Image source, Bedford Borough Council

Unwanted jigsaws, books, DVDs and board games are needed to help keep minds busy during the lockdown.

Bedford Borough Council is looking for donations so they can be redistrubted to those that need them.

"All donations will be sanitised and prepared, to prevent any risk of infection, before being sent out to a new home," it said.

Donations can be made via an online form., external

Andy Holmes
BBC Three Counties Radio political reporter

Councils across Beds, Herts and Bucks have received details of their latest round of emergency funding from the government to help deal with the pandemic.

In the second £1.6bn handout, Luton Council, which has said the shutdown at Luton Airport will leave them with a £45m shortfall, will get a further £5.8m, which is a slight increase.

Hertfordshire County Council is getting less this time around and the government has said this payment is not ring-fenced for adult social care like the first round of funding, so the council could spend it on whatever it wants.

After the first allocation, there were concerns from district councils that they had missed out, having arguably lost more since the start of the pandemic because they get a lot of funds from car park charges and revenue from leisure centres that are currently closed.

This time, the districts have got a much larger share, some having gone from thousands to more than £1m.

• Bedford Borough: £4.7m - up £600,000
• Broxbourne Borough: £958,000 - up £917,000
• Bucks Unitary Authority*: £14.9m - up £4.5m
• Central Beds: £7.9m - up £2.4m
• Dacorum District: £1.5m - up £1,447,000
• East Herts District: £1.4m - up £1,353,000
• Herts County Council: £21.7m - down £4.4m
• Hertsmere Borough: £1m - up £953,000
• Luton Borough: £5.8m - up £400,000
• Milton Keynes Borough: £7.4m - up £1.4m
• North Herts District: £1.3m - up £1,252,000
• St Albans City and District: £1.4m - up £1,356,000
• Stevenage Borough: £871,000 - up £826,000
• Three Rivers District: £920,000 - up £885,000
• Watford Borough: £959,000 - up £909,000
• Welwyn Hatfield Borough: £1.2m - £1,149,000

* the Bucks Unitary Authority, external replaced Bucks County Council, Aylesbury Vale DC, Chiltern DC, South Bucks DC and Wycombe DC on 1 April.

Pierre Storey says his family feel like they are "in prison" in a seventh floor flat during lockdown.

Image source, Luton Borough Council

Over 400 people have signed up to volunteer with Luton Borough Council.

The council's chief executive said the number was "quite remarkable".

"These volunteers are out, amongst other things, helping to deliver hot meals and food parcels, and collecting prescriptions," said Robin Porter.

"A massive, massive thank you to everyone, not least the whole council workforce, which I know has been working tirelessly since this emergency began."

The council’s has been "working round the clock" to secure personal protective equipment equipment to meet "shortfall", the council said.

Members of the passenger transport unit have delivered about 15,000 items, including hand gel, visors, waste bags, 4,250 face masks, 6,600 pairs of gloves and nearly 4,000 aprons, the council said.

Image source, North Herfordshire District Council

To show its support for the NHS, carers and all key workers, the Broadway Gardens fountain in Letchworth, Herfordshire has been turned blue.

It colourisation has been carried out by North Herfordshire District Council, external.

Image source, North Herfordshire District Council

A "catastrophic" drop in passengers passing through Luton Airport leads to fears of a cash shortage.

Green waste will be collected again by Bedford Borough Council.

From Monday, cuttings and waste from gardens will be picked up by refuse collectors.

The council said as crews have settled into new working practices, the wheelie bins, to begin with, will be collected once a month.

Mayor Dave Hodgson said: “Unfortunately we are not able to accept bagged green waste in addition to the bins, as bags would contaminate the whole collection.

"We know that people may have accumulated green waste during this brief pause, so would ask that you keep composting where you can."

The message is simple from Luton Borough Council, it wants people to use their local green spaces to get their daily exercise, but only at a two-metre distance......

A council gives powers of decision-making to its chief executive during the coronavirus lockdown.

A museum is requesting photos, journals, artwork, stories and letters about the current coronavirus pandemic to help create an historical document.

