Mayor of Bedford Borough Dave Hodgson this morning visited Royal Mail's Bedford Delivery Office to pass on Christmas wishes and thanks to postmen and women at their busiest time of year.
Bedford Town Centre's big Christmas Fair is underway, and continues through the weekend until Sunday 14th December. The fair offers visitors the chance to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a traditional Christmas with stalls throughout the heart of the Town Centre selling an array of seasonal gifts, foods and treats. Throughout the fair's three days there will also be an array of madcap seasonal street entertainment, music and shows that are filled with fun characters.
Mayor Dave's latest montly column for the Bedford Times and Citizen newspaper has a festive theme, including the events taking place around the Borough in the run-up to Christmas, Dave's visit to thank the postal workers for their efforts at this time of year and a few words on support for good causes at a time at which we think of those in need. Here's the full text of the piece:
Latest unemployment figures for Bedford Borough have revealed that the dramatic fall in the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is continuing. The figures show that a further 126 people came off JSA in November 2014, meaning the number of claimants has fallen by a massive 49% since the early part of last year. The proportion of claimants now stands at 2.2%, having fallen for nine consecutive months.
