If you’re a programmer or looking to learn then you might interested in joining the Wixams Coding Club! The club started in February 2023 (with limited numbers to make things more manageable) and so far we have been learning some of the basic concepts and techniques using the BBC micro:bit computer. The micro:bit is a fantastic little device which is designed to help people learn and is packed with some amazing features like a digital compass, LED display which can display messages, light sensors, buttons, an accelerometer, a speaker, Bluetooth communications and more.

The club meets fortnightly on Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 pm and for each session we build a new project to try out the micro:bit’s capabilities and to learn programming as we go along. It’s a fun way to learn, even for experienced programmers who want to try out something new!

We recently bought a kit which is based on Lego Technic and we’ve been exploring the projects and expending the functionality, it’s a lot of fun! We’re now on Github and you can see the sorts of things we’re up to on there: github.com/WixamsCodingClub

Minimum Age

When we started the club in February we had a mixture of age groups including children as young as 7. The kids seemed to thoroughly enjoy using the micro:bit but parents found that Thursday evenings was too late for them, especially for those that attend the after-school football club too. We also found that they need a lot longer to learn than the adults and unfortunately this meant they got a bit left behind. We have therefore decided to set a minimum age of 13 to join the club, for now at least.

Schools today are teaching programming with the micro:bit already so we feel that it’s best left to them to cover a formal syllabus so the kids have the best opportunity to learn. However we don’t want to exclude young kids completely and we may run a dedicated summer coding club in the school holidays next year if we have enough volunteers available.

Safeguarding

All under-18s need to be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times when they’re at the club. We’re currently working out a new safeguarding policy and eventually we hope to allow teens to come unsupervised with a completed parental consent form.

How to Join

If you would like to join the club or find out more information, please complete the form below, include any experience you have with programming. If this is for your child please let us know their name and age in the comments box too. We’ll let you know when the next session is on and what you need to bring along. The Wixams Coding Club is open to people from outside Wixams and it is completely free to attend, we receive funding from other sources to run the club.

If you’ve never heard of Yarn Bombing you’re in good company, we hadn’t either. But after a suggestion and a donation from Barratt/David Wilson Homes to set up a group in Wixams we agreed it would be a great way to bring people together to do something crafty, fun and a great way to decorate our town!

In March 2022 after a request in our Facebook group we had over 20 people volunteer to join! The group met in early April and over a 6 week period they worked together to create a wonderful show for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. They created a central display with lots of bunting, paperchains, trellises with lots of flowers and creatures, and even a little Queen with her corgi sat on a throne!! 👸🐕 They also created a separate display for the outside of the Willow Grove marketing suite on Southern Cross, with grey (platinum) and purple wool. We think it adds a touch of class and is a great way to honour the Queen’s 70 years as our monarch.

The group created 384 links for the paperchains, 185 bunting flags, 137 flowers, 11 ’70’ crown rings, 5 flower rings and 21 tree swizzlers. Impressive work!!

Remembrance Project

After the huge success of the Jubilee project the group have decided to create a display for this year’s Remembrance Day. This will include lots of crocheted or knitted poppies and the group would also like to raise money for the Poppy Appeal.

If you’d like to take part in this project please use the form at the bottom of the page to find out how you can get involved.

Get Involved

If you’ve never knitted or crocheted before that’s no problem, it’s easy to learn and the group has lots of people who can help you to learn at your own pace. The group is very positive and supportive of all members, and it’s a great way to meet people in the community. Any contribution is welcomed, no matter how small.

Please fill in your details below if you’d like to join the group or find out more:

A new Facebook has been created, please feel free to join to stay up to date with the group’s activities: Wixams Yarn Bombers

Welcome to the Wixams & Wilstead Photography Club. We are an online community on Facebook for everyone in our two communities who love photography. Join us if you would like to share your images captured in and around our delightful villages. Other members of the community who join the group can then enjoy different views of our area including its lakes, birds, sunsets, flowers, gardens…there is so much on offer that looks great through the lens!

Anyone can join, no matter the ability. We welcome photos taken with your phone, a digital or a professional camera. Please also feel free to join if you simply enjoy looking at great photos from the Wixams & Wilstead communities.

Please click the link below to join:

www.facebook.com/groups/wixamsphotographyclub

As part of our ongoing efforts to bring the community together, we run the Wixams Walkers group, part of the national Wellbeing Walks scheme. The group is aimed at all ages and abilities and simply gives an opportunity for residents to get some exercise, meet people and to explore parts of Wixams they might not yet have seen.

Wixams Walkers meets each Saturday at 11, in front of Seasons Garden Centre on Bedford Road. After each walk, all are invited into Seasons for a cuppa. There’s no need to register or join, we’re very casual and we welcome new walkers even if you can only attend from time to time.

Routes

There are currently 6 main routes in and around Wixams which are all around 2 miles /3 km and take 45 minutes to an hour:

• B&M and WRV (2.3 miles / 3.7 km) – Up to the roundabout near B&M then back down and around the lakes near the Wixams Retirement Village.
• Three Lakes and a Pond (1.9 miles / 3.0 km) – A route around the pond and lakes within Lakeview village (village 1).
• Southern Trail (2.1 miles / 3.4 km) – Follows the walkway around the south side of Willow Grove (village 2).
• Duck End Lane (2.3 miles / 3.6 km) – To the end of Duck End Lane in Wilstead where there are lovely landscapes.
• Willow Grove (1.6 miles / 2.6 km) – Up Southern Cross to the play park in Willow Grove for a great view across to Harrowden Green (village 4) and around Harlequin Crescent.
• Town Park (2.4 miles / 3.8 km) – Along Green Lane to the new park, along the greenway to B&M and back along Fisherswood Road.

Difficulty

We normally split into two groups, a fast group and a slower group. For some of the routes the fast group goes a little further. If you’re a beginner or just trying to get back into shape please do come along, we don’t leave anyone behind.

Stay in Touch

You can stay up to date with our plans on our Facebook page or you can get in touch using the Contact page (select Wixams Community Group).

Other Walking Groups

You can find out about other Wellbeing Walks in the area from the below walk programmes:

• Bedford Borough Wellbeing Walks
• Central Bedfordshire Wellbeing Walks