themselves. The programme is totally free for parent carers in Bedford Borough and is made up of twelve 2 hour sessions or six 4 hour sessions and we are doing a mix of online or in-person, daytime and evening session to try to make sure we can reach as many parent carers as possible. Do you think it's time you started looking after your own wellbeing? If so please contact us to register your interest for the next programme that we will be running. Please email communications@bbpcf.org.uk or if you'd like to speak to someone please call 07943 524553. The healthy parent carer programme is designed to improve parent carers' health and wellbeing by promoting emotional balance through understanding, empowerment, confidence and resilience.
raring2go.co.uk 5 Raring2go! HELPINGS HANDS Monday 19th September Coffee Morning Tuesday 20th September Focus Group on SEND Panel and Guidance Tuesday 27th September IPSEA Training for Parent Carers Monday 3rd October Coffee Morning Wednesday 5th October Dyslexia Training Monday 17th October Coffee Morning For more information please have a look at our website www.bbpcf.co.uk/events Events for the Autumn Term communications@bbpcf.org.uk www.bbpcf.co.uk 07943 524553
6 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! HELPING HANDS Kumon’s maths and English study programmes work to build your child’s confidence and inspire a passion for learning. Fees vary. Please refer to your local study centre. To unlock your child’s potential, contact your local Instructor for a free assessment. Bedford South Study Centre Kirsten Putman 01234 268 608 kumon.co.uk Local, expert accounting services Book a FreeConsultation Bedford 01234 331777 Hun�ngdon 01480 592001 Letchworth 01462 682988 St Neots 01480 592002 Offices also in Hitchin and Northampton Excellent Based on 2,500+ reviews Local, expert accountancy and tax services you can trust. Account. Ability. Daily music by community groups ST PAUL’S CHURCH BEDFORD MK40 1SQ £3 Admission CHILDREN UNDER 16 FREE For MORE INFORMATION email: treefestival@stpaulschurchbedford.org.uk Bedford Christmas Tree Festival 01234 340163 IN AID OF SPONSORED BY WEDNESDAY 30th NOVEMBER to SATURDAY 3rd DECEMBER 10.00AM – 5.00PM SUNDAY 4th DECEMBER 12NOON – 4.00PM ChristmasTree Festival‘Musicals’ 2022 FESTIVAL CONCERT 7.30PM FRIDAY 2 DECEMBER
raring2go.co.uk 7 Raring2go! EDUCATION ‘I can’t do it…’ How many times have you heard your child say this? How often have we responded with yes, you can, give it a go? How many times has that response truly worked? A big part of our role as teachers is to develop a growth mindset which encourages a passion for learning and an ability to face new challenges positively. Children with a growth mindset often see difficulties as an opportunity to learn and grow rather than as setbacks or failures. Children with a growth mindset say, “I may not be able to do it…yet” and “This is hard, but I will try.” But how do we achieve this? Praise children for their effort rather than their ability or intelligence. “I can see how hard you are trying to do that” focuses on the process children take to obtain a skill rather than the end result. Examples of your own challenges and how you overcame them help model and encourage a growth mindset in our children. Framing our language, such as “Oh, I found this gardening hard to do, but I just took one step at a time and feel proud of myself,” can help children see that we all face challenges and can learn from them. Movies can also model a growth mindset – Moana and Finding Nemo are two of my favourites. Talking to your child about the challenges faced by the characters and how they approached them using questions such as “How do you think Nemo felt then?” can help younger children make sense of challenges and view them as learning experiences. Remind your child of a time when they couldn’t do something at first but learned how or when they overcame a challenge. “I remember that time at the park when you were frustrated you couldn’t climb the ladder. Look at how well you can do that now. You didn’t give up and kept on trying.” Our tuition is heavily focused on building a growth mindset helping our students feel successful, empowered and confident. Yet may only be three little letters, but what a powerful word it can be. If you believe our growth mindset approach will benefit your child, give us a call today to discuss how our tuition can help. www.tutortrain.co.uk 07500862722 hello@tutortrain.co.uk
