Firefighters join Diversity event

pic captions:
(1 and 2) Diversity event attracts 1,600 people
(3) Polish dancers and family at the Queen's Park event

A record number of people turned out for the Spring “Celebrating Diversity” Event held at Queen's Park Bedford on Saturday 27th March.

Bedfordshire's New Migration Partnership and Bedford Borough's Queen's Park Neighbourhood Centre teamed up with a host of other partners to deliver a fun-packed afternoon of family entertainment, performances, and foods from across the world. A total of 1,638 people attended.

Performances on the day included: World Poetry, African Drumming, Asian Dance, Polish Song and Dance, Italian Performers and Street Dance. World Foods, for tasting on the day included: Asian, Italian, Eastern European, African, English and Vegan and raw foods.

There was opportunity during the event for new migrants to talk about, and record, their experiences of settling in Bedfordshire, both through a video booth and an art competition.

The event also provided migrant families with an opportunity to access information, support and advice from a range organisations such as the Fire and Rescue Service who gave home fire safety advice

Feedback from the event will help those organisation to improve services for new migrants and local communities.

BLFRS Community Safety Officer Derek Hobbs said: “It was a really great event and good chance for us to talk to people about how we can help keep them safe. We have funding for a group of BLFRS volunteers dedicated to working with the Polish community so those links with people on the day were especially helpful.”