THE BEDFORD CLANGER

ISSUE 8: FeBruary 2012FREE

For: music-lovers, culture-vultures, crafters, artists, makers,gardeners, traders, foodies, fashionistas

email: thebedfordclanger@gmail.com blog:thebedfordclanger.wordpress.com @bedfordclanger

The Bedford Clanger Group Page

CraFT JuST GoT Cool!

Situated on Harpur Street, Fleurette has been catering to the floral needs of Bedford for over 40 years. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, we thought we’d catch up with owner, Joy Duthie, before she gets too busy! What inspired you to open a florists?Fleurette has been a florist in Bedford for over 40 years. I was manageress and bought the business when the previous owner retired. I have always wanted to be a florist and after qualifying I was recruited to work at Pulbrook and Gould, one of London’s top florists, where I did work for royalty, the government and many celebrities. I hope I have taken that experience and style to the shop in Bedford. What made you choose Bedford town centre?After we were married, I moved with my husband to Bedford and I liked the location of the florists’ shops in the centre of Bed-

ford. After my family was born, I worked at Fleurette and 11 years ago I bought the business.

Bedford has a huge number of thriving independent retailers, yet the High Street is dominated by the big chain stores. Why do you think that’s the case?Unfortunately only the large chains can afford the rents demanded in the High Street, and also the store sizes tend to be bigger. I am quite happy with our location being on the one-way system, because customers can see the shop as they pass and can call to pick up flowers. What is the key to running a success-ful independent business in the current economic climate?Customer service, consistent quality and unique bespoke creations. What is your favourite flower? What is the most versatile flower?I love white flowers, especially white roses. Most versatile are roses and lilies, because they can be used for all types of floristry work,- bouquets, weddings and funeral tributes. If you could make one improvement to Bedford, what would it be?Improve the parking in the town centre. Why not have parking in specific areas with the first hour free or a very low charge. The council has to decide what is more impor-tant in the long run- revenue or attracting people to shop in Bedford.

And finally, sum up Bedford in 3 words...Traditional and friendly

Fleurette, 65 Harpur Street, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 2SREmail: info@fleurette-florist.co.ukPhone: 01234 266662

Why not make 2012 the year that you find out more about your home town? Take a trip with the Hometown Tourist to look at Bedford through fresh eyes and see the hidden gems that make our town unique.The obvious place to start your new year’s resolution is at The Tourist Informa-tion Centre adjacent to the Town Hall in St Paul’s Square. Beyond the array of postcards, informative guide books and Bedford souvenirs lies one of the most fas-cinating places in the town: The Bedford Room. Free to enter, this is the perfect place to discover more about Bedford’s rich and fascinating history.

Visitors can enjoy an audio guide depicting 1,000 years of Bedford’s history while at the same time viewing a mural of images to bring the experience to life. From the

siege of Bedford Castle via John Bunyan’s imprisonment to the arrival of the BBC during WWII the mural is a concise depiction of the landmarks in our town’s history. Audio guides are avail-able for adults and children, so the whole family can join in the experience.The Tourist Information Office also hosts shopping advice, guides as to where to eat, transport advice, and if you are planning to travel to London you can even pick up an Oyster card, at a total value of £18.

The Mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave Hodgson, said: “The Bedford Room is a fascinat-ing place to visit, and I would encourage everyone to enjoy this free facility in the heart of town. What’s more, it’s a great place to take visiting friends or relatives to show off our rich and varied history!”

To get updates from Visit Bedford on Twitter follow @visitbedford

Letter from the Editor

Happy new year – finally – to all our readers! I hope you’ve had a good January and now can’t wait to get your monthly Clanger fix of what’s going down in our town. One of the hottest tickets in town this month is Masterchef finalist Steve Bar-ringer’s pop-up restaurant at The Three Tuns in Biddenham. We’ve managed to secure a table for 2, so if you didn’t man-age to bag yourself a table, turn to page x for your chance to win one. You’ll have to pay, but at least we’ve made the reservation! Also this month, Apprentice star Ruth Badger joins the Bedfordshire Business Women at their monthly networking meeting on 16th February at Bedford College’s site at Shuttleworth. If you’re a woman in business, why not make a date to join them for lunch – they’re very friendly – and we’ll see you there! Finally, I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported The Clanger over the past 8 months. We couldn’t have done it without you. If you have any comments about this issue, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Happy Valentine’s everyone! x

FeBruary 2012THE BEDFORD CLANGER

UNIQUE BEDFORD FLEURETTE, HARPUR STREET, BEDFORD email: info@fleurette-florist.co.uk

2 Flower to the people

HOMETOWN TOURIST THe BedFord room ST. Paul’S Square

Since the closure of the Bowen West Theatre and with the almost certain demise of the Civic, The Place Theatre (along with Bedford Theatre) is one of the only places to enjoy the dramatic arts in our town – and it really deserves our support.

Since 2003 The Place Theatre has been hosting amateur and professional theatre at its home on Bradgate Road off Goldington Road. Originally based on Kimbolton Road and established in 1984 by the Bedford Players Trust, the current location was formerly Bedford Boys Club and the auditorium was once a boxing ring – so the perfect location for some of the more adversarial performances the theatre has played host to! The Place’s Arts Co-ordinator, Alex Levene is passionate about theatre in our town and is dedicated to promoting a broad range of shows: “We offer performance space to professional touring companies, local professional theatre companies as well as am dram and musical groups. From poetry evenings to comedies, serious drama to children’s shows, there’s some-thing for everyone.” The first show performed at The Place in 2003 was ‘Two’ by Jim Cartwright and was put on by local group the Blackout Theatre Company. As if to confirm the calibre of local talent , Blackout are now working on an international collaboration as part of the British Invasion cultural ‘ex-change’ with Kansas City in the US of A. So what are The Place Theatre’s plans for 2012? “We’ve got two or three new theatre companies that we’re working with, which is exciting,” explains Alex. “As

well as that, all our regular groups will be putting on shows throughout the year and we’ve got excellent links with many professional touring companies, so the line-up is looking good. We’re running at about two thirds capacity, so are hoping to increase our programming over the coming year.” Last year saw The Place become the ‘hub’ of Bedfringe, hosting many of the 50 performances that made up the festival in 2011. “Bedfringe attracts a completely dif-ferent audience to our usual events,” said Alex. “We will once again be at the heart of the Bedfringe activity in 2012 and hope that will help us reach a wider audience for the rest of the year.” “The Place encourages exciting new professional work and we’d love to see Bedford recognised as a centre for de-veloping the performing arts.” Hear hear, Alex!Alex recommends:•Bedfringe (13th – 28th July)•Great Expectations – Easter•Bedford Youth Opera – September•Regular monthly poetry events

Check out what’s on at The Place this month in our listings guide on pages 4 and 5. To book call:01234 354321 or visit www.theplacebedford.org.uk

Fancy getting involved in Bedfringe 2012? Applications are being accepted until March 19th and who knows, you could be part of one of the fastest growing fringe festivals in the east of England! Applications available from: www.bedfringe.com

THE PLAcE THEATRE – It’s The Go To Place for Theatre in Bedford

Terra NoVa aT THe PLAcE THEATRECoinciding with the centenary of Captain Scott’s fatal expedition to the South Pole, Swan Theatre Company’s production of Terra Nova by Ted Tally is at the Place Theatre from 21st to 25th February. Drawn from the journals and letters of Captain Scott the play blends scenes of the explorer and his men at various stages of their endeavour to be the first men to reach the South Pole and get back alive, with flashbacks of Scott and his wife, Kathleen, and with encounters between Scott and his Norwegian rival Roald Amundsen. It

is a study of duty, heroism and British pride as Scott struggles against the bitter weather, Amundsen and his own inner demons. Scott's Antarctic expedi-tion has particluar resonance with Bedford. Apsley Cherry-Garrard, born at 15 Landsdowne Road, was a survivor of Scott's Terra Nova Expedition in 1910. A blue plaque on the house now serves as a reminder of his extraordinary life.www.theplacebedford.org.uk

Fleurette: Business is Bloomin’

FeBruary 2012THE BEDFORD CLANGER

3Are you a knit-wit?

