Summer Activities with The Higgins

Over the school holidays our Audience Development Officer Laura Pottinger will be getting to know people by offering some creative activities in some of our newest housing developments at Wixams and Great Denham. If you live near either of those areas you would be most welcome to come along and join in!

For more information call 01234 718627 or email laura.pottinger@bedford.gov.uk

At Great Denham we will be in gazebos on the kick about area off Mercia Road and sessions are free with no need to book, just come along:

Morning sessions from 10am - 12 noon for younger children accompanied by an adult.

Thursday 2nd August - clay modelling Olympian figures to take home

Tuesday 14th August - using recycled materials to make junk bugs

Friday 31st August - make Medieval shields and heraldry


Afternoon sessions from 2pm - 4pm for 12+ who must bring an emergency contact number.

Look out for the Rave Bus - a mobile venue for youth activities!

Thursday 2nd August - Screen print a canvas bag (or bring your own light coloured T-shirt to print)

Tuesday 14th August - make 3D models from plaster and wire

Friday 31st August - Drama - re-enact the Great Siege of Bedford Castle with costumes and props

(some images from family sessions last year)

At Wixams we delivering family sessions alongside Community Development Officer Linda Whitfield of BPHA, so to book call her on 07545936347. There is a charge of £1 per child that will go towards materials for future activities when the new village hall opens. Until then we are on the green by Lakeview School.

Thursday 16th  August 1.30pm - 3.30pm - Pottery of the past, make Medieval tiles and Saxon pots

Thursday 30th  August 1.30pm - 3.30pm - The Story of The Great Siege with dressing up and drama



You may also see Laura this summer if you attend Southways Early Childhood Centre or Kingsbrook Children's Centre as she will be doing some more creative activities with families there.

Where or What Says 'Home' to You?

Every year events take place all over the country in June to mark Refugee Week and celebrate the cultural, social and economic contribution made by refugees to life in the UK.

Keen to support activities locally, we organised a pop-up museum in Harpur Square, Bedford as part of the launch event. Visitors were asked to bring an object that reminded them of home - however they chose to define home. We had some wonderful contributions and they sparked great conversations about home, heritage, family, exile and the objects you would grab if you had to leave your house in a hurry. What would you take to remind you of home?

Carmela Semeraro grew up in a 'Trullo' house just like this in Puglia in the South of Italy. I was struck how much more aware you became of the unusual shape of the building with its round rooms when looking at a model of it rather than a photograph. Lots of people commented on how the thick walls would keep you cool in summer and warm in the winter.

Local artist (and Borough Councillor) Kirsty Adams brought this very moving record of the people who live on her street. 'Howbury Street Permanent or Transient' is a printers tray filled with photographs on wooden blocks of her neighbours taken 14 years ago then revisited seven years later. She spoke movingly about how she is due to photograph everyone again but doesn't feel able to do so as several of the families have lost loved ones in the last seven years.

Always good for a literary link, Sally Heard from Bedford Central Library brought along Paddington. Not only does he remind her of her own childhood and that of her children, he was also an appropriate guest for Refugee Week given that he arrived alone from 'deepest, darkest Peru' and found refuge with the Brown family.

The highlight of the launch event was a song from a choir of children from Livingstone Lower School. For further details of these and other events during Refugee Week see www.refugeeweekbedford.org  

Reigning and Raining

Flag bunting

Despite having to call off a couple of outdoor events, we have had a very jolly time this month marking the Jubilee with local groups.

Of all the many metres of bunting we have made, this string produced by adults who attend the Bedford Centre is one of my favourites.

We made rather superior crowns at St Paul's Church 'square party' and had a great response from local people when we supported the BIG Picnic in Jubilee Park.

Who could say no to a church warden who looks like this!

Two special awards go to the Queen's Park Neighbourhood Centre team for services to the Jubilee, one for the genius throne they made for their party, for babies to have a go at reigning with crown and sceptre and the other for the most beautiful piece of hand painted bunting I have seen all year (and I have seen a lot!). 

Half Term with The Higgins

Half Term with The Higgins - Four Days of Fun!

