The Love Bedford brand flew the flag for the county town at the annual Bedfordshire Police Cohesion Awards.

The Love Bedford banner on screens around the room reminded the audience at Luton that the county town has been a long-standing beacon of diversity through commerce and the community. The town has for decades been the “most multi-cultural” outside of London.

Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: “Bedfordshire is a vibrant, exciting and safe place to live, work and visit. In my view, in Bedfordshire we provide a great example of how the police and the community should work together.”

Christina Rowe, Director of BedfordBID through which businesses fund the Love Bedford marketing campaign, said: “We work with the police at the highest level to ensure that the needs of all of our town centre levy-payers are heard and we were delighted to fly the flag for Bedford at this splendid county-wide event.”

BedfordBID businesses sponsored the Unsung Heroes category of the award evening. It was won by the Rosebuds campaign which included flowers handed out to shoppers during Ramadam.  Aysha Bosher received the award on behalf the group.

Also raising the positive profile of the town at the awards was major BID levy-payer Bedford College which won the Education Ambassador award.