THE ScONE ROSES AND GUERILLA KNITTING - cRAFT’S GETTING

cOOL!

There’s some guerilla crafting going on in these parts, and we’re loving it!

Graffiti knitting is being found in various locations around Bedford with the aim of getting people talking about knitting – and the word (or rather individual letters) is spreading. See if you can find these knitted letters around the town centre and feel

free to get involved in this crafty counter-culture movement yourself. Get inspired, get those needles out and knit one, purl one with @knitandmiss on twitter or at their blog: knitandmiss.blogspot.com. We’d love if someone wanted to knit something like, oh, I don’t know, maybe, C L A N G E R? Join in the hunt for the graffiti knitting in town, or if you want to cheat, there’s a map of all the locations at knitandmiss’s blog.

GRAFFITI KNITTINGIT’S a Purl-er!

BEDFORDNETWORK

Hello February, you look smashing! I dislike New Year and I dislike January. I always try and start each New Year very positively - thinking about new projects to start, learning new things and gener-ally wearing better clothes and great shoes so that I walk around oozing beautiful-ness and lovely-ness. In reality I always start the year hungover, bloated, slightly depressed and daunted by the thought of eating the rest of the cheese / chocolate / meat that is still in the fridge. So what I do is throw myself into getting fit. It sorts out the hangover, bloated belly and starts to sort my head out too. I’ve been running 5km (slowly) once a week and although I have to force myself out of the door, I have actually been enjoy-ing it. I like to run along the Embankment - it really is just beautiful, especially on a sunny wintery morning. My top tip is to have a great song to get you through the

last km or so - I have ‘I am what I am’ by Shirley Bassey to get my legs pounding. I’ve also started going to a Pilates class run by Rachel Benton (rachelbenton.co.uk). The class is a mix of yoga and pilates to create a perfect combination of powerful stretches and relaxation. I think I’m finding more of my core each week! I’ll soon have abs to make Mel B well-jel! At Bedford Network we also find that a good book brightens the dark days of winter, so here we list our top five:1. Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winter-son2. Cold Spring Harbor by Richard Yates3. Saturday by Ian McEwan

4. On Beauty by Zadie Smith5. Trumpet by Jackie Kay

To find out what else we’re getting up to in February, stay tuned to Bedford Network…www.bedfordnetwork.co.uk Twitter: @bedfordnetwork Facebook: www.facebook.com/Bedford-Network

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THE SKy'S THE LIMIT FOR KAzzUM We're loving Sky 1's Got To dance this season, and all the more so as local dance crew, Kazzum, have reached the live semi-finals of this hit reality show. Kazzum are all members of the Dance Vybz dance school and live in and around North Bedford. Aged between 11 and 12, the all-boy crew impressed the GTD judges at their audition in 2011 and found out in November that they had made it through to the live semi-finals which start at the end of

January. News that they'd made the grade wasn't made public until the show aired on 22 January, so the dancers and their families had to keep their success a secret. Good work boys!

Hosted by Davina McCall every Sunday evening, Got To Dance is aiming to find the future of street dance and Kazzum are now down to the final 30. Judges Ashley Banjo, Kimberley Wyatt and Adam Garcia

will have their work cut out as the standard is extraordinarily hight. Everyone at The Clanger wishes Nathaniel, Daniel, Taylor, Callum, Corey, Adam, Alex and Josh the best of luck for the coming weeks!

If you'd like more info about Dance Vybz & where their classes are check out: www.dancevybz.co.uk

For more info on Got To Dance: www.sky1.com/got-to-dance

LIBRARy NEWSBibliophiles will no doubt have already ‘checked out’ the improvements to the central Bedford Library layout. The new layout has freed up more space and staff have been helping customers to use the new self-service system. The second floor has increased study space and improved the arrangement of the comput-ers.Don’t forget that the library offers a range of regular activities throughout the year, including children’s storytimes and craft activities plus ‘Down Memory Lane’ and other events for older people. All library events are on the Virtual Library at www.bedford.gov.uk, click on Libraries and go to ‘What’s On.’ With so much happening in 2012, the

library is getting in on the act too. To celebrate the bi-centenary of Dickens’ birth the libray will be holding some Dickens events this year, plus ‘Story Lab’, the Sum-mer Reading Challenge for 2012 is part ofthe Cultural Olympics. There are no less than 85 reading groups affiliated to Bedford Library, so the printed workd is alive and kicking in our town. If you’d like to find a group to join or would like to register your group with the library, either pop in or check out the website. Finally, need a new read? Then the library’s top four most popular books from 2011 is a good place to start...

• Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini• 61 Hours by Lee Child• Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Stig Larsson• Girl whoPlayed with Fire by Stig Lars-son

CITIZeNJourNalISm:

BEDFORD cLANGER LIGHTS THE WAyThe arab Spring, los Indignados, the whole of the occupy movement, that shaky video of Gaddafi’s death; it’s easy to see how ‘‘citizen journalism” had a global impact in 2011. What’s less easily seen, and often under-appreciated, is the enormous impact that citizen journalism is having here, at home, across the UK. It may not be the headline grabbing stuff of all of the above but it is making a difference; helping communities celebrate what makes them unique and giving them an opportunity to make their voices heard. Just like The Bedford Clanger, defend-ing Bedford against the onslaught of uniformity and blandness that is creeping up on all our town centres and celebrating

the talent, both creative and business, that makes Bedford special. And that’s what Media Trust’s newsnet is here to do, help communities celebrate their uniqueness and get their voices heard. Our project is going to be running over

the next three years and we want it to provide the means for communities to connect, share and learn from each other. From a practical perspective there will be an online forum and a resources centre that people can get access to, along with training opportunities so that people can develop their skills across a whole range of areas from video and audio, to legal and business. Over the course of the project we’ll be inviting certain citizen journalism sites to be-come beacons. These beacons will be inspiring examples of what citizen journalism is and what it can achieve. So far we have appointed six beacons and we are delighted that The Clanger, the very wonderful Clanger, is one of them. Now, more than ever, is the time for us to be sharing the knowledge and skills that will enable us to build the means for

us to not only connect to and within our own communities, but to other communi-ties across the UK.by Adam Perrywww.mediatrust.org

Want your life to be ‘more bunting, less boring’? Then why not join Bedford’s new WI group The Scone Roses. They’re among a rising number of people (including Knit&Miss - see adjacent) dedicated to making crafting cool...The Women’s Institute - established as the bastion of jam-making excellence 97 years ago - is enjoying a revival. Boosted by the continuing popularity of home-made chic (and despite Kirstie Alsopp’s efforts), it seems that there’s a new wave of inter-est in traditional crafts among a younger generation. Leading the way is Bedford’s new WI group. And with a name like the ‘Scone Roses’ you can’t help but just love what they’re doing! “The UK is seeing a rise in the number of younger groups affiliated to the WI,” explained Scone Roses’ founder and treasurer, Liz Wright. “We have around 40 members and the average age is late 20s/early 30s. It’s like a cool Brownies for grown-ups! “ Annual membership to the Scone Roses WI is just £31 and includes entry

to all meetings and the monthly ‘stitch & bitch’ sessions which take place on the last Thursday of the month at The Ship on St Cuthbert’s Street from 7.30pm. “Each month we invite a speaker to our meetings at Jubilation Hall, or we hold events at different venues. We’ve had a shopping evening at Rose Tinted Vintage on Clair Court, a colour-expert has trans-formed our wardrobes and we’ve sampled wine-tasting with John Barnes of The Blue Glass,” explained Liz. “Our craft sessions are a great way to learn new skills or share your knowledge with other members. We cover baking, crafts, gardening - anything ‘domestic’ really.” This summer the Scone Roses are hold-ing a ‘Craftival’ at the Bunyan Meeting Rooms on Saturday 26th May. This ‘urban village fete’ will allow members (and non-members) to compete in traditional (and not-so traditional) WI disciplines. There’ll be jam-making, baking, flower-arranging, sewing, knitting and photography, as well as a craft fair & vintage tea shop. The Clanger can’t wait. Better start perfecting my patchwork! For further information about the Scone Roses, please check out their Facebook page.

(Meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month at Jubilation Hall on Molton Avenue near Jubilee Park at 7.30pm)

FeBruary 2012THE BEDFORD CLANGER

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LISTINGS THIS FEBRUARy 2012 WED 1st FEB•••••••••••Esquires Jam NightDoes what it says on the tin Free entry Esquires Danny’s Barwww.bedfordesquires.com•Tea DancePut on your dancing shoes & join us for a pleasant afternoon in the elegant surround-ings of the Bedford Corn Exchange. 2pm The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk•Charity Quiz Night at The White HorseFundraising quiz in aid of St John’s Lower School £5pp includes ploughmansThe White Horse, Newnham Avenuetel: 409306

WED 1st- Sat 4th FEB•••••••••••No DirectionLocal writer Ben Kaspar’s new play featur-ing local professional actors. A darkly comic, sometimes disturbing journey into the artifi ce of theatre & the nature of reality.£7.50 The Place Theatre, Bradgate Roadwww.theplacebedford.org.uk

THURS 2nd FEB•••••••••••Mat Roberts’ Jam NightCome and join in or just be entertained by Bedford’s talented musicians.The Flower Pot tel: 296732•Showcase feat. The Kindred + Rainford + Time Well SpentFree entry Esquires Danny’s Barwww.bedfordesquires.com•Traditional folk music session at The Bedford Arms The Bedford Arms, Bromham Road www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk

FRI 3rd FEB•••••••••••Friday KaraokeOpen til 2amThe Executive Club, Lurke Street tel: 401500 •The WhybirdsLive music from great local bandFree entry Esquires Danny’s Barwww.bedfordesquires.com•Love GunKiss tribute bandThe Flower Pot tel: 296732

SAT 4th FEB•••••••••••DJ Fat Lad @ The ExecDJ Fat Lad (aka Ian Congdon-Lee of In2-Beats Radio & Grange Hill fame) spins the party tunes til 5amThe Executive Clubtel: 401500•The Red Inspectors + Sly Dog + Won-derlust The Red Inspectors update the classic acid jazz sound. Check them out.Esquires Main Stagewww.bedfordesquires.com•Dinosaur DiscoMotown & Northern Soul classicsThe Flower Pottel: 296732•Maxwell Slater & SmithLive music at the KAKing’s Arms, St Mary’s Streetwww.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk/•LoadedClassic indie night at The PadThe Pad, Lurke Street www.thepadbedford.com

SUN 5th FEB•••••••••••Music Quiz @ The KA21 years old and still going strong!The Kings Arms, St Mary’s Streettel:01234 354494•Kerry Jo Hodgkin & Ben Smith Live music The Bedford Arms, Bromham Road www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Thr3eLive from 5pmFree entry Esquires Danny’s Barwww.bedfordesquires.com •Gypsy ExtravaganzaA breath-taking gala of Gypsy music & dance from Eastern Europe & The Balkans. London Gypsy Orchestra’s musicians & dancers bring to life hundreds of years of journeys, adventures & passion. 7.30pm

The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk

MON 6th FEB••••••••General Knowledge QuizStretch those brain muscles at this weekly quiz. The Kings Arms, St Mary’s Streettel:01234 354494•Nick Walker on baritone & Russ Williams on hammond organ They are back, this time playing some lesser-known jazz greats The Bedford Arms, Bromham Road www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk

TUES 7th FEB•••••••••••Diamond Bingo!Eyes down, people. It’s bingo night at the Flower Pot The Flower Pot, Tavistock Streettel: 296732

WED 8th FEB••••••••••Esquires Jam NightFree entry Esquires Danny’s Barwww.bedfordesquires.com •Fruit tree pruning & orchard mainte-nance at Mowsbury OrchardThe Friends of Putnoe Woods & Mowsbury Hillfort organise this volunteer session.1pm - 3pm meet at Mowsbury Gold Club car park Contact Larissa Clarke, Parks Offi cer tel: 718350 •Withering LooksThis cult Bronte spoof takes an ‘authentic’ look at the works of the Bronte sisters (or at least 2 of them).7.30pm The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk •Charity Quiz Night at The White HorseFundraising quiz in aid of Bedford Hospital Gamma appeal. £5pp includes ploughmansThe White Horse, Newnham Avenuetel: 409306

THURS 9th FEB•••••••••••Juicebox Showcase nightFrom 8.30pmFree entry Esquires Danny’s Barwww.bedfordesquires.com•The Bedford Arms’ Book Club Grab yourself a copy of ‘Fugitive Pieces’ by Anne Michaels and join in with tonight’s literary discussion (or just nod knowingly while sipping your beer!)The Bedford Arms, Bromham Road www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk •Men Are From Mars, Women Are From VenusWitty one-man show based on John Grey’s best-selling dating manual7.30pm at The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk •Ladies’ Night at the White HorseWine tasting & food matching. £8 includes supper & raffl eThe White Horse, Newnham Avenuetel: 409306•Mat Roberts’ Jam NightCome and join in or just be entertained by Bedford’s talented musicians.The Flower Pot tel: 296732

FRI 10th FEB••••••••••Juliet Lawson presents: Songs from a Suitcase From jazz to blues to ballads, Juliet’s original bittersweet songs refl ect her wry & witty view of modern life. £8.00 The Place Theatre, Bradgate Roadwww.theplacebedford.org.uk

•From The JamFormer Jam member, Bruce Foxton, fronts this tribute band to one of the most iconic groups of all time. WIN A PAIR

OF TICKETS - SEE BACK PAGE FOR DETAILSThe Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk•From The Jam’ Aftershow PartyHead over to The Pad for the 100 greatest punk, new wave & ska records ever made.The Pad, Lurke Streetwww.thepadbedford.com•Hats of to Led ZeppelinTribute act. on at Esquires Main Stagewww.bedfordesquires.com•SpeedshotFrom 9pm Esquires Danny’s Barwww.bedfordesquires.com

•Brett GoldsteinTall tales of life running a Marbella strip club. 7.30pm The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk •Full Circle60s to current covers bandThe Flower Pot tel: 296732•Friday KaraokeOpen til 2amThe Executive Club, Lurke Street tel: 401500

SAT 11th FEB••••••••••••Lacarla + Arms of Atlas5 piece rock band from MK play EsquiresEsquires Main Stagewww.bedfordesquires.com•Ben PooleCool guitaristThe Flower Pot tel: 296732 •Friends of Putnoe Wood & Mowsbury Hillfort activity dayLitter Blitz 10am - 12noon meet at entrance to Putnoe WoodsContact: Larissa Clarke, Parks Offi cer tel: 718350•Friends of Putnoe Wood & Mowsbury Hillfort activity dayOrchard Maintenance at Mowsbury Orchard 1pm - 3pm meet at Mowsbury Gold Club car park Contact: Larissa Clarke, Parks Offi certel: 718350•Lithuanian Evening at The White HorseExperience a taste of live Lithuanian music & sample some authentic food.The White Horse, Newnham Avenuetel: 409306 •The Mighty Hub WhipleyRock covers band at the KAKing’s Arms, St Mary’s Streetwww.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk/ •The DriftersPlaying their classic hits from the last 6 decades as well as their new material.7.30pm The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk •LoadedClassic indie night at The PadThe Pad, Lurke Streetwww.thepadbedford.com •DJ Fat Lad @ The ExecDJ Fat Lad (aka Ian Congdon-Lee of In2-Beats Radio & Grange Hill fame) spins the party tunes til 5amThe Executive Clubtel: 401500

