Services A-Z
Find out more about the results of the 2023 Local Elections for Leighton-Linslade.
Community Groups and Projects
Timebanking
Timebanking operates on the principle that for every hour a person contributes they receive the equivalent in time credits. So for every hour you ‘deposit’ in a timebank, by giving practical help or support to another member, you can ‘withdraw’ an hour of support for yourself. Find out more about timebanking in Leighton-Linslade.
Leighton Buzzard Shop Watch
This group has been created as a means of allowing independent Leighton Buzzard shop owners to share information, intelligence and discuss ongoing concerns regarding burglaries, shop lifting and anti social behaviour, in the hope that as a community we can help each other in preventing and solving these ongoing crimes.
This is a closed group for security reasons, please feel free to invite and add other local shop owners and employees of Leighton Buzzard.
This group is not affiliated with the Police or Council, it is just a way for us independent owners to keep informed and to share information.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/223898491420330
Homewatch
Homewatch, also known as Neighbourhood Watch, is a community-led initiative supported by the police. It aims to reduce the opportunity for crime and improve community safety by the reporting of suspicious incidents to the police and to each other. Research has shown that areas where Neighbourhood Watch is operating are less likely to be targeted by burglars. The Town Council supports the operation of Homewatch within the town.
If you are interested in getting involved please contact: homewatch@leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk or find out more: https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/.
Keep the Buzz in Leighton Buzzard
Leighton Buzzard is an example of a Town which has successfully mobilised itself for pollinators, building on prior conservation work, in 2012 South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth set up the campaign ‘Keep the Buzz in Leighton Buzzard’.
With support from Leighton-Linslade Town Council, Leighton-Linslade in Bloom and the Greensand Trust they had the knowledge, tools and funds that were needed to transform 8 sites across the town. They did this with the help of local residents, retailers, local businesses and schools.
Street Watch
Street Watch is about local residents promoting a better neighbourhood by patrolling their own streets. They provide visible reassurance and appropriately engage in local issues that matter most of your community.
The Street Watch scheme is fully supported by Bedfordshire Police. It shows how local people are actively committed to making a positive difference in their community.
Full training is given to volunteers joining the scheme. Contact us if you are interested in joining the volunteer group.
Leighton & Linslade Speedwatch
Community Speed Watch is a scheme to help people reduce traffic speeding through their neighbourhood and enables volunteers to work within the parish to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding and to help control the problem locally. The scheme seeks to promote safer driving in our local communities by educating rather than prosecuting individuals.
Data collected by Community Speed Watch groups will be passed to Bedfordshire Police who may undertake speed checks and result in drivers being prosecuted. The Town Council has supported the scheme through the purchase of speed check equipment. Contact us if you are interested in joining the volunteer group. Full training is given.
Leighton-Linslade P3
The P3 group comprises local volunteers with an interest in green spaces, footpaths, walking and conservation. The group meets during the day once a quarter and also organises periodic guided walks and footpath surveys.
P3 is a national initiative and is supported by Central Bedfordshire Council. Read more about P3 volunteers .
Defibrillators
Leighton-Linslade Town Council, Leighton-Linslade First Responders, the Rotary Club of Leighton-Linslade, LB First, Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Community Heartbeat Trust, have been worked together to raise funds to provide these lifesaving pieces of equipment to the area. As part of the project funding was also received from the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation and Albert Inwards of Leighton Buzzard.
Five units have been purchased and installed across the town in the following locations…
- The Library
- The Multi-story car park
- The Post Office
- Mentmore Pavilion
- Astral Park
If you become aware of a possible cardiac arrest, dial 999 as usual. The ambulance service has details of all public-access defibrillators in the vicinity of an incident and can give you a code to access the device.
Defibrillators include step by step instructions but you can also find out more in this short film from St John Ambulance
The Friends of Leighton-Linslade in Bloom
The Friends of Leighton- Linslade in Bloom is a group of volunteers whose aim to improve the town’s floral and green environment for the benefit of residents, businesses, and visitors by developing and maintaining community gardens in Pages Park and Linslade Recreation Ground as well as the area around North Street roundabout. The group works in partnership with Leighton-Linslade Town Council and takes part in the annual RHS Anglia in Bloom campaign which has recently resulted in the town’s four consecutive annual Gold Awards.