8 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! HELPING HANDS Make some time to stop and listen to how your kids are feeling A regular check-in over a mealtime, walk or car ride helps sort out little niggles and may potentially unearth something that is troubling your loved one. We hear again and again “they’re too busy…” Go to Parents Evening Most schools have a Parents Evening before half term. Enough time to settle in and for the teacher to start getting to really know your child. This is an early opportunity to gauge how things are going to pan out in the year and is a great ‘heads up’. I know they can be a bit overwhelming, but they can really help to support your child. Build in some down time It’s tough and exhausting going to school. Down time straight after school is needed by 99% of children to just adjust after the day. Try not to fill their time too much, leaving a bit of decompression, creative or what-they-love-best time. They are much more likely to comply after some me-time. Look out for signs of behaviour change This could be an indicator that something is wrong in your child’s world - it’s worth a chat. Try to dig deeper into the ‘I’m fine!” statement if you’re not convinced. There’s actually a public advert about this on telly at the moment. It’s like a pressure cooker. If you let the steam out regularly, everything’s fine. But if you don’t let the steam out, it explodes! Get that routine sorted There’s enough going on in the autumn term without your child having to worry about when they’re going to eat or go to bed etc. Some kids get really stressed about disrupted or nonexistent routines and this can make them really cranky at school, often resulting in negative behaviour. They might moan about it, but you’re doing the best by them if they are in the rhythm of a routine. Food and Rest Trying to concentrate when you’re tired and hungry is really hard. According to The Sleep Charity, 3-6 year olds need 10-12 hours sleep; 7-12 year olds need 10-11 hours and teenagers need 8-9 hours sleep. If your child doesn’t get around these hours, their ability to concentrate all day at school will be much reduced. Equally important is a good start to the day food-wise. If you are struggling for time, does your school do a breakfast club? If you are struggling financially, please reach out to the school who should be able to help point you in the right direction. Sue Micheal www.facebook.com/redbirdtutoring www.instagram.com/redbirdtutoring/ https://redbirdtutoring.com Face the future with confidence! September… and we’re off! Where did the summer holidays go?! The kids are back and things are getting back to term time normal. How’s everything going? Here’s some ideas to help the autumn term go as smoothly as possible from a teacher’s perspective.
FREE 30-DAY TRIAL readingeggs.co.uk/bts30 Scan QR code for 30-Day FREE trial *This 30-day free trial offer allows you to add up to 4 children. You will be charged at the end of the trial period unless you cancel before this time. You can cancel any time by selecting the ‘Cancel Subscription’ option located on the ‘Manage My Subscription’ page in your family dashboard. Offer is valid for new UK customers only. Ages 3–9 Learning Maths Nurture an early love of maths with structured lessons and activities that build essential maths skills. Ages 7–13 Building Confidence Older children can continue building key literacy skills that will help them succeed in school. Ages 3–7 Learning to Read Children follow structured, one-on-one lessons that teach phonics, sight words and reading skills. Ages 2–4 First Steps Delight your toddler with fun games and activities that build alphabet knowledge and ready-to-read skills. Ages 5–10 Mastering Phonics Fast-paced lessons cover key phonics skills, perfect for both emergent and struggling readers. Try the multi-award winning online reading programme for kids aged 2–13. Reading Eggs makes learning to read easy and fun for young kids, and it’s proven to work in just 15 minutes a day. Perfect for back-to-school preparation and cleverly designed to grow with your child, 91% of parents see an improvement within just a few short weeks.
10 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! RECIPES For more delicious recipe ideas visit our website www.raring2go.co.uk Pumpkin Halloween Vanilla Cake Pops • Makes 20 Portions • Preparation 60 minutes • 25 minutes cooking time • 180 C°, 350 F°, Gas Mark 4 Ingredients For the Sponge 115g Unsalted butter (soften 115g Billington’s ed), Unrefined Golden Cast Sugar, 2 F e range er re medium egg(s), 140g g , / p aisin white flour 1 2 ts Self-r Baking powder, For the Buttercream r 200g Silve Spoon Icing Sugar, 85g U ed butter (softened), nsalt 1 tbsp Milk (semi-skimme tsp Nielsen-Massey d), 1 Vanilla Ex t For the g ation, 200 Oran e trac , Decor g candy me 1 t ing lts, ube Writing ic (black) Method Step 1: h en to 180°C (1 fan v , gas Pre eat the 60°C o mark 4 an 8” cake t nd l ). Grease a ine in. Step 2: x her all of th ients e toget e ingred Mi spong until smooth. Mix toget s redient… the po he all of nge ing r Step 3: Pou the tin bake 20-25 and r into for minutes or un olden bro and oked til g wn co throughout. Step 4: re rack. ool on a wi Leave to c This pong l s sta e s e can be de days in advan a ma ce crumbs work well for cake pops. Step 5: To make ar the buttercream, beat together the icing sug , d a t butter, milk an va extr c until smooth. nilla rfect e pe How to make th buttercream Step 6: cake When the has fully cooled, crumble xi g b it up in a large mi ow and then mix together n l t with the bu ter cream until it combines into a stiff mixture. Step 7: Using a teaspoon scoop out the mixture and roll into walnut s d balls. Place o ize n a baking