image gallery
Charles Wells Brewery Tour - 1st April
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'I'm not sure about this' says Norma to Olive
Chris Puleston tunes up the didgeridoo!
Elaine Huckle and a bevy of Bedford musicians!
Fiona Harrison and 'Prince Charles' aka Guy Ingle consider brewing techniques
Fiona's tipple!
Nigel checks the brew
Tom finds his best tipple!
Irene Grant-Jones and fellow artists sample tasters!
'Prince Charles' aka Guy Ingle wonders if it's better than his home brew!
Tim Grant-Jones awaits his turn!
With Nigel's encouragement, anything is possible!
David Morgan Workshop
The children's writing workshop at Bedford Central Library was really enjoyable and I certainly had a good turn out ( twelve children).
We explored poetry, prose, word games and puzzles and animal autobiography ; if you weren't human what sort of animal would you be. Now write about a day in your life.
The age range of the children went from 7 to 13. Rainbows turned millwheels; fireworks lit up our imagination; we shared and laughed and stretched our minds and what a great bunch to spent a couple of hours with. Thank you also to the parents who stayed and joined in.
Well done Jersford. A successful and enjoyable time and I felt privileged to work with these young, burgeoning minds.
Best wishes
David R Morgan
A TISSUE OF LIES
"Beside the seaside waddled the Tanners,
Saucy Scrimshore seagull suddenly forgot his manners.
Mrs Tanner took off her hat:
“Right on my bonnet, just look at that!”
Then she gave her husband a furious stare,
“Don’t just stand gawping there,
Get a bit of paper AT ONCE!”
“What,” Said Mr Tanner, “Don’t be a dunce.
Paper is no use no how;
That seagull will be miles away by now!”
Nice kudos for Michael to have the front cover of this worldwide magazine
The Festival Finale - Lisa Mills plays the Ent Shed promoted by Michael Pipe of Unique Music Promotions - attracted international media interest. Read Maverick's September 2009 review of this world class gig! Bedford audiences loved it too. Check out Michael as compere of one of the Festival opening events on the 2 May Gallery! His future events on www.entshed.co.uk
What the Press say!
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Elstow Abbey, Moot Hall & Village
John Crookall, Organist and History Guide
Tour details on www.bedford.gov.uk or telephone 01234 266889
The Festival spent a second day at Elstow on Friday 12 June when the charismatic expertise of historian and Abbey organist lead an enthusiastic party around this very beautiful and ancient historical village. On entering Elstow village, one is met immediately with a feeling of peace, even though the M1 and major by passes are just moments away. Nestling between these great thoroughfares, one enters the world of John Bunyan, transported back in time. Enjoy a little history of the area below . . .
Elstow Abbey
Elstow Abbey (above) was founded in 1078 by Countess Judith, Niece of William the Conqueror, as a Benedictine Nunnery. It became the Elstow Abbey Church during the Dissolution of the Nunnery in 1539, the seal of surrender being also shown here. The Abbey has many associations with John Bunyan, including the Font at which he was baptised in 1628, as were later on his two daughters Mary and Elizabeth. The Font, it is still used to this day.
Victorian stained glass windows installed in 1880 respectively depict Bunyan’s books “The Pilgrim’s Progress” and “The Holy War”. The Wicket Gate and other connections with Elstow feature in them, including the village, the Abbey, the Green and Moot Hall. The Bell Tower, where Bunyan was a bell-ringer, stands separate from the Abbey itself. Bunyan’s hymn “He who would valiant be” is frequently sung in our church. Archaeological excavations at the Abbey were carried out in 1968-1970 by David Baker.
John Bunyan
John Bunyan, born on the Elstow boundary with Harrowden in 1628, married, and lived in a cottage (now demolished) at Elstow. He attended the Abbey Church, was a bell-ringer, played “tip-cat” on the Green, and will have known the Moot Hall, now a historical site and memorial to John Bunyan.
Moot Hall
Moot Hall contains many historical artifacts, such as the door of the County gaol where John Bunyan was imprisoned, and a reconstructed living room of Bunyan’s day. It was built as a market‑house of the late 15th or early 16th century.
Elstow village
Elstow village, extensively reconstructed, will be seen briefly, including the 14thcentury shop, Bunyan’s Mead.
BEDFORD ELECTRONIC ORGAN SOCIETY DANIEL WATT
On 27 May at the Addison Centre, Kempston just outside Bedford, the Festival was delighted to include this most popular society's guest, Daniel Watt. Daniel is one of our international musicians who started having organ lessons at the age of 8 and upon leaving school made music his career. He has played with many celebrities from the organ world and produced three of the largest organ festivals in the UK. He has his own recording studio and teaches on the use of ‘Computers in Music’. A Bedfordshire 'champion' of home based electronic organs and tuition from the 1960s, the late Jerry Allen so well known to enthusiasts at Jerry Allen Organs in Dunstable at one time was one of Daniel's heroes when growing up and first getting into the “Electronic Organ World”. He told Festival Organiser, Sandra Dudley, Jerry's niece, "I was very fortunate to be able to work with him several times when we were both working for “Hammond” in the early 80s with “Keith Beckingham”. He really was just a great guy to spend time with and a really straightforward down to earth character: trust me he is sadly missed".
Read more of Jerry, Daniel and the Bedfordshire and Jersey Electronic Organ Societies on
The Willington Dovecotes attracted so many half term visitors that the exhibition remained open for the next few days to enable school parties to visit. The Festival acknowledges the dedication to local history played by the Willington Local History Group. Their regular meetings are educational and illuminating: a friendly welcome awaits. www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk or phone 01234 838535 for details.
