The Church in the Community - The Community in the Church 

St Mark's Church Community Centre will be a foundation and resource for the positive development and growth of the individual and community life. We will work alongside all groups within the community, ensuring a welcoming and safe environment where all individuals are valued, irrespective of age, gender, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, appearance or marital status.

Click here for St Mark's Church Preschool

Monday

7.30am-6.00pm St Mark’s Pre-School Monday-Friday Manager Mrs Helen Harpin 01234 312634

(See website for more details)

9.30-1.00pm Bedford Bridge Group  Peter Flippant 

01234 295253 Mob:07760144331

10.00am-12 noon Bakers Barn Art Group Mrs Daphne Davies 344110

10am-12noon U3A Play Reading Sally Petre 07825180202

1.30-4.30pm Bedfordshire Sight Loss  Samantha Leftwich 07952658614

2.00-3.15pm U3A Recorder Group Sally Petre 07825180202

4.30-8.30pm Slimming World Harriet Peacock 07720846320

5.45-7.15pm 1^st Brickhill Brownies Mrs C Mathew 07487868411

7.15-9.00pm Brickhill Rangers Laura Town 7555171231

7.15-9.00pm 3^rd Brickhill Guides Mrs Gill Lake 07930826474

Tuesday

9.00 -10.30am Slimming World Harriet Peacock

07720846320

10.30-11.30pm Meditation Cheryl Green 07729187399

1.00-3pm U3A Harmony Choir Sally Petre

07825180202

2.30-4.15pm Knit & Natter (Every two weeks) Wool and knitting needles provided  Mrs Maureen Watling 01234 262225

2.00-3.45pm House group (Every two weeks) A social & Bible Study group. Jean Bank 01234 355698

2.00-3.30pm U3A Poetry for Pleasure (4^th week in

Month) Sally Petre 07825180202

6-7.30pm Christ Victory Centre Dr Lawrence Masih 07870361718

6.15-7.15pm Supple Strength Yoga Amanda Alcock 07769747393

7.30-8.30pm Laughter Club Cheryl Green 07729187399

7.15-10.30pm Bedford Bridge Peter Flippant

01234 295253

7.45-9.45pm Hearts in Beds Cardiac Committee. (4^th week in the month) Mrs N Aspey 309816

Wednesday

9.30-2.00pm Open House for those with learning disabilities., their friends, family, carers and supporters 342613.

10.15-12.15pm U3A Gardening Group 3 (2^nd week in month). Sally Petre 07825180202

10.30-12.30pm U3A Family History (3^rd week in month) Sally Petre 07825180202

10.45-12.15pm U3A Card Making, Sally Petre 07825180202

2.00-3.30pm U3A Meditation Sally Petre 07825180202

2.00-4.00pm U3A Craft (1^st week in month) Sally Petre 07825180202

2.15-4.45pm Bedford Bridge Bedford Bridge Peter Flippant

01234 295253

6.00-7.30pm 4^th Brickhill Brownies Mrs C Warden 07709671253

7-10.00pm No Fear Bridge Peter Cullum 07545508185

7.00-9.00pm Bedford Credit Union Michelle Taylor 01234 346352

8.00-10.00pm Tudor Reeds Folk Dance Club (1^st, 3^rd & 5^th week in the month) Everyone welcome. All dances called.  Rosemary McNeilage 405594

8.00-10.30pm Bedford Wine and Social Club (1st week in the month) Jill Cooper 01234 357960

Thursday

9.30-11.30am Chat and Play A term time group for Mums & Toddlers 0-5yrs. St Mark’s Office 01234 342613 or Janine 07510238834

10.30-12.noon U3A Diabetic Support Group Sally Petre 07825180202

2.00-4.00pm U3A Indoor Games. Sally Petre

7825180202

2.00-4.30pm Bedford Art Society Jean Paterson 307210

2.00-4.00pm Putnoe Art Group Bob Wardale 07914451198

6.00-7.00pm Supple Strength Yoga Amanda Alcock 0776974739

7.00-10.00pm Bedford Textile Art Group (3^rd week in month) Julia Carol Plant 07717726849