The Higgins Bedford, external wants to "recognise all the varied and different contributions that are specific to our local area during this crisis, to be a repository for those stories and items for future generations as a tribute and record of life during the crisis".

Image source, Chiara Mac Call

It wants any contributions that people are willing to donate to be sent via email to Lydia Saul, external, keeper of social history.

Anything sent in will be placed onto a list and the museum will consider them for acquisition into the collections.

From Monday garden waste collection will start again in Central Bedfordshire, external.

The council said due to staffing levels stabalising, they will resume.

It said it will be only be able to collect two garden bags, or one bin per household, due to the "manpower" it has.

Image source, Central Bedfordshire Council

Celebrations to mark VE Day, the anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe, have been moved from May until August in Bedford.

Events in the town have been postponed to "protect the health and well-being of the public, organisers, and military personnel and veterans", Bedford Borough Council said.

Commemorations were due to take place on 8 May, but will now be held on 15 and 16 August.

Robin Thomas, from Bedford Royal British Legion, said: "I hope the public will understand why we have taken this decision; these events take organisation and work, and with the ongoing uncertainty of how long this may last and the vital need to keep people safe, we feel this is the right decision.”

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Pope
BBC News Online

A new web page had been created to offer exercise tips, mental health advice and food nutrition.

Bedford Borough Council has launched bedford.gov.uk/wellbeing , externaloffering advice for people self-isolating.

It will be updated regularly.

Councillor Louise Jackson, portfolio holder for public health, said: "It’s really important that people can continue to look after their health and wellbeing at home.

“For all of us, where possible, this means getting up and moving often, looking after our mental health and eating healthy meals.”

Families across the Bedford area are saying thank you to its bin crews by leaving notes and pictures.

Bedford Borough Council said the drawings are showcasing the work of the counties "every day heroes".

"If your kids like to get creative and want to show their support for the crews doing an important job in these difficult times, please do leave a note and make their day," it said.

Image source, Bedford Borough Council

Praise has been heaped upon Yovi and Ellis, the founders of Chippefield Covid-19 Outreach team, who have donated hundreds of toiletries so hospitals in Watford, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans.

Watford Borough Council thanked them in this tweet.

More than 1,000 food parcels have been handed out to people in the Bedford area who are self-isolating with no family or friends to help.

The Community Hub helps deliver provisions, essential prescriptions and offers a link to the outside world.

Image source, Bedford Borough Council

Mayor Dave Hodgson said it was "vital support" that also offers "a friendly chat to help people in isolation feel a little less lonely".

"I am very proud that we have been able to get our hub up and running quickly, and have already delivered over 1,000 food parcels to those in need," he said.

Alex Pope
BBC News Online

Although most of us are trying to work from home, some jobs just have to stay in the workplace.

This includes waste collectors who have still been out collecting and sorting out rubbish.

Many children have been showing their appreciation by writing a special thank you lot, as Stevenage Borough Council have highlighted.

Four tonnes of rubbish has been cleared from the A41 in Hertfordshire, costing the local council about £28,000.

It comes as recycling centres have closed due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Councillor Alan Anderson, responsible for the environment at Dacorum Borough Council, said it would be looking to purse prosections.

Image source, East Herts Police

Sarah Jenkins
BBC News

There has been an increase in fly-tipping after local tips were closed due to coronavirus, Milton Keynes Council, external said.

Following the Easter weekend, a large amount of waste was found fly-tipped in lanes near Hemel Hempstead and Markyate in Hertfordshire.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Last week four tonnes of rubbish was collected in an operation by Dacorum Borough Council along the A41 in Hertfordshire, which cost £28,000.

Members of the public are being encouraged to report fly-tipping through an app called ClearWaste.

The organiser, Martin Montague, said he would like to see an increase in fines for those who "continually flout the rules".

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Pete Cooper
BBC News

This chalk art work has appeared on the pavement of Watford's Kingswood Estate

Watford Borough Council tweeted pictures, external of the drawings, created by the Lee family.

Image source, Watford Borough Council

Image source, Watford Borough Council

Image source, Watford Borough Council