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Rebecca’s mining film makes the big screen
A LOCAL filmmaking father and daughter duo said they were proud to see their latest project on the town’s mining past screened at Cineworld last week. ‘Regeneration’ tells the story of how the mining industry came to an end. It also discusses the miners’ strike of 1984/1985. The film includes interviews, archive footage and what life is like now in the Dearne Valley. Created by 25-year-old Rebecca Sills from Bolton-upon-Dearne, it’s hoped the film will...
MP backs fight to save local cadets
A LOCAL MP has backed a teenager’s campaign to keep a school cadet programme running - and he’s been in touch with the military about the best course of action. Local cadet, Bradley Saint, contacted Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey after being told that the group at Astrea Academy Dearne would be coming to an end after forming in 2018. More than 400 locals have signed the petition after the school confirmed the closure...
Alfie puts his best foot forward
A TEENAGER is aiming to walk 1,600 miles - the equivalent of a round trip from Land’s End to John O’Groats - by the end of the year to raise funds in honour of his grandma. Alfie Robinson, from Barugh Green, embarked on this epic journey in the beginning of February after his grandmother, Sylvia Robinson, died. The 18-year-old’s already covered 200 miles and has raised close to £1,700 for the Stroke Association charity. “I’ve...
Barnsley Town Hall
Curtain rises on theatre’s big plans
DEARNE Playhouse staff are hoping to host their own professional quality musicals through a new company that is being supported by a £3m investment. The theatre has plans to host high-standard musicals every year in June, with the first coming on June 11 in 2025. Amateur performers will still be invited to join and will receive coaching and work alongside industry professionals to put on a new kind of production for the area. Theatre manager,...
Barnsley Town Hall
Student Tom shares challenges with cabinet minister
A PARTIALLY sighted Barnsley College student met with a cabinet minister to explain what improvements need to be made for people with additional needs. Digital T level student Tom Ashforth attended a round table discussion with David Johnston, minister for children, families and wellbeing, to share his experiences in post-16 education as a partially sighted student. The event was organised by the Thomas Pocklington Trust, a leading advocate for blind and partially sighted young people....
Barnsley FC
Luca Connell admits Reds need to be more clinical
BARNSLEY’S Irish midfielder Luca Connell said the Reds need to be more clinical in front of goal following the 0-0 draw against Cheltenham on Saturday. Barnsley had 18 shots on goal at Oakwell, but only four were on target. The result leaves the Reds seven points behind Derby County who are in second place. “I think it was a disappointing result,” he said. “We always want to come out and get the three points and...
Goalless draw at Oakwell 'frustrating' admits Neill Collins
BARNSLEY head coach Neill Collins thought his side deserved all three points against Cheltenham at Oakwell. The Reds were held to a 0-0 draw against The Robins, who currently sit fourth bottom of the league and in the relegation zone. Barnsley has 18 shots on goal, with four on target, and had 61 per cent of the ball - but they were unable to find the back of the net. Collins told...
Disappointing draw leaves Reds seven adrift of top two
BARNSLEY fell further behind the top two in League One after a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Cheltenham Town. Head coach Neill Collins made a number of changes to the side which ran out 3-2 winners at Carlisle on Tuesday. Liam Roberts returned in goal following an injury, whilst Jamie McCart replaced captain Jordan Williams in the starting 11. Top-scorer Devante Cole, who was dropped in midweek, remained on the bench...
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Robins boss should be up for award – Collins
DARRELL Clarke, whose Cheltenham Town side visit Oakwell today, should be in the running for Manager of the Year says Neill Collins. The Robins are fourth-bottom in League One, one place but five points from safety. They did not score in any of their first 11 league games this season – equalling an English Football League record – and picked up just two points from their first 12. But, after replacing Wade Elliott with Clarke,...
Barnsley FC Crest
Collins would be ‘pretty happy’ with 90 points in top two hunt
BARNSLEY boss Neill Collins would be ‘pretty happy’ with 90 points this season and believes it would give them a good chance of the top two. The Reds are fifth in League One, with 70 points from 37 games, five points off second-placed Derby County, with a game in hand on all the top three, while they are ten points clear in the top six. The Reds have nine games left, starting tomorrow...
