The REC House and Garden

A language class

Some of the REC members

Artists in discussion

The German Language class

REC students

Artist at work

Batik making

The dining area

Award-winning Cook!

Student group in discussion

Artwork 1

Artwork 2

Artwork 3

Artwork 5

The REC house

The garden in winter

New Centre Manager Starts

Caroline Bacon was appointed Centre Manager in January 2010.  Caroline was a former curator of the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery. Caroline has over the years taught courses on many aspects of the arts at the REC and will continue to do this alongside her Centre Manager role.
Caroline will be assisted and advised by a Board of Directors composed of distinguished figures from the local community and a management committee composed of REC members.
Prior to moving to Bedford in 1992, Caroline worked in the Indian Department of the Victoria and Albert Museum and in the Costume Department of the BBC. She has written and published a number of books and articles on art.

An Introduction to the Centre

The Retirement Education Centre is a Registered Charity dedicated to providing educational, social and recreational opportunities for anyone 50 and over and not in full-time employment. The Centre offers a diverse range of courses and activities and many social events such as organised visits to places of interest and holidays, and an array of opportunities to indulge in, such as the Pudding Club, and others to keep you fit, such as Rambling. Our experienced tutors provide high quality, stimulating courses over a range of subjects. All members are made to feel very welcome with a coffee morning for all new (and existing) students at the beginning of each term, giving an opportunity to meet friends and make new ones. All students participating in weekly daytime courses are required to become members at a cost of £33 per year. Saturday courses are available for anyone over the age of 18.

The award-winning restaurant run by Kingsley Catering provides delicious, nutritious and freshly prepared hot and cold meals and snacks at lunchtimes, at a very reasonable price, with a three-course meal available for under £12.

We are open on Thursday mornings throughout the summer holidays to enjoy lunch, coffee or to participate in a number of informal classes such as Art, Discussion Group or Scrabble.

Another record-breaking year

In September each year we set our member-counter to zero and hope that very many students will sign up for our classes. Before we became independent in 1997, we averaged around 500 students annually. In our first year of going it alone, we exceeded 700 and each year since then has seen an increase in our membership. Last year, in April 2008, we got very excited because, for the first time, we reached the magic 1,000. This year we did it again – and Paul Graham was the lucky winner of the free membership, worth £32. However we achieved this number much earlier in the year, giving us a final total of over 1060. Some of these students come to the REC for just one course, some join lots, some enjoy our outings, holidays and trips, others ramble, many do all of these.  It is our aim to offer as wide a range of courses as is feasible in our accommodation, thus creating new interests for our members as well as expanding and building on their existing knowledge . If you enjoy the company of like minded people, making new friendships and want to keep your brain active, do join us. We are open on Thursday mornings right through the summer, and all are welcome to drop in, enjoy a cup of coffee or lunch, and participate in any of the informal classes that take place then.

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MEMBERSHIP

Membership is currently £33 per annum.
Course fees are around £39 - £73 per term - see Courses.  You must be a Member to enrol.
Saturday classes are open to anyone, £16 for members and £20 for non members with one or two exceptions – see Courses.

The 200 Club

Members are always encouraged to join our '200 Club', a simple lottery in which half the sums contributed are returned as prizes in the monthly draws. For £12 per year you can have a flutter whilst helping the REC. Forms are available in the Reception Office.

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OPENING TIMES

Summer Break for 2009 is between 16 July and 10 September.  During this time the centre will only be open on Thursdays when catering facilities will be available.  There are Events and Courses over the Summer Holiday – see News and Events.

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TERM DATES 2009 / 2011

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How to Find Us

Local Map
The following link can be used to connect to maps to show the location of the REC.

REC on Multimap: click here
Use the 'zoom' facility [ + or - ] to locate the Centre.

Use their 'directions' facilities to help plan your journey.
If you need further help, call our reception on 01234 302203.

An alternative map of the area can be found if you click here

Parking

Tutors are able to park in the drive.
There are a few disabled parking bays in front of the centre.
Other parking bays are available in the vicinity but you need to obtain a ticket from the meter! £1.30 for 2 hours; £3.00 for 3 hours and £6.50 for 4 hours.

If you do not mind a walk then free parking is available outside the Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) please visit the Bedford Borough Council Web site at http://www.bedford.gov.uk/transport_and_streets/parking/controlled_parking_zones.aspx  

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FACILITIES

Lecture rooms are situated on both the ground and the first floor of the building.
There is a stair lift so the first floor of the Centre is accessible to all.
Toilet facilities are available on the ground floor including a disabled toilet.
Sound enhancement facilities have been installed recently to assist the hard of hearing. 