SUN 12th FEB•••••••••••Music Quiz @ The KA21 years old and still going strong!The Kings Arms, St Mary’s Streettel:01234 354494•Vintage StuffLive music The Bedford Arms, Bromham Road www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk

MON 13th FEB•••••••••General Knowledge QuizStretch those brain muscles at this weekly quiz.The Kings Arms, St Mary’s Streettel:01234 354494•Colin Watling makes his fi rstappearance in 2012. Backed by guitarist Nick Page & his trio, Colin will no doubt be bringing his deep sonorous sound on tenor sax. The Bedford Arms, Bromham Road www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk

TUES 14th FEB••••••••••••••Valentine’s dinner at The White HorseSpecial ‘lovers’ menu. Diners gain free entry to the regular Tuesday night quizThe White Horse, Newnham Avenuetel: 409306•Diamond Bingo!Eyes down, people. It’s bingo night at the Flower Pot The Flower Pot, Tavistock Streettel: 296732

WED 15th FEB••••••••Tea DancePut on your dancing shoes & join us for a pleasant afternoon in the elegant surround-ings of the Bedford Corn Exchange.

“Our venue, your theatre”Established 1979, bringing the best in touring theatre to the heart of

Bedford.Bedford School, De Parys Avenue, MK40 2TU

Box Offi ce: 01234 269519 Website: www.bedfordtheatre.co.ukAdmin Tel: 01234 362269 Email: admin@bedfordtheatre.co.uk

Calendar of Activities

For further information on any of the above please contact:

Larissa Clarke - (01234) 227407 or email larissa.clarke@bedford.gov.uk Priory Country Park Rangers - (01234) 211182 or email prioryrangers@bedford.gov.uk

Everyone welcome to all sessions and ‘Friends’ meetings. No experience necessary for the volunteer tasks. All equipment provided. Please wear comfortable, practical clothes and footwear, and come prepared for all weathers! Places must be booked in advance for the guided walks on the contact number shown below.

Volunteer Conservation SessionsFruit Tree Pruning Demo & Orchard Maintenance at Mowsbury Orchard Wednesday 8th February, 1 - 3pm, meeting at Mowsbury Golf Club car park.

Activity Day - Litter Blitz & Orchard Maintenance at Mowsbury Orchard Saturday 11th February, 10am - 12noon & 1pm - 3pm, meeting at the entrance to Putnoe Woods.

Path Repair at Putnoe Woods Wednesday 14th March, 2pm - 4pm, meeting at the entrance to Putnoe Woods.

Path Repair at Putnoe Woods Saturday 17th March, 2pm - 4pm, meeting at the entrance to Putnoe Woods.

Walks, Talks & MeetingsFriends Meeting Tuesday 21st February, 7pm, venue to be confirmed.

Bat Talk with Beds Bat Group Tuesday 28th February, 7pm, at Priory Country Park Visitor Centre. Everyone welcome. Places must be booked. £2 donation requested.

Come & join our friendly group of volunteers, find out more about the history & wildlife of the hillfort & woods or try your hand at one of the volunteer conservation tasks. Everyone welcome, no experience necessary.

ENV013_12 design@bedford.gov.uk www.bedford.gov.uk

Creating unique photo libraries to showcase your people, places, processes and projects.

Take a peek at www.mubsta.com

WIN!

Vintage hair styling service specialising

in styles from the 1940s, 50s, 60s but covering all eras!

Based at the Rose-tinted Vintage shop in Bedford, Saturdays 10am - 5pmEmail me at curiosityshop4@hotmail.co.uk for more details or for a booking.

Classes coming soon...

FeBruary 2012THE BEDFORD CLANGER

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Take a fresh look at Bedford.

01234 359599

2pm The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk •Charity Quiz Night at The White HorseFundraising quiz in aid of Save The Children Fund. £5pp includes ploughmans supper.The White Horse, Newnham Avenuetel: 409306

THURS 16th FEB••••••••••The Virginia MonologuesFormer agony aunt, Virginia Ironside, looks a the funny side of life in your 60s…7.30pm The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk •Charity Quiz Night at The White HorseFundraiser in aid of The Mayor’s Charity. £5 pp includes ploughmans supperThe White Horse, Newnham Avenuetel: 409306 •Mat Roberts’ Jam NightCome and join in or just be entertained by Bedford’s talented musicians.The Flower Pot tel: 296732

FRI 17th FEB••••••••••Nine Below ZeroBlues band on at Esquires Main Stagewww.bedfordesquires.com•SpoonfulLive music at The Flower Pot tel: 296732•Friday KaraokeOpen til 2amThe Executive Club, Lurke Street tel: 401500

SAT 18th FEB••••••••••The 1930s + The Darling MundarlingIrish acoustic folksters supported by local bandEsquires Main Stagewww.bedfordesquires.com•Flashback Roadshow DiscoCelebrate Valentine’s at the popular disco night. Anything from the 80s to now. The Flower Pot tel: 296732•The PistonzLive music at the KAThe King’s Arms, St Mary’s Streetwww.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk/•Rat Pack Vegas SpectacularFrank, Dean & Sammy are remembered in true Vegas style. Fabulous & timeless live show.7.30pm The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk•LoadedClassic indie night at The PadThe Pad, Lurke Streetwww.thepadbedford.com•DJ Fat Lad @ The ExecDJ Fat Lad (aka Ian Congdon-Lee of In2-Beats Radio & Grange Hill fame) spins the party tunes til 5amThe Executive Clubtel: 401500

SUN 19th FEB••••••••••Reginald D HunterOne of the UK comedy circuit’s best-known performers (and HIGNFY regular)7.30pm The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk •Tie One OnLive musicThe Bedford Arms, Bromham Road www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•Music Quiz @ The KA21 years old and still going strong!The Kings Arms, St Mary’s Streettel:01234 354494

MON 20th FEB••••••••••General Knowledge QuizStretch those brain muscles at this weekly

quiz.The Kings Arms, St Mary’s Streettel:01234 354494•George Grant blows a mean tenor sax. Catch him tonight back by keyboardist Pete ShepherdThe Bedford Arms, Bromham Road www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk

TUES 21st FEB••••••••••••Friends of Putnoe Wood & Mowsbury Hillfort activity day… Friends meeting7pm Venue to be confirmedContact Larissa Clarke, Parks Officer tel: 718350•Diamond Bingo!Eyes down, people. It’s bingo night at the Flower Pot The Flower Pot, Tavistock Streettel: 296732

TUES 21st- Sat 25th FEB•••••••••••••••••••••••••••Swan Theatre Company presents: Terra NovaDrawn from the journals & letters of Captain Scott the play charts the explorer’s endeavour to be the first men to reach the South Pole. The production commemorates the centenary of Scott’s expedition.£8.50 The Place Theatre, Bradgate Roadwww.theplacebedford.org.uk

WED 22nd FEB••••••••Charity Quiz Night at The White HorseCharity fundraiser in aid of The Bedford Hospital Trust. £5pp includes ploughmans supper.The White Horse, Newnham Avenuetel: 409306

THURS 23rd-SUN 26th FEB••••••••••••••••••••••••••••The Bedford Arms Beer Festival 12 ales & ciders to choose from & live music on the first & last nights. Cheers! The Bedford Arms, Bromham Road www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk

THURS 23rd FEB•••••••••••Simon Townshend + supportFormer Who member and Pete’s brotherEsquires Main Stagewww.bedfordesquires.com•Mat Roberts’ Jam NightCome and join in or just be entertained by Bedford’s talented musicians.The Flower Pot tel: 296732