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News
Barnsley band takes Yorkshire title
BARNSLEY Metropolitan Band have been crowned the Yorkshire champions in the British Brass Band Championships. The band impressed the judges with their performance of the test piece, Corineus by Christopher Bond. They received awards for the Best Percussion Section and the Roye Roe Memorial Trophy for the winning conductor, Alex Francis. Alex has been conducting the band since 2007. He has overseen their remarkable progress from fourth section to the top of the third section....
King’s Award honour for Barnsley charity
A LOCAL charity has been honoured with the King’s Award. H.O.P.E (Helping Others Positively Engage) in Community were presented with the award for voluntary service by the King’s representative, Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire Dame Hilary Chapman. At a service at Barnsley Baptist Church on Union Street, the charity was recognised for their work supporting the local community, which they do by running various projects including classes on how to cook on a budget, weekly baby...
Dedicated Barnsley team to tackle child exploitation
A POLICE team whose officers will tackle child exploitation has been set up in Barnsley after there were more victims in the town than anywhere else in South Yorkshire. Projections, following a Freedom of Information request submitted to the police force, show there could be 320 cases of the crime this year. It’s a 237 per cent increase from 2020 when 95 cases were recorded. The figures have risen year-on-year since that date, with 136...
Barnsley Town Hall
Developers’ cash to boost green spaces
MORE than £130,000 will be used to improve two ‘key locations’ in Wombwell thanks to Section 106 funding from developers. Section 106 funding is money set aside by developers for the local area and, after being signed off by councillors last week, the funding will be used for a number of projects which include improving paths and the Trans Pennine Trail. The investment will see a new ‘flexipave’ surface and vegetation clearance along the footpath...
Barnsley Town Hall
Church bucking trend with innovative approach
A GREAT Houghton church is starting to see some promising signs of growth within its congregation after implementing new weekly initiatives to boost numbers. The Church of St Michael and All Angels originally had in place a congregation of around ten people attending one church communion service at 9am every other week and a knit and natter group on a Tuesday. The Curate for St Michael’s, Rev Christine Moorey, was keen to show to people...
Sport
Athersley hope for bright future after going 10 points clear of drop
ATHERSLEY Rec pulled well clear of the Division One relegation fight this week and now take on another side below them on Saturday. They won 2-1 at lowly Yorkshire Amateur on Saturday. Rec are ten points and four places clear of the relegation zone, although teams have as many as five games in hand on them. The Penguins have won their last three games. Manager Paul Clarkson said: “A ten-point gap is good. “We have...
Rowland keeps track of promotion push while racing around world
OLIVER Rowland will be flying around the world for the next two months, competing in Formula E, but will keep track of Barnsley FC’s promotion push. The 30-year-old from Penistone competes in the global electric car series and has been a Reds fan since childhood. Rowland, who is preparing to race in Sao Paulo this week, told the Chronicle: “Barnsley have been doing really well. “Obviously they got smashed a bit on Saturday but...
Barnsley Tennis Club win winter division on last day of season
BARNSLEY Tennis Club’s first team have been crowned champions of their division in the Sheffield and District Tennis Winter League. They narrowly finished ahead of promotion rivals Hallamshire in Division Two, having dropped just four points from 14 matches. The team of Kieron Hinds, Michael Peretti, Rebecca Coe and Libby Wilson played their last match on Saturday, beating Mexborough A 4-0 to clinch the title. Vice-chairman John Gregson said: “This is a great achievement fo
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Jonson on podium at national event
BARNSLEY youngsters won medals representing Yorkshire at the Inter County Cross Country Championships at Wollaton Park, Nottingham. Jonson Hughes, from Darfield, finished third overall in the under 17s category and took the team silver. His brother Rocco also competed in that race. A third brother Sonnyboy finished 14th in the under 20s and won team silver. Penistone Footpath Runners Graihagh Turner and Ruby Sykes won team medals. Turner finished in 19th place overall in the...
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Wilkinson ends 6-year wait for tournament win
DARFIELD darts player Carl Wilkinson ended a six-year wait for a second WDF ranking title this week when he won the Isle of Man Masters. He beat number one Neil Duff 5-4 in the final and secured a provisional 2024 WDF World Championship spot. Wilkinson was on the PDC tour for two years, including competing in the ‘Home Tour’ from his house in Darfield during the Covid-19 pandemic.
