February 2024

Your official monthly newsletter for the Pendle villages of Barley, Newchurch, Roughlee, Sabden Fold & Spenbrook.

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From the Congregation

St. Mary's Newchurch

“February fill dyke, be it black or be it white”. This refers to whether there is rain or snow and at Newchurch we know a lot about the latter. Sayings can be like passages in the Bible, not always easily understood unless we are familiar with them or have them explained. Traditions are kept in our countryside and our churches because we have passed them on from one generation to the next. They are part of our families and our community, and we enjoy sharing them.

In church we have many special services mainly led by Fr. Paul but on the 4th of February Bishop …

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Barley Parish Council

Parking, Road Improvements, Old Barley...

At the time of writing, it is perishingly cold and the roads and footways are somewhat treacherous. Having just returned from sunny climates in the southern hemisphere it is an extreme re-acclimatisation for me. The snow and sunshine have made for some great pictures but I hope everyone managed to keep on the road and on their feet. I am not a big fan of social media but looking at the information shared about road conditions on the Residents Facebook page it provides a valuable public service in these situations.

The Resident Parking scheme has taken another step forward with road-lining and signing works completed in …

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Goldshaw Booth Parish Council

Community Spirit!

The recent winter white-out brought out the best of the blitz spirit once more! Despite reason to complain about the lack of road gritting, a wedged bus and reckless drivers the Community pulled together offering shopping trips, weather and traffic notifications on Facebook, shovelling snow, gritting the roads and, in true Sergeant Major style, Kathleen was seen marching through Newchurch directing traffic with shepherds crook in hand.

Donations of food and household provisions for local people are being collected as usual at Barley Chapel (porch open 24/7). Contact Angela Hargreaves, in complete confidence, if you know someone in need.

The Sparable Wood tree planting project will be …

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Roughlee Village panto 2023

Roughlee Parish Council

Holes, Grit, Grants & Panto...

January has been a quiet month on the Parish Council front (even without our normal monthly meeting) with only the hole on the village centre car park causing us any grief. We had a site meeting with PBC surveyors, engineers, legal people and immediate neighbours to try to bottom out responsibility and ownership. We had a very productive meeting with some very constructive suggestions on how to progress this and get the problem repaired. We are now waiting for quotes for the work to decide how best to progress this, but more importantly how it will be funded. So watch this spaces for updates.

Our next …

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Race night 2024

Roughlee Village Centre

2024 Dates for your Diary, Race Night (2nd March)

Roughlee Village Centre’s 2024 calendar of events is now available – get the following dates in your diary:

  • March 2nd – Race Night – 7.30pm, Pie & Pea Supper (Cheese & Onion must be ordered) – £10, Order from Glen on 07849 774438
  • April 27th – Friends of Roughlee Appearance (FoRA) fundraiser
  • June 7-9th – Beer, Gin & Music Festival
  • July 20th – Walking with Witches
  • Sept 7th – Duck Race
  • Oct 27th – Halloween Festival
  • Nov 9th – Witch Wines
  • Dec 6th – Dickensian Christmas Fayre

From the archives

Volunteers Needed - Keeping East Lancashire in the Picture

ENE20150819008 - Narrowgates, Barley

The cottages were built for weavers working at Narrowgate Mill, which can be seen at the end of the row. Their date of construction is not known, but is likely to be in the early nineteenth century. The majority had only two rooms and when the mill closed in 1967 they were deemed to be ‘sub-standard’. Saved from demolition they have been renovated, the original 10 dwellings being converted into 5 new cottages and are now in occupation.

Keeping East Lancashire in the Picture is a new two-year Lancashire Archives and Local History project that will make the wonderful collections of historic photographs in East Lancashire Libraries more accessible. We need volunteers to digitise old photographs so that people can enjoy them online, and at exhibitions and events. We also need help researching the images. Could you help identify people, places, and events? For more information email us or call 01772 533819.

Bowland Dark Skies Festival

Forest of Bowland National Landscape

The Forest of Bowland’s Dark Skies Festival face to face events are mainly all booked up now, but we do have a couple of online sessions, plus a talk, which still have plenty of room available. All are free to attend, but booking is essential – via email, or by phone on 07973 923142.

  • HOW BIG IS SPACE?
    Sunday 11 February, 19:00 – 20:00
    Online

    We all know that space is really, really big! But just how big…?

    Join Preston and District Astronomical Society for this entertaining online talk about the vastness of the known universe and how we can try to …

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Have you got a new neighbour?

Please mention Parish News to them!

If you have any neighbours or friends that have just moved to the area, or who might not be aware of this newsletter, please can you mention Parish News to them. We’re now on 720 email subscribers across Barley, Newchurch and Roughlee so are definitely reaching the majority of households, but it’s an ongoing job to let people know when there’s no longer a physical copy being delivered and not everyone will see the adverts on noticeboards. Thanks for your help!

Print a note to post through their letterbox here →

They can enter their email address to receive an email on the first of each month online at www.parishnews.org – their data is managed/protected by Roughlee Parish Council on behalf of the other parish councils.

Friends of Newchurch School

100 club draw

The winners of the Friends Of Newchurch 100 Club Draw for January are:

  • 1st prize £25 – no. 90, Jay Gardner
  • 2nd prize £20 – no. 92, Pia Lyle
  • 3rd prize £15 – no. 2, Margaret Hope

Congratulations to our winners and thank you to everyone for taking part!

Events in Barley: Feb 2024

  • Pendle Forest History Group – Wed 21st Feb, 7.30pm at Barley Village Hall – A presentation by Brian Jeffery on “The Rubbing Mills of Rossendale” (rescheduled from Jan). Members £2.00, Visitors £3.00. Email →
  • Pendle Patchers – 13th & 27th Feb, from 1pm at Barley Village Hall – Pendle Patchers were back to (patch)work at the beginning of January and everyone felt good about being back in the usual routine, however much we might have enjoyed the festive break. There’s been an outbreak of patchwork hexagons in the group, it will be interesting to see how the various projects unfold over …
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St. Mary's Church

February 2024 Services

Our Parish Church exists to be the people of God, through faith in Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, worshipping Him, making disciples and serving others.

Services will take place on the following dates:

  • Sunday 4th February – 9:30am – Holy Communion with Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Revd Philip North
  • Sunday 11th February – 9:30am – Morning Prayer
  • Sunday 18th February – 9:30am – Lent Holy Communion
  • Sunday 25th February – 9:30am – Lent Holy Communion

Contact Fr Paul Payton for more details on 07866 696 891 or email frpaulp@yahoo.com.