Latest news with #Kempston
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Bedford area with four drive-through cafes could see more added
Three drive-through cafes could be built opposite the site earmarked for Universal Studios and next to a retail park with four existing drive-throughs.A planning application has been submitted to develop agricultural land next to the A421 in Kempston, south of Turnstone Estates also wants to add six commercial buildings, which would be divided into "flexible use units" for small and medium-sized 5.29 hectare site borders the Interchange Retail Park that currently hosts several stores and Burger King, Costa, KFC and McDonalds. The proposed Universal Studios theme park would sit on the other side of the A421 at Kempston Hardwick, and hopes to attract up to 55,000 visitors per day at peak planning application includes a suggestion to link up the theme park's lake area with the Interchange Retail Park for cyclists and pedestrians. Turnstone Estates said the project - entitled Interchange South - was in a "strategic location"."Within five minutes is the proposed Universal Studios UK location, placing it at the heart of one of the most significant regional investments in a generation."It offers a rare opportunity for a range of businesses to locate in an established retail and employment location and next to a future global visitor destination," it said. The property developer said its site was allocated for development in the Bedford Local Plan also plans to include rooftop solar panels to generate electricity and 140 cycle spaces and 273 car parking spaces."This proposal aims to bring forward a viable and deliverable scheme on land that has remained underutilised, thereby contributing positively to the local economy," it added. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
14-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
'If I'm frustrated by my Bedfordshire school, farm calms me down'
Pupils and staff at a special educational needs school said having a small farm full of animals on its site helped them feel cheerful, happy, calm and pigs, goats, chickens and a pony share the grounds of Grange Academy, in Kempston, Bedfordshire, with its 150 students, and it is hosting a fundraising open day on Saturday. Kayden, 13, said: "If I feel angry or frustrated, I can just come here, really be in the moment and calm down."Headteacher Rachel Timms said the farm, which started more than two years ago with just a few chickens, was "vital" and helped pupils with general life and communication skills, and future career prospects. Sienna, 14, said it was a "perfect school for people who need help and people with disabilities".She helped clean the animals and was looking to gain an animal care qualification, which is offered at the school."I feel safe, it feels good to be around them, they're so calm, it's like learning something new every day," she told the BBC. "Whenever I'm stressed, they just come over and help me, especially when I'm sad." Twelve-year-old Kai said: "If you're angry, you can come here and feel happy again."He wanted to put the skills he had learnt to good use and work on a farm. He loved the goats, as well as Nutmeg the pony. "She's fluffy and soft, she's kind and not scared around people," he added. Bradly 15, said: "We can see the animals, stroke them, give them baths and change their bedding."It's quite exciting, sometimes you don't know what to expect when you're with the pigs and the other animal." Kayden said: "I like it when you can chill with them, you can just stroke them and it makes you feel happy. "Animals really help a lot of people in a lot of different ways, they're just so peaceful and kind."He said being with the animals will show any future employer he is "conscientious and a hard-working person"."I like having a farm at our school - if I feel angry or frustrated, I can just come here and be in the moment and calm down," he added. Ms Timms said the farm was created after pupils talked about wanting animals and staff thought it would teach the children good skills and "make them feel calm". "It opens doors to all sorts of careers, they can learn how to look after a chicken, how to groom a dog," she added. "The skills are vital for their careers, but also for general life skills. The communication skills, the life skills, the empathy, being able to make decisions - If you've got an animal that needs help, you've got to be able to make a quick decision and use lots of knowledge." Ms Timms said the animal facts the pupils knew "astounds me", and added: "They can tell you all about chicken breeds, how to spot if they're unwell and how to spot if a sheep has got flystrike. She hoped the open day, on from 10:00 BST to 14:00, would be a chance for pupils to show off their skills but also fundraise for new equipment and a shed for the sheep. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Mental health day for Kempston Send pupils 'incredible'