News
Hospital celebrates ‘great set of results’
MORE than 2,000 Barnsley Hospital staff who responded to an NHS survey about working conditions helped propel the facility to being crowned the best acute trust in the country. The survey - conducted nationally in NHS organisations -- is the biggest gauge of staff opinion in the UK and involved staff answering a series of 118 questions about their experience of work, along with questions relating to staff engagement and morale. Alongside positive ratings for...
Council warns ‘drastic measures’ may be required
EMERGING risks which could further jeopardise Barnsley Council’s financial position have been deemed significant by local authority bosses who warned ‘drastic measures’ may be required in the coming years. A meeting of the local authority’s audit and governance committee, which will take place on Wednesday, will delve into the current financial predicament faced by the council - just two weeks after its budget was set for 2024/25. A report warned ‘significant&rsqu
From Barnsley back garden to West End stage ...
FROM performing to her family in her nan’s garden as a youngster to playing in front of sold-out crowds at one of London’s largest theatres, Hollie Jane Stephens is aiming for the very top. The 27-year-old from Stairfoot has already travelled the world thanks to her musical and dancing exploits - even performing on the same stage as music juggernauts Michael Ball and Alfie Boe. She’s now performing at The Bridge Theatre in London in...
Barnsley Town Hall
Jailed dealer hid drugs under his false teeth
A BARNSLEY man who hid wraps of heroin under his false teeth during his arrest has appeared before court. Jamie Lloyd, 38, of Castle Street, has been sentenced to time in prison after he was found in possession of over 90 wraps of Class A drugs. Just after mid-day on Thursday February 8 officers patrolling Barnsley in an unmarked car saw a red Volkswagen Golf struggling to navigate the snowy conditions. Officers followed...
Barnsley Town Hall
Nick takes bin woes to town hall
A FUMING local resident hand-delivered his uncollected rubbish to the town hall after getting fed up of bin disruptions across Barnsley. Nick Tudor, from Pilley, did not have his brown recycling bin collected for six weeks prompting him to head to Barnsley Town Hall with his rubbish to see if they would dispose of the waste. Admittedly, the 34-year-old didn’t expect much to come from the publicity stunt but to his surprise a council employee...
Barnsley FC
‘No excuses not to come into the team and play well’ – Russell
JON RUSSELL says he is working hard to make sure he is ready to ‘jump straight in’ to Barnsley’s team when called up in the promotion run-in. The midfielder has started 18 league games and come off the bench in eight others this season but has only started five in the last four months since Luca Connell returned from illness. He partnered Connell in Tuesday’s win at Carlisle as Herbie Kane was suspended. Russell told...
Cosgrove’s ‘very honest’ chats with Collins over selection
SAM COSGROVE has had ‘very honest conversations’ with Neill Collins recently about being in and out of the Barnsley side despite contributing goals but has a ‘really great relationship’ with the head coach. The striker, 27, netted the Reds’ first goals when starting the wins at Fleetwood Town and Wycombe Wanderers but was dropped to the bench for the following fixtures. Head coach Neill Collins has tended to favour John McAtee against opponents who pass...
Why McAtee turned down move to go for Barnsley promotion
JOHN McAtee says he turned down a move to a Championship club in January because he wants to experience promotion with Barnsley. The 24-year-old has 11 goals for the Reds in all competitions this season, having ended an 11-game goalless run with two in his last three including one at Carlisle United on Tuesday. Head coach Neill Collins revealed the striker, who is on loan from Premier League Luton Town, could have left Oakwell in...
Barnsley FC Crest
Roberts in contention with others close
LIAM Roberts could face Cheltenham on Saturday while Donovan Pines, Robbie Cundy, Josh Benson and Fabio Jalo are close to returning to first team action in the coming weeks. Goalkeeper Roberts missed Tuesday’s game at Carlisle with an injury. Head coach Neill Collins said: “He’s progressing and he will be in contention for the weekend.” American defender Pines has missed both games this week and is not expected to play on Saturday. Asked if...
Barnsley FC Crest
Portsmouth game rearranged
Barnsley's game at League One leaders Portsmouth has been postponed from March 23 due to three international call-ups for the home club. The match has been rearranged for April 16, the third to last game of the season. A club statement read: "All tickets for the original fixture remain valid for the new date, or alternatively, a full refund can be redeemed up until 12pm on Tuesday 16 April from our Box Office. "We remained...