sheet. Step 8: Once all of the mixture has been rolled, pop in the fridge chill for 20 min to utes. Step 9: Insert the cake pop sticks into each of the balls. Step 10: Melt the orange melts in candy a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in short bursts in the microwave. Step 11: Dip each of the cake pops in the coloured chocolate so that they are fully coated. Step 12: Allow the cake pops to drip dry, twirling the pops once dipped to avoid the chocolate running. Step 13: Once the cake pops are fully dried decorate the facial feature and pumpkin stalks with writing icing. Halloween recipes If you feel yourself getting a little ‘peckish’ this Halloween, we’ve got you covered with these tasty Halloween themed spooky treats... Spider Cookies • Makes 12 Portions • Not Suitable for freezing • Preparation 5 minutes minut s cooking time • 1 e °, 275 F°, Gas Mark 1 • 140 C ents redi Ing colate Chip Cookies • 12 Cho ers • 24 Malteas Squar te Chocolate • 6 es Whi • 12 Squares Dark or Milk Chocola te Method Step 1: Mi Dark/ lk chocolate over boiling Melt the wave water of micro in the Step 2: o an icing bag and draw 8 legs Put int across the biscuit, and a couple of blobs in the Malt middle. Before it dries add the 2 easers to the tick blobs of chocolate so that they s Step 3: e and pipe 2 eyes Melt the white chocolat onto 1 Malteaser and 1 tail onto the other Malteaser. obviously a quick ‘cheats’ recipe! If you want This is e your chocolate chip cookies ro k f m scratch use to ba r g2 ecipe HERE. https:// arin go.co.uk/activities/ our r colate-chip-cookies/ cho oween Hotdog Hall Mummies • Makes 8 Portions • Not Suitable for freezing • Preparation 10 minutes c me tes • 15 minu ooking ti 375 F • 190 C°, °, Gas Mark 5 ents Ingredi eady Made pastry ausages • R S • Tin of 8 r choice • Sauce of you Method Step 1: pastry into thin strips C t ready u Step 2: s around the sausages e strip Wrap th like bandages Step 3: o tray eased ven Lay them on a gr Step 4: 15mins Bake for around Step 5: ps of any sauce your ro Add the eyes with d etchup etc. children like – mayo, mustard, k We recommend you ‘devour’ these treats in the company of friends! Serving Suggestion:
raring2go.co.uk 11 Raring2go! HELPING HANDS SAVE 10% ON HOME INSURANCE One Broker’s local and independent teams are on hand to find the perfect policy to suit your individual needs. Get a quote today using the code ‘RAR21’ 01223 792265 www.onebroker.co.uk PERSONAL INSURANCE • SPECIALIST SECTORS • BUSINESS INSURANCE PROMOTION. One Broker is a tradingname of One Broker (Cambridge) LtdandOne Broker (GDIS) Ltd. AuthorisedandRegulatedby the Financial Conduct Authority. From home and car to landlord and business insurance, we’ve got you covered!
12 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! WHAT’S ON October Comedy Club 4 Kids @ Quarry Theatre 1 Oct – 4 Feb Since 2005, the Comedy Club 4 Kids has been getting the best stand-ups and sketch acts from the international circuit to do their thing for an audience of children and their families… but without the rude bits! It’s just like a normal comedy club, but it’s on in the day, kids are allowed in, and thus there is a higher than usual chance of heckles like “why is that your face!?” ticketsolve.com Harry Potter Evening with the Owls @ Herrings Green Farm 8 Oct You will have the opportunity to meet and handle some of the owls. Experience their silent flight as you have a go at flying an owl for yourself, a truly magical experience as they glide silently onto your arm. The evening will finish with our spectacular flying display by torchlight. There will also be a fancy dress competition, with prizes for the best-dressed witch and wizard. Adult £16.00 Child £12.00 (Children under 2 years are free) birdsofpreycentre.co.uk Harry Potter Themed Weekend @ Herrings Green Farm 8 – 9 Oct Calling all wizards, witches and warlocks, for a Harry Potter magical themed weekend! Children are welcome to come in fancy dress, prizes for best wizard and witch. All activities are included in the admission. Adult £10.95 Child (2-15 years) £5.95 (Children under 2 years are free) birdsofpreycentre.co.uk Christopher Nibble @ The Place, Bedford 8 Oct The guinea pigs of Dandeville love munching dandelion leaves so much that slowly but surely dandelions are disappearing from all over town. Christopher Nibble knows that crunch time has come when there is just one dandelion left – but will this plucky little guinea pig have the flower power to save the day? Written especially for children aged 2-7 (and their big people too) and told with Topsy Turvy Theatre’s own blend of energetic storytelling, handmade puppets, original music and stunning scenery, Christopher Nibble is an uplifting story of one guinea pig’s selfless undertaking to help halt the disappearance of the delicious dandelion forever! www.theplacebedford.org.uk
