Events of the day:

Pigeon Club at the STMA

2.30 Tai Chi “Over 50’s” class

6.30pm – 9.00pm – Adult Thai  Kick Boxing at the Community Hall.

7.15 pm Shefford Runners at the STMA

This year we can savor a relaxed – but messy! Sunday in our first weekend. We have a Messy Harvest Festival at the Baptist Church followed by a Community Lunch – then Tai Chi in the evening in the Community Hall.

Sunday 15

10.45 Messy Harvest Festival at Shefford Baptist Church,

12.30 Community Lunch at Shefford Baptist Church

6.30 Tai Chi at the Community Hall.

Things are starting to move on the festival program as new activities come in and our first weekend is looking busy:

Saturday 14 September 2024

9.00 – 1.00pm – Shefford Community Market.

9.00-1.00pm activities for children by Acorn Pre-School & The Mighty Oaks

The Shefford History Group meeting and display in St Michaels Church

11am -12pm Choral Workshop group singing – Barnwell Music at Baptist Church

12:30 to 1:30 Guitar Workshop introduction with Barnwell Music

2.00 -3.00 Piano/keyboard taster lessons at Barnwell Music.

So you can plan ahead – for more details see here…….. 

We are looking forward to the Festival in September and planning a repeat of last year’s Opening Ceremony at 5.00pm  in the High Street with the Mayor and Shefford Prince+Princess. Ceremonial opening, cutting of ribbon, speeches etc.

This to be followed with the Community Hall AGM at 7.30pm – come and see what the Community Hall has to offer to people of all ages with activities from kids Birthday Parties to Line Dancing, Taekwondo, Art group, Tai Chi etc. This low cost venue is managed by the voluntary members of the committee with a true community ethos. You could even find yourself joining them!

We are delighted that so many signature events are once again planned for the festival this year – plus new ones!

This includes the Garage Sale Trail, the Scarecrow Festival, EatFeat street food or Greenspace Conservation Group’s September work party plus the Shefford Majorettes and the Womens Institute meeting.

The Draft program can be seen here – which is useful to spot where and when you might like to run your own activity – do you need a gap when nobody else is running something – so maybe Wednesday or Thursday – or would you prefer a time when there is lots of activity – like Friday/Saturday and Sunday 20/21/22 ?

Do you need help in finding a venue – or maybe an event partner with matching needs – like an organiser looking for participants?

Of course it is useful too for when it comes to seeing what you would like to attend – do you want a Community Market or a Mind Body Spirit & Craft Fair, or maybe the Art Exhibition?

As we ramp up our efforts on this years festival – Sept 13 to 22nd – we would like to thank our sponsors  – who greatly aid us in facilitating the work.

The Community Festival this year is calling all organisers in Shefford to ask – can you organise an event or activity? Have you ever said “I’d like to do ……” but couldn’t find it in Shefford? How about using the Community Festival as a base to get started? Have you recently moved into the town and have a particular hobby/expertise that you would like to share?

Many signature events in Shefford have come from individuals or small groups in the town who thought “I’d like to do……..something” and then did it.

From my awareness, good examples include:- The Garage Sale Trail, Art Exhibition, The Scarecrow Festival, Craft Fairs at the STMA, STMA Family Day, Well Being Walks, Greenspace Conservation, Christmas Lights, the Plastic Free Shefford initiative.

Plus a variety of others including the History Group and all the health and exercise classes from Tai Chi to Line Dancing. Then there are some events that we have sadly lost– like Revs and Rhythms and the Guy Fawkes bonfire night that have each left a large gap to be filled.

Lesley Whiteman presents a cheque from the Garage Sale Trail to Laura Morris of the Shefford Christmas Lights committee.

To get you started – can you organise a coffee morning for your favourite charity? A car boot stall in your garden/driveway? – a chat group in your favourite café? – a market stall, a craft stall? – a free taster session? – an open day at your business? – a guided/history walk? – a pub or café quiz session? Do you have a passion for a way to improve your community?

Is there something you would like to do and just need a few like-minded friends to make it happen – maybe quilting, pottery painting, a men’s group or something to support the Christmas Lights group?

Joining in with The Shefford Community Festival is a great way to get something started!

Good luck and do be sure to contact me on 07860 218334 or [email protected] then when you have a plan please let me have the details by registering on our website at https://www.sheffordcommunityfestival.co.uk/registration/

We are delighted to support the Shefford Community Hall which is a friendly village hall serving the local community as a base for classes, social events and health activities, also including such functions as children’s birthday parties and our local MP surgery.

The Community Hall is located in the centre of town at the end of the High Street in Shefford, a town that has a history that goes back to the 13th century. The hall itself was built in the 19th Century and has kept the character of its original building, while the committee has continued to bring facilities forward to meet the present-day needs of our town.

It is an ideal venue for local residents offering a facility for classes, functions, parties, lunches and meetings and includes its own parking.

Presently the Community Hall hosts the following regular activities:

Shefford Womens Institute (WI) – every 3rd Tuesday of the month – 7.30pm – 9.30pm. Contact – [email protected].

Art Society – Tuesdays – 1.15pm – 3.15pm Contact – Kath Smith Tel: 01462 812265

Shefford and District Amateur Radio Club  – (SADAR)  Thursday evenings – 8pm – 9.30pm.  Contact

http://www.sadars.co.uk or stop by on Thursday evening at 7.30pm and introduce yourself.  Or see Amateur Radio at “http://www.rsgb.org.uk/”

Tai ChI  – Sundays – 18:30 – 20:00 – Beginners, 18:30 – 21:00 – Seniors also  Mondays -14:30 – 16:00 – Beginners. Gentle exercises each week focusing on balance and mobility. Contact mobile: 07860 218334  E-mail: [email protected]

Taekwondo –  Sunday Mornings – 10.00am – 12.00 noon. Contact  Jonathan Marshall – Mobile: 07596 542565

Line Dancing – Wednesdays – 6.30pm – 9.30pm  – Intermediates/Advanced.  Thursdays – 10.00am – 11.00am – Beginners/11.00am – 12.30pm – Improvers/Intermediates. Contact – Rosemarie on Tel: 01462 617052 or Mobile: 07711370932. Email: [email protected]

Thai  Kick Boxing – Monday evenings – 6.30pm – 9.00pm – Adults. Contact – Micky Marcantonio on Mobile: 07885249745 or Email: [email protected]

For booking enquiries please contact Elsa at [email protected]

Once again we were delighted to participate in the Christmas Tree Festival at St Michael and All Angels Church – it is always lovely to see the efforts of the various community-focused groups from children to businesses. There were some wonderful and innovative trees – our own effort was greatly facilitated again by the nice people at Three Kings Christmas Trees who kindly donated the tree. The judges kindly made comment about the photos of all the Community Festival events which we used to decorate the tree – signifying the end of 2023 and the beginning of planing for September 2024.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.