News

NEW local MP Marie Tidball attended her first local event as the Labour Member of Parliament for Penistone and Stocksbridge at the weekend.Ms Tidball said: “Thank you to Thurgoland Community Welfare for inviting me to their excellent community Fun Day today – my first local event as our MP!“Well done to all the volunteers who organised it and for all the local people who took part, especially in their mini Olympics.”...

THE Barnsley South Family Hub officially opened to the public last week.The hub, based in Wombwell, was opened by Mayor of Barnsley Coun John Clarke and his wife and mayoress Doreen.Following a ribbon cutting ceremony by the Mayor, families were invited inside each hub to meet a wide range of expert family support services, who can offer guidance, help and support whenever they need it. The first-of-a-kind opening with the...

SCHOOLS and community groups across Worsbrough are set to benefit from a pot of funding that has not been touched for five years.In 2017, a group of residents formed a committee to put on the Worsbrough Fair.They were successful in applying for a £10,000 National Lottery Fund grant to fund the fair but didn’t spend the entire amount.The committee has now disbanded and the funding, which has remained untouched...

BARNSLEY Football Club’s charity wing has been successful for a grant to support residents across the town.The Barnsley FC Community Trust will now support the Take Action, Live Longer Scheme for early cancer screening working in partnership with NHS South Yorkshire ICB, Barnsley Council and Barnsley CVS on behalf of South Yorkshire Cancer Alliance.The funding will help address health inequalities and support timely presentation of signs and symptoms of cancer....

PUPILS at a special needs school in Thurnscoe have been volunteering within the community to help out those around them.Robert Ogden School youngsters took part in gardening work at the Dearne Unit in Goldthorpe, helping the Safe Places site maintain its outdoor area.Teaching assistant Andy Walton said: “The students also purchased some herbs and compost for them as a way of saying thank you for letting them come out and do...

PENISTONE’S Young Farmers’ Club have been named the county champions for the first time in over a decade.The group, now in its 80th year, have more than 60 members aged between ten and 28.Held at the annual county rally in Thirsk, the group took home the top prize for the first time in 11 years – much to the delight of each and every one of them.Chloe Mott, who...

BARNSLEY Council are celebrating Learning Disability Week.Taking place from today until June 23, the council is working closely with local organisations to celebrate the creativity of local people with learning disabilities.A free programme of events will be hosted across the town centre during the week.On Wednesday, June 19 an exhibition will be launched at the Library @ the Lightbox – displaying artwork, paintings and creative projects from local people...

BARNSLEY Council’s How’s Thi Ticker team has won a national Public Health award.How’s Thi Ticker is a community blood pressure check campaign which brings free blood pressure checks out into communities. The team, which won this year’s Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Public Health award, has delivered more than 7,500 free blood pressure checks to date, making it easier for people to find out their numbers and have important conversations about looking after...

BARNSLEY Football Club and its charity wing delivered more than 100 player appearances last season – a 300 per cent increase on the previous year’s figures.This work included the launch of Sky Bet’s ‘Building Foundations Fund’, hosted at Oakwell in conjunction with the EFL.‘Show Racism the Red Card’ held an event within the Copier Systems Legends Suite in September which saw Barnsley FC Women captain Charley Evans, Barnsley FC defender Barry...

BARNSLEY Youth Bowling Club has more than doubled its initial target from a 12-hour non-stop bowling fundraiser.The Barnsley YBC members undertook the marathon effort at Barnsley Bowl, Carlton, on May 12 and have donated the proceeds to Barnsley Hospice.They handed over £2,024 to Simon Atkinson from the hospice on Saturday.

AN unused building which dominates High Street in Hoyland is finally set to come back into use after the council struck a deal with the Community Shop.The organisation sells surplus products donated by major retailers, brands and manufacturers at a heavily discounted rate.Gary Stott, executive chairman, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be bringing Community Shop to Hoyland.“With the continuing cost-of-living challenges, this store will make an enormous difference to...

THE community rallied together to create a special memorial area at Birdwell Primary School in memory of a dedicated member of staff.Sue Black, a much-loved school meals supervisory assistant, recently died after years of service to the school.Headteacher Steve Honeyman said Sue’s presence and impact on the school community were undeniable, as she touched the lives of countless students and staff with her warmth, kindness and unwavering commitment to her role....