Catering

On the ground floor there is a spacious coffee lounge.  Morning and afternoon teas are provided as well as extremely good lunches from the Centre’s improved kitchen facilities.
Fiona Bucknall runs Kingsley Catering at the REC, and provides the award winning meals, for a sample menu click here.

The facilities may be hired at the weekend for special events and Fiona is happy to meet your catering needs. For her contact details click here.

Library

Information to be provided later.

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SPONSORSHIP & BEQUESTS

The R.E.C. has charitable status and is completely dependent on membership, enrolment fees, fund-raising activities and private sponsorship to fund itself.  Many friends of the Centre generously choose to donate money during their lifetime and/or in their Will. For further details of how you might contribute or bequest to the Centre please contact reception.

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Management Structure

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is responsible for strategic planning, sound governance, financial management, monitoring and scrutiny of the activities of the organisation. The Board is responsible for all decisions regarding the running of the organisation, with authority to delegate decision-making to Sub-Committees where appropriate.

Management Committee

The Management Committee has 14 Members - its Terms of Reference were reviewed in 2004/2005 and it is responsible for the maintenance of the Centre's property including buildings furniture and grounds, ensuring there are arrangements in place for health, safety and security and maintaining contact with Members through meetings with Class Representatives and the Annual Meeting.

The Management Committee has several sub-committees:

The Development & Property Sub-Committee is responsible for identifying the maintenance requirements, potential improvement of the premises and costs involved subject to Board approval. Also to oversee any works authorised to be carried out.

The Strategic Fund Raising Group is responsible for determining the requirements for fund raising and how this should be achieved and maintaining a database of sponsors and developing relationships with them.

The Audit Committee is responsible for monitoring reports of Internal & External Auditors and reviewing and monitoring the Centre's risk management arrangements.

The Social sub-committee

The Social Sub-Committee is responsible for arranging social events for members of the Centre throughout the year as well as ensuring the main annual fund raising events for the charity (the Summer and Christmas Fayres and the Celebration of Christmas) are successful, including the manning of stalls and other needs on the days, by volunteers from the Centre.

The Pastoral Group

The Publicity Sub-committee promotes the Centre internally to increase Member awareness of the facilities and functions, and externally to raise our public profile and attract new members.

The Management Committee comprises Members of the Centre, and the sub-committees comprise members of the Management Committee.

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HISTORY

In 1959 Angela Hector, local JP and college lecturer, researched the needs of the elderly in the town and concluded that there was a need for a specialist centre to provide educational facilities and opportunities for individuals to contribute the skills and experiences gained over a life time.  In 1977, with 164 students and eight courses, the REC started in the first floor of 6 Rothsay Gardens.The ground floor was being used as a student hostel for Bedford College.
Though funding from the college had been promised, this was withdrawn forty-eight hours before the grand opening by the Mayor of Bedford. With no money for equipment or furniture, a lot of scrounging produced  a most generous response from Cranfield University and Charles Wells Ltd and the premises were made habitable. By the end of the year there were 360 students and £9 in the bank.

Links with Bedford College were formalised, these were later withdrawn however for financial reasons and the County Council stepped in assuming responsibility for the upkeep of the building and a few hours of paid tutor time. Unfortunately the County Council was itself taken over by a financial crisis and in 1997 all funding was withdrawn.
The students rallied and after a few vociferous meetings, it was decided to try to `go it alone’, becoming a registered charity and offering a new and wider range of courses. The County Council most generously allowed us to retain the building at a peppercorn rent.

 Anthea Samain was appointed as Centre Manager in 1997 and retired in December 2009 after twelve and half years.  During her time as Centre Manager, Anthea was assisted and advised by a Board of Directors composed of distinguished figures from the local community and a management committee composed of REC members. During Anthea’s time the centre has flourished; we now have over 1000 members and there is certainly more than £9 in the bank. In 2003 it was decided that the social area needed enlarging, disabled facilities were essential and the accommodation upstairs should be rationalised. This required £100,000 and by dint of heroic efforts on the part of members  and the great generosity of many local individuals and national and local trusts and grant making bodies, the money was raised well within a year and the works completed.
Anthea’s replacement Caroline Bacon was appointed in January 2010 and started as the new Centre Manager on January 4th. 

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