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Evening buses back on the road
THURNSCOE residents will be rejoicing this week after finding out evening buses will be coming back to the area - months after Stagecoach pulled the service due to antisocial behaviour. In October 2022, Stagecoach suspended all services running into the Thurnscoe area after 5pm after missiles were launched at passing buses. Following a six-month hiatus, the bus operator working alongside South Yorkshire Police brought back the service to Thurnscoe in a ‘trial period’ in May....
Job losses as Barnsley firm ceases trading
A BARNSLEY-based company which employed around 200 people has ceased trading with immediate effect. Euramax Solutions Ltd, based on Ashroyd’s Way in Platts Common, was founded in 1950 originally under the name Ellbee. In 1993 it was acquired by OmniMax USA and rebranded as Euramax. It was brought back under the control of a UK-based parent company, Modular Group Investments, (MGI) in 2021. The firm, which manufacture uPVC windows and doors for holiday homes and...
Barnsley dancers eye up world record
A LOCAL burlesque group’s members are hoping to ‘put Barnsley on the map’ with their record-breaking plans. Burlesque Be Fit UK, based in Gawber, run weekly sessions for newcomers and beginners to learn to dance. Now though, tutor Eleanor Gillott hopes to break a world record, as she gets the group involved with World Burlesque Day on April 21. “We got involved with the world event last year,” she told the Chronicle. “This year we’ve...
Barnsley Town Hall
New snapshot reveals ‘at risk’ historic sites
MORE than a dozen historic sites in Barnsley are considered to be ‘at risk’ - including two in a ‘very bad condition’ - the Chronicle can reveal. Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register gives an annual snapshot of the health of England’s valued buildings and places. The public body said the programme shines a light on historic sites most in need and has brought local people together in caring for and enjoying their heritage. The...
Barnsley Town Hall
Barnsley teens brave the shave to support Owen
A GROUP of teenage football players have rallied around one of their teammates who has been diagnosed with cancer for the second time by shaving their heads to help him through his treatment. Owen Jenkinson was just 13 when he was first diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma - a bone cancer which mainly affects younger people - just days after helping his AFC Pogmoor team to promotion. Incredibly, Owen returned to the football field less than...
Sport
Barnsley WFC lose 4-1 to rivals
BARNSLEY Women’s FC’s promotion hopes were dented by a 4-1 loss at home to title rivals Hull City on Wednesday in National League Division One North. The visitors went 4-0 up then Louise Biggins netted. The fourth-placed Reds are six points off leaders Middlesbrough with a game in hand but third-placed Hull have a point more than Barnsley from three fewer games. There is one promotion place. Barnsley had won 3-0 at Norton and Stockton...
Youngsters get experience at Metrodome
YOUNG boxers from several Barnsley clubs got to show off their skills at the Metrodome on Tuesday evening. Tommy Taylor from Barnsley Star kicked off the show in a skills bout, where there is no result, against JJ Smith from Accrington Lions. Mikey Wale, son of former British champion Josh Wale, also got more experience in a skills contest against Lion’s Den’s Lewis Holmes. His stablemate at Micky’s Athletic, Kiegan Plater, tasted defeat against Alfie...
Programmes free to a good home
A SPRING clean of one of the Chronicle’s storage rooms has yielded a haul of football programmes and they’re looking for a new home! We’re happy to give away the programmes to a reader. Our sports reporters over the years have always been given a complimentary matchday programme to help supplement their coverage of the game. The haul of programmes features a mix of home and away games and we would ideally...
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Reds close in on promotion with 1-0 victory
BARNSLEY Hockey Club's men could take the league title this weekend if results go their way. They won 1-0 at home to Sheffield University Bankers, stretching their unbeaten run to 15 games. That left them top of Yorkshire Peak and Wold Division One, three points clear of second-placed Lindum 4 who have played a game more. Barnsley have three games to play starting at home to Lindum 5 on Saturday. They need four points for...
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Elite and Dearne to host top sides in big weekend
ELITE AFC won 1-0 at home to Hatfield Town and are now due to visit promotion contenders Doncaster City on Saturday in the Central Midlands League. Sam Limber got the only goal, after 83 minutes, for Elite who are fifth with 38 points from 22 games. City are four points below leaders Dearne and District. Dearne host third-placed Dinnington Town on Saturday.