August 2025

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

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St Mary's Rushbearing

Notes from St Mary’s Church

Rushbearing 2025

“Rushbearing – what on earth is that?” I remember thinking the first time I heard it referred to. However, it was clear from the conversations I overheard that, whatever it is, it’s a big deal at St Mary’s. And, as I’ve discovered since, quite rightly so.

A quick google tells me that it’s an old English festival where rushes (a type of plant) are collected, carried to a church, and spread on the floor. The tradition dates back to a time when church floors were often made of beaten earth or flagstones, and the rushes provided insulation and cleanliness. The festival often involves a decorated cart, …

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Barley Parish Council

Himalayan Balsam, Pub walk, Best Kept Village...

As we move into August it is suddenly mid-summer and holiday time for schools and a time when families go on holiday and pensioners generally stay at home to avoid the higher costs and temperatures. The Anglo -Saxons called it “Weod month” because it is a month when weeds and other plants grow rapidly, however, the roman names prevailed, and August is named after Augustus Ceasar who was the grandnephew of Julius Ceasar who named July after himself.

Going back to the weeds, we are losing the battle against Himalayan Balsam as this pervasive weed continues to spread. Over 5 years ago it took over the …

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Goldshaw Booth Parish Council

New goal posts, Football Tournament & BBQ (13 Sept), Reporting crime...

We experienced classic British summer weather in July, with plenty of sunshine for outdoor activities and events, plus our fair share of rain to keep the grass (and weeds!) growing wildly.

Thanks to the funding from Barrowford and Western Parishes we were able to purchase and install the new football goal posts on the pitch at the bottom of the playing fields. They look fabulous and there has been lots of fantastic feedback about them from residents. The new 7-a-side pitch was officially opened by pupils from St Mary’s School, Newchurch, who enjoyed a football match there on Friday 18th July.

We are delighted to announce that …

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Roughlee Parish Council

Planning, Tree Preservation Order, Gardener, BKV Next Round, Under 16s...

It’s been a busy old month for the team with planning matters dominating our agenda and sucking up a lot of our time. Many of you will have seen the developments that have been taking place just off Pasture Lane, at the Forest of Pendle Caravan Park. We have been pursuing the Planning team at Pendle Council (probably to the point of annoying them) to see if this development is lawful and if not, what could be done to stop it. As part of this process we have managed to get a Tree Preservation Order placed on the entire wood in the area that is …

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Roughlee Village Centre

Fundraising, Macmillan Coffee Morning (30 Aug)...

After a very hectic time at the village centre we are having a few weeks of committee members having an holiday or two. In July we held our (now annual) charity event and as last year we were supporting Derian House Children’s Hospice.

This year we had a fine supporting crowd of locals at the charity show and that helped towards our total of £2800ish raised in 2025. The crowd were superbly entertained free of charge by the local Spenbrook duo Me & Sally, followed by the resident band The Real Village People. Our thanks go to out to both groups for the feel-good vibe. Also …

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Barley Village Hall

Redecorating, Curry & Quiz Night (22 Nov). Committee members, Parking...

We’re excited to share that plans are now in motion to redecorate the Terrace Room at Barley Village Hall. After speaking with our regular users, we’ve gathered some great feedback on how the space could be improved. We’re taking those ideas on board, and the first step — redecorating — is officially booked for October. Following that, we’ll be updating the flooring, curtains, and enhancing some of the room’s facilities to make it even more welcoming and functional.

Looking ahead, make sure to save the date: 22nd November for our much-loved Curry and Quiz Night! This year’s curry will have a Sri Lankan twist, and the …

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Keeping East Lancs in the Picture exhibition

Keeping East Lancashire in the Picture

Final Exhibition & FREE workshops at Accrington, Burnley, Nelson and Colne libraries

A great exhibition and series of free workshops are taking place at local libraries this summer for the ‘Keeping East Lancashire in the Picture’ project. They include animation sessions for children (aged 8+); art workshops with local artist Gosha Gibek (separate adult and family sessions); digital photography composition workshops with a professional photographer; cyanotypes and photo montage workshops (separate adult and family sessions) and a workshop on the skills for dating historical photographs. There’s also a final exhibition for the Keeping East Lancashire in the Picture project.

The Nelson exhibition in particular will include some images of Roughlee and Newchurch.

The table below gives the dates of …

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St Mary’s CE Primary School

Playground Proms, Trips, Workshops, Talks & Leavers...

We have enjoyed a very busy summer term.

PCSO Alan came into school to talk to our Years 5 and 6 pupils about keeping safe whilst they are out and about, especially during the summer holidays and what to expect when they start high school. It is good for the children to receive a gentle reminder that even though they feel like they are growing up, it is still okay for them to talk to a trusted adult about things that do not feel right.

Mrs Bell and Mrs Finch had the pleasure of meeting our new EYFS children during home visits, prior to their Stay and …

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Friends of Newchurch School

100 club draw

The Friends of Newchurch School 100 Club draw has taken place for July. The winners are:

  • 1st Prize £25 – No. 8 Helen Norris
  • 2nd Prize £20 – No. 79 Laura Lane
  • 3rd Prize £15 – No. 39 Kim Mills

Thank you to everyone who takes part.

Events in Barley: August 2025

Dates for your diary...

