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.
The weather was a bit damp but the day was almost bright! Once again there was an impressive display of remembrancers at the War Memorial on Sunday and we were pleased to join in this ceremony.
It is always nice that Shefford Bowls Club holds its annual ‘Finals’ Weekend event during the Community Festival – this year it was on the weekend of the 23rd and 24th September – members had been competing all year in numerous Club competitions which cumulated in 4 sessions to establish the trophy winners.
Many spectators were treated to some great competitive bowling, in largely warm and sunny weather, along with free Coffee and Cake – plus being able to watch the stand out performances from Chris Hogan and Kay Evans with 3 Winners and 1 Finalist each.
We understand that the club is actively seeking new members to join in with this game of skill and strategy – plus to enjoy the social life which has been at the centre of the Shefford community for many years. Contact the Secretary at Shefford Bowls Club on 07708640396 or email: [email protected].
Each year Shefford enjoys a double act of Garage Sale Trail plus Scarecrow Festival over the same weekend as part of the Community Festival – and each year Lesley Whiteman ( who organises the Garage Sale Trail alongside Country Properties ) collects the stall fees and donates them to the Christmas Lights committee as a contribution to keep December cheerful!
So this is what Lesley had to say about this year’s event:-
“A massive thank you to all who supported the Shefford Garage Sale Trail – everyone who was on the trail sheet (and a few late entrants) contributed £5, which amounted to a fabulous £190 and I had the pleasure of presenting this to the incredibly hardworking Laura from the Shefford Christmas Lights committee.
This brings the total that our Shefford Garage Sale Trail has raised over the past 6 years to £1200, and every penny has been donated to the Shefford Christmas Lights, which are created and managed entirely by volunteers, and are guaranteed to put a smile on your face and stop any bah humbug feelings in their tracks!
I know they’re currently saving hard for a new container to store all of the lights that were updated last year, so if you have anything to spare, I know they’d be grateful. ” Here’s a link to their ‘Go Fund Me’ page https://gofund.me/d4a237b2
This was a very successful evening where we demonstrated our routines from last season, played majorette themed team building games and they all got a chance to learn some skills using a baton. This evening resulted in 8 completing the session and 6 new starters signing up and joining the troupe, with varying mixtures of ages and abilities, we are very excited to have them on board. Now we are starting to build their skills up and after half term begin compiling the routines ahead of our display season which begins from May next year through to August.
For the fourth year, Shefford held its annual scarecrow festival last month and once again produced some fantastic creative displays, giving enormous fun and enjoyment to the community and its visitors as well as those creating the scarecrows
Started in 2020 as a nice safe way to get people out during covid-19, the Shefford Scarecrow Festival has always been timed to coincide with the Community Festival.
Numbers of scarecrows entered centre around 20 and are spread out across the town – enabling people to gain fresh air and exercise while hunting them.
This event is supported by country properties in Shefford who produce the trail maps and form the base for the voting system where trail goers have the opportunity to vote for their favourite.
What a brilliant Scarecrow Festival again this year – I think the pictures speak for themselves :