The Friends organise two competitions with primary schools and young persons’ groups as well as working with local businesses. They also raise funds for a chosen charity each year by producing a calendar and organise two annual plant stalls.
Equipment and knowledge can be made available to participants in the group if required and being an expert gardener is not essential. In addition, volunteering opportunities within the group are not restricted to gardening (e.g. organising local competitions or the annual charity), although being in the fresh air and taking gentle exercise within a friendly group is positive both mentally and physically.
Find out more about the group’s great work and the work to establish the community gardens.
Volunteering Opportunities
Please Note: The below volunteering opportunities are not organised by the Town Council. You will find links to external pages on each listing (where available). To enquire about these opportunities, please use the details provided.
If you would like your volunteering opportunity to be featured, please contact us.
Watch Schemes
Bedfordshire Police Are looking for Volunteers to join their Street Watch and Speed Watch schemes in Leighton Buzzard.
You can find out more about both schemes in the Community Projects section above or by contacting Bedfordshire Police: watchschemes@beds.police.uk / www.bedfordshire.police.uk/watchschemes
Leighton Linslade Scouts
Scouting is a great way to get involved in your community, get to know people, learn new skills and have fun.
We currently have 6 groups locally, catering for young people from age 6 upwards with Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, as well as Explorer Scouts and Network.
We are always keen to hear from people looking to volunteer and our flexibility means we can find a role that suits your skills and availability – whether it’s helping to run weekly meetings, leadership, getting involved in outdoor activities or a variety of management and support roles.
If you only have a few hours to spare we’d still love to hear from you! There’s lots of things needed to keep a Scout Group going so we always have an odd job list where you could help and we could use your skills. Some are easy such as painting or gardening, some need more specialist skills.
If you’d like to get involved or find out more, please contact us by emailing dc.leightonlinsladescouts@gmail.com
Leighton Buzzard Voluntary Patient Transport
Leighton Buzzard Voluntary Patient Transport (LBVPT) provides transport to local hospitals for the elderly and vulnerable who can’t get to them without assistance and who don’t qualify for NHS help.
LBVPT is operated by volunteers and provides a safe, inexpensive and reliable means of transport to our local hospitals for those in need to attend a clinic appointment. We go to our local hospitals and not to dentist, optician or doctors appointments.
We need volunteers to help us to make this community scheme a success, can you help please? We are looking for call handlers and drivers. Volunteer with us.
Spectrum Community Arts
Who are Spectrum Community Arts…?
Spectrum provides performing arts workshops for people with disabilities and additional needs! This September is the perfect time to join our classes and WE NEED YOU!
What does being a Spectrum Volunteer involve…?
As a volunteer, you will attend one or more sessions a week, bring a positive and enthusiastic attitude and aid our participants in taking part! No previous experience is required, just a positive attitude and you can come for a taster session with no commitment!
As a volunteer you receive…
– A full induction and training!
– Half-termly bitesize training sessions in anything from sign language to sensory performance!
– Access to safeguarding and autism awareness training
To find out more and volunteer, email volunteer@spectrumca.co.uk
Tibbs Dementia Foundation
Tibbs Dementia Foundation is an award-winning Bedfordshire-based charity providing activity and support groups for people living with dementia (and their family carers) across Bedford Borough and Central Beds. Our mission is to help people to live well with dementia and ensure they have access to stimulating social activities. We currently offer two activity groups in Leighton-Linslade, a weekly Cognitive Stimulation Therapy group and a new fortnightly walking group. We will also be shortly rolling out a fortnightly activity group.
We are searching for volunteers to work at the new activity and walking groups. You will be setting up and clearing away, making teas/coffees for our attendees, and helping to run the activities. At the walking group, you will be accompanying the attendees on a gentle stroll, finishing with more chat and refreshments at a pub. The time commitment required will be in the region of one-and-a-half to two hours for each group.
We are looking for friendly, compassionate, and sociable people who are keen to muck in with whatever is required, and happy to chat with our service-users. No experience of dementia is necessary, although this would be helpful. The volunteer must be reliable and able to attend regular sessions. They must also be happy to undergo a DBS check if needed (criminal record check).
If this sounds like you, please email louise.evans@tibbsdementia.co.uk. We are a very friendly and welcoming bunch and would love to hear from you!