Bedford Group

09/10/2026

This International E-Waste Day, Electronic Recycling Australia, part of Bedford, is opening the doors to our Ottoway Recycling Hub, and you’re invited!

Join us on Wednesday 14 October for a behind-the-scenes tour and discover how responsible e-waste recycling helps protect the environment, the benefits of refurbished technology and secure data destruction, and how our work creates meaningful employment opportunities for people with disability.

You can also bring along your e-waste for responsible recycling and enjoy an exclusive in-store discount on the day!

📅 Wednesday 14 October
📍 Electronic Recycling Australia, Ottoway

🎟️ Places are limited, so don’t miss out!

👉 Book your tour: https://f.mtr.cool/40j4ed2esw

23/09/2026

🎣A fishing trip to Donovan's River brought plenty of excitement for Rylan last week, as he reeled in his first-ever fish.

Despite having been fishing before, Rylan had never caught a fish. With Bedford Group Mount Gambier staff and peers by his side, he was excited to cast a line and see what the day might bring.

The results were worth the wait. Rylan caught his very first fish, a mullet, and then went on to catch two more, making it three fish for the day! 🐟🐟🐟

Rylan was incredibly proud of his achievement, sharing:

"I am proud of myself for catching my first ever fish. This has made me very happy."

Moments like these are worth celebrating. Congratulations to Rylan on catching his first-ever fish and making it a catch of three for the day! 👏

15/09/2026

Last week, Bedford Group clients took part in an interactive Cyber Safety Session delivered by Life Education South Australia Healthy Harold and Bedford Mount Gambier Learning and Experiences.

The session explored practical ways to stay safe online, including:
🔑 Creating strong passwords
📧 Spotting scam emails
🚨 Recognising fake pop-ups and prize scams
💬 Staying safe when meeting people online
👤 Knowing what to do if contacted by someone we don’t know
🔒 Understanding what information is safe to share and what should stay private

It was a practical and engaging session with plenty of discussion, interaction, and opportunities to build confidence in staying safe online.

Harold the Giraffe even made an appearance! 🦒
Many of us remember meeting Harold during school visits when we were younger, so it was wonderful to see him still proving popular with an adult audience!

Cyber scams are constantly evolving, with scammers using social media, emails, text messages, phone calls, dating platforms and fake websites to target people. That’s why knowing the red flags and knowing what to do when something doesn’t feel right is so important: 🛑 Stop 🔎 Check 🙋 Ask for help

A huge thank you to Life Education South Australia for delivering such an informative, practical, and engaging session, and to everyone who got involved and gave the activities a go. 👏

This valuable learning opportunity was delivered by Bedford Mount Gambier Learning and Experiences, in partnership with Life Education South Australia, with support from One Forty One and the City of Mount Gambier .

14/09/2026

Bounce Back Mattress Recycling has reached a major milestone, recycling its 100,000th mattress! ♻️

Since 2021, Bounce Back has diverted 100,000 mattresses from landfill, recovering valuable materials and giving them a second life.

The impact doesn’t stop there. The recycling process has created 17,000 hours of meaningful employment for people living with disability. 💚

It’s recycling with purpose: recovering valuable resources, reducing waste and creating meaningful work.

100,000 mattresses. 100,000 opportunities.
And we’re just getting started.

Read the full story and discover the impact behind the milestone. 🔗https://bit.ly/4rf0i7A

10/09/2026

We’re excited to see the impact of Electronic Recycling Australia's Unplug & Drop program across Bunnings stores in South Australia. 🔌

Electronic Recycling Australia is part of Bedford Group , creating meaninful employment opportunities for people with disability while delivering positive environmental outcomes.

The Bunnings Warehouse Australia 2026 Community & Sustainability Report highlights that 1,000 tonnes of e-waste was recycled through Bunnings stores in 2026.

In South Australia, ERA manages the Unplug & Drop program across 10 Bunnings stores, helping make it easier for customers to recycle their e-waste responsibly.

♻️That’s 1,000 tonnes of valuable materials diverted from landfill and given a second life, while the work behind the program helps create meaningful employment opportunities for people with disability.

Do you have e-waste to recycle?

📍Drop it off at your nearest Bunnings store at Adelaide Airport, Modbury, Munno Para West, Noarlunga, Parafield, Prospect, Reynella, Windsor Gardens or Woodville or visit ERA between 8am-3pm Monday - Friday (except public holidays).

