In News

This summer residents of Bedford are being encouraged to learn more about the town’s history and culture as part of a campaign which has seen it unofficially twinned with Keynsham in Somerset

The twinning is part of a national programme celebrating historic high streets being run by Historic England and creative artists, Katy Hawkins and Ellie Shipman. As part of the project, new free exploration cards and an illustrated map drawn by local children will be available to allow you to discover more about Bedford’s high street.

The Bedford High Street Explorations project is part of the High Street Heritage Action Zone and is being run in partnership with the HAZ Cultural Workgroup and Bedford Borough Council with Katy and Ellie connecting with residents to discover stories. Together they will discover stories and uses of Bedford High Street in order to make more visible some of the things that people like about it.

Ellen Harrison, Head of Creative Programmes and Campaigns at Historic England, told reporters: “High Street Explorations is a fabulous way for proud Bedford citizens to celebrate with their local history and learn something new about the familiar sights on their local high street. We hope that seeing the high street with fresh eyes will lead to exciting conversations about aspirations for its future.”

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