Parish News

The Annual Parish Meeting is scheduled for Thursday 8th June and you are all invited to attend. Local groups and the PC will be talking about what has happened in the village during the last year and what will be happening in the future for about one hour then we will finish with fine wine and high-class nibbles. This is a village social providing us all with the chance to catch up with those we do not see often enough and the local gossip – it is always a good night so please come along.

The Parish Council now has a full membership and I am delighted that Lynne Rushworth and Garry Grimshaw have now joined Daniel Goldsbrough, John Connor, Jayne Harthan, Lee Hunt and myself to form the new PC for 2023.

The big news is that Lancashire CC have agreed to introduce a Resident Parking zone in Barley. It has been a long time coming and I am sure residents in the centre of the village, who fully supported the scheme, will be delighted. Chris, Daniel & Linda put the work in on behalf of the residents and there was support from the local Parish, Borough and County Councillors which helped get this in place. It will take time to get the Traffic Regulation Order in place and for signs and road lines to be installed but hopefully it will all come together later in the summer.

For all those who attended the King’s Coronation Event on the Village Green on Sunday 7th May you will know what a success it was. The sun shone and the people came out to enjoy the occasion. We had sports events including all sorts of races for different ages, a fancy dress competition, a tombola, coconut shy, welly wanging for all ages, beat the goalie and the MP & Parish Councillors in the Stocks to be pelted with wet sponges; with Jayne as the MC for the day. The Women’s Institute provided great cakes and teas and the Cabin provided hot roast meats, Pimms and beer as refreshments to keep us going through the day. We had a burning beacon and a good rendition of “God Save the King”. The fete concluded with the Barley Classic Duck Race with over 500 at the Starting Gun.

There are so many to thank for bringing this all together including the specially formed Barley Events Committee, led by Lee & Joanne Hunt, who put so much time in to organising and administering the event, the Pendle Inn for providing the Marquee free of charge, the WI and Cabin for providing essential supplies and those who donated prizes for the raffle. Thanks to everyone for coming to support the event and extra thanks to those residents who helped set things up in the morning and clear the green in the late afternoon (much appreciated).

The festivities continued into the evening with a night, just for residents, at the Pendle Inn. A mouth-watering free buffet and great hospitality was provided by the Thwaites team, we enjoyed an excellent quiz hosted by Phil, and we had a memorable community social to befit a royal coronation.

Events such as the Platinum Jubilee and a Coronation Event come around so rarely and we have been lucky to have two great successes within a year; and memories are made that will be kept for a lifetime.