6.15-7.00pm Brickhill Parish Council Planning Committee meeting (1^st week in month) Sue Bottoms 01234 27170

7.00-9.30pm Brickhill Parish Council Committee meeting (1^st week in month) Sue Bottoms 01234 271707

7.30-9pm Bedford Community Gospel Choir (1^st,3^rd&4^th week in month) Lydia Francis 07890291394

7.00-10.00pm Club 2000 (2^nd week in month) Jennifer Kino 01234 309696

7.30-9.30pm The Magpie Club (2^nd & 4^th week in month) Rosemary McNeilage 01234 405594

7.30-10.00pm Bedford Writers Circle (1^st week in month) Caroline Coleman 07703325167

Friday

10.00-1.00pm No Fear Bridge Peter Cullum 7545508185

10.30-12.30pm U3A Poetry & Literature (1^st& 3^rd week in month) Sally Petre 07825180202

2.00-4.00pm U3A Whist Group (2^nd week in month) Sally Petre 07825180202

6.00-7.00pm ATSK Karate Kevin Stark 01234 353865

Saturday

10.00-12noon Faith Community Church (1^st week in month) Darren Russell 07473831067

8.40-1pm Theatretrain  Dancing, Acting & Singing. Kate Howard 01234 782414/07748764920

Sunday

9.30am Morning Worship

Also available live and recorded on our YouTube Channel St Mark’s You Tube Channel 

The Story of Mark's Story of Community

When the first church building was finished in 1977 the altar table was made less than the width of a doorway so that it could be stored away and the church could be used by the local community for the rest of the week. That principle of welcoming the community into our premises has continued ever since Every day there are a wide variety of activities taking place as St Mark’s as we seek to serve our community and all who come to St Mark’throughout the week.

St Mark’s Church Community Centre opens at 8.00am every morning and we close late into the evening. Usually the last group finishes and turns off the lights about 10.00pm. The Centre office is run by volunteers everyday from 9.00am to 5.00pm, but all of user groups have their own keys and so the last one switches off the lights and locks up. There are ten different halls or meeting rooms and so there are normally many different things going on at the same time. Our policy is to make our facilities as widely available as possible without discrimination. Having multiple simultaneous occupancy keeps the premises full and enables us to keep our charges to the absolute minimum, a bit like a low cost airline. 

We are home to over 60 community groups and charities and we operate thanks to a dedicated team of over 130 volunteers each week. St Mark’s Church Community Centre benefits from an extraordinary level of voluntary commitment and we are well respected in the local and wider community. Our premises are well cared for and provide a safe, attractive and welcoming environment for over 3,000 who come through our doors every week. 

Charities and Community Groups based at St Mark’s Church Community Centre  

Bakers Barn Art Group, Pilates, Chat & Make. Babies and toddlers 0-5. Crafts, toys, songs, story etc., Brownies, Rangers, Guide groups, St Mark’s, Cancer Care Society, Laughter Club,  Whist Drive, No Fear Bridge Club, Slimming World, Cinema Group, Community Choir, Photography Group, Mother Teresa Women’s Support Group, Tuesday Afternoon Housegroup, Supple Strength Yoga, Hearts in Beds Heart Surgery patients support group, Gardening Group, Card Craft Making, Social Bridge Club, Messy Church for families, Bunyan Bridge, Open Youth, Women’s Support Group 

Tudor Reeds Folk Dance Club, Bedford Wine and Social Club, Move it or Lose It Keep fit group, Chat and Play A term time group for Mums & toddlers.0-5, Storybox . For the under 5’s and their carers 

Indoor Games for grown ups, Bedford Art Society, Social Care Solutions Music & Movement, Weightwatchers Claire Martin, Supple Strength Yoga, Singing for Fun, Bedford Embroiderers’ Guild,

Magpies Ladies Group, Brickhill Ladies Group, Bedford Writers Circle, Poetry & Literature Group, Meditation Group, Bedford Astrology Club, Theatretrain Dancing acting, singing for young people 

Bedford Stamp Fayre, Brickhill Parish Council, Open House (Learning Disabilities)