raring2go.co.uk 13 Raring2go! CLUBS & CLASSES Bedford North 07341 583675 kumon.co.uk Boost your child's confidence Kumon's Maths and English study programmes work to build your child's confidence and inspire a passion for learning. To unlock your child's potential, get in touch for a free assessment. Bedford North Study centre 07341 583 675 Kumon’s Maths and English study programmes work to build your child’s confidence and inspire a passion for learning. To unlock your child’s protential, get in touch for a free assessment. Bedfor orth Study Centr 07341 583 675
14 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! CLUBS & CLASSES Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @edusports1 07910 809 144 chris@edusports.co.uk www.edusports.co.uk HOLIDAY CLUBS l RESIDENTIALS l BIRTHDAY PARTIES DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD l FIRST AID COURSES Activities include: • Watersports • Orienteering • Archery • Climbing • Campcraft • Trips to other attractions Call 01234 708893 for more info & to book JUNIOR TASTER SESSIONS 8-18 YRS / £36 EACH ARCHERY AIR RIFLES CLAY TARGET SHOOTING JUNIOR TASTER SESSION events are for the under 18s to spend 2 hours on site and experience our three target disciplines, Clay Shooting, Archery and Air Rifles. Minimum age is 8 years old and 4ft tall. The cost is £35 per child. You can either join an existing session or book a specific day for that special occasion such as a birthday party for six under 18s. \\\ PNIXXMTJIJS HT ZP G (MZWHM 8YWJJY 7ZXMIJS 33 >9 Dance Classes in Oakley & Clapham Tel: 01234 888 931 www.poweracademyofdance.com
raring2go.co.uk 15 Raring2go! WHAT”S ON Baby & Children’s Market @ John Bunyan Sports Centre 9 Oct Parents will be selling new and nearly-new baby and children’s clothes, toys, equipment and more, suitable from birth to 8 years old. Plus a small selection of unique businesses in the baby & children’s industry showcasing & selling their products & services. babyandchildrensmarket.co.uk Freaky Funfest @ Mead Open Farm 22 – 30 Oct The Circus is coming to Mead Open Farm this October! Ticket includes a pumpkin to carve and much, much more! meadopenfarm.co.uk Halloween Half-Term @ Wrest Park 22 – 30 Oct Follow Dennis, Gnasher and friends to solve creepy clues on the fun family quest around the gardens. Then, meet costumed performers to hear tall tales of the strange, the supernatural and the downright silly. english-heritage.org.uk Spooky Woodland Walks @ Wrest Park 28 - 30 Oct With well-told tales full of spooky and strange goings-on, this Halloween walk is sure to get you into the spirit of the season. This is an outdoor early evening tour lasting around 45 minutes. Please wear suitable clothes and shoes. Ideal for those looking for a more light hearted event this Halloween including families with children aged 5-12. english-heritage.org.uk Fright Fiesta @ Gulliver’s Land 8 – 30 Oct Fright Fiesta is nine days of fabulous family activities, frights and theme park fun. Showcase your fancy dress costume in the spine-tingling street parade or delve deep into the theme park and discover the spookiest season of the year at Gulliver’s. gulliverslandresort.co.uk Halloween Creepy Crafts @ Forest of Marston Vale 25 Oct Decorate your own horrifying Halloween tealight holder at the Forest Centre! Art and craft supplies and a themed tealight holder ready for decoration supplied. Ticket includes all materials for crafting, and the decoration to take home at the end of the session. Price - £4 per child (age 3+) One hour sessions start at 11am and 1pm marstonvale.org Halloween Kid’s Disco @ Forest of Marston Vale 27 & 28 Oct Dust off your best fancy dress costumes and get ready to dance, scream and play lots of party games as we celebrate the spookiest time of year! We’ll have DJ and party games from 5pm, with prizes for best costumes and treats. Price - £12 per child marstonvale.org Halloween Activity Trail @ Forest of Marston Vale 28, 29 & 30 Oct Find the different Halloween characters hidden around our Sensory and Wildlife Garden, and send them back to the monster world! Price - £3 per child (age 1+) marstonvale.org
16 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! HELPING HANDS Easy Foodie Easy Foodie known as EF Gifts Ltd is a local organisation that specialises in gift boxes. What’s really great about Easy Foodie is that it has people at the very heart of its ethos and values. It has recently been created to provide work experience and personal development opportunities for unemployed learners to help support their journey back into employment. If you a looking for a gift with a difference or thinking about Christmas it is worth taking a look at their shop on Etsy. You can access this easily by using the QR code. It’s a great way to support a local, not for profit organisation, and help people gain valuable skills, experience and the confidence to support their journey into employment. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/EFGiftsShop?ref=shop_sugg Contact: e: info@efg.company t: 07900 157577 Order gifts on Etsy:
raring2go.co.uk 17 Raring2go! THINGS TO DO
18 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! EDUCATION Springfield Primary School “ Positive relationships flourish at Springfield Primary School” “Leaders have clearly designed a curriculum that lays out the important knowledge pupils need to learn” “Teachers have strong knowledge of the subjects they teach”
