Archive for the ‘Bedford & Kempston’ Category
Bringing the Torch Relay to Bedford
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Media & Sport
Richard with Brendan Harris holding Olympic Torches along the Embankment, Bedford
Last month, Richard invited one of the very few organisers of an Olympic Torch Relay, Brendan Harris, the Chief Operating Officer of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games, to Bedford where they visited two local schools, Balliol Lower and Queens Park Academy. Brendan recounted the story of how he spent three months on the road with the Olympic flame, travelling 16,000 miles through 43 of the 50 States in the USA. As students listened, two real Olympic torches were passed around– one from the Atlanta Games, and the other from the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
The students learned that the torch relay is the largest spectator sporting event; that over 15,000 people carried the torch in 1996 and that the torch could be carried as you ran, as you walked, on a wheelchair, on a train, on a plane, in a canoe – just about any method of transport.
Brendan said that Bedford was a perfect destination for the 2012 London Olympic Games torch and urged the Council, and all of us, to contact the regional organising committee to say the torch must pass through our town on the 8th July when it wakes up in Cambridge and goes to bed in Luton.
Please join Richard in his efforts to get the torch to pass through Bedford by emailing: eastofengland@london2012.com
MP welcomes new measures to evict ‘neighbours from hell’
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Crime & Justice, Housing
The Housing Minister, Grant Shapps MP, has outlined new plans by the Government to make it easier to evict problem tenants from social housing.
The plans, which are now out for consultation, propose to allow previous convictions for anti-social behaviour to be taken into account, so where the situation has not improved, landlords can act swiftly to evict problem tenants. This will shorten the often long and expensive process which requires landlords to prove again the antisocial actions of their tenants.
Richard welcomed the news. Since becoming MP, he has heard from a number of local residents who suffer from anti-social neighbours. These proposals will help to shift the balance back in favour of the law-abiding victims of nightmare neighbours.
UPDATE – My full speech at Bedford Academy
Posted by Richard | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Bedford Academy, Education
On the 5th July, I spoke at Bedford Academy’s ‘Sod Turning Ceremony’. Here is the full text of the speech I gave:
“We meet today, not only to celebrate a building, but to celebrate education.
Not only to mark the achievement of a goal, but to ready ourselves for the challenge ahead.
Nothing defines better the success of a community than the teaching of its children.
Nothing fuels the innovation, the creativity, the passions, the heart, the strivings, the successes of the generation of Bedfordians that will follow us – nothing fuels this future, more than the passion, dedication and skills of our teachers.
Today, at Bedford Academy, we recommit ourselves as a community to the critical importance of raising educational standards and strengthening the ethos of high expectations, respect, openness and honesty with a focus on every student; the ethos that lies at the heart of this Academy. Principal, teachers, assistants and staff – we commend and encourage your every effort.
Today, we commit ourselves, not only to the education of every student, but to each year of schooling. We recognise that each child only gets one chance at each year of their education.
We commit ourselves that the quest for higher standards is not only a long term discussion, but an urgent priority for today, where failure to perform demands leadership and action so that not one single year of any child’s education is wasted.
Building work begins at Bedford Academy
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Bedford Academy, Education
Richard was guest of honour at the “Sod Turning Ceremony” for the new Bedford Academy building on Tuesday (5th July). The funds for the new academy building were secured by Richard last year.
In his speech to the students, teachers and sponsors, he said:-
“Today, we commit ourselves, not only to the education of every student, but to each year of schooling. We recognise that each child only gets one chance at each year of their education.
We commit ourselves that the quest for higher standards is not only a long term discussion, but an urgent priority for today, where failure to perform demands leadership and action so that not one single year of any child’s education is wasted.”
The school thanked Richard by baking a delicious cake (pictured above)!
Cub Scouts Pack into Parliament as Richard Fuller MP becomes Scout Leader for the Day – includes video!
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Community Relations, Education, Parliament
Richard recently became a Scout Leader for the day as 28 Cub Scouts, from across the UK – including members of our own Brickhill Cub Scouts – held the first ever Pack meeting at the Palace of Westminster. The event was part of The Scout Association’s drive to promote the benefits of volunteering to adults.
