News

Latest updates and stories from Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce and its Members

Bedford business and local charity join forces to ramp up initiative for a greener future

The Forest of Marston Vale and Midas Pattern Company Ltd launch partnership to showcase zero-carbon business in action and plant trees in the local area

SHORTSTOWN AND COTTON END: Local Community Forest charity the Forest of Marston Vale has entered into a 5 year partnership with award-winning company Midas Pattern Company Ltd, planting 500 trees per year near Bedford and selling verified carbon units to cut the manufacturing company’s carbon footprint to absolute zero.

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Forest of Marston Vale blown away by support

As storm Ciara hit, the Forest of Marston Vale (Reg Charity No. 1069229) were out planting over 1500 trees with 200 local people, all committed to making a difference to the local area.

Read More

Give back to trees this Christmas

Christmas is a time for giving, so maybe consider giving something back to the environment is the message from local charity and Community Forest, the Forest of Marston Vale. The Charity has launched a Christmas fundraising appeal, Give Back to Trees this Christmas, asking people to help them plant more trees.

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Millennium Country Park wins 13th Consecutive Green Flag Award

The Millennium Country Park in the Forest of Marston Vale has been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as one of the very best in the world, for the 13th time in a row.

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Forest Shelter at Millennium Country Park receives £15k funding

The Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park in Marston Moretaine has received the vital funding it needs to build a Forest Shelter, for visiting schools and other groups, like brownies and cubs.

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Forest of Marston Vale joins The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy

The Forest Of Marston Vale is honoured to announce that they have been accredited as part of The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy project.

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£30K heist of Forestry Equipment from charity

In the early hours of Monday 13th May, the Barn at the Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park (Marston Moretaine) was broken into and goods over the value of £30k were stolen. The Centre is run by the Forest of Marston Vale, and such a huge loss is a devastating blow to the charity, who are planting trees and creating woodlands across the area. 

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High Sheriff Plants trees to mark opening of new woodland


The Forest of Marston Vale recently hosted the planting of 10 trees to celebrate and commemorate the year of public service given by the outgoing High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, Julian Polhill. Joining the celebration were Meryl Dolling, the High Sheriff in nomination and Nick Webb, Chief Executive of the Forest of Marston Vale Trust.

Read More

Go green for trees

Thursday 21st March is the United Nations’ International Day of Forests - the annual day to celebrate trees and all the wonderful benefits they give us. This year’s theme is Forests and Education, promoting the fact that you’re never too young to learn about trees and about how all of us need to protect our trees, woodlands and forests for future generations.

Read More

Community Gathers for Commemorative Tree-Planting Event

Neville Funeral Service, one of the regions longest established businesses, welcomed over 200 people to a rather special commemorative tree-planting event at the Forest of Marston Vale in Bedfordshire on 24th February.

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A new woodland for Wilstead & Wixams

The communities of Wixams and Wilstead had a fabulous day, on Sunday 10th February, helping to create a new woodland, with the Forest of Marston Vale charity. Despite the wet weather on the day, 350 people joined the Charity and its team of volunteers to plant 2500 trees on the site on Duck End Lane, Wilstead.

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Make time for trees

This coming Sunday, 10th February, the Forest of Marston Vale charity is holding its annual public tree planting event – creating a new community woodland in Wilstead.

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International Day of Forests – Wear it Green on 21st March

At the end of 2012, the United Nations declared March 21st every year to be the International Day of Forests in a bid to raise awareness of and celebrate the importance of our forests. Put simply, forests matter. 

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Corporate Tree Planting Days

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now.” Wise words in this old Chinese proverb, so why not organise a corporate tree planting day with local tree-planting charity, the Forest of Marston Vale.

Read More

Plant One On Us

Local charity and community forest, the Forest of Marston Vale is launching an exciting new programme to increase tree planting within the Forest.
Read More

Forest of Marston Vale Christmas Tree Festival

Since the early 1990s, the Forest of Marston Vale charity has been planting trees to transform the landscape and make the Marston Vale a thriving place to live, work and play. Having already planted over 1.5 million trees, the Charity has a bold vision to plant another 5 million to continue to improve the 61 square mile Forest area’s social, economic and environmental appeal.
Read More

The Millennium Country Park is in the Top 10 Parks in the UK for the 6th year

Record-breaking 73,349 votes decide the nation’s favourite parks and show how much people #LoveParks.