raring2go.co.uk 19 Raring2go! EDUCATION Springfield Primary School Orchard Street Kempston Bedfordshire MK42 7LJ 01234 306000 @SpringfieldBeds “Teachers enjoy working at Springfield Primary School. They are part of a supportive team” This is because senior leaders have created a culture of high expectations, and pupils live up to these expectations” “The carefully designed reading curriculum is taught well. Pupils become confident, accurate and fluent readers.” “Leaders prepare pupils to be responsible citizens” For more Information Contact: Springfield Primary School, 104 Orchard Street, Kempston, Bedford MK42 7LJ www.springfieldprimaryschool.org.uk 01234 306000
20 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! PLACES TO GO BEDFORD BEDFORD St Johns Kempston Hardwick Stewartby Millbrook Lidlington Ridgmont Aspley Guise Woburn Sands Bow Brickhill Fenny Stratford BLETCHLEY MILTON KEYNES Central LEIGHTON BUZZARD Kids World John Bunyan Community Boat John Bunyan Museum The Higgins Bedford The Forest Centre Millennium Country Park Woodland Walks HULA Animal Rescue Frosts Garden Centre Woodland Walks Bletchley Park Woburn Sands Emporium MK Dons FC Grand Union Canal Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre Kimberley College Panacea Museum Leighton Buzzard Railway Laser World BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET Vue Cinema Riverside Bedford Greensand Ridge Walk Great Days Out on the Marston Vale Line this Autumn! @marstonvalecrp 01234 832645 stephens@bedsrcc.org.uk www.marstonvalecommunityrail.org.uk f GroupSave Rail Tickets: Third off for adults in groups of 3-9, Children half price, under 5s free! Granny & Grandad travel half price with a Bedfordshire Bus Pass! Collect your free pack with your train ticket at Bedford, Bletchley & Milton Keynes Central Stations and Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre (during normal opening hours). • Can you find the Symbols at each station? • What can you spot out of the window between stations? • Learn about Rail Safety • Adults take part too! • Collect all Symbols for a prize (collect from Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre or Bedford Central Library) There are lots of great places to visit by train this Autumn – here’s just a few! Symbol Spot on the Marston Vale Line! The Higgins Bedford Enjoy displays telling the story of the local area plus family activities. Free entry! Tel. 01234 718618 www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk Kidsworld & Laser World Lots of family fun. Advance booking required. Tel. 01234 326309 www.kidsworldbedford.co.uk Tel. 01234 354184 www.laserworldbedford.co.uk Bletchley Park Home of the Code Breakers – 2 for 1 entry for rail passengers! Tel. 01908 640404 www.bletchleypark.org.uk
raring2go.co.uk 21 Raring2go! WHAT’S ON Mystery and Misery in Moomin Valley @ The Place, Bedford 29 Oct Based on the much-loved Moominland novels by Tove Jansson, this gentle heart-warming show tells the story of a year in Moomin Valley. theplacebefore.org.uk The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show @ Quarry Theatre 29 and 30 Oct Dive into Eric Carle’s bright and colourful world as his beloved stories are transformed from page to stage using a menagerie of 75 lovable puppets and charming music. Featuring: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, The Very Lonely Firefly & The Very Hungry Caterpillar. quarrytheatre.ticketsolve.com November Land of Lights @ Gulliver’s Land Nov - Feb Embark on a visual voyage across the Land of Lights, exploring 12 vivid dreamworlds of imagination and illumination. landoflights.co.uk The Tiger Who Came For Tea @ Milton Keynes Theatre 19 – 19 Nov The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? ATG Tickets Christmas Tree Festival @ St Paul’s Church, Bedford 30 Nov - 4 Dec This year the theme is Musicals. Entry is £3.00 under 16s go free. Daily community concerts & competitions. Festival concert: Friday 2nd December 7.30 pm. In aid of the church and Bedford Hospital Charity & Friends facebook.com/bedfordchristmastreefestival December The Magic of Christmas @ Mead Open Farm Dates throughout Dec Explore the magical Christmas walkthrough on your way to meet Father Christmas. meadopenfarm.co.uk Party with a Princess at Christmas @ Forest of Marston Vale 20 Dec Head to the Forest Centre this Christmas for a festive afternoon tea, hosted by the Princesses! Come along for an afternoon of meet and greets, Christmas games and sing-a-longs, followed by a children’s afternoon tea fit for royalty. Why not dress in your best finery or fancy dress? Parental supervision is essential. Suitable for ages 3+. Price - £15 per child. Parking charges also apply. marstonvale.org Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs @ Milton Keynes Theatre 10 Dec – 8 Jan Threat the family with a visit to the theatre to see this fantastic pantomime. ATG Tickets Please go to www.raring2go.co.uk/ bedford-and-biggleswade/whats-on for all the latest information and details of what’s on in the area.
