Meet our Proud of Barnsley 2022 finalists

Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations for this year’s awards ... it was a really tough task for our judges to choose the finalists as there were so many fantastic stories of wonderful Barnsley people. Our finalists will now be invited along to the Proud of Barnsley awards ceremony at The Metrrodome on Friday November 18. Hospital Hero Beryl Fairclough

As a former ward clerk and receptionist at the hospital, the 75-year-old from Silkstone didn’t let retirement stop her fundraising. She has raised £10,000 for the charity’s Tiny Hearts Appeal and more recently supported the Make A Memory appeal which aims to help older patients and those living with dementia.

Dr Chen and the Chemotherapy Hub

Dr Chen and his team have been described as ‘amazing’ in supporting patients with cancer. Those who attend sessions say ‘absolutely nothing’ is too much trouble for the team, with patients ‘in awe’ of their hard work and dedication. It’s not only the care for cancer patients either - the work they do with families has also been praised.

The Children’s Diabetes Team

The service deliver face-to-face diabetes to schools to make them aware of the condition - something which is essential for their health and safety. They have since had to provide a virtual package to those involved due to the pandemic. They managed to reach and support every school in Barnsley with primary-school aged children.

Children’s Champion Joe Race - Barnsley Table Tennis Club

Under the dedicated leadership of club leader and chairman Joe Race, the flourishing club is nurturing a love of table tennis among Barnsley youngsters as well as promoting good manners, life skills and sportsmanship. Joe dedicates many hours every week to the club.

Emma Owens - Horizon

The Horizon school teacher, who won an award from the Royal Society of Chemistry, helps to get students inspired about science. She has enabled students to catch up on lost practical learning caused by the pandemic and she has run after-school sessions to help students catch up. She’s been described as an ‘inspiration’ by those who nominated her.

B.O.D.Y. Carnegie Team

Rick Stables and his team are changing and improving lives every week through their selfless hard work. Run on the voluntary efforts of the team, the boxing gym holds free holiday breakfast clubs, raises thousands for charity and supports young people in the Dearne.

Charity of the Year Fareshare Yorkshire

Fareshare Yorkshire has been using food to support hundreds of frontline charities. Over the last five years alone, the staff and volunteers at Yorkshire’s largest food charity have provided enough food for an estimated 20 million meals, all by stopping it going to waste when it became surplus to requirements.

Mat’s Charity

Sue set up MAT (Mental Awareness through Talking) last year after her son took his own life in 2020. The charity aims to get people talking about their issues, in a bid to ensure no family has to suffer the same fate she did. Sue has a number of charity shops and holds sessions across the borough, offering those who need it a safe place to go.

Darcy’s Cup

An annual football tournament played in memory of six-year-old Darcy Jo Burke who died of an inoperable brain tumour in 2014 was Joe Gibbons’ idea. Darcy’s Cup was founded in 2013 to raise funds for Darcy, of Darfield, and her family to allow them to make memories and subsequent competitions have raised funds for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice. Joe continues to organise it and buys the cups with

his own money. Young Superstar Joshua Sanders

Inspirational teenager Joshua who was born without part of his left hand, has refused to let it hold him back, playing cricket and the guitar. With family and friends, he is now raising funds to get a bionic arm which his family says could be lifechanging.

Abigail Dolly Atack

Seven-year-old ‘Pocket Rocket’ Abigail Dolly lived up to her nickname during an amazing challenge she undertook this summer to help others. Abigail wanted to give something back to Dr Diarmuid Kerrin and the amazing children’s team at Barnsley Hospital, who have looked after her virtually her whole life.

Judd Moore

Judd was only five when he was mauled by his own dog and suffered severe injuries to his face. The youngster had to endure face and head operations but showed true determination to get out and about and back to school.

Community Hero Henryk Matsyiak

Businessman Henryk spearheaded a campaign which saw thousands of donations going to Poland to help those fleeing from war-torn Ukraine.

Henryk used his family connections to set up the collection and continues to offer support.

Mark Crossley

Former footballer Mark has teamed up with several former players to raise money for worthy causes - and boost awareness of mental health issues. He took up walking during lockdown, filming his journeys and sharing them on social media. That morphed into the Walking and Talking Charity Hikes (WATCH), a non-profit organisation featuring several former professional footballers, including ex-Red Jon Parkin and Hull legend Dean Windass.

