The Harpur Trust

29/10/2026

We're proud to support Q:alliance's Q:stage project, helping to create inclusive opportunities for LGBTQ+ young people to develop their creativity, confidence and individual voices through theatre. We believe everyone should have access to inclusive spaces where they feel safe, valued and able to be themselves.

Interested in applying for funding? Our next grant deadline is 23 November: www.harpurtrust.org.uk/grants

Hey! We're looking for q***r artists to run workshops for young people.

Introducing Q:stage, our newest youth project funded by

The goal of the project is to expose LGBTQ+ young people to as much theatre training and practice available created by q***r professionals. This will culminate in the summer with the development and performance of an original piece created by the young people. We want young people to develop their individual voices and use art as a form of activism.

Our workshops are held at the Place Theatre in Bedford Borough on Mondays 6:00 - 8:00 PM. Each month, one external artist will come in to teach. This is scheduled to be the last week of the given month but there is some flexibility if needed.
We're interested in workshops by q***r artists of all backgrounds and disciplines. In particular, artists who can provide a unique and specialist interest that complement our monthly themes including LGBTQ+ Theatre History, Scriptwriting, Drag/Cabaret, Improvisation, Monologues, Directing, Musical Theatre, Dance, etc. We want to work with artists who take bold and innovative approaches to q***r theatre and use theatre as a form of q***r activism. We intend for at least 50% of the workshops to be led by artists living within or originally from Bedfordshire.

Interested? Check out our application form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/71wVBfmzTi

27/10/2026

We are proud to continue supporting Bedford MS Therapy Centre through our impactful grants programme, which now supports people living with Parkinson’s and related rare neurological conditions.

Our next grant application deadline is 23rd November. To find out more visit www.harpurtrust.org.uk/grants

💙 A huge thank you to the Harpur Trust! 💙

We are incredibly grateful to the The Harpur Trust for believing in us and providing generous funding for another year, following two consecutive years of support including getting our Parkinson’s initiative off the ground.

Their continued commitment means so much to us and will make a real difference to our community.

The Harpur Trust has a long-standing commitment to improving lives and supporting the Bedford community through its charitable giving. We cannot thank them enough for their continued confidence in our work.



photo credit: https://unsplash.com/

26/10/2026

As part of our Impact Spotlight series, we're highlighting the many ways The Harpur Trust is helping communities across Bedford to thrive.
This week, we're shining a spotlight on our independent schools.

For more than 460 years, The Harpur Trust has been providing high-quality education, helping generations of young people to unlock their potential and embrace their moment to shine. Across all of our schools, pupils benefit from outstanding teaching, exceptional co-curricular opportunities and a supportive environment in which they can grow and succeed.

From sport, music, drama and leadership opportunities to innovative learning spaces, educational visits and inspiring partnerships, our schools provide experiences that help pupils build confidence, develop new skills and prepare for life beyond the classroom.

We're proud of the role our schools play in helping young people achieve their ambitions and flourish both during their education and long after they leave our school communities.

Find out more about our impact at harpurtrustimpact.org.uk/our-schools

23/10/2026

This video gives a glimpse of the brilliant Book Tastic festival, where primary school pupils from across Bedford Borough enjoyed interactive sessions, met some of their favourite authors and illustrators, and took home a free book to continue their reading journey.

As proud headline sponsors of the festival, we're delighted to support an initiative that helps make reading accessible, enjoyable and inspiring for all children. What makes Booktastic so special is seeing the excitement and confidence that comes from children discovering a story that sparks their imagination.

We very much look forward to helping bring this fantastic celebration of reading to local children again next year!

22/10/2026

Last week was World Food Day, and we're highlighting one of our grantees who truly embodies the spirit of the day.

Food etc - Bedford hosted their Good Food = Better Futures event, showcasing how food and hospitality can provide valuable pathways into training, employment and a brighter future for young people. Their work aligns closely with our mission to nurture potential and improve people's lives.

With a diverse range of speakers, including our Head of Grants and Commissioned Programmes, Vicky, the event sparked important conversations about creating opportunities for the next generation, and supporting disadvantaged people to eat healthier and more affordable food.

We're proud to support organisations like Food Etc through our grants programme and to help champion initiatives that make a lasting difference in our communities.

20/10/2026

As part of our Impact Spotlight series, we're showcasing the many ways The Harpur Trust is helping people across Bedford Borough to overcome barriers and access opportunities.

This week, we're highlighting our School Uniform Support and University Bursaries.

For many families, the rising cost of education can make important milestones, from starting secondary school to going to university, more challenging. Through targeted financial support, we're helping to ease those pressures and give children and young people the opportunity to move forward with confidence.

Whether it's helping a young person make a positive start at secondary school by contributing towards the cost of a school uniform, or supporting a student to pursue their ambitions at university with our bursaries, these initiatives are helping to remove financial barriers for local families.

To find out more about our impact visit harpurtrustimpact.org.uk/school-uniform-support-and-university-bursaries

20/10/2026

A great opportunity for charities and non-profit organisations to access trusted, practical expertise, leadership development and tailored support from the Cranfield Trust. Find out more below.

20/10/2026

It's wonderful to see the completed accessible toilet refurbishment at, made possible through our grant funding.

Projects like this help create more inclusive and welcoming spaces for everyone in our community. Well done to the team The Place Theatre for their continued commitment to improving accessibility.

Our accessible toilet refurbishment has now been completed! Thanks so much to The Harpur Trust for funding this project.

The refurbishment forms part of our ongoing strategy to improve accessibility at the theatre and follows our upgrade to the auditorium over the summer.

19/10/2026

Today is the deadline to submit your applications for our Grants Committee meeting being held on 2 December. Don't worry if you've missed this deadline, please visit https://www.harpurtrust.org.uk/apply-for-help/grants-for-charities-and-community-groups/how-to-apply/ to see the deadlines for 2026/2027.

12/10/2026

Over the coming weeks, we're proud to be sharing highlights from our latest Impact Report, shining a spotlight on the many ways The Harpur Trust is helping to create positive change across Bedford Borough.

Our first highlight is our Accelerator Programme, which supports primary schools across the Borough to help narrow the attainment gap and improve outcomes for disadvantaged children.

Through targeted support in areas including writing, speech and language, learning behaviours, family support and teaching interventions, the Accelerator Programme helps schools provide the additional support children need to thrive and reach their full potential.

Working alongside schools and Bedford Borough Council, we've seen encouraging progress in narrowing the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils and improving outcomes for young people across the borough.

We're incredibly proud of the positive change that is being achieved and look forward to spotlighting more of our programmes helping to strengthen our community over the coming weeks.

Find out more about our impact at harpurtrustimpact.org.uk/accelerator-programme