FRI 24th FEB••••••••••Friday KaraokeOpen til 2amThe Executive Club, Lurke Streettel: 401500•Full ThrottleClassic rock covers bandThe Flower Pot tel: 296732•Icarus Theatre: MacbethBlending traditional & inventive physical theatre, original music & evocative design this production is perfect for audiences new to ‘The Scottish Play’ & those already acquainted with Shakespeare’s tragedies£10 Bedford Theatre, Bedford School, De Parys Avenuewww.bedfordtheatre.co.uk•Stefan Cush & The Feral Family + Presley JohnsonFormer Men They Couldn’t Hang guitarist brings his new collective to BedfordEsquires Main Stagewww.bedfordesquires.com•Bedford Comedy ClubRegulars from the London and national comedy circuit make this one of the most

popular nights in town.9pm The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk

SAT 25th FEB••••••••••Pearl Handled Revolver - ‘Colossus’ album launchLocal rockers launch their new long player Esquires Main Stagewww.bedfordesquires.com•Vintage StuffLive musicThe Flower Pot tel: 296732•SoleweaverLive music at the KAKing’s Arms, St Mary’s Streetwww.thekingsarmsbedford.co.uk/•LoadedClassic indie night at The PadThe Pad, Lurke Street www.thepadbedford.com•DJ Fat Lad @ The ExecDJ Fat Lad (aka Ian Congdon-Lee of In2-Beats Radio & Grange Hill fame) spins the party tunes til 5amThe Executive Club tel: 401500

SUN 26th FEB•••••••••••Music Quiz @ The KA21 years old and still going strong!The Kings Arms, St Mary’s Streettel:01234 354494

MON 27th FEB••••••••••Open Mic Big Band Xtra JamCome along & join in or just sit back with a drink and enjoy the talent in our town.The White Horse, Newnham Avenuetel: 409306•The Bedford Arms Jam!Following the success of the pre-Christmas session, this night will feature some great local talented musicians!The Bedford Arms, Bromham Road www.thebedfordarmsbedford.co.uk•General Knowledge QuizStretch those brain muscles at this weekly quiz.The Kings Arms, St Mary’s Streettel:01234 354494

TUE 28th FEB••••••••••••Friends of Putnoe Wood & Mowsbury Hillfort activity dayBat Talk with Beds Bat Group. Everyone welcome. Advance booking necessary. £2 donation suggested 7pm at Priory Coun-try Park Visitor CentreContact Larissa Clarke, Parks Officer tel: 718350•Diamond Bingo!Eyes down, people. It’s bingo night at the Flower Pot The Flower Pot, Tavistock Streettel: 296732

WED 29th FEB••••••••Tea DancePut on your dancing shoes & join us for a pleasant afternoon in the elegant surround-ings of the Bedford Corn Exchange.2pm The Corn Exchangewww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk•Charity Quiz Night at The White HorseCharity fundraiser in aid of The Goldington Rangers. £5pp includes ploughmans supper.

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If you were one of the 3.5million people who watched the final of BBc’s Masterchef: The Professionals then you will already know about the exceptional talents of Steve Barringer. Born in Bedford and brought up in Westoning, Steve began his culinary career at Flitwick Manor under the guidance of head chef, Richard Walker. Ten years on and he impressed Roux royalty through-out last year’s series, reaching the final three. In a series that Michel Roux Junior described as having the highest calibre finalists that is a worthy achievement.On the afternoon of the final, The Clanger chatted exclusively to Steve to find out why he entered the competition, how it feels to cook for 34 of the world’s top chefs and the burning question: is Monica’s as petrifying as she looks?

BEDFORD cLANGER: What in-spired you to enter Masterchef?STEVE BARRINGER: I wanted the oppor-tunity to showcase my skills as most of my friends and family don’t get the chance to see what I do. They know I’m a good cook ( I’ve been doing it since I was 15) but they just think I cook in posh places! It was the chance to demonstrate exactly what I do to a very high standard.Bc: Did you plan enough menus to get through to the final, or did you think that might jinx things?SB: I planned my classic menu and the 2 course meal that I cooked for the critics, but other than that, no. When I entered I didn’t think I’d get this far as you can never know what you’ll be up against. I’ve been competing directly against Clare since day one of Masterchef so we are both aware of how good each other is. My head is so full of menu ideas and I’ve just been going all out at every stage. While I’m writing the menus I’m constantly thinking of what I can add to my dishes to set them apart from the rest and I try and use quirky ingredients. I added crackle crystals to my chocolate dessert as I knew Greg would love them and it would be an unexpected surprise. I hope that my dishes represent me - my personality on a plate.

Bc: What was the most daunting chal-lenge?SB: All of them! Going to cook at Pied a Terre, going to Spain to cook and of course cooking for 34 of the best chefs in the world were up there though. When we cooked for the chefs the room was full of people I admire, so there was a lot of pressure to impress them. Bc: Is cooking a natural talent or can anyone learn?SB: A bit of both I think. You’ve got to have a love for it and really want to succeed if you’re going to do it professionally. I really believe that if you want to do something enough and you work hard enough then you can achieve it. However, if someone doesn’t want to learn to cook then it’s very hard to teach them.Bc: Which chef do you most admire?SB: I’m not just saying this, but I have always admired Michel Roux Jr - in fact the whole Roux family! I’ve bought all his cookery books and love his style of cooking. I also really like Gary Rhodes and Gordon Ramsey. Having said that, the chef I most admire is the first head chef I worked for when I was 15: Richard Walker at Flitwick Manor. He is passionate about helping young chefs achieve their potential and very early on he recognised that I had the ‘food bug’ and encouraged me to get more invovled in the kitchen. We still get on really well and we speak pretty much daily.Bc: Where would you like to be in

five years time?SB: In five years time I’ll be 30 and I’d like to be head chef somewhere and have acheived a Michelin star. I would love

to open a restaurant in Bedfordshire as there are very few fine dining ven-ues here apart from Paris House in Woburn.Bc: Do you need to have eaten Michelin star food to cook Mi-chelin star food?SB: I would say so, yes, as you need an understanding of what you need to do to achieve that standard. My fiancee is a pastry chef (we work together) and we both love food, so we’ve eaten at about 29 different Michelin starred restaurants. Having tasted top quality food you then know what is expected to reach that high standard.Bc: What’s your fa-vourite food to cook at home?SB: Definitely not fine dining! I cook simple, hearty, homely meals such as stews and shepherds pie. I’m the one pot wonder at home!Bc: And finally, is Monica Galetti as scary as she seems?SB: Not at all. If she likes you then she’s lovely and she’s always given me really positive feedback on my food so I can’t complain! Although she’s quite intimidating, I’ve al-ways tried to have a laugh with her and in fact I got on really well with her.