Sunday 2nd June - Big Victorian Jubilee Picnic

Wednesday 6th June - The Great Siege of Bedford Castle - Wootton Village Hall
Thursday 7th June - The Great Siege of Bedford Castle - Great Denham kickabout area
Friday 8th June - The Great Siege of Bedford Castle - Wixams Village Hall

Sunday 2nd June - Big Victorian Jubilee Picnic - The Queen's Diamond Jubilee - with a twist! 

We are celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee on the lawn beside The Higgins, on Sunday 3rd June between 11am and 4pm, in Victorian style! There will be flag and bunting-making and traditional toys and games to play, so bring a picnic and doff a jaunty hat or bonnet, for a pleasant and rewarding celebration.

Wednesday 6th June - The Great Siege of Bedford Castle - Wootton Village Hall 

Friday 8th June - The Great Siege of Bedford Castle - WixamsVillage Hall 

Thursday 7th June - The Great Siege of Bedford Castle - Great Denham kickabout area

Re-enact the Great Siege of Bedford Castle using props and costumes - a story of greed, kidnap and medieval mayhem! Help us tell the tale of the wicked baron, the rats in the dungeon and the terror of the king's revenge!

Sessions 10am - 12pm       Cost £1      For ages 9 - 16   

Booking essential

Contact Laura Pottinger  laura.pottinger@bedford.gov.uk 01234 718627

For more information contact: The Higgins - 01234 718618  

e: thehiggins@bedford.gov.uk

w: www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk

The World Around Us

26th April – 31st May at the Tourist Information Centre, St Paul’s Square, Bedford

We have been working in partnership with Carers in Bedfordshire to create artworks inspired by the work of Edward Bawden. The work produced during their six-week course will be on display at Bedford Tourist Information Centre. If you are a Family Carer and would like to join please contact sally.petre@carersinbeds.org.uk



Visit http://www.carersinbeds.co.uk/ for more information

What – The Higgins…?

Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum is being rebranded ‘The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum, Bedford’ or, ‘The Higgins’ for short!

We have been involving various groups of people within our re-development project and are very keen to gather teachers’ opinions about our future education provision. With this in mind, we are organising a Teachers’ Advisory Group to help us reformulate our approach to learning, using the new art gallery and museum displays.

This group will meet once a term from summer term 2012, during which time participants will be introduced to the redevelopment project and the new themes across the art gallery and museum displays. Members of the group will be asked to contribute to developing new education sessions for schools and help us review and devise ways that we can extend our schools’ learning provision.

Art Gallery & Museum staff education workshop

Teachers Help The Higgins

You and teaching peers have told us about the value of seeing genuine artefacts when it comes to comprehending, appreciating and being able to consider history, cultures and art critically. We want you, as teachers of humanities and arts, to inform us about your curriculum needs, so we can help to enhance your school’s cultural provision.

We can’t promise the earth, but this is the opportunity to work together, to push for what works for you and us, locally. The Higgins will be a significant Borough resource in the ownership of local people and a venue on your doorstep, that pupils can revisit as often as they like. This is the chance for you to have your say in the provision of learning opportunities within this exciting new development.

If you are interested in joining the advisory group, please contact Susannah Oliver on 01234 276351 or susannah.oliver@bedford.co.uk

The Higgins Museum & Art Gallery, Bedford

We are very pleased to be able to unveil our new name and brand, The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum, Bedford.The new name and brand for the former Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum brings a fresh new look and provides a glimpse of what is to come when we reopen in Spring 2013. They mark a new beginning for the art gallery and museum, illustrating the bringing together of the organisations and the buildings.


We love our new name and look but it does mean we're going to be making some changes.


Our main blog will be changing its address to http://www.thehigginsbedford.blogspot.co.uk/
Our News From The Stores blog will be moving to http://www.thehigginsbedfordcollections.blogspot.co.uk/
Our Out & About blog will be moving to http://www.thehigginsbedfordoutandabout.blogspot.co.uk/


We will be moving to these new addresses on the 20th April 2012.