News

MORE men in South Yorkshire were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022 – prompting charities to urge locals to get regularly checked.The latest figures from NHS England show there were 1,370 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022 – a 33 per cent increase on the year before.Prostate Cancer UK said the data vindicates its campaign to find the ‘missing men’ not getting checked, but warned many were still being diagnosed...

THE borough’s Household Waste Recycling Centres will move to winter opening hours from Tuesday. Penistone, Goldthorpe and Smithies will open at 9am and shut at 4pm each day while Worsbrough will open at 8am and shut at 4pm. For more information, www.barnsley.gov.uk/hwrc

PARENTS and carers of youngsters in Barnsley are being urged to book their children in for a flu vaccine as the NHS ramps up its preparations for winter.The NHS is sending invitations to the parents of two and three year olds, after the jab offer for pregnant women and schoolchildren kicked off earlier this month.The flu vaccine is usually given to children as a quick and painless spray up the nose...

PARENTS and carers with children in Year Six are being encouraged to start applying for their child’s secondary school place for September 2025.Barnsley Council has advised that if your child is currently in Year Six, applying online on the Virtual Family Hubs website is quick and easy – all you need is an email address.A council spokesman said: “You can also find lots of useful information on our website to help...

RESIDENTS can get help signing up for recycling centre digital passes at sessions at local libraries next week.The council is running the drop-in sessions to offer help in signing up for a digital pass to access recycling centres around the borough.Council staff will be on hand on the following dates and locations next week:Monday (September 16) – Worsbrough library (10am to 5pm) and Goldthorpe library (9am to 5pm) ...

BARNSLEY’s Smithies Lane recycling centre will be for closed for two days this week.It will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday for ground and general improvement work. A council spokesperson said: “If you need to use a recycling centre on these days, please use one of our alternative sites. “For more information or to find your nearest HWRC, visit www.barnsley.gov.uk/hwrc “

RESIDENTS will be hearing from Barnsley Council from next week as they ensure their electoral register is up to date.The council is checking the register this year to ensure that any resident who is eligible to vote can do so.A spokesperson for the council said: “If you’ve given us your email address, you’ll receive an email from our team this week to check we’ve got the right information.“We’ll also...

NOMINATIONS are being invited for six parish councillors in Great Houghton.Anyone wishing to apply for the role on the Great Houghton Parish Council must do so by Thursday at 4pm.If any election is contested, the poll will take place on September 19.More information can be found on the parish council’s website.

BARNSLEY Council is urging bird keepers across the town to register their animals by October 1.The new government law means that regardless of how many birds you have, even if they are kept as pets, locals must report it to them.Caged birds like budgerigars, parrots, or canaries do not have to be registered but species like chickens, turkeys and pigeons do need to be registered.A council spokesperson said: “By...

THE council is hoping to run its biggest employability event yet next month.On September 7, people looking for work or to learn new skills are invited to the event at the Library @ the Lightbox.There will be a range of partner services that help people to access opportunities from debt or financial advice, information about benefits, support for childcare, special educational needs and disabilities, mental health and much more.Coun...

WORKING parents with a child who will be nine months old by the end of the month are being urged to apply for extra support.As part of the second phase of the 15 free hours of childcare being offered to working parents across the country, locals are being encouraged to apply before the deadline on August 31.The support will be available in September and more information can be found on the...

BARNSLEY residents are being encouraged to not leave it until the last minute to order and collect repeat prescriptions ahead of the upcoming August bank holiday.Pharmacies will have limited opening hours over the bank holiday, and many will be closed on August 26, making it more challenging for patients to access medicines at short notice.Dr David Crichton, medical officer of NHS South Yorkshire, said: “We are asking that you help yourself...

SOME of the area’s Household Waste Recycling Centres will be temporarily closed this week for essential maintenance work. The sites will be closed on the following days: August 6 - Goldthorpe August 7 - Worsbrough August 8 - Worsbrough and Smithies LaneAugust 9 - Smithies Lane If your nearest site is closed on the day you want to visit, you can use an alternative site in the borough.

RESIDENTS are being encouraged to have their say on the draft proposals for the new ward boundaries for Barnsley.The Local Government Boundary Commission are proposing that there continue to be 21 three-councillor wards, 17 of which will have different boundaries with just four staying the same.The consultation on the draft recommendations ends on September 9 and people are being urged to provide their views online.Leader of Barnsley Council Sir...

COMMUNITY groups and organisations are being invited to apply for a share of more than £25,000 following the launch of a new fund to tackle loneliness and isolation across South Yorkshire.Local projects supporting older people can apply for up to £3,000 each from the Sir George Earle Benevolent Fund Programme, which is being delivered by South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation (SYCF).Named after its principal benefactor, Sir George Earle – a British politician...

THE government’s new proposal for a publicly-owned energy company could cut average household bills by £300 a year – a relief to the 19,642 households in Barnsley living in fuel poverty.Plans for GB Energy – a new clean energy company – were presented at Wednesday’s King’s Speech.A think-tank called Ember reported that this will save households £300 per year, a much needed change for the people of Barnsley after it was...

LOCALS are being encouraged to get their children vaccinated with suspected cases of whooping cough on the rise locally.Whooping cough is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes.It spreads very easily and can sometimes cause serious problems.The latest figures sent to the UKSHA by GPs suggests there have been 58 cases in Barnsley so far this year - including four this week.William Roberts, chief executive...

STUDENTS in Barnsley are being encouraged to check their vaccines are up to date during the summer before they head off to university.The MenACWY vaccine – which helps protect against illnesses like meningitis and sepsis – is routinely offered to those in school years nine and ten but some students will have missed or chosen not to have it at that time.It’s not too late, anyone who has missed out can...