FeBruary 2012THE BEDFORD CLANGER

6 Citizen journalism doesn’t get tougher than this

The Wellington Arms is a local (if not national) institution. ask any real ale buff, Camra member or pub afficionado where to go for a great pint of beer in Bedford and you’ll almost certainly be directed to Wellington Street, just off The Broadway.It’s off the beaten track, only sells one la-ger (Amstel - since you ask) and the ladies’ toilet is peculiarly located, but it never fails to attract loyal regulars and passers-by in their droves. To find out what makes The Welly such a perfect pub, The Clanger met the team of Royston Beer, Lesley Griffen & Liz Sutton... The current landlord, Royston Beer (yes, really) has been running The Welly for nearly five years and reckons that most of the regulars have been loyal to the pub for at least 15 years. “This pub has always had a great reputation which we have striven

to uphold,” he explains. “We’re known as a real ale pub so we’ve got to serve good beer. We have 12 real ales on tap and two real ciders as well as 40 to 50 bottled continental beers and ciders.” Phew! To the casual observer, real ale might appear to be the preserve of the more mature hirsute members of the community. Not true, according to Liz: “You’d think the pub would be full of old men with beards, but it’s not. Among the under 30s there’s about a 50:50 ratio of men to women, although in the older age groups it is more male dominated. This pub is not intimidating and women do feel like they can come here on their own without feeling

threatened. The Welly is not about getting as drunk as you possibly can, it’s about enjoying the atmosphere.” The atmostphere in the pub is certainly enhanced by the wall-to-wall beer para-phenalia. Every spare inch of shelf space

is dedicated to displaying vintage bottles of beer (all with their original contents) and the walls & ceilings are decorated with literally thousands of pump clips carrying the weird and wonder-ful names that only real ale can muster. “We don’t play background music so people come here to drink and enjoy the company of their friends,” says Royston. And what about newcomers? “It’s great watching new customers

become enveloped into the pub,” says Liz. “They turn up as a ‘lone entity’ and after a few weeks they’ve become part of the fam-ily. In one case, six months later they’re all going camping together!” As well as catering for locals, The Welly

also attracts travelling ‘beer tourists’ from all over the globe. With an understandably glowing endorsement in every year’s Good Pub Guide, it’s no surprise that visitors to Bedford make a beeline for the pub. “The Tourist Information Centre send people here too,” says Lesley. “During the Bed-ford Beer Festival we always have ‘out of towners’ popping in to sample what we’ve got. When Take That were rehearsing at Cardington, their whole crew used to drink here!” So what are the most popular beers? “Adnams bitter is the best seller,” says Royston. “But sometimes a barrel of a really popular beer can only last an hour.” That’s more than a pint a minute! Not a fan of real ale? Then why not try a cider, which accounts for 25% of The Welly’s takings. “Particularly in summer, we find that people come in asking for cider,” says Liz. “They’re used to drinking Bulmers (which we don’t sell), but once we’ve steered them towards one of our real ciders they realise what they’re missing!” So, fizzy lager drinkers, what are you waiting for? There’s something for every-one at The Welly and you’re guaranteed a warm welcome. No beard required!

Wellington Street, mK40 2JX tel: 308033

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your Local: THE WELLINGTON ARMS

INTERVIEW: STEVE BARRINGER... MASTERcHEF

POP-UP DININGThis month, Steve is teaming up with old school friend and fellow chef, chris Smith of The Three Tuns in Biddenham, to run a pop up restaurant in Bedford at the beginning of February.

It’s the hottest ticket in town, but Clanger readers have the chance to nab a table for two at this exclusive event(see below). Steve will not only be showcas-ing the food that had Masterchef’s Michel Roux Jr salivating, but he’ll also be host-ing a Q&A at the end of the evening. Chris and his father John took over the Three Tuns pub/restaurant 12 months ago and developed a menu to offer a modern British take on traditional pub food. There is also a changing ‘specials board’ which reflects Chris’ background in fine dining at The Plough in Wavendon. “We have built our reputation on being a ‘fresh food’ pub using local, seasonal ingredients,” says Chris. “All our meat comes from Ingle & Caves in Marston Mortaine, all fruit and veg is seasonally available in the UK and I’ve planted my own herb garden just outside the kitchen. We ran a foraging event last year with [The Guardian & The Clanger’s] Jane Perrone which we’re hoping to repeat this year. The horseradish sauce on the current menu is made from foraged horseradish from right here in Biddenham.” The Clanger will be reviewing The Three Tuns restaurant in a future issue, but if you’d like to check it out for your-self, find out more about special events (the forthcoming Wine Evening sounds particularly good...)or just pop in for a drink then get in touch:tel:354847 w: thethreetunsbiddenham.co.uk Twitter @ThreeTunsPubSteve Barringer’s Pop Up Restaurant at The Three Tuns runs on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th and 9th February.

The Bedford Clanger has reserved a table for two at Steve Bar-ringer’s Pop Up

restaurant on Wednesday 8th February for a lucky pair of readers. We’re not paying, but these are the only seats still available so grab them while you can! If you’d like to enjoy a 5 course meal including a Champagne reception for £60 per head then email thebedfordclanger@gmail.com with ‘The Three Tuns’ as the subject. Bon appetit!

Royston Beer: ‘aving an ale of a Good TimePh

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Chris Smith & Steve Barringer: Pop into their pop-up resturant

WIN!

BEHIND THE ScENES AT THE MUSEUMdespite all the times the Council gets asked ‘what are we doing while the museum is closed?’ the staff at Cecil Higgins & art Gallery and Bedford museum have rarely been so busy. The Learning & Access team are provid-ing outreach sessions for all sorts of community groups, recording oral histories, enthusing the next generation of archaeolo-gists on Saturday morning workshops, and creating new activities that work with the new displays. We’re collaborating with the museum community by lending works from the internationally renowned watercolour collection to important exhibitions, such as Nothing in the World but Youth at Turner Contemporary, Margate and Edward Burra at Pallant House, Chichester. We’ve helped

the BBC when they needed an iconic image of the Reichenbach Falls to open the dramatic last episode of Sherlock, as our collection just happens to include Turner’s astonishing large watercolour of just that famously associated water-fall. As for the curatorial team, we’re now trawling through our collection areas trying to pull out the best stories and the best objects for the new displays – so it’s a good job that when we packed the 40,000 or so objects last year we also photographed them and documented them on a digital database. With the help of our loyal team of volunteers we’re researching and documenting collections and collectors that haven’t been looked at closely before, but are revealing fascinating stories, and, of course, we’re writing the vast amount of labels and captions for objects and cases that will communicate those stories to visitors that will be coming through the doors in just over a year. Only a year? We better get back to it…

Contact: Kristian Purcell, Curatorial Assistant Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum Team t:01234 718618

THE FRIENDS OF PUTNOE WOODS & MOWSBURy HILLFORTIf you are interested in gardening and conservation, then why not get involved with voluntary group The Friends of Putnoe Woods & mowsbury Hillfort. The group formed in March 2011 due to a shared interest in various aspects of these two sites around Mowsbury Park. The group are concerned with wildlife, history and conservation of

this area and have regular volunteer tasks plus guided walks and talks. The sessions are free of charge, all equipment is provided and you even get a break for tea and biscuits! This friendly group is open to anyone and they are look-ing to recruit more volunteers into their friendly group, so why not get in touch? Details of forthcoming events organised by the group can be found in the listings guide on pages 4 & 5 of this month’s Clanger.

Contact: Larissa Clarke - Parks Officer on 01234 718350 for further details.

WALK INTO GOOD HEALTHby Gerard Gray cScS

Walking is a perfect opportunity for people to start the exercise process, even if by now those New Year’s resolutions are fading quickly through the January frost. It offers some fantastic health benefits... here comes the science bit. Walking is low impact, meaning at no time are both feet leaving the walking surface at the same time (unlike jogging). The stress applied to the bones when regularly walking makes them stronger and is more likely to prevent the thinning and subsequent weakening of bone tissue. Just

stand tall and stride out in shoes (with a small heel... no flatties) or trainers and the forces will pass through the body in the most productive way. It enhances your heart health; walking fast ensures the heart beats a little quicker, making you breath a little deeper. Walking a touch slower enables you to control the effort and intensity a little better. Both methods are hugely productive for keeping the heart and lungs healthy and strong. As a consequence, the risk factors associated with strokes and heart attacks are reduced, blood pressure lowers and the heart works less at rest. Key postural muscles are strengthened through a regular walking programme, from

the legs through the abdominals and lower back upto muscles at the chest and upper back. Walking promotes a stronger you. No bulky muscles, no shortened restrictive muscles, just long lean musculature that helps us in our daily activities as we get ever so slightly older! It’s fat burning! Walking is recognised as an aerobic form of exercise and therefore is highly productive in the ‘burning’ away of fat tissue. It is fat tissue that brings about a multitude of disease predictors so why not reduce the levels that we carry? Science continuously proves that exercise without dieting is a more effective management of our health. By walking for 30mins a day (or 12-15miles a week),

people have lost weight, strengthened muscles and lowered blood pressure. There is also clear evidence that those who walk -opposed to those who do not exercise at all- have a better chance of preventing the onset of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis. Guaranteed to do so? No, but reducing the factors that bring about such diseases can only be a good thing for everybody. Of course there are the social factors, people of all ages can meet, greet and share a walk. Social interaction has been shown to reduce the potential for age related mental decline such as dementia, depres-sion, or even Alzheimer’s disease. Walking gets people out in the fresh air, enhancing

the immune system and has been shown to reduce headaches and help people sleep better. I could go on and on but Erica (the editor) won’t let me! Strong bones, healthy heart, lose weight, lean muscles, prevent disease... sound good? It is all possible, by performing one of the simplest activities there is, an activity that crosses the age divide and requires little expenditure. Most people can start it today, and no gym membership required. Seriously.... let’s walk!