TWO devoted dads from Thurnscoe are one step closer to realising their dream of opening up a sensory garden for autistic children in the area.Michael and Paul Atwal-Brice are avid fundraisers for several charities and have won a number of awards.They have two sets of twins – Levi and Lucas, and Lotan and Lanson.Levi and Lucas both have severe autism, developmental delay, severe learning difficulties, are pre-verbal, and can...

BARNSLEY Council has been supporting Creativity and Wellbeing Week which aims to highlight the positivity it can have on residents.On Wednesday, a creative health celebration event took place at Barnsley Civic to showcase work whilst offering local people more opportunities to learn about creative health in the town.There will also be a jazz concert yesterday at Barnsley Library.Anna Hartley, executive director for public health and communities, said: “We’re pleased...

YOUNGSTERS in Great Houghton will be celebrating after the area’s village hall committee secured almost £30,000 in funding for new play equipment.The funding, which was handed to the committee through the Pride of Place grant scheme, will help deliver three new pieces of accessible playground equipment at Pleasant Avenue Park.A new nest swing, accessible roundabout and monkey bars will be added to the site in the coming months – at a...

BARNSLEY East MP Stephanie Peacock stopped off a town centre charity to hear about what’s being done to help dementia sufferers.Ms Peacock is a patron of BIADS and has visited the facility a number of times, offering her support for the work that staff and volunteers do ahead of Dementia Action Week.She said: “I am proud to be a patron of the charity and to support the work that staff and...

BARNSLEY Council has embarked on a mission to find the town’s ‘treasures’.Bosses want to hear from local residents about what they believe makes the town exciting and unique.Locals are being invited to attend a series of free workshops across Barnsley, taking part in cultural activities such as creating writing and object handling.If people would like to, they can bring a piece of their own ‘treasure’ that connects them to...

WATH Festival returned earlier this for the 51st time.Families were treated to all the entertainment they’ve grown to expect, including Morris dancing and musical performances.Midday on Saturday, the traditional reading of Thomas Tuke’s took place, followed by the throwing of 40 dozen loaves of bread from the church spire.The unusual tradition comes from the clergyman’s will, in which he gave money for bread to be donated on St Thomas...

BARNSLEY Hospital Charity’s Make A Memory Appeal has hit its £300k following a three-year fundraising campaign.The massive effort has seen hundreds of Barnsley residents get involved – and bosses say it’s thanks to the ‘overwhelmingly generous’ support of local people who have chipped in since 2021.The success will improve the lives of dementia sufferers in the town and boost patients’ facilities.The target was established to transform the care of...

A LOCAL library celebrated its official reopening on Friday following a refurbishment.The Mayor Coun Mick Stowe conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and residents are invited to explore the revitalised space."We are thrilled to celebrate the reopening of Worsbrough Library, a beloved cornerstone of our community," said Coun Stowe. "Libraries are more than just buildings; they are sanctuaries for learning and imagination. I encourage everyone to visit and experience the magic within...

RESIDENTS in Tankersley and Pilley are being encouraged to submit their views on the area’s new neighbourhood plan.The neighbourhood plan team formed last year, with the aim of reaching out of the community to ensure they have a say on how the area develops over the next ten to 15 years.A survey has been created for residents to complete, with a closing date of May 21.John Thornton, who has...

MEMBERS of the Barnsley Palestine Solidarity Campaign headed to Sheffield to support protesting students.Youngsters at the University of Sheffield want the higher education hub’s bosses to disclose what investments in Israel are and divest from them, saying they will continue their occupation camp until the university takes action.They point out that there is still no ceasefire in Gaza and across Palestine and that more than 34,000 Palestinians – two-thirds women and...

WENTWORTH and Dearne MP John Healey recently paid a visit to see the new home of a local disability charity.Social Eyes is a day service provider which supports adults with learning disabilities and autism and runs several creative life skills and activity sessions.The group has moved from the drop-in centre in Rawmarsh to a new facility at the Methodist Chapel on Princess Street in West Melton.Mr Healey said: “It...