Erica Hart

Hundreds of dog owners owe drone pilot Erica a huge debt of gratitude for helping them find their missing pets. Erica, a qualified drone pilot, travels miles and goes out in all weathers using her skills and equipment to rescue over 200 missing dogs.

Community Group Uniform Fairy

This community group has eased pressure on hundreds of families in need by collecting, repairing and recycling pre-loved school uniforms and distributing them at drop-in sessions along with winter coats, shoes and other essentials.

Liam Jones Legacy

A community Facebook page created to support people with mental health issues in memory of a friend who took his own life has worked tirelessly to help and signpost mental health sufferers to much-needed support services in the hope of saving lives.

Worsbrough Community Pantry

The Pantry has been operating for close to two years and has supported hundreds of families and individuals across the community to access low cost and good quality food. The Pantry is led by volunteers and is built on foundations of love and care, which is seen in its truest form in the volunteers who run it.

School of the Year Cawthorne Primary School

The school celebrated its 150th year anniversary in the summer and the reaction to the very special milestone proves that pupils’ affiliation to the school lasts a lifetime. It is an integral part of the community and is a nurturing environment for all

its pupils. Milefield Primary School

The has undoubtedly been on a huge journey over recent years. Following an Ofsted inspection in November 2019 that stated ‘expectation for pupils are not high enough’, it’s now in a position where, for the first times ever, outcomes in all year groups are above national figures!

Laithes Primary

The school, which was put in special measures in 2014, has flourished and is striving hard to be outstanding across the board after its nursery provision achieved outstanding status in its latest inspection. WIth wellbeing at the heart of the school, the primary academy is going above and beyond for its pupils.

Triumph Over Adversity Mark Younger

Mark was given months to live following a heartbreaking terminal brain tumour diagnosis – but it’s not stopped him completing his bucket list. He was reunited with his first ever motorbike last Christmas and is an inspiration to others. In what was described as a ’nightmare year’, Mark and his wife Joanne took in their four grandchildren and were forced to remortgage their house.

Family of Honey Cook

After the devastating news of the death of her daughter, 15-year-old Honey Cook, Gemma decided to set her mind to creating a charity day in her honour. Held in August, the Bee Kind festival raised more than £20,000 as thousands flocked to Woolley Cricket Club. Plans to make the festival an annual event have already been mooted, and Gemma wants youngsters suffering with their mental health to seek help.

Family of Hannah Wilson

The family of a young mum who lost her battle with cancer just weeks after giving birth to her second child have raised almost £40,000 in her memory. £35,000 was originally raised in her name and f amily and friends recently raised thousands more by running the Great North Run for Mummy’s Star.

Exceptional Achievement Jim Morton

Jim set out the day after Lockdown ended to walk the entire British coastline to raise money for the Ghurka Welfare Trust – 8,870 miles, six pairs of boots and 534 days later Jim completed his mission having raised over £30,000 for the charity.

Derek Bramham

Since retiring over a decade ago, Derek has never worked so hard, volunteering and playing a key role in many of the projects that have breathed new life into Thurnscoe and the surrounding area. Dedicated Derek has been described as ‘a saviour of the Dearne’.

Brian Nelson

Brian has worked tirelessly and overcome many personal challenges to fulfil his ambition to make art accessible to all and since opening his business at Elsecar Heritage Centre in 2009 he has helped thousands of people find their creative way.

Carer of the Year Martine Bradley

Five years ago Martine’s nephew Brynn was living in a care home after losing his Mum to cancer.

His future was uncertain as he was living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, weighed 17 stones, self-harmed and was terrified to go out. That’s when Martine took him in and transformed his life.

Cody Hepple

Dedicated Mum Cody tirelessly cares for her disabled son Logan Smith – and subsequently helped raise more than £11,000 for life-changing equipment for Logan who was born with hydrocephalus hypotonia, a form of cerebral palsy.

Laura Fay and Jak Bragan

The couple are the parents of young Charlie, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in August. The family initially thought Charlie had hay fever, but further tests confirmed the cancer diagnosis. They have been fundraising and hosted an event to raise as much awareness about the disease as they could.

Charity Fundraiser Carl Mellor

Carl has raised over £20,000 for Weston Park Cancer Charity through various means but mainly by walking from football ground to ground after doing what was going to be a one-off walk after his stepdad was diagnosed with a rare cancer.

Maddison Brown

Maddison is the youngest ever chairperson of Barnsley Sea Cadets and took over when the building was in tatters. There was no money and only three volunteers – the centre, on Racecommon Road, has received around £70,000 in funds since Maddison took the helm.