Gerard’s blog:madhealthorg.blogspot.com

FeBruary 2012THE BEDFORD CLANGER

7Can you dig it? Get volunteering!

FEBRUARy IN THE GARDENBy Jane Perrone, gardening editor of The Guardian

February: could there be a more dreary month? Christmas long gone (aside from those stray pine needles in the carpet that the vacuum can’t find), easter a mere sparkle of a Creme egg wrapper in the corner shop owner’s eye, and the weather – well, who knows what it’s like as you read this, but I’d like to bet you’re not outside on your deckchair soak-ing up some rays.And yet, the garden gives us hope of better times to come. Spring flowers are starting to emerge no: starry snowdrops and aconites, nodding hellebores and the scent of witch hazel and wintersweet in the air. If your garden is bare of colour right now, visit Moggerhanger Park (mog-gerhangerpark.com) or Kathy Brown’s garden at Stevington (kathybrownsgarden.homestead.com Tuesday afternoons only) to seek inspiration. If you are feeling disil-lusioned with your garden, now is a great time to get your camera out and systemati-cally catalogue the different areas of your plot. Go back and shoot the same spots in spring and summer, and next autumn you’ll be able to really see where the weak spots and gaps in your garden are, just in time for the planting season. Aside from long-term planning, there are tweaks you can make today. Even if you have only half an hour to spare, you can make a difference: plant-ing up a couple of pots by the front door with some daffodils (which can be cheaply

bought in bud from the garden centre) sur-rounded by some silvery-green variegated ivy, scented sweet box (sarcococca) or if you want something a little more useful, some clumps of thyme. Other pots could do with some TLC right now: if you have any shrubs in large containers, take off about 3cm of compost from the surface and replace with new, with some slow-release fertiliser mixed in. Evergreen shrubs such as pieris or hollies often dry out in winter weather if the rain stays away, so stick your finger into the soil a few centimetres to check how they are doing. This is a month when, tradition-ally, pruning is meant to take place in the garden. This, for many of us, feels more like retaking a maths exam than a pleasant potter. Should I hack away that clematis? Is the privet meant to be snipped now? Do I use the secateurs or telescopic loppers? What are telescopic loppers, anyway?! First, relax. If all else fails, you can keep things simple and look for the three ‘D’s – dead, diseased and damaged branches – and remove them, along with any that are rubbing against one another. (Unless you’re dealing with a plum tree or other stone fruit, in which case you should prune when they’re in growth in the summer – I know, it’s never that simple, is it?) And don’t worry about touching roses this month – that’s a job for March, so I’ll bring you my rose pruning shortcuts in the next issue. On the veg patch, although there’s not a lot of sowing to do yet, it’s prep time: add organic fertiliser, rake over the soil then cover beds with cloches or polythene sheets will help to warm up the soil and encourage weed seeds to germinate so you can clear the soil ready for sowing come spring. If you are itching to get going, shallot sets and Jerusalem artichokes can be planted

this month. The latter are a useful crop for rough areas of the garden or allotment in full sun: in front of the shed, say. They grow into a tall screen topped with jolly sunflower-like flowers and the tubers, harvested in winter, are a bit of a gourmet crop: expensive to buy in the supermarket and very tasty in soups and stews. Two warnings, though. One: it is not for nothing they are nicknamed “fartichokes”: eat small portions first to build up your resistance and don’t consume them the night before that all-important presentation at work. Two: a Jerusalem artichoke is for life, not just for Christmas – once planted they are very hard to eradicate if warning one is all too true for you. I am going to stick to shallots. Other jobs for the month: If you have a greenhouse or sheltered area, you could risk planting some spuds (try varieties like

Red Duke of York, Rocket or Winston) in an old builder’s bucket for an early harvest – wait until March to plant in the ground; buy snowdrops and aconites “in the green” and plant in your garden for a good display next year; sow hardy annual flower seeds such as cornflowers, scabious, calendula and love-in-a-mist now for an early

flush of flowers; and finally, National Nest Box Week (bto.org) starts on Valentine’s Day, so instead of a box of chocolates, why not buy your beloved a bird box and put it up in your garden ready for our feathered friends to use this spring?Garden writer, editor and bloggerhttp://perrone.blogs.com/horticulturalhttp://guardian.co.uk/gardening-blogTwitter: @janeperrone

PARK LIFE - BedFord ParK GardeNING CluBWe Bedfordians are blessed with some of the most beautiful parks in the land. one of the most spectacular is Bedford Park with it’s wonderful pond, Victorian landscaping, bandstand and superb playgrounds. What you might not know is that Bedford Park has its own communi-ty gardening club. Begun last year as an initiative of SARA (St Augus-tines Residents Association) the group was set up by like-minded people who wanted to make a difference to their street. The group now meets on the first Sunday of every month from 10am - 12pm and anyone is welcome! The group’s project for 2012 is to create a community herb garden in front of the Park’s West Lodge. Members of Zero

Carbon Castle have offered cuttings from their own community herb garden (on the roundabout of Castle Road and Rothsay Road) and once the plants are established, the herbs will be freely availble for anyone to pick for their own use. Brilliant! Park rangers James & John are on hand to help out, so no gardening experience is necessary. The initiative is perfect for anyone wanting to share their existing gardening knowledge, learn more about plants or just to get involved and meet new people. If you would like to get involved or donate herbs to the Bedford Park Garden-ing Club, then please don’t hesitate to contact group chairman Howard Darbon (hdarbon@ntlworld.com).

The next meeting is on Sunday 5th February at the bandstand in Bedford Park.

