Goldthorpe community comes together for Glowthorpe lantern festival funded by Love Where You Live

Goldthorpe became “Glowthorpe” for a magical lantern festival funded by Barnsley Council’s Love Where You Live programme.

People from the Dearne area were left glowing with pride from the brilliant community event at Welfare Park and the Dearne Playhouse.

The event was funded by the Love Where You Live programme and organised by Dearne Community Arts' Festival, with support from Barnsley Council Dearne Area Team.

The main event was a parade of colourful, glowing lanterns created by local people at workshops supported by our Unity and Inclusion Grants, which aim to bring communities together.

Artist Sue Walpole held community workshops with local residents, schools and youth groups to make lanterns on the themes “Love Where You Live” and “growth”. More than 70 lanterns in the shape of houses, hearts, flowers and plants were paraded around Welfare Park.

There was so much else to see and enjoy at Glowthorpe, from RPSB Old Moor’s enchanting Wild Lights lanterns of wildlife and nature, to stilt walkers, a disco bike and a fire juggler.

Local singers and dancers also performed in the Playhouse, which has undergone major restoration under the Towns Fund programme.

Cllr Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities, said: “Love Where You Live is all about celebrating the people, places and projects that make us feel pride in our Barnsley neighbourhoods.

“I’m so proud of how people from the Dearne worked together to make Glowthorpe such a great success, and that we could play our part with funding through the Love Where You Live programme.

“We want everyone in Barnsley to be able to enjoy memorable cultural experiences and will continue to support amazing projects bringing people together in such a joyful way.”

Deputy leader of Barnsley Council, Cllr Caroline Makinson, said: “This is the power of Love Where You Live. Through our funding, we are enabling people to celebrate what is great about our Barnsley communities and driving real change through targeted investment.

“Love Where You Live is