Not Everything Sucks CIC

🌈 Pride Window Competition Reminder! 🌈

Just a reminder that entries for the Pride Window Competition are ideally submitted by 27th August. However, if you need a little extra time, entries will also be accepted up until 28th August.

This is to give me time create a poster of ‘Pride Shop Trail’ and for the panel to decide on the winner in good time before the festival on 5th September.

We can’t wait to see all your colourful, creative and fabulous Pride displays! 🏳️‍🌈✨

not everything sucks 💛

Nature Together - Wellbeing Walk with Rachel Hegarty

Join Rachel Hegerty for a relaxing, early autumnal walk along the Kempston stretch of the River Great Ouse, getting away from the daily grind and spending time by the Riverbank with nature and your fellow walkers.    

The event is part of Nature Together in Kempston with Bedford Creative Arts - a summer programme of creative workshops and events developing connection with nature in the area, and this gentle 40-minute walk will lead to a special riverside Art Trail at Kempston Mill, where you will be able to picnic and enjoy the art created by Kempston communities.

https://www.ticketsource.com/bedford-creative-arts/nature-together-wellbeing-walk/p-gjjkdb

not everything sucks 💛



Spaces are limited to 20 with max 3 tickets per booking
The walk starts promptly at 11.35am
Suitable for ages 14+
The walk will take place over uneven ground
No toilets are available along the route
Please bring a bottle of water and a picnic
Please note that this walk is not circular and walkers will need to find their way back to the start either following the same route back or travelling through Kempston. Directions will be given.

An honour to be part of the wonderful community at .performingarts

Come along and interact with our draw yourself community board. You can draw directly with whiteboard pens or on paper with our permanent markers, to stick them on with Glue dots!

Bedford Dopamine Diary is also here. Write or draw what has brought you joy at the festival!

Here today and tomorrow 🔆

Thank you to Elise and the team x

not everything sucks 💛

🌈 Calling all Bedford businesses! 🌈

Let’s fill Bedford with colour, community and Pride! 💛

To celebrate Bedford’s first-ever Pride, we’re inviting businesses across the town to take part in our Pride Window Competition.

✨ Decorate your shop window to show your Pride.
📅 Display your window from 27th August - 6th September 2026.
📸 Share a photo on social media and tag Not Everything Sucks CIC, or email us your entry.
🏳️‍🌈 A judging panel, including a representative from Rainbow Bedfordshire, will choose the winners.
🏆 The Top 3 will be announced at the Bedford Pride Festival on 5th September 2026 and across our social media, with the overall winner receiving a certificate.

Whether your display is creative, colourful or heartfelt, we’d love to see Bedford come together to celebrate inclusion, diversity and community.

Any business in Bedford can take part!

🏳️‍🌈 Let’s make Bedford’s very first Pride one to remember 🏳️‍⚧️



T&C’s 🔆

Any business in Bedford with a shop front window can participate. Please refrain from paying a service for someone else to do the window - keeping it in-house. We want to bring joy to the town and involve businesses in participating in the festival. Promoting footfall of the individual shops is a shared goal. We want to keep this even between businesses and not cost them. The judging panel will not have a person who is involved with a shop window (this includes one of the organisers, Rachel, who will not be judging). The top three will be announced at the festival, on NES social media and contacted directly.
June is National Pride Month. However, most Pride festivals aren't in June. For example, Brighton Pride is in August. Bedford is having its first Pride on the 5th of September, from 1-8pm at Harpur Square. The day will involve live music, workshops and market stalls.
We would love for businesses to be involved in local community events, as they are more relevant and meaningful. Most importantly, have fun!! It makes a difference to our town when people feel seen and see your pride. 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

August Wellbeing Walk!🌻

Come on your own, we are a friendly bunch 💐

Bring your friend, family and dog too

If it gets to 30 degrees on Monday (July), I might push the walk back by an hour 7:15pm . This just allows it to be safe for everyone In this heat ☀️

You will have Annalie & Dominika ( team NES ) facilitating in August.

not everything sucks 💛

I know this might sound very silly… however I was reminded of this as someone sent it to me! Childhood joy that catches you in your tracks, in the more mundane boring adult tasks.

A reminder to us all to keep in touch with our inner child joy, that’s still within us even when we feel temporarily down.

To smile and wave! Not everything sucks 💛

Note taking at meetings doesn’t have to suck 🌻

Yesterday the team had a meeting to discuss all things NES. While I wasn’t writing or chatting I was doodling 🎨

not everything sucks 💛