Learn more about Bunnings 2026 Community & Sustainability Report 🔗https://bit.ly/4igeU41

01/09/2026

The Drakes Supermarkets Charity Showbags are back and now available to purchase at your local store.

The Bedford team is proud to play a part in bringing these much-loved showbags to South Australians.

Every bag purchased helps support local charities and the people and communities they serve, including Bedford Group. 💙

Available from Wednesday 2 September at all SA Drakes stores, while stocks last.

31/08/2026

Today, Meridia launched its Strategic Plan 2026-2030.

The plan outlines a clear direction for the years ahead across our Group of social service organisations: The Disability Trust, Ermha, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services, Bedford Group and Embarc Employment - reinforcing our shared commitment to supporting people, families and communities.

Read Meridia’s post below and don’t miss the link to listen to the Get Real podcast. Hear from our Board Chair, Dr Peter Langkamp, and Board member, Carol Heijo, as they share valuable insights informed by their lived experience.

We are proud to launch Meridia's Strategic Plan 2026-2030.

Built through extensive consultation with our workforce, people with lived and living experience, participants, advocates and stakeholders, the strategy sets out our vision for a better-connected social services ecosystem where people remain connected to opportunity, community and purpose at every stage of life.

Guided by three priorities, Strengthen What Works, Build a Sustainable and Diverse Future, and Integrate, Enable and Innovate, the plan provides a clear roadmap for growing our impact while continuing to deliver high-quality, person-centred services.

Together, our service brands, including The Disability Trust, Bedford Group, Ermha, OC Connections, Marriott Support Services and Embarc Employment, will continue working together to create meaningful outcomes for the people and communities we support.

To coincide with the launch, we have also released a special episode of the GET REAL Podcast, featuring Meridia Board Chair Dr Peter Langkamp OAM and Deputy Chair Carol Heijo, who discuss the strategy, the future of the social services sector, and how Meridia is building a more connected approach to support.

Read the strategy: https://meridia.au/news/a-strategy-for-a-better-connected-future/

Listen to the podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/922639/episodes/19567211

Together, we connect what matters.

25/08/2026

What started as a love of soccer has taken Toby to leadership roles, national recognition and even international opportunities.

Recently recognised with a Soccer Achievement Award at the Special Olympics South Australia Special Olympics South Australia Awards Night, Toby has balanced his role as valued member of the Bedford Group Team at Panorama with an incredible sporting journey.

From captaining state soccer teams and coaching basketball, to launching T N T Inclusive Podcast and representing South Australia, Toby continues to inspire others through his passion for inclusive sport.

Next stop? The Special Olympics Australia in Melbourne this October.

We’ll be proudly cheering Toby and eight other Bedford employees on every step of the way.

Read Toby's story to learn more about his journey, what motivates him and the advice he has for anyone thinking about trying something new. 🔗https://bit.ly/4zAXCEL

19/08/2026

Bedford Group’s SALA Festival exhibition, Out of the Bloom is coming to a close, so if you’ve had your eye on a piece, now’s the time to make it yours!

Join us for the Closing Night Celebration this Friday, 21 August, and enjoy a final night of incredible art, music, drinks, nibbles, awards and a market stall.

🎉Out of the Bloom Closing Night Celebration
📅 Friday, 21 August
⏰ 5–9pm
📍 The Exchange, 55 Exchange Place, Adelaide
🎟️ FREE event | All welcome | Please register to attend: https://bit.ly/46baEeI

Can’t make it on Friday? Explore the exhibition online and purchase artwork in your own time, with all proceeds from artwork sales going directly to the artist. (link in comments)

12/08/2026

📸 Making connections at the Wulanda Disability Connecting Expo in Mount Gambier.

Yesterday, Bedford Group attended the Emergency Services R O A R at the Wulanda Disability Connecting Expo. This was a great way for us to connect with the community, meet new people and talk about Bedford Learning and Experiences.

Our photo booth was a popular stop, with photos captured by Bedford photography clients, Jono and Cooper. Their creativity helped bring the space to life and gave visitors a fun way to get involved and take home a special moment from the day.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by for a chat (and a photo). It was a fantastic day of connection, conversation, and community. 👏