St Michael and All Angels Church, Bedford Park

The 46th Bedford Park Festival June 16-July 1 2012

Alice Arnold at home in her garden with her dog The Festival was opened on Green Days weekend by Radio 4's Alice Arnold (right), who was hailed as an anti-litter heroine by the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph. She explained how it happened in the Guardian (photograph by David Levene).

Festival reports and pictures: chiswickw4.com
Photo Gallery 2012

See the winners of this year's Win a Meal competition,  the BPF Shorts film competition and other Festival contests.

Festival MassThe 2012 Bedford Park Festival started with Green Days weekend on Saturday June 16th and Sunday 17th. It ended on Sunday July 1st, with the Festival Mass (right) and Bedford Park Open Gardens.

Read this year's programme here
Download this year's Festival leaflet

How to buy tickets for Festival events

How to help or take part in the Festival


This year's St Michael's charities are: the Upper Room, which supports the needy in west London, Hamlin Fistula UK, which provides medical help for women in Ethiopia; and CEDARS, a youth charity in Chiswick. The Festival will also raise money for St Michaels' new Organ and Parish Rooms Appeal.

Diamond Jubilee theme for this year's Festival

Jubilee fancy dress 2002There’s to be a special Diamond Jubilee theme at this year’s Festival. It starts at the Green Days fete, on Saturday June 16th, with the children’s fancy dress competition. Ten years ago, at the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002, there were some spectacular Jubilee costumes (right), with winners dressed as kings, queens and a street party. This year’s Festival is a week later than usual because of the Diamond Jubilee weekend at the start of June. This will also be celebrated by St Michael & All Angels, with a special service on Sunday June 3rd , followed by a Big Jubilee Lunch in the open air, outside the Parish Hall.

Watch here for updates and see Festival leaflets for full information in late May 2012.
Follow events on Twitter @StMichaelsW4.
Further information from Torin Douglas at torindouglas@aol.com

Marmalade-making Competition: Green Days weekend 2012

Vivien Lloyd at St Michael'sThe Bedford Park Festival kicked off five months early when almost 50 marmalade-makers came to Vivien Lloyd's January Masterclass at St Michael & All Angels, organised by Marmalade jewellery in Turnham Green Terrace, with support from Simon Griffiths of Whisk Cookshop in Devonshire Road. Vivien gave tips on competition-winning marmalade, and her new book sold out (though more copies will soon be on sale at Marmalade and Whisk Cook Shop). The evening raised £500 for the Festival good causes, through sales of tickets and Vivien's marmalade. You can read Vivien's blog, with pictures by David Beresford, here.

You can now pick up an entry form for this year's Green Days marmalade-making competition, including a voucher for free Seville oranges from Andreas Georghiou in Turnham Green Terrace and a discount voucher for equipment from Whisk. Entries close in May and the competition will be judged on the Saturday of Green Days weekend, on June 16th.

See photographs by David Beresford here.

The 46th Bedford Park Festival June 16-July 1 2012

How to help and take part

1          Marmalade-making competition: entries close on Sunday May 25th. It's organised by Marmalade Jewellery, 23 Turnham Green Terrace, and the winner is chosen by champion preserve-maker Vivien Lloyd on Saturday June 8th at the cake stall. Top prize is a gift voucher, each entry raises money for the Festival charities. See shop or Festival website for details

2          Bake-off competition: Design a novelty cake or make a scrumptious sponge for the chance to become Green Days Baker of the Year. See website or Whisk Cooking, 1A Devonshire Road for details

3          There's a new Inter-Schools category – Chiswick Life - in the Photographic Competition. Prizes from GL Assessment and Snappy Snaps, which has a half-price enlargement offer. Entries by 4pm, Saturday June 1st. See website and noticeboards

4          Calling all young film-makers! Jack and Finn from JacksGap will help judge the Festival's annual film competition for 11-18s – BPF Shorts. See http://www.bpfshorts.co.uk/ or Festival website for details and prizes.

5          Singers wanted for the Festival Mass on Sunday June 23rd. The rehearsals are on Tuesdays 9-10pm, starting May 14th. All welcome. Contact Jon Dods in church or at: jondods@yahoo.com 

6          Children wanted on Green Days… for Fancy Dress Contest: Theme Children’s Book Characters (June 8th); Bedford Park’s Got Talent (June 9th) - see website or contact b.halford@sky.com; and 5-a-side football (both days) - four competitions for children aged from under-18 to 13. Enquiries to Chris Gaseltine: chrisgaseltine@btconnect.com

7          The Festival is supporting a new charity this year: The Mulberry Centre, a drop-in centre in Isleworth for anyone affected by a diagnosis of cancer. Profits will be shared with the Upper Room, which provides help for the needy in west London; Hamlin Fistula which helps women with medical problems in Ethiopia; and St Michael & All Angels, itself a registered charity, for its Organ and Parish Rooms Appeal

8          There are new sponsorship and other commercial opportunities on Green Days and at Festival events. Details from Torin Douglas or on website here:
http://bedfordpark.users60.webfusion-preview.co.uk/p/26/commercial-opportunities. And we need more publicity help for the web, posters, press and/or social media. Contact torindouglas@aol.com or 07860 422992

9          The High Roller Tombola needs new items for prizes including tickets for theatres, concerts, sports events; Weekends at hotels or sport clubs; and unwanted new gifts - Wine and spirits; smart toiletries; wallets, purses, photo frames, scarves; toys, books, CDs DVD's. And people to help on the day. Contact: Georgina Wright  gmvwright@btinternet.com

10        Gardeners: Would you like to open your garden? Or grow and donate some plants for the Plant Stall on Green Days Saturday? Please contact Carol Douglas 020 8994 3572 or caroldouglas111@aol.com.

11        The International Foods Stall would like food contributions and helpers on the Saturday of Green Days (8th). Please contact Karen Foster on 8995 3285 or karenfoster43@yahoo.com.

12        The Toy stall: Good quality toys wanted for Green Days stall. Please contact Barbara Marchant - barbm13@btinternet.com.

13        The Crepe Stall needs volunteers to man the stall on both Green Days.  Please contact Andrew Pears: andrew@kotuku.org

14        The Cake Stall and The Refreshments Tent need cakes of all kinds – sponge cakes, brownies, flapjacks, fairy cakes etc.
Cake Stall: Please contact Jane Denton (Cake Stall) on 020 8994 0829 or janedenton@virginmedia.com or 020 8994 0829. Please take cakes to the stall on Saturday June 8th or drop them off at church on Friday 7th.
Refreshments Tent: Please contact Sarah Main on sarah.main@rocketmail.com or 020 8994 4943. Sarah also needs volunteers to help man the stall in 2 hour slots on both Green Days.

15        The Book Stall: Books!  Books!  Books! All the books you can donate are welcome.  Please contact Philip or Helen Wareham on  warehamw4@hotmail.com or 020 7280 9282

16        The Bric-a-Brac Stall wants ornaments, pictures, jewellery, crockery etc. Clear out your store-cupboards and attics! You can leave items in church or the Parish Office or contact Sarah Radcliffe: sarah@theradcliffes.com

17        Knitters. Blankets are wanted for our charity Hamlin Fistula UK, which helps women with medical problems in Ethiopia. Read about this year's three charities, and download the knitting pattern here: http://smaaa.org.uk/get_involved/charity.html

18        Win a Meal. Which favourite local restaurants would you like to see donating meals for our Win a Meal competition? Contact Jenny de Montfort at jdemontfort@btinternet.com, or invite them to get in touch. Helpers wanted too!