A PRIMARY school has installed a defibrillator on their grounds as they build up new relationships with the community.Cawthorne Primary School – with the help of the Parish Council, Yorkshire Health and Safety Services and Infinite Fire and Security – have placed the new defibrillator at the front of the school.At an assembly, staff and students celebrated the work that had been done, which they hope exhibits the school’s values of...

SHADOW Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock recently visited Thorncliffe Health and Leisure Park to learn more about the work of health centres.The MP for Barnsley East visited the High Green venue - which is run by Places Leisure, a member of UK Active scheme - to learn more about the work they do and the challenges they face.She said: “I was pleased to meet with staff at Thorncliffe Health and Leisure Park...

BARNSLEY Central MP Dan Jarvis smashed his £15,000 fundraising target whilst running the London Marathon.Dan was raising funds for Cancer Research UK, a charity close to his heart.He said he knows from his own personal experience the ‘devastation’ cancer can cause – but he was also hoping to raise awareness about the ‘critical importance’ of early detection.Dan aimed to raise £15,000 for the charity, and he’s now surpassed that...

PUPILS from Netherwood Academy in Wombwell took part in a community litter pick recently. The 11 youngsters joined the Barnsley South Area Team to collect rubbish on the Trans Pennine Trail near the school. They collected a total of 23 bags of rubbish.

A BARNSLEY care home has been lauded as one of the best in the country, having bagged a ‘triple crown’ of top awards.Dearnevale is believed to be the UK’s only care home to hold the highest regulator grade of ‘outstanding’ from the Care Quality Commission, accreditation from the Huntington’s Disease Association and a ten-out-of-ten score on carehome.co.uk.The 40-bedroom Grimethorpe home supports adults living with complex care needs arising from neuro-disabilities such...

THE boss of South Yorkshire’s biggest grant giving charity is stepping down after more than a decade of service.Ruth Willis is retiring as CEO of South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF) having been at the helm since 2013.SYCF supports thousands of community groups throughout Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield with grant funding and training to improve the lives of local people and make a positive difference.Under Ruth’s leadership, the High...

RESIDENTS attended a meeting last Monday to discuss the future of a local church.Silkstone Common Methodist Church. – lauded as a hub for the community – hasn’t been used for worship for some time and is set to be sold.Silkstone Parish Council held its annual meeting on at the church, which saw locals attend to hear about the next steps.MP Miriam Cates recently discussed the building’s future – alongside...

A LOCAL supermarket has awarded a five-figure grant to a local charity this week to help elderly hospital patients.The £10,000 donation, from the Morrisons Foundation, was celebrated by the Barnsley Hospital Charity as it will pay for new televisions, furniture, games and soft furnishings – all helping to create a family room for visitors.Jane Mills, from the hospital, said: “We’re so pleased to have received such a generous grant from Morrisons...

A CASH boost for a food waste scheme in Barnsley will help hard-pressed families.Renewi, the company which is part of the award-winning waste treatment facility at Manvers, has donated £2,000 to the Community Fridge project which operates from Mapplewell and Staincross Village Hall.The money will go towards supporting volunteers’ work to combat food waste by building partnerships with local supermarkets, retailers and warehouses to source surplus food that can be used...

THE town hall will be illuminated in blue tonight to mark World Parkinson’s Day – with the Barnsley and District Parkinson's Group encouraging people to get involved to support the cause.This year Parkinson's UK is encouraging everyone to Make It Blue to highlight the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. Barnsley Parkinson's group will be holding an awareness day tomorrow in front of the Alhambra centre and today it is holding...

BARNSLEY Youth Bowling Club are striking out to raise funds for a local charity by taking on a 12-hour non-stop bowling event.Barnsley YBC are looking to raise as much money as possible for Barnsley Hospice and their main fundraising event is taking place on Sunday May 12 at Barnsley Bowl from 9.30am until 9.30pm.Some of the Barnsley YBC juniors who have volunteered will be holding a 12-hour non-stop bowling event, and...

OVER 17 tonnes of waste was cleaned up from parks, green spaces and streets in Barnsley during the Great British Spring Clean last month.Volunteers, neighbourhoods team, council staff and residents teamed up to clean up the borough during the initiative with over 480 bags of litter collected by those taking part in litter picks across the area.And over the course of the neighbourhoods team’s action, 17.2 tonnes of rubbish was collected...