Mental health workshops and activities for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) have been "incredible", a head teacher said. BBC Three Counties Radio's Headfest event was held in Kempston, Bedfordshire, at the Rivertree Free School, which opened in February. Children got a chance to plant cress with Mr Bloom, from CBeebies, see animals at a mobile farm, make art, play sports and take part in musical movement sessions. Head teacher Clare Breare said the event had given her pupils many "rich experiences" they would not normally be able to access. Ms Breare said being able to host the event was "unthinkable" and her pupils had called it "party day" . "To have the names and the activities that have been offered- it's inexplicable," she added."Our children wouldn't necessarily go out on trips to see Mr Bloom and they wouldn't necessarily spend much time at the farm with their families, so to have it in a safe place, with safe adults, and know they're going to access something that's just incredible for their wellbeing, I cannot tell you how excited I am." Children from Grange Academy also took part. Lily played football and basketball and said the day had made her feel "happy". Cody, 11, said he liked visiting a new school and said it made him feel happy as he had made new friends. Samuel, 12, made some art and said it was "good to see the animals". Mr Bloom, from CBeebies, held a number of gardening workshops. He said gardening can help your mental healt,h and children tell him that it makes them feel calm, happy, positive, good and relaxed. "Nature is absolutely fantastic, we depend on it, and it gives us everything we need," he said. "It just makes us feel good, if we take care of nature, nature will take care of you." Catherine Assink, the chief executive and executive principal of Bedford Inclusive Learning and Training Trust, which runs the school, said the "ethos of mental health and wellbeing" was in everything it does. She said the day was amazing and added: "What an opportunity [we've had] to share with our local community our schools, and having other main stream schools coming in to share the day and to celebrate mental health and what we can do to belong as a community and to raise the profile of our Send pupils." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Sainsbury's makes big change in stores and it means shoppers can swerve checkout queues
SAINSBURY'S is making a big change in stores meaning shoppers can swerve checkout queues. One of the UK's biggest supermarkets is shaking up the way customers can pay via SmartShop. 1 SmartShop allows customers to scan products as they go through stores via a physical handset or app on their phone. Users can currently pay for their shop via the app at the end, or at the checkouts if they have a physical handset. However, Sainsbury's has now launched a trial in two stores in Richmond, London, and Kempston, Bedfordshire, of new handsets that let shoppers pay by tapping their card on the devices. Once payments have gone through they can print a receipt at a physical bay or ask for them to be emailed. The devices then have to be returned to SmartShop ports when they leave the store. Darren Sinclair, director of future stores and customer experience at Sainsbury's, said the trial was launched as its own research found lots of shoppers preferred using a physical handset to save their phone battery. Mr Sinclair told The Grocer: "I think about this as trying to reduce friction, improve payment and simplify the shopping journey, as well as the future potential space." He added that more customers using SmartShop benefited Sainsbury's as it allowed the supermarket to track shoppers' habits. "From a heatmapping perspective we can see how people shop. "We don't see the physical customer, just see the heat, so we can see which ends are looked at, which screens are looked at and the flow around the store." Shopping discounts - How to make savings and find the best bargains ALL CHANGE AT SAINSBURY'S The new trial from Sainsbury's comes after The Sun exclusively revealed the supermarket has brought in new till security measures. Shoppers who fail to scan items at self-checkouts will be prompted by VAR-style replays. If an item is bagged without being swiped through, a message will now appear saying: "Looks like that last item didn't scan. "Please check you scanned it correctly before continuing." The move comes amid a surge in shoplifting incidents, with police logging 516,971 incidents last year - up from 429,873 in 2023. Sainsbury's is also in the process of major store upheaval, as it shuts down in-store cafes and other counters. The Sun exclusively revealed last month the 61 cafes' final day of trading was April 11. Meanwhile, patisserie, hot food and pizza counters at its larger shops will be culled "by early summer", Sainsbury's said in its latest financial results. The most popular items sold from these counters will be moved to aisles in stores. The retailer also said, from autumn, new "On the Go" hubs offering hot food will be rolled out across stores. Sainsbury's is also set to cut 3,000 staff at its head office, with 20% of senior management roles being slashed. The retailer announced the plans in January, as its chief executive Simon Roberts said it was facing a "challenging cost environment. His comments came despite strong trading in the 2024/25 financial year. Retailer underlying profit was up 7.2% to £1.03billion, with strong Sainsbury's sales offsetting lower profits at Argos. Full list of 61 Sainsbury's cafes that have closed Fosse Park Pontypridd Rustington Scarborough Penzance Denton Wrexham Longwater Ely Pontllanfraith Emersons Green Nantwich Pinhoe Road Pepper Hill - Northfleet Marshall Lake Rhyl Lincoln Bridgemead Larkfield Whitchurch Bargates Sedlescombe Road Barnstaple Dewsbury Kings Lynn Hardwick Truro Warren Heath Godalming Hereford Chichester Bognor Regis Newport Talbot Heath Rugby Cannock Leek Winterstoke Road Hazel Grove Morecambe Darlington Monks Cross Marsh Mills Springfield Durham Bamber Bridge Weedon Road Hempstead Valley Hedge End Bury St Edmunds Thanet Westwood Cross Stanway Castle Point Isle of Wight Keighley Swadlincote Leicester North Wakefield Marsh Way Torquay Waterlooville Macclesfield Harrogate Cheadle