  • Pendle Forest History Group – Wed 20th August, 7.30pm at Barley Village Hall – Rescheduled from our July meeting: a presentation by Kevin Illingworth titled “Traditional Buildings in North East Lancashire” – Members £2.00, Visitors £3.00 – Please email to book a place
  • Pendle Patchers – Tues 12th and 26th August, from 1pm at Barley Village Hall – Pendle Patchers had a fairly quiet July as we enjoyed our annual summer afternoon tea from the Cabin, so not so much sewing or knitting was done. Our picture this month is of a simple beginner’s cot quilt, to encourage anyone who thinks they might like to have a go at patchwork but doesn’t know how to start. Anyone is welcome to come to our group with any sewing or knitting craft, or chat about what we do. We would welcome some new faces in our group. For any information, contact Gil Beeke 01282 602449 / Email →
  • Barley WI – 1st Wed of the month, 7.30pm at Barley Village Hall – New members are always welcome, first three meetings are free so you can make sure you like it! The WI isn’t just a monthly meeting – we have sub groups which include Walking, Crafting, Dining Club (The Sticky Toffee Pudding Club!) along with two book clubs.
  • Pendleside Gardeners Club – No meetings over the summer break, next meeting date 16th September
  • FOG Club – Thurs evenings, 6.30pm-7.45pm at Barley Chapel – For children aged 6-11 years. Contact Angie on 07967 121031 or just come along
  • Card making class – 1st and 3rd Mon of each month, 1-3pm at Barley Village Hall – for details contact Valerie on 01282 691850
  • Coffee and Chat – 2nd Wed of each month, 10am-12pm at Barley Village Hall – All welcome, not just the old folk – £2 gets coffee (or tea) and cake!
are-you-lost-nature-calling-2025-credit-jack-bolton-min

Nature Calling – Are you Lost?

Exciting new arts project coming to the Forest of Bowland

An exciting and ambitious new art project will officially launch in Dunsop Bridge on Saturday 2 August.

Are You Lost?, created by artist Rob St John, is part of a national initiative called Nature Calling, and seeks to understand how communities connect with the natural world around them. It aims to open up conversations about access to wild spaces and celebrate our place and responsibility in these environments.

The project, which has been running for the last ten months, is commissioned by the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, and is produced by Lancaster Arts.

Are You Lost? will culminate in a series of sound, film and textile art …

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"One of the best views in the Forest of Bowland" © S Adair (Forest of Bowland Diamond Anniversary 2024 exhibition entry.)

National Landscape calls for ‘Best of Bowland’ Photographs

Get out and about with your camera once again this summer

The team behind the Forest of Bowland Diamond Anniversary Photography competition are encouraging people to get out and about with their cameras once again this summer.

Tony Lund, Partnership Manager with the National Landscape Unit explained, “This is an important year for the Forest of Bowland. Work has begun on renewing the multi-year plan which guides how the National Landscape is managed, we want people to have the opportunity to contribute their thoughts about what makes this unique area so special . There will be a formal consultation later in the year when people will be able to comment on the draft plan.

Tony …

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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 800+ email subscribers across Barley, Goldshaw Booth 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.

zoe-smith

Reuben Burton Trust Fund

Applications invited; Zoë Smith's experience

Former pupils of Newchurch and Roughlee Schools, who are undertaking a course of study at University or other Higher Education Centre, are invited to apply for a small grant from the Reuben Burton Trust on sending details of their intended course and post academic career before 1st September 2025 to Mrs M Kobak, 145 Gisburn Road, Barrowford, Nelson BB9 6HQ, email Mkobak81@hotmail.com.

The grant is payable at the end of the year’s study, subject to confirmation of successful completion, and candidates may apply for each year of the course duration.

Past recipient Zoë Smith writes:

“I am very grateful for the financial assistance I received from the Reuben Burton Trust Fund.

All my primary school years were spent at St Mary’s in Newchurch. After high school I was fortunate to get a place at Liverpool University to study Veterinary Science.

As a former St Mary’s pupil I was able to apply for a grant from the Reuben Burton Trust Fund for each completed year of the five year course. Living away from home along with the requirements for study materials is expensive, and it was a great help to have a bit of extra money.

I completed my degree in 2024 and I am currently working as a vet in Melbourne, Australia. It is fantastic to have the opportunity to work in this amazing country. I mainly care for cats and dogs but have occasionally looked after more exotic animals and birds. I am looking forward to doing a bit of travelling at the end of my post, before I come back to work in England.

I would like to thank the organisers of the Fund for their support. It was wonderful to have the financial help at a really important time.”

Support for unpaid carers

Are you caring for a friend or family member who could not get by without your support? Carers Link Lancashire are a charity commissioned by Lancashire County Council to provide statutory support to unpaid carers in East Lancashire in line with The Care Act 2014. An estimated 1 in 8 people across England and Wales are currently caring for a friend or family member and they often put their own physical and emotional wellbeing last. Here at Carers Link we provide:

  • Carers Assessments
  • Request respite from local authority
  • Refer for aids and adaptations to the home to keep your loved one safe
  • Benefits support
  • Peer support
  • Understanding Dementia Course – …
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St. Mary's Church

August 2025 Services

The holiday season is upon us and we look forward to welcoming you to our services. Our church is relaxed and friendly. We always end our service with coffee and cake. We also have activity bags for children and a space for them to play.

Hope you can join us soon.

  • Sun 3 Aug 9:30am – Family Communion with activities for children
  • Sun 10 Aug 9:30am – Family Communion with activities for children
  • Sun 17 Aug 9:30am – Family Communion with activities for children
  • Sun 24 Aug, 9:30am – Family Communion with activities for children
  • Tues 26 Aug to Friday 29th August, 9:30am-12:00 midday 26th & 27th, 1:30-4:00pm 28th & 29th, at St Thomas’ – Epic Holiday Club for ages 5-11, £25 for the week
  • Sun 31 Aug, 11:00am at St Thomas’ – Joint benefice all age Holy Communion service, with BBQ after the service and activities for families
  • Sun 31 August 6:00pm – Spoken service of Evening Prayer

    For more information please contact our Vicar Nick Murray on 01282613206 or 07551936436, or email.

    Alternatively you can contact our Church Warden, Doug Bull on 07907 458894 or email.