our patrons and sponsors?
We are indebted to our Patrons for their presence and without our sponsors the festival could not take place.
Patrick Hall MP, the honourable member for Bedford and Kempston.
The Festival Team is delighted and honoured that Patrick agreed to become a Patron. He is well known and very popular for his empathetic personal involvement with his constituents and strong ’common sense’ campaigning of important local issues.
Patrick has lived in Bedford for over 40 years, was educated at Bedford Modern School, Birmingham University and Oxford Polytechnic and is a qualified Town Planner. He held the post of Bedford Town Centre Manager for 7 years until his election to Parliament in 1977. His local interests encompass Town Centre Management, Health and Rural affairs. He is a member of the Government’s Foreign Office Team and is Parliamentary Private Secretary to Caroline Flint MP, Minister for Europe.
Patrick will be at a number of Festival events and is giving invaluable support to the Team en route, not least with his involvement in the Festival Film Fest on 2 June and 65th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings introduction on 6 June. The Film Fest will perhaps contain the overall message to be conveyed from nearly 10 weeks of wartime history. Two short very contrasting films will thrust the audience into the WWi trenches then leaping decades into post Iraq through the deepest emotions of one man—or is he three? One film starring Victoria College Combined Cadet Force—the other Bedford’s 21st century bard in his first serious depiction of a subject to be reckoned with.
To take the Festival theme one step further, Patrick will be joined by acclaimed peace activist and lecturer BRUCE KENT to lead audience discussion on such thoughtprovoking performance. This evening will be a natural ‘overture’ to D-Day, Sixth of June in St Peter’s, the last national commemoration after 65 years until the centenary. Do join us.
PATRICK IN ACTION!
‘SHOWBIZ’ PATRON JOHN OLIVER
Comedian,
actor, writer, broadcaster, Cambridge Footlights,
Edinburgh Fringe.
Times columnist: The Bugle.
BBC’s 'The Department' & 'Mock the Week'.
In his 3rd smash hit USA TV year with 'The Daily Show' with Jon Stewart, Comedy Central TV In New York. 'Dick Pants' in The Love Guru (2008)
Educated at Bedford’s Mark Rutherford Upper School Bedford then graduating at Cambridge and the Cambridge Footlights, it is now over 2 years since John joined the prestigious Daily Show, Comedy Central’s flagship show which is produced from their studio in New York. John writes for the show as well as appearing about twice a week. He is now also doing one-off shows at theatres from coast to coast throughout the USA. John maintains links with the UK writing for other people, working with Andy Zaltman and occasionally broadcasting from the US on shows like ‘Fighting Talk’ on Radio 5. John’s work reflects on the political issues of the day and encourages his audiences to think about difficult issues like terrorism and global warming. To view twenty of his latest videos from the Daily Show, go to www.comedycentral.com, click ‘videos’ and do a search on John Oliver. Pieces range from his joy at the dollar/pound exchange rate to his laments about the demise of the British Empire! The Festival pays tribute to John Oliver’s remarkable career on 26 May at 9 pm at Stewartby Village Hall. Join his one time tutor Barry Thompson, his lifelong friend, actor Richard Hardwick and share your memories of 1990s BYT—BDC—MarkRutherfordSchool!
See John's 2008 film TERRIFYING TIMES!
JOHNNY BE GOOD by Jonas Holmes III Perhaps there is a bit that we “know it all” Yanks can learn from the UK.. Just as the BBC is the best taste of real news we can get outside of Keith Olberman and MSNBC. Let us be thankful to have Englishman John Oliver for his comedic relief in our time of political ambivalence. John Oliver's resume reads like a Who's Who of comedy. Included in his resume is a stint with BBC Radio where John Oliver was not only a star in “The Department” he was “the main department” of “The Department” as he contributed to writing his own leading role. Mr. Oliver is most famously or notoriously known (depending on your politics) as a writer for The Daily Show with John Stewart. His comedy is intelligent and over the top if you are perceptive enough to get it. This is a refreshing change of course for those of us who don't have the mind for FOX News. Mr. Oliver is a fine chap for esteeming our senses of humor so highly. John Oliver's, “The Meter Is Running” documentary on FOX News, broadcast on April 10, 2008 is a perfect example of his erudite capabilities in examining America's challenging political frontier in the most polite and piercing of manners. I find it fortunate that there is someone still willing to humorously address the American mind despite our lugubrious educational system. This is no more evident than 38 seconds into Part I of “The Meter Is Running”. Mr. Oliver says, “While many choose to bestow lame duck status on this president (Bush) or ignore his final days or work feverishly on a machine that could somehow get the earth to spin more quickly giving up moments of their own lives if if it would only hasten his departure”. His wordplay and delivery begin with leading the reader into believing they are hearing another FOX News broadcast and instead they end up hearing the opinion that, for many, suicide is preferable to watching George Bush continue as President. It is an opinion widely held but rarely expressed with such eloquence. Those of us capable of grasping Mr. Oliver's brilliance and cunning can only say, “Well said!” For once the thinking person doesn't have to argue with the television in order to maintain their sensibilities. John Oliver is a Fox in the Neo-Con hen house and thank God for it! Because, the only eggs these chickens have been laying aren't fit for consumption. What else could we expect from the “Political Animal” writer whose satire dared to involve itself in a gunfight with The Queen? Be sure to watch all of “The Meter Is Running”. Two minutes into Part 1 John Oliver says, “Fox television understands that a man's legacy is defined not by what he does but by what people on television say he does.” Mr. Oliver's legacy in front of the camera and behind will be that of challenging the political status quo. In these times of fair and balanced news; it is refreshing to know that a well-minded Englishman invites us to keep up with the political realities in our own backyard. That may mean that intelligent Americans actually care about it too. Be sure to check out www.mrjohnoliver.com for links to all things John Oliver, including The Daily Show with John Stewart. Jonas Holmes III is a writer in Maui, Hawaii. He spends nearly 24 hours a day Googling “Jonas Holmes III” in quotes. Beyond that he is an active yearly participant in North America's Annual Lemming Race. |
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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”
This website is an ongoing project started in late January 2009.