AN EVENT later this month is offering help to those who are interested in learning something new, finding a job, or getting involved in your community.Planned for Tuesday July 30, from 10am to 2pm, at Athersley Roundhouse Library, the council’s team of advisors and partners will be on hand to help residents explore options for learning, training, work and volunteering.Everyone is welcome to attend the event, no matter your background or...

BARNSLEY Foodbank Partnership is asking for people to come forward to join its growing trustee board.The volunteer role will support the foodbank in helping thousands of residents across the town.A spokesperson said: “We’re looking for people with a passion for making a difference to their community and who can bring some amazing skills to the table as we continue to move forward.“You will ideally have experience with funding work,...

WOMEN in Barnsley are now able to get the contraceptive pill free at their local pharmacy without needing to contact their GP first. Community pharmacies across the area are offering the new service for the first time, increasing choice for women in the ways in which they can access contraception. Anyone needing the pill can access it through participating pharmacies without a referral from their GP, though they can be referred by their general practice...

LOCALS who have considered becoming a foster carer are being encouraged to attend one of the council’s drop-in events.The next event will take place at Barnsley Markets on July 18, followed by a number of events at Ladywood Primary School and Wigfield Farm.A council spokesperson said: “Throughout July our friendly fostering team are running drop-in information sessions.“If you’ve considered becoming a foster carer, pop along for a chat with...

RESIDENTS are being reminded to not put batteries and vapes into their grey bins by council bosses.Instead, people are asked to hand their vapes into the store they bought it from so they can recycle it.A spokesperson said: “Batteries and vapes don’t belong in your grey bin.“They can cause fires and are a danger risk to our crews, so they should be recycled correctly.“Visit one of our...

TODAY at 5pm is the deadline to apply for free voter ID for next week’s general election.If you're voting at a polling station you'll need to take along photo ID. Accepted forms of ID include a passport, national identity card, full or provisional driving licence, blue badge, older person's bus pass or disabled person's bus pass. You'll still be able to use an expired ID as long as you're recognisable in...

A NEW foodbank at Gateway Church is offering a range of support to locals.The HUB is open every Thursday from 11am to 1pm at Mottram Hall, providing support for people in need.Volunteers hope to provide more than just advice, as they offer events, workshops and introductions to new hobbies.HUB co-ordinator Stephanie Aplin-Wakefield said: “Its purpose is to provide cohesion to a range of local agencies and ministries at Gateway...

NERVOUSNESS, embarrassment and anxiety are among the reasons almost one in three women don’t attend their routine appointment for a smear test which is a vital check for cervical cancer.Concern about the procedure is a common cause of ‘Smear fear’ and the theme of national Cervical Screening Awareness Week running until Sunday, which aims to reassure women that they are not alone and offer tips to help overcome those fears.Dr Steph Edgar,...

A CANCER support event will take place at Shaw Lane Sports Club next month.Taking place on Thursday, July 11 between 10am and 3pm, residents are being encouraged to come along and seek help if they need to.The event, which has been organised as part of the Take Action Live Longer campaign, has been funded via Barnsley CVS, Barnsley Council and the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.It aims to offer...

BARNSLEY Archives and Local Studies – based in the town hall – now have new opening times.The service will be closed on Mondays and Fridays.The new opening hours will provide researchers extra time for research on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, outside traditional opening times.It will be open on Tuesdays between 9.30am and 12.45pm, and then between 1.30pm and 6pm.On Wednesdays and Thursdays it will be open between...

HEALTHWATCH Barnsley bosses are on the lookout for new volunteers.As part of Volunteers’ Week, the charity has announced new opportunities for those wishing to get involved with social care in Barnsley.The charity is looking for new members to join its advisory group, which would be best for anyone who has experienced being a patient, service user or caregiver and a chair for the group with strong leadership skills.More information...

A LOCAL dementia support service are on the lookout for volunteers.Barnsley Independent Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support (BIADS) run weekly support groups for those who need it.They’re asking for volunteers to help their Tuesday activity sessions for just a few hours each week.A spokesperson said: “These sessions provide various activities for people with dementia and as a volunteer your will provide support, encouragement and companionship on a one-to-one basis....

YORKSHIRE Ambulance Service are set to deliver two defibrillator training sessions next month.The first will take place on Wednesday, July 24 and the second on Saturday, July 27.Residents from Cudworth, Monk Bretton, Royston and the North East wards are being encouraged to take part.Email joannesmith1@barnsley.gov.uk for more information and to book your place.

HEALTH bosses in Barnsley are encouraging residents to get their spring Covid booster jabs before the end of the month.The latest weekly figures show that over 3.6 million people have taken up the offer since April when the spring campaign was launched, including nearly two thirds of care home residents in England.Anyone currently aged 75 and over, or who will be aged 75 by June 30, is able to get the...

WILDLIFE lovers are being urged to join a day of discovering and counting butterflies in the grounds of a National Trust castle in Barnsley as part of a national day of volunteering. Volunteers have been asked to go along to Wentworth Castle between 11am and 3pm on Saturday and record the number of butterflies they spot whilst wandering around the gardens and parkland as part of The Big Help Out. By noting how...

BARNSLEY people are being encouraged take care of their oral health to give them a healthy smile and prevent tooth decay and gum disease as part of National Smile Month which is taking place until June 13.As part of the month-long campaign, health experts across South Yorkshire are supporting the Oral Health Foundation charity in raising awareness of the importance of having a healthy mouth and smile. Taking good care of our...

A NEW parish councillor is being sought in Shafton.Shafton Parish Council announced a vacancy this week and appealed to locals to get involved.A spokesperson said: “This is a voluntary, unpaid role – if you would like to make a difference and be involved of shaping the future of your local community, why not step forward and apply to fill the role?“We’d like to see someone who as local knowledge,...