Liam Hardcastle Reform Uk representative

08/09/2026

I’ve just had a really positive and informative meeting with the Youth Association to learn more about the work they do and the provisions they provide for young people across the borough.

We also had a really useful conversation about the work they are doing within the Stairfoot Ward, the challenges they face, and the different ways they engage with and support our young people.

I was very happy to offer my support, and over the next few weeks I’m planning to join the team out in the community to meet and speak with young people on the streets, hear directly from them about the issues they face and understand what more we can do to support them.

It’s incredibly important that we engage with young people in our communities and neighbourhoods. We need to listen to them, understand the challenges they face and make sure they know there are people and organisations willing to support them and help create positive opportunities.

A big thank you to Dmitry Fedotov for taking the time to explain both the challenges the Association faces and the great work they are doing to engage with our youngsters across the borough.

I’m looking forward to getting out with the team in Stairfoot and seeing their work first-hand. Supporting and engaging with the next generation is an investment in the future of our communities.

The Youth Association

08/09/2026

07/09/2026

It was a real privilege to visit Barnsley Hospice and spend some time with the team, hearing about their work and seeing first-hand the incredible care and dedication of the staff and volunteers.

You can’t come away from a visit like this without realising just what a special place it is. I think most of us in Barnsley know someone, a friend, neighbour or family member, whose life has been touched in some way by the hospice and the care and support they provide.

What really stood out to me was the warmth of the place and the dedication of everyone involved. We’re very lucky to have Barnsley Hospice in our borough, and it’s clear just how much it is valued by our community.

A big thank you to Ross and everyone at the hospice for making me so welcome, and more importantly, for everything you do for Barnsley families every single day. 🧡

Last week, we were pleased to welcome the Mayor of Barnsley, Cllr Liam Hardcastle, to visit the hospice and learn more about our services. Community has always been at the heart of what we do, and we were proud to share how our services help hundreds of local families every year.

Our CEO/Chief Nurse, Ross Fletcher, discussed the importance of visits such as this one:

“We are extremely grateful that the Mayor took time out of their schedule to visit our staff and hear first-hand how we support our community. As a charity, we are constantly striving to find new ways to generate income and ensure more people know how to access our services.

Our ambition as a hospice is to dispel the myths around hospice care and highlight the vital part it plays in our community, making it as accessible to as many people as possible.”

To find out more about our services, please visit https://www.barnsleyhospice.org/our-services/

07/09/2026

04/09/2026

04/09/2026

02/09/2026

Was great to open Thornberry Animal Sanctuary newest shop yesterday in Town, pop in and grab a bargain, and support a good cause. 💚

02/09/2026

Today, our Community Development Officer spent time supporting volunteers from the newly formed Friends of Ardsley Cemetery group, who were hard at work weeding, litter picking and helping to care for this important community space.

It was fantastic to see such enthusiasm and dedication from local residents who are passionate about preserving the cemetery and ensuring it remains a respectful, welcoming and well-maintained place for visitors. Their efforts are already making a real difference, and this is just the beginning of what promises to be a positive community-led initiative.

The group meet on the first Wednesday of the month, if you would like to know more or get involved please message us or email [email protected]

01/09/2026

August – A Busy Month Serving Our Communities 🇬🇧

August has certainly been a busy and rewarding month, with lots happening across Barnsley and plenty of opportunities to meet residents, support community organisations and deal with issues on behalf of local people.

Of course, the month started with Yorkshire Day on 1st August – always an important date in the calendar!

Throughout August I’ve had the pleasure of attending and supporting a huge variety of community events, including:

• The Young Marketeers Regional Final
• Elsecar Cricket Club Community Lunch
• Chapel View and Field View Care Homes Summer Fair
• 150 years of the Mothers’ Union at Sheffield Cathedral
• A Ward Alliance meeting
• Compass Be event at Locke Park
• A tour of Church View Children’s Home in Hoyland
• Kendray Park Gala
• A visit to the Samaritans to learn more about the vital work they do
• The Yorkshire Regiment presenting a silver salver at the Town Hall to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Regiment’s creation
• Ardsley Park Gala
• Healthy Holidays in Goldthorpe
• Darfield Gala
• Community Speed Watch training
• Thornton Road Berneslai Homes walkabout
• Great Childhood Ambitions Family Day in Barnsley town centre
• Age UK Summer Fayre at Shaw Lane
• Conducting a Citizenship Ceremony
• Support a BIADS Charity walk
• Barnsley Malayalee Cultural Association (BMCA) event
• Buckley Methodist Church’s 150th anniversary
• Yorkshire Rose Open Day
• Mapplewell Children’s Summer Party
• A children’s Cook & Eat session at Royston Library

I also spoke with the Barnsley Chronicle about the serious issue of youths and fires being set around Yews Lane.

Alongside the events and engagements, a big part of being a councillor is the work that often happens behind the scenes – helping individual residents and getting things sorted in our communities.

🏡 Resident and ward casework this month included:

• Collected 7 purple bags of litter
• Assisting with an electric vehicle charging point with Berneslai Home
• Dealing with two planning enquiries
• Reporting an abandoned vehicle for removal
• Helping with a complaint about an overgrown garden
• Assisting residents with four separate parking issues
• Requesting road sweeping and street cleaning on Gerald Road and Gerald Close
• Getting a burnt-out vehicle removed from a bus stop on Ardsley Hill following an accident
• Requesting the removal of two non-operational phone boxes on Market Hill
• Assisting a resident with an application for a wet room
• Dealing with three grass-cutting complaints
• Dealing with an arson attack on an allotment
• Helping with a resident’s council tax complaint
• Getting a bin moved to a more suitable position on Farm Road
• Dealing with two missed-bin complaints

In my mayoral duties, I’ve also started planning the Mayor’s Charity Ball with the mayoral team, installed a Union Flag in the Mayoral Parlour and instructed council officers to begin the process of selling the second mayoral car, which is no longer being used.

It’s been a packed month, but whether it’s attending a community gala, supporting a local organisation, celebrating an important milestone or helping a resident resolve an everyday problem, it’s all part of serving our communities.

Thank you to everyone who has invited me along, stopped for a chat, raised an issue or welcomed me to their organisation or event during August.

On to September! 🩵🇬🇧