Bedfordshire festival honoured by the queen

Representatives from the Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama were honoured recently after receiving the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service at a special ceremony on 4^th September.

The award was presented by Helen Nellis, the Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire in front of the volunteers friends and family as well as the Festival’s sponsors. Not only are they the first event of its kind to receive such an award, but the Festival is starting celebrations for its 99^th year.

The Festival has supported performing arts throughout the county of Bedfordshire for years and annually stages a week-long event at the Corn Exchange Complex in Bedford which gives artists the chance to perform in public in front of professionals where they can receive feedback.

The award ceremony included performances from a number of previous Festival performers, Rebecca Woolley, Eva Berman, Aiden and Alex Cham and Jonathan Hosking. Speaking to reporters, Festival Chairman, Julia Smith, said: “This award is testimony to the hard work, dedication and commitment of all our volunteers without whom the festival simply would not be able to take place each year. We are extremely proud that we are the first festival ever to receive such an accolade.

“The festival is about to enter its 99^th year, so the award also recognises how the festival, one of the largest and longest-standing in the country. Thanks to the amazing input of their volunteers over the years has had the ability to evolve and change over time since its inception in 1921 and remains relevant to the needs of the Bedfordshire community today.

“We really hope that this award will help to raise awareness of this fantastic annual event in Bedfordshire’s cultural calendar, encouraging even more entries so that as we approach our centenary we achieve record numbers of participants taking part to begin our next 100 years.”