Raring2go! PLACES TO GO 22 raring2go.co.uk Join John Bunyan Museum for a fun-filled autumn with lots of activities for all the family! This October: 2022 marks the 350th Anniversary of several landmark events in our history: John Bunyan was freed after 12 years in prison for illegal preaching, the land Bunyan Meeting still stands on was purchased and licensed for use as a place of worship and John Bunyan was made their minister. Help us celebrate this incredible year in our history and join our programme of events this autumn. Our celebrations will include: an all-day conference on Saturday 22nd, and special church services on 23rd and 30th, Reminiscence Days on 26th and 27th, and the return of this year’s Summer Exhibition ‘A most fruitful tree: 350 years of Bunyan Meeting’ in miniature. For more information about our 2021-22 Anniversaries Project and how you can help us celebrate in 2022: www.bunyanmeeting. co.uk/special-events. We’ll also be holding our usual October Half-Term Crafty Thursday on October 27th! Crafty Thursdays are walk-in activities, running from 11am-3:30pm and cost £2 per participating child. In November & December: The Museum will be open 11am-4pm Tuesday-Saturday until November 26th. Weather permitting, the museum will be open on Saturday 3rd, 10th, and 17th of December before closing over Christmas and New Year. Our dedicated and brilliant volunteers will continue to work behind the scenes even when we’re closed and we’re always excited to hear from prospective team members. Please do get in touch if you’d like to know more about volunteering and work experience with us. John Bunyan Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday* 11am- 4pm. Last entry 3:45pm. John Bunyan Museum & Library, Bunyan Meeting, Mill Street, Bedford, MK40 3EU 01234 270303 curator@bunyanmeeting.co.uk www.bunyanmeeting.co.uk/ museum Twitter - @JBunyanMuseum Facebook – JohnBunyanMuseum
raring2go.co.uk 23 Raring2go! SCHOOL OPEN DAYS Alameda Middle School Date to be confirmed alamedamiddleschool.org.uk Bedford Academy Date to be confirmed bedfordacademy.co.uk Bedford Free School Date to be confirmed bedfordfreeschool.co.uk Bedford Greenacre Independent School 24th September 2022 10.00 am – 12.00 pm bedfordgreenacre.co.uk Bedford Modern School 12th November 2022 10.00 am – 12.00 pm / 1.00 pm – 3.00 pm bedmod.co.uk Bedford Girls’ School 8th October 2022 10.00 am – 1.00 pm bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk Bedford School 1st October 2022 bedfordschool.org.uk Biddenham International School & Sports College 3rd October 4.30 pm – 7.30 pm biddenham.beds.sch.uk Biggleswade Academy 17th November 2022 5.00 pm – 8.30 pm biggleswadeacademy.org Castle Newnham School Date to be confirmed castlenewnham.school Daubeney Academy Date to be confirmed daubeneyacademy.co.uk Edward Peake C of E (VC) Middle School 16th November 2022 5.45 pm – 8.00 pm edwardpeake.beds.sch.uk Goldington Academy 20th October goldington.beds.sch.uk Holywell Middle School Date to be advised holywellschool.co.uk Kempston Academy 29th September 2022 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm kempstonacademy.co.uk Mark Rutherford School Date to be confirmed markrutherford.beds.sch.uk Marston Vale Middle School Date to be confirmed marstonvalemiddle.co.uk Potton Middle School Date to be confirmed pottonmiddle.co.uk Robert Bloomfield Academy Date to be confirmed robertbloomfield.academy St Thomas More Catholic School 29th September 2022 from 6.00 pm st-thomasmore.org.uk Sandy Secondary School 6th October 2022 sandysecondaryschool.com Wixams Academy 18th October 2022 5.00 pm – 8.00 pm wixamsacademy.co.uk Woodland Middle School Academy 3rd November 2022 woodlandacademy.co.uk Local Middle and Secondary School Open Days and Evenings
24 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! EDUCATION Kempston Academy On 1st May 2022 along with 3 other schools, we officially became part of Chiltern Learning Trust and were able to launch our long-awaited change of name from Kempston Challenger Academy to Kempston Academy. As a local Bedfordshire trust, we are proud that the four schools have joined the Chiltern Learning Trust family. Pupils and staff from the schools will now have access to lots of new opportunities. CLT is a highly successful multi-academy trust that is characterised by its passionate and unrelenting drive to ensure that every one of its pupils makes extraordinary progress, achieves exceptional standards, and realises his or her huge potential within schools where best practice is commonplace. Adrian Rogers (CEO, Chiltern Learning Trust) Alongside new branding for the school, we have introduced a new uniform and we (and our students) are delighted with the uniform, produced for us by Prestige in Flitwick. We pride ourselves as an academy on the range of opportunities we offer to our students through high quality academic study as well as a focus on the Arts, Music, and Sport. This year, we once again achieved the Gold School Games sports mark, awarded for levels of participation in clubs and competition. We also saw our cheerleading squads (Thunder and Lightning) step into national competition for the first time, taking part in the ICE Extravaganza in May. They were thrilled to take a 1st and 2nd place over the weekend, proving that dedication and hard-work lead to success. We would love to welcome you to come and see us for yourselves. Come and speak to our amazing students at our Year 6 Open Evening and let us show you our school. Please check out our new website www. kempstonacademy.co.uk On 1st May 2022 along with 3 other schools, we officially became part of Chiltern Learning Trust and