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REBEccA DE WINTERBBC introducing... is committed to supporting unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar musicians around the country. And with the help of the team at BBC 3 Counties Radio in Beds, Herts & Bucks it is doing its bit to find the coolest singers, bands, DJs and producers in our area. At the end of January, a lucky 200 unsigned musicians from all over the UK were nomi-nated by their local BBC radio stations to attend a BBC introducing... Masterclass session at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios in London. Representing Bedford was the rather marvellous Rebecca De Winter. “Basically I was nominated by the Beds Herts and

Bucks BBC introducing... team and then the national BBC team whittled down the nominations,” said Rebecca. “There were only 200 musicians that got

to go from the whole country and only half of those were at Abbey Road. It was amaz-ing!” With Masterclasses from Radio 1 DJs, singers and pro-ducers, it was a chance for aspiring musicians to gain advice on how to make it in the industry. “I got to meet Tom Robinson, Frank Turner, Jo Whiley and Steve Lam-acq,” said Rebecca. “Steve even said he recognised my CD as he’d seen it at Radio 2! I saw Jamie Cullum and Friendly Fires perform too. What a great experience!” Florence & The Machine and The Ting Tings were both discovered through the BBC introducing... initiative, so who knows where Rebecca will find herself this time next year? “The music industry is so fickle,” said Rebecca. “I’m just enjoying

the journey, making the best music I can and getting the most out of my experi-ences.”www.rebeccadewintermusic.comwww.bbc.co.uk/music/introducing

There’s probably more chance of the obstinate Paul Weller reforming The Style Council than The Jam, so 26 years on bassist Bruce Foxton and drummer Rick Buckler started From the Jam (with singer-guitarist and Weller sound-a-like Russell Hastings), playing old Jam favourites to ecstatic crowds. The Clanger’s Cory Tallant caught up with Bruce Foxton ahead of their Febru-ary gig at the Bedford Corn Exchange. The Jam exploded onto the punk scene in 1977 and disbanded abruptly in 1982 after 5 years at the cutting edge of the new wave movement. 18 consecutive top 40 singles and four number one hits, they attracted a devotional fan base through the raw excitement of their live perfor-mances and the consistent quality of their quintessentially English songs embodied

with the vanity and veracity of the working class mod ethic. Bruce was very much the livewire of the group, still famed for his high kicks and Pete Townshend-style leaps. His driving bass on songs such as Town Called Malice or Down In The Tube Station at Midnight (“Probably my finest moment, really,” confesses Bruce) defined their sound. The Bedford gig is the first night on the tour and Bruce tells us that he’s been: “dying to dust the Christmas and New Year

cobwebs down and get on the road again. I just love playing that fantastic catalogue of Jam songs which we’re still as enthusiastic about playing as we were all those years ago.” “I like going out there and performing in front of an audience and seeing their reaction,” says Bruce. And they draw quite a diverse crowd. “It’s not just old gits. That’s me on stage!” jokes Bruce. “But the old Jam fans bring their kids plus there are those who got into The Jam by listening to

Paul Weller and wanting to hear these old songs played live” I asked about the use of his penned song News of The World as the theme music of current affairs quiz Mock The Week. He jokes, “We sound-checked that song at a gig up in Morecambe and the young, local support band said ‘bloody hell! why are they playing Mock The Week?’ with no clue as to the fact the singer-composer was in their midst!” Bruce is not just content with playing the old classics either. He tells me that, “A new album is set to be released this year, partly recorded in Paul Weller’s studio (they are mates again). We have been put-ting two or three new numbers into the set for a while now. Jam fans will relate to the new stuff, as there is a similar feel, mostly down to Russell’s vocals which share a

Weller vibe” Bruce Foxton once commented that: “There were actually three people in The Jam. And two of them weren’t Paul Weller.” Well there are three people in From The Jam. And one of them IS Bruce Foxton. Don’t miss it.From The Jam come to The Bedford Corn Exchange on Friday February 10thFor more info on From The Jam and Bruce Foxton visit http://www.brucefoxton.com/

To win one of two pairs of tickets to see From the Jam email thebedford-clanger@gmail.com

with the name of the Jam’s only number 1 album. Entries must be recieved by 7th February. Good luck!

BEDFORD cREATIVE ARTS MINI

cOMMISSION WINNER

Bedford Creative arts ‘mini Commissions’ are open to professional and amateur artists, curators and producers living in the Bedfordshire area. Each season BCA awards £500 to the applicant with the best idea and work with them to make it happen.The Winter Mini Com-mission was awarded to Kristian Purcell. Here he tells about what he’ll be doing on 18th and 19th February in an empty shop near you...

I’ve been painting alongside my day-job at the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum for some years now. My work is mostly drawn from photographic sources or memories, and whether the image is from personal or historical events the outcome is often thin and indistinct, blurry rather than sharp. I’m intrigued by the gaps in meaning when one

image is left to convey the whole. Like most artists my painting practice has been a private one. My fine art practice is almost completely studio based and necessarily solitary. In order to refresh and develop my practice I’m seeking to invert the creative situation: making the personal private and letting the public in on the creative act. For my commission I intend to set up my studio in an empty shop and create a new work of art from scratch in public. At the museum I have provided demonstra-tions of other artists work, mimicking their techniques to supplement an art historical lecture and provide practical perspective on

their methods and techniques but for this event I hope the revelation will be two-way. The viewers will gain under-standing about how one type of painter builds up a work and makes technical deci-sions through the course of a painting, and I, as the artist open to scrutiny, will be forced to question my decisions and

justify my actions within the painting to both the viewers and myself in a way I’d never have to on my own in the studio. The deadline for applications for the Spring Mini - Commission is on the 30th March 2012. For an application pack please email info@bedfordcreativearts.org.uk with ‘Mini-Commission’ in the subject heading.

In our brand new feature we look at some of the unsung heroes of our great town and its environs. This month we check out Dan Albone (1860 – 1906), cyclist and inventor extraordiare!Dan Albone was born in Biggleswade on 12th September 1860 and lived at the Ongley Arms Inn between the Great North Road and the River Ivel. His love affair

with bicycles began when he received a boneshaker bicycle for this ninth birthday which led to his lifelong obsession with velocipedes. From this young age, Dan Albone went on to win many local cycle races, and began building bicycles of his own. At the age of 20 he founded the Ivel Cycle Works with the aim of developing lightweight bicycles that required the minimum effort to ride. His charming personality and good nature earned him the nickname ‘Smiling Dan’. Healthy sales followed. His first products were the Ivel Light Roadster and the Ivel Racer. In 1882 he introduced the Ivel Tricycle, and in 1884, in

collaboration with Laurence Huber the Ivel Automatic Steerer tricycle. The Ivel Safety Cycle, designed in 1886 became very popular with sportsmen. The advert claimed ‘nearly every road race held during 1887 has been won on the Ivel Safety’. Go Dan! Albone’s inventions did not stop at bicycles. He also invented the first light-weight motorized tractor in 1901. He called this machine the ‘Ivel Agricultural Motor’; as the word ‘tractor’ had yet to be invented. About 500 were built and exported all over the world. There are seven still in existence, including one at The Science Museum, London. Dan Albone died suddenly in October

1906, aged just 46. His firm lasted until just after the First World War when it started

losing money, finally closing its doors for good in 1920. He is buried at St. Andrews Church, Biggleswade. The vicar’s tribute was, ‘If anyone was in difficulty, or wanted a helping hand, he went to Dan Albone… he ran a straight race’. You can still visit Albone Way and the Dan Albone Picinc Area in Biggleswade, and even the Albone Glacier in the Arctic Peninsula, where he is remembered as a pioneer of overland mechanical transport. Want to find out more about Dan Al-bone? Here are some useful links:Useful Linkshttp://www.biggleswadehistory.org.uk/Dan%20Albone.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Albone https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dan-Albone/103192676400503?sk=info

Want to suggest a Great Bedfordian? Then email thebedfordclanger@gmail.com with GB in the subject.

FeBruary 2012THE BEDFORD CLANGER

8I wish someone would invent me a cuppa tea. I’m exhausted!

a BIG BedFord THaNK youThe Bedford Clanger would not have been possible without the quite exceptional talents of the following people:Designer: Marisa StracciaPhotography: Graham Watson

(www.GrahamPhotographer.co.uk )Contributors:David Litchfield, Jane Perrone, Gerrard Gray, Carloine Wise & Sue Gough, Kristian Purcell, Liz Wright, Barry Wright & Gemma Hutton

Check out the blog: thebedfordclanger.wordpress.com or search for the Bedford Clanger at scribd.com

We’d love to hear from you, so why not get in touch? You can emailthebedfordclanger@gmail.com

Or follow us on twitter @bedfordclanger

MUSIc: BRUcE FOXTON

GREAT BEDFORDIANS: daN alBoNe (1860 – 1906)

rebecca & Jo Whiley: Spotlight’s on rebecca

Bruce Foxton: That’s entertainment

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