A collection of MPs worked with 12 adult leaders from around the UK for Volunteers’ Week. They helped the Cubs enjoy a number of activities including setting up a camp and going on an indoor expedition. (See below for video)
The benefits that volunteering has had on the lives of the adult leaders present was clear to all the MPs. Many of the leaders at the meeting only joined Scouting in the last two years.
Big Society fund supports voluntary sector in Bedford & Kempston
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Charities
Richard Fuller MP has welcomed the news that money from the Government’s Big Society Transition Fund will support the voluntary sector in Bedford & Kempston.
The funding, part of the third wave of payouts from the £107 million Transition Fund, is being paid out to several local charities: Advocacy Alliance, Bedford and District Citizens Advice Bureau, Bedford Race and Equalities Council, Energize Transformation Partnerships, Relate Bedfordshire and Luton, and Youth Matters.
The Transition Fund provides grants to these organisations to allow them to prepare for the future opportunities opened up by the Big Society. The money will fund the crucial changes that charities need to make to take advantage of the new opportunities available to them from opening up public sector contracts. So far more than 900 charities nationally have received support from the Transition Fund.
Richard commented:
“I’m pleased that the Government is committed to supporting charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises across the Eastern region.
“It’s great to hear that Advocacy Alliance, which provides support to people with learning disabilities, mental health issues, the elderly and vulnerable adults will receive nearly £250,000 of funding.
“Youth Matters was also awarded £37,500 to support its provision of informal education for excluded young people through work-based learning programmes – this is excellent news for everyone in Bedford and Kempston.”
MP urges people to nominate Olympic torchbearers
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Media & Sport
Richard Fuller, MP for Bedford and Kempston, is asking constituents to nominate local residents to become Olympic Torchbearers. The 2012 torch relay is looking for 8,000 “inspirational” people to carry the torch on its journey around the country.
Richard said:-
“We already have a number of great reasons as to why the torch should come here, including our history of nurturing home-grown Olympians.
“But it will be even harder for the London 2012 committee to turn down our request to have the torch pass through Bedford and Kempston if we a large number of local people nominated to carry the torch.
“We have an abundance of inspiring life stories in our remarkable town, so I hope people will visit the London 2012 website and nominate!”
For details on how to nominate someone to become a Torchbearer, please visit:
http://www.london2012.com/olympic-torch-relay
Nick Herbert visits Bedford – a town of markets
Posted by Richard | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Economy
One of former Mayor Frank Branston’s innovations was to emphasise Bedford as a “town of markets”. With specialty food markets and other events, Frank’s insight has done much to boost the town centre while we wait (and wait) for the much needed regeneration of the bus station area.
So, it was with great delight that I gave Nick Herbert, a tour of the fruit and veg market on Wednesday. Topics we discussed with shoppers and shop owners ranged from the importance of locally grown produce, to preferences for brown versus white eggs, to the increasing cost of weekly shopping. With wages flat and prices increasing, budgets are being squeezed for many of the shoppers in the market.
From The Doorstep
Posted by Richard | Filed under Bedford & Kempston
In the first week of talking with voters on the doorstep in Bedford and Kempston here are some of the reactions and issues that stuck in my mind. First and foremost, people want change. Bedford and Kempston have not been well served by Labour these past 13 years, and people here know that the government of Mr Brown has had its day. They want change.
People are worried about the recession – no surprises there – but interestingly, people are very curious to know more details of what a Labour or Conservative government will actually do – to promote growth, to nurture the recovery, to protect jobs and key services. People understand that there are savings that can be made in our public services – and people want those savings to be made. They trust the Conservatives to do it and they want to know the details.
Join Me – Save The Civic Theatre
Posted by Richard | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Culture
I am all for cost-saving measures by the Council, but the proposal to convert the Civic Theatre in to a “one stop shop” for council services is daft. The Civic Theatre should remain in its role as a dignified part of our cultural community. Has the Mayor no sense of the value of amateur productions – of plays, of music, of other cultural events? With vast swathes of the town’s retailing locations vacant, is there no other building available? Why wreck the role of a key building when alternatives exist?