were able to launch our long-awaited change of name from Kempston Challenger Academy to Kempston Academy. As a local Bedfordshire trust, we are proud that the four schools have joined the Chiltern Learning Trust family. Pupils and staff from the schools will now have access to lots of new opportunities. CLT is a highly successful multi-academy trust that is characterised by its passionate and unrelenting drive to ensure that every one of its pupils makes extraordin ry progress, achieves exceptional st ndards, and realises his or he huge potential within schools where best practice is commonplace. Adrian Rogers (CEO, Chiltern Learning Trust) Alongside new branding for the school, we have introduced a new uniform and we (and our students) are delighted with the uniform, produced for us by Prestige in Flitwick. We pride ourselves as an academy on the range of opportunities we offer to our students through high quality academic study as well as a focus on the Arts, Music, and Sport. This year, we once again achieved the Gold School Games sports mark, awarded for levels of participation in clubs and competition. We also saw our cheerleading squads (Thunder and Lightning) step into national competition for the first time, taking part in the ICE Extravaganza in May. They were thrilled to take a 1st and 2nd place over the weekend, proving that dedication and hardwork lead to success. We would love to welcome you to come and see us for yourselves. Come and speak to our amazing students at our Year 6 Open Evening and let us show you our school. Please check out our new website www.kempstonacademy.co.uk
raring2go.co.uk 25 Raring2go! THINGS TO DO
26 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! EDUCATION How to choose the best secondary school for your child Choosing the best school for your child can be very stressful. However, planning ahead will make the process much easier. “Every lesson should be outstanding. Teachers should adopt a child centred learning style. It is the job of teachers to inspire, motivate and constantly develop new strategies to fi nd each child’s unique talent.” Preparation for your visit Consider all the options You may have several reasons for not including a school on your short-list but whatever the reason it is best to keep an open mind until you have done your homework. Schools change and what may have been a ‘failing’ school may now be outstanding, due to new leadership. Research Find out as much as you can about the school before your visit. Look at Ofsted reports, visit parent f the school performance. Look at the school website. Is it updated regularly? The school website is the window to a school, a well-managed school will usually have an excellent website. Ask to speak to the Head Teacher Can you? If not why? Try to schedule a meeting with the Head during your visit. This will give you an invaluable insight about the ‘culture of openness’ within the school. Observe and ask questions Where possible it is useful to see how children interact before and after school, this will give you a good indication about whether your child will ‘ t in’. Speak to parents of children attending the school. Don’t be afraid to ask questions • What is the educational mission for the school? • What pastoral care does the school offer? • What is the school’s approach to student discipline and safety? • What extracurricular activities are available? • Does the school help students achieve and excel individual targets? • Does the school have an arts department? • What support is there for students who have academic, social or emotional needs? • Do you encourage student/parent feedback by surveys or meetings? • Can you visit the school on a normal working day? • How do children travel to school? • Is there a school bus? orums, read magazines or any articles you can about
raring2go.co.uk 27 Raring2go! EDUCATION “Sometimes instinctively you just know (it is similar to buying a house) if you felt inspired after your first visit and you can imagine your child being there then it is probably the right choice”. Things to look for Are you happy with the class size? Do ALL the children seem engaged? Is their work displayed and is it age appropriate? Is the Head approachable to students, parents and teachers? How well is the school maintained? Are the grounds and equipment clean and safe? How do students behave in lessons and around the school? ou need to know The education – what y or specialist subject(s)? Is the school known f n does the school have for exams? What preparatio verage exam results? What are the a dents go after their exams? Ask Where do stu s, universities or work placements. about college ool have a system in place for Does the sch r not wishing to go on to higher students fo n? educatio e career advisors or school Are ther s? therapist ool accredited? Is the sch alities The practic commute to and from school? Is it a fairly safe and easy journey? Is it easy to oes it take to travel back from school? This will have an impact on your How long d mework, after school activity and general well being. child’s ho s a school bus are there If there i d late services for children early an e part in after school who tak s? activitie hild know any other Do you or your c hool, this could be children attending the sc f different reasons. Does invaluable for a number o our child’s chosen subjects. the school specialise in y The decision Your child’s opinion matters. Involve them in the process. Check out you local County Council website for a helpful Moving Up To Secondary School Guide and click on ‘Open Events’ to download a guide to all the open days and evenings for local schools.