National Trust 'Mini-Shop' in Stables ~ Willington Timeline Display
Tea and cakes available in St Lawrence Church nearby
Admission free, but donations towards the upkeep of these beautiful buildings welcome
Willington Dovecote and Stables, Church End, Willington, Beds. MK44 3PX
Some advertised attractions may be subject to alteration or cancellation
Willington Local History Group and The Bedford Association of National Trust Members. Tel. 01234 404879
Organ-WOOFYT Day (WOOFYT = Wooden One Octave Organ for Young Technologists)
On 13 June the Bedfordshire Organists’ Association held an Organ-WOOFYT Day, with support from the Institute of Physics London & South East Branch, at Elstow Abbey, Bedfordshire. The event formed part of the Bedford-Jersey Arts Festival.
At 11a.m. Stephen Chilvers (Transfiguration Church, Kempston) gave a 10 minute organ recital. Organists and non-organists alike then had an opportunity to play the WOOFYT with Jeremy Sampson, and a chance to look over the Elstow organ console with Stephen McDonald.
Other recitalists were Myra Leung (Bedford High School), William Heywood (Bedford School), Ashley Marshfield and Ian Runnells (both from St Paul’s Church, Bedford). The young organ players demonstrated an impressive range of music. In the middle of the day William Johnson, a pipe organ builder who tunes and is restoring the Elstow organ, demonstrated the instrument: he removed several panels, enabling further organ pipes and the inner workings to be seen.
The Wooden One Octave Organ for Young Technologists (WOOFYT) requires a team of up to 17 people to play it. Having played it myself on this occasion I found it an enjoyable group activity, creating a sense of satisfaction once the tune is mastered: two people to the pump, two to the air bag and 13 people to the pipes (one to each pipe). Each WOOFYT presentation also included the background science behind the workings of this basic organ.
The sound of the WOOFYT being played at Elstow was heard on BBC Three Counties Radio, during Melting Pot with Phil Lack on Sunday 14 June at 8.15 a.m. The programme included interviews with Jeremy Sampson, Michael Hammond (President of the Bedfordshire Organists’ Association) and myself.
Displays at the abbey were provided by the Bedfordshire Organists’ Association, the Institute of Physics London & South East Branch, and various church groups. Elstow parish is well known as the birthplace of John Bunyan. Part of a display inside the church is about this remarkable preacher.
Bob Boutland,
Education Representative,
Institute of Physics London & South East Branch
images - Bob Boutland,
Education Rep,
London & SE Branch IOP
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Praise on the Ouse sponsored by the Swan Hotel - a two hour contemporary Christian music concert with six bands of highest calibre from all over the UK. Lead and organised by Paul Davis of Leighton Christian Fellowship and the United Kingdom Christian Music Alliance who stage an international Christian Music Festival annually at Vandyke Upper School each Spring, Nando's clientele enjoyed dining to unique music and song whilst audiences enjoyed open air warmth and welcome from the 'seated auditorium' in front of the grand entrance pillars of the historic Swan, others leaning on the Embankment wall opposite and passers by stopping for a while, many returning, obviously transfixed by such an outstanding atmosphere of friendship and welcome. John Pedlar, vicar of St Paul's Parish Church 'over the road' joined musicians and listeners. Gratitude is paid to John for arranging for a quarter peal tribute timed for 5 pm to be rung at 3 pm. The Festival Organiser's thoughts and feelings at discovering a few days earlier that there was indeed a 'clash of some resonance' both planned for 5 pm cannot be described! This was a wonderful climax to the Canals and Waterways Weekend of the Bedford/Jersey Arts Festival and overlooking the Great Ouse. Sincere thanks are offered to the Swan Hotel management and staff for their part in staging the concert. Justin Miller of Soundtruth, one of Bedford's premier Christian PA/sound/lighting technical services companies, generously gave his services free of charge to support this inspirational event. Contact details will appear on the Contacts page for all involved shortly. Photos show the performers enjoying traditional Sunday lunch in the very pleasant newly refurbished Swan Hotel interior.
The Victoria College, Jersey cast of Our Dear Channel Islanders pictured below at their historic school with the play's (left) director, Philip Le Brocq, Chair of Victoria College Foundation and (right) playright, Peter Tabb, Jersey historian/author also of Victoria College Foundation.
Gala Day at the Erskine May Hall! Sunday 3 May at 12.30 pm
The world premiere of this specially commissioned play and moving story of young Jersey evacuees to Bedford School in WWII can be experienced as part of 4 hours of drama, music with lunch and interval tea included!
Directed by Richard Moon, Director of Bedford Pantomime Company, a host of Bedford youth and adult musicians bring a programme for all tastes. Mark and Flynn Le Brocq present a programme of English music: for a taster of what to expect, check out www.markandflynn.com. Add the official opening by Patron, Patrick Hall MP and Sally Le Brocq, Lieutenant Bailiff and Jurat for the Royal States of Jersey and a memorable and unique day has tickets at just £25/£20.
Director, Philip Le Brocq, (left) Chair of Victoria College Foundation and playright, Peter Tabb, (right) Jersey historian/author also of Victoria College Foundation.
Images from V.E. Night at the White Horse - Bedford.
Photos credited to Heart Radio Bedford. To see all 44 images, click the photos
Bedford Jersey Arts festival
1 May – 5 July 2009 in Bedfordshire UK
Celebrating 70 years of friendship 1939—2009
“Victoria College, Jersey children evacuated to Bedford School during the Nazi Occupation of Jersey in WWII”
site under construction
visit often-watch the site develop
This website is an ongoing project started in late January 2009.