A PROJECT which aims to frame two historic Barnsley Pals flags and conserve the names of 200 soldiers on a memorial pillar has hit a milestone in its fundraising quest.
Rev Canon Stephen Race, of St Mary’s Church in Barnsley town centre, and Jane Ainsworth, co-ordinator of the Barnsley Pals Colours Project, announced that they are now just over halfway towards their target following a £5,000 grant from South Yorkshire Community Foundation (SYCF).
The pair are spearheading a project to have the two deteriorating flags, currently laid up in St Mary’s, framed in order the preserve them.
Jane said: “As any individual or group who has been involved in fundraising knows it is hard work and very time-consuming, however worthwhile the cause.
"When I became passionately interested in the Barnsley Pals Colours in 2016 and volunteered to find a way to preserve them, I had no idea what effort this would involve.
“Last year, I increased the fundraising target by a third to just over £20,000 to include the cost of conserving the war memorial pillar, because these and the Colours all honour Barnsley Pals.
“I am extremely grateful to SYCF for approving my application for £5,000 and over the summer, I was successful in being granted £500 each from Cudworth, Kingstone, Penistone, St Helen’s and Stairfoot ward alliances.”
