8 May 2026
Bedford Ian has been looking at recent goings on across Bedford Borough and tells us what he thinks of it all…
River ooze
As Bedford prepares for the Regatta this weekend, with crews once again taking to the River Great Ouse, it’s worth taking a moment to think about the people looking at what’s actually in the water.
Read: The River Great Ouse to welcome 1,800 rowers for 160th Bedford Regatta
Groups like BedsGOVET have been conducting regular testing and monitoring of pollution levels in Bedford Borough’s waterways, helping to shine a light on something that really should be causing far more outrage than it currently does.
The pollution in our river.
The same river people row on, walk beside, photograph, fish in and build events around. The same river woven through Bedford’s identity.
And yet, across the country, waterways continue to suffer from sewage discharges and pollution incidents while water companies pay executives huge salaries and ordinary people are left wondering why standards seem to keep slipping.
Yes, the Environment Agency has recently been given stronger powers to hold water companies to account. Good.
But powers only matter if there are enough people and enough resources to use them properly.
Read: Police called after activists attempt ‘citizen’s arrest’ of Anglian Water CEO
That’s been the frustration for years. Underfunded regulators are trying to oversee giant companies with teams of lawyers, consultants and PR departments.
Meanwhile, volunteer groups and campaigners are often left to do the monitoring work the public assumes someone else has already covered.
And perhaps the strangest part of all this is how normalised it’s become.
Read: Don’t Lose the Ouse
Imagine telling people 30 years ago that raw sewage in rivers would become a routine national story, and the public reaction would mostly amount to a tired shrug and moving on to the next thing.
It’s a national disgrace.
So while Bedford celebrates another Regatta weekend, perhaps we should also spare a thought for the people fighting to make sure the river at the heart of it is properly protected, and ask ourselves why we aren’t all a lot angrier about the state of our waterways.
Brilliant Bedfordians
It was wonderful to see the best of Bedford at the Quarry Theatre last night for the Bedford Independent Everyday Heroes Awards.
Read: Bedford’s Everyday Heroes celebrated during emotional awards night
Sitting amongst the gathered guests, it was an emotional evening as the finalists, all heroes, waited to hear whether they’d be announced as highly commended or a winner.
People talk Bedford down, but of all the places I’ve lived, it’s Bedford that truly fills me with hope when you look at those who quietly dedicate themselves to helping others, often without recognition, applause or reward.
From volunteers and carers to fundraisers, young people and community champions, the room was full of people proving that kindness, compassion and decency are still alive and well in Bedford Borough.
As many said on the night, in a world with so much uncertainty and division, it’s ordinary people who really do make this world, and Bedford, a better place to live.
Swing vote
Continuing with the awards, I also hear that Bedford and Kempston MP Mohammad Yasin (Labour) thoroughly enjoyed the music at the Everyday Heroes Awards after arriving fresh from an urgent East West Rail public meeting.
Apparently, the Bedford School Jazz Band had the MP tapping his feet throughout the evening.
“I don’t usually dance or listen to jazz,” he said, “but they were so good I wanted to get up and dance.”
And if truth be told, they had quite a few who felt the same. Nice work, boys.
Rubbish parking
I’m sure the motorists on Queen’s Drive appreciated this bin lorry trying to keep the road clear so it was easier to avoid the potholes, not sure the pedestrians did, though.
Bedford Borough Council Bin lorry parked on the pavement on Queen’s Drive, May 2026. Image: Bedford Independent.
See you soon, Bedford Ian.
PS: If you see anything Bedford Ian might find amusing, let us know at news@BedfordIndependent.co.uk.
