Bedford Physical Education Old Students’ Association (BPEOSA) aims to advance the teaching of physical education. They recently developed their archives to include documents, photographs and film relating to the establishment of the college in 1903. 

Members of the Association used local libraries and archives in Bedford and Kempston and other community collections, such as the Highland Regiments, to research the role of the college during the First and Second World Wars. This included the story of the ‘Bedford Girls’, who tended wounded troops during the First World War.

A core group of volunteers met with local historians, staff at Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and talked extensively with members of Bedford Retirement Centre. Those interested were trained in recording and interviewing techniques. As a result, over 20 hours of audio interviews were recorded, 100 photographs scanned and seven interviewees selected to be filmed.  With all this material, they created a documentary film and shared the DVD with local school pupils, students of history, sport and physical education at Bedford College and the University of Bedfordshire.

The material in the archive inspired a dance and poetry, and a ‘Friends of BPEOSA’ group was founded.