28 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! HELPING HANDS Be Moore Foundation The world around us is fast paced, we are connected more than ever on a 24 hour cycle of news and information and we live in a state of high expectation and have it all culture – this alongside the recent pandemic and news of increasing war zones ever closer to home has led to one of the highest rates of mental health challenges faced. Whilst this impacts everyone our young adults are having to navigate these challenges whilst also dealing with the challenges faced through puberty, hormones, exams, friendships, relationships and dreams of the future- so it’s a lot! And not to continue in a bleak frame of mind but resource for mental health support is simply far too stretched with waiting lists going in years. It feels like a huge mountain and where to start – well here at The Bemoore Foundation we decided we had to start somewhere, and every small change is a good thing. As a relationship therapist and coach, I was already working with women in private practise on creating healthy relationships and having a great sense of self. When someone mentioned it would be ideal for our young adults I thought ‘brilliant let’s design a program just for them’ – a mum of two grown women now and step mum to a teenage daughter I have seen first hand the challenges faced. However, I also quickly realised that offering private practise was not reaching the main audience – I saw that you needed 2 things in place to access support Funds to make that happen – as free resources are truly limited at this time. Someone who is in your corner who notices and helps you find it. And therefore, the idea of setting up a Community Interest Company and offering funded placements came to be! Originally, we planned to be in schools working with groups – and did a successful set of trials in an MK Upper school – however when covid happened this all had to change. So now we focus om offering 121 coaching – our first 8-week program is called Roaring 4 Life and is all about feeling good about being you – whilst tackling topics such as social media, body image, peer pressure and providing a space to talk about challenges and opportunities for the future. We now have 3 coaches on board- all trained, insured and fully DBS checked. We are small organisation, but we have big dreams – to have more programs to support more groups, to get back into schools, to provide ongoing mentoring and one day to have our own HQ in which to support our growing community. You can help by liking our social media page and you can also become a supporter through donations with our Go Fund Me link directly on the webpage (we will soon have our own webpage which is a very exciting project). In a world where young women are told they can have it all there is immense pressure – so help us to help them get that strong and stable platform of self-esteem! Thank you to Tilly and the Raring2Go team for supporting us. Ali Moore www.facebook.com/ thebemoorefoundation www.bemoore.uk/thebemoore-foundation Bemoore FOUNDATIONlogo.qxp_BeMoore foundation logo 29/03/2022 17:09 Page 1
raring2go.co.uk 29 Raring2go! COMPETITIONS Win a £25 Vue Cinema voucher Raring2go! Bedford is giving two lucky readers the opportunity to each win a £25 Vue Cinema voucher. Closing date: 05.11.2022 Autumn Competitions To enter all of these fantastic competitions and many more go to www. raring2go.co.uk/Bedford-and-biggleswade/competitions Win a Family Ticket for four people for a Stay and Play Session at Below the Beanstalk At Below the Beanstalk children aged between 3 and 6 years old enjoy pretend play on 10 unique themed mats with magical themes from fairies to unicorns, pirates to superheroes. Below the Beanstalk is giving away a family ticket for 4 people for a Stay and Play session at one of their new Bedford venues. Advance booking is essential and the prize would need to be used by 31.12.22. Closing date: 31.10.2022
30 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! THINGS TO DO
Get the weekly children’s magazine subscription that families love. Join tens of thousands of families with a weekly Beano comic subscription. Named Children’s Magazine of the Year 2021, the Beano comic is the ultimate magazine subscription for kids aged 6 to 12. The £12.50 offer is for new Direct Debit subscribers only. Your first payment will be £12.50 for the first three months, then £27.50 per quarter thereafter. UK bank accounts only. Savings based on yearly newsstand price of £149.50. Prices shown are based on UK delivery. International delivery also available, please see the latest prices on our website. Overseas customers please call +441382 575580 or visit our website. Closing 31st October 2022. One Beano comic delivered to your door ever week. 50 issues per year. WEEKLY COMICS TO YOUR DOOR! HOW TO SIGN UP! OR Ask an adult to help. Visit: shop.beano.com/raring2go CALL: 0800 318846 Freephone from UK landlines and mobiles. (MON-FRI 8am-6pm)
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDA0NjA=