‘We have so much going for us here, why keep it to ourselves?’

■ Barnsley Central MP Dan Jarvis on tonight’s Proud of Barnsley awards

TONIGHT Barnsley will come together for the prestigious Proud of Barnsley awards. People across our borough will be donning their glad rags and making their way to a glitzy evening of celebration to recognise the inspiring folk who do so much to make our community the best place to live, work and raise a family.

These awards are always a wonderful occasion that show Barnsley at its very best.

When we first set up the Awards in 2012, I could never have imagined the spirit in which people would get involved – nominating the everyday heroes in our local communities and celebrating the people who really make a difference to life in our town.

And never has that spirit mattered more than over the last few years.

These have undoubtedly been the toughest of times; we were hit hard by the pandemic and now face a cost-of-living crisis of epic proportions with a recession on the horizon, but despite that, the people of Barnsley continue to do remarkable things.

From Community Hero Henryk Matsyiak who spearheaded a campaign which saw thousands of items donated and sent to Poland to support refugees fleeing the barbaric war in Ukraine; to our very own Bethany England, lifting not just the trophy at the Women’s Euros this year but elevating the entire women’s game for the next generation of girls; to the inspirational family of Honey Cook, who after suffering the devastating news of the loss of their daughter created a charity day in her honour and raised £20,000 at the Bee Kind festival this summer.

The Proud of Barnsley Awards really does epitomise the values and spirit of our town – public service; a willingness to help those in need; and an unstinting pride in our community.

Although every winner represents our borough in different ways – all embody what is so great about our town and demonstrate why so many are proud to call Barnsley their home.

Ahead of this evening, my thanks must go to the Barnsley Chronicle.

The initiative behind Proud of Barnsley began 11 years ago when I ran a competition to find a picture that best encapsulated our town pride.

I was so proud to invite the winners, Jorji-Lea and Georgina from Holy Trinity school to Parliament to unveil their work.

Now, thanks to the likes of

Andrew Harrod and the Barnsley Chronicle team picking up the mantle and giving this event their unstinting support and dedication, it’s grown into an important annual event, integral to our town’s calendar.

Ever since I was first elected to serve the people of Barnsley Central, I have always strived to use my position to showcase the very best of our town.

We have so much going for us here, why should we keep it all to ourselves?!

A huge good luck to the nominees tonight, enjoy the moment and remember, Barnsley is proud of you!