Matthew Tonks

Matthew runs a gruelling challenge every year to raise money for Barnsley Hospital Neonatal Unit that saved his best friends’ daughter, Elsie, when she was born prematurely. Funds raised have bought lots of equipment for the unit including Zaky’s hands which are a special piece of equipment from America that offers comfort to babies.

Volunteer of the Year Peter Francis

Peter has worked with dementia charities for 35 years and was instrumental in setting up Barnsley’s own dementia charity BIADS. Peter has remained on the board and, more recently, guided the charity in setting up its day centre provision.

John Ennis

John is a volunteer with the shuttle bus service that takes people from Barnsley to get their treatment at Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield. He drives every week and regularly takes extra shifts to cover when other volunteers can’t make it. He’s always ready to help out at events and goes out of his way to make sure people who need help getting to their appointments know that it is available to them.

Alex Gates

Alex lives in a supported living complex and has learning difficulties. She can be found volunteering at most local events in the Dearne – from supporting children at Station House to helping maintain the Goldthorpe Railway Embankment, Alex’s constant support is invaluable to many local groups.

Love Where You Live Anne Graham

At 80, and with mobility issues, Goldthorpe-born Anne is still dermined to play her part in looking after her community. Anne is out most days picking up litter, encouraging others to take pride in the area as she goes.

Worsbrough Bridge CC

The club is much more than its name would suggest, it is a group at the heart of the community. Apart from being a hugely successful and long-standing cricket club, they have branched out to offer support to everyone in Worsbrough. They have invested in their club, so that they are able to support children, young people and adults of all abilities.

Bob Sharpe

Former firefighter Bob, 83, is well-known in Old Town for his jokes and huge smile but it’s his hard work, taking part in litter picks and cleaning graffiti off walls as well as being part of the neighbourhood watch that has earned him his nomination.

Charity Fundraising Team The Baumber family

The Baumber family home has become a Christmas tradition in Penistone. Every year, the family puts on a spectacular Christmas lights display, attracting hundreds of people and raising money for small charities and groups in the area.

Anna Barron and Sarah Allam

These two Higham sisters have raised over £20,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support by baking hundreds of cakes and organising an event as part of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning for the past 13 years after Anna lost her father-in-law to cancer.

Amy Egley and Donna Merrills (GXO)

Amy and Donna are community champions for GXO Logistics, one of Barnsley’s employers, who have raised over £85,000 for the town’s charities. Through fundraising and volunteering Amy and Donna, with help from the company’s other employees, support many local charities and organisations.

Sporting Achievement Lachlan Moorhead

22-year-old judo player Lachlan from Penistone won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this summer. He is due to compete on Sunday in the World Championships in Uzbekistan and is hoping to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Joe Ferguson

Sprinter Joe from Darton, 22, won silver over 200m at the British Chamionships this year. That qualified him for the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA in which he reached the semi-final. Over this year, he has taken more than half a second off his 200m personal best.

Barnsley Woolley Miners’ FC

The Shaw Laners won the ECB Yorkshire Premier South Twenty20 Blast in August. The previous day, they broke a league record as they made 512 in an innings against Whiston, with star batter Jake Weatherald’s 270 also a league record. Barnsley reached a second cup final later in the season but lost.

Bethany England

Footballer Bethany from Kingstone was part of the England squad that won the European Championships this summer. Although she did not play any minutes in the tournament, she has a medal. Bethany also won the domestic treble with Chelsea and recently scored twice for England in a 10-0 win over Luxembourg.

Green Hero Metalliform

The business has waged war on its carbon footprint after calculating that its annual output is equivalent to brewing 109 million cups of Yorkshire Tea! The company has already reduced its environmental impact including reducing electric cars.

Hoyland and Birdwell Methodist Church

The church has been awarded ‘Eco Church’ status for its commitment to the environment and sustainability – which has included creating ‘twin toilets’ in Sierra Leone and Afghanistan. It has also improved its insulation, cleaning and recycling methods as well as supporting the local ‘community fridge’ and hosting a foodbank and litter picking.

Mapplewell and Staincross Community Fridge

Based in the village hall, this aims to reduce food from going to waste - whilst supporting local families at the same time. It was set up in November by the council and is entirely free to access by anyone who needs it. More than 340kg of food was saved from going to landfill in just its first few days.