A new lacemaking display, celebrating the 45th anniversary of local lacemaking group Aragon Lacemakers is opening on Tuesday 4 April at The Higgins Bedford.

Visitors can discover a variety of lace items made by members of Aragon Lacemakers including bracelets, gloves and coloured lace pictures. The local group are working to keep lacemaking alive through sharing their skills and holding events to showcase this important local heritage craft.

Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has said he was "gobsmacked" after the Minister for Environment, Rebecca Pow, described attempts from local campaigners in Coniston and Staveley to protect lakes and rivers from sewage as "irrelevant".

On the floor of the House of Commons this afternoon, Tim challenged the Government as to why they had turned down so many applications for bathing water status.

Today Bedford Borough Council are flying the Bangladeshi Flag at Borough Hall to celebrate the Independence Day of Bangladesh.

Wishing all those observing this holy month a healthy and blessed Ramadan.

To celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, Bedford Borough Council are supporting residents and community groups who would like to host street parties to mark this event.

The Coronation is taking place on Saturday 6 May 2023, and there will be a weekend of celebrations, including the Big Lunch on Sunday 7 May and the Big Help Out on Monday 8 May.

Don't forget the clocks go forward at 1am tomorrow (Sunday 26th) morning to 2am.

The Fire and Rescue Service also recommend this is also a good day to check your smoke alarms too.

Funding from S106 pots has been made available to increase the frequency of bus routes for Shortstown and Stewartby. The 68 service will be increasing its frequency during peak hours. The 9 service will be increasing its frequency and extending its service. These enhancements are planned to start from mid-April this year.

An MP's long-running campaign to bring radiotherapy treatment to the South Lakes has been given a boost after it received backing from a leading cancer clinician.

Professor Pat Price, an oncologist at Imperial College London and chair of the charity Radiotherapy UK, described plans to set up a satellite radiotherapy unit at Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital as "vitally important for cancer patients".

Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has challenged Ofsted to change how they inspect schools, urging them to remove a "culture of inquisition and blame".

This week, Tim met with Ofsted's Regional Director for the North West, Andrew Cook, to discuss the challenges facing schools and how the regulator can better support schools, teachers, children and parents.

[The following is an English translation of an article in Chinese FT by the author.]

The UK local councillor elections in England are scheduled for May 4. For me, who has been writing about British politics and diplomacy, this had been off my radar. But recently I started to catch up on my homework about the local community, and it took me less than three weeks to join the Liberal Democrats, the third largest party in England, and become the party's councillor candidate for Portishead South.