Read More

The Forest of Marston Vale calls out for votes to bag Tesco cash award

The Forest of Marston Vale is bidding to bag a massive cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.
Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 – all raised from the 5p bag levy – being awarded to local community projects.

Read More

Bedford business and local charity join forces to ramp up initiative for a greener future

The Forest of Marston Vale and Midas Pattern Company Ltd launch partnership to showcase zero-carbon business in action and plant trees in the local area

SHORTSTOWN AND COTTON END: Local Community Forest charity the Forest of Marston Vale has entered into a 5 year partnership with award-winning company Midas Pattern Company Ltd, planting 500 trees per year near Bedford and selling verified carbon units to cut the manufacturing company’s carbon footprint to absolute zero.

Read More

Forest of Marston Vale blown away by support

As storm Ciara hit, the Forest of Marston Vale (Reg Charity No. 1069229) were out planting over 1500 trees with 200 local people, all committed to making a difference to the local area.

Read More

Give back to trees this Christmas

Christmas is a time for giving, so maybe consider giving something back to the environment is the message from local charity and Community Forest, the Forest of Marston Vale. The Charity has launched a Christmas fundraising appeal, Give Back to Trees this Christmas, asking people to help them plant more trees.

Read More

Millennium Country Park wins 13th Consecutive Green Flag Award

The Millennium Country Park in the Forest of Marston Vale has been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as one of the very best in the world, for the 13th time in a row.

Read More

Forest Shelter at Millennium Country Park receives £15k funding

The Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park in Marston Moretaine has received the vital funding it needs to build a Forest Shelter, for visiting schools and other groups, like brownies and cubs.

Read More

Forest of Marston Vale joins The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy

The Forest Of Marston Vale is honoured to announce that they have been accredited as part of The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy project.

Read More

£30K heist of Forestry Equipment from charity

In the early hours of Monday 13th May, the Barn at the Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park (Marston Moretaine) was broken into and goods over the value of £30k were stolen. The Centre is run by the Forest of Marston Vale, and such a huge loss is a devastating blow to the charity, who are planting trees and creating woodlands across the area. 

Read More

High Sheriff Plants trees to mark opening of new woodland


The Forest of Marston Vale recently hosted the planting of 10 trees to celebrate and commemorate the year of public service given by the outgoing High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, Julian Polhill. Joining the celebration were Meryl Dolling, the High Sheriff in nomination and Nick Webb, Chief Executive of the Forest of Marston Vale Trust.

Read More

Go green for trees

Thursday 21st March is the United Nations’ International Day of Forests - the annual day to celebrate trees and all the wonderful benefits they give us. This year’s theme is Forests and Education, promoting the fact that you’re never too young to learn about trees and about how all of us need to protect our trees, woodlands and forests for future generations.

Read More

Community Gathers for Commemorative Tree-Planting Event

Neville Funeral Service, one of the regions longest established businesses, welcomed over 200 people to a rather special commemorative tree-planting event at the Forest of Marston Vale in Bedfordshire on 24th February.

Read More

Corporate Tree Planting Days

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now.” Wise words in this old Chinese proverb, so why not organise a corporate tree planting day with local tree-planting charity, the Forest of Marston Vale.

Read More

Plant One On Us

Local charity and community forest, the Forest of Marston Vale is launching an exciting new programme to increase tree planting within the Forest.
Read More

Forest of Marston Vale Christmas Tree Festival

Since the early 1990s, the Forest of Marston Vale charity has been planting trees to transform the landscape and make the Marston Vale a thriving place to live, work and play. Having already planted over 1.5 million trees, the Charity has a bold vision to plant another 5 million to continue to improve the 61 square mile Forest area’s social, economic and environmental appeal.
Read More

The Millennium Country Park is in the Top 10 Parks in the UK for the 6th year

Record-breaking 73,349 votes decide the nation’s favourite parks and show how much people #LoveParks.

Read More

The Forest of Marston Vale calls out for votes to bag Tesco cash award

The Forest of Marston Vale is bidding to bag a massive cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative.
Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 – all raised from the 5p bag levy – being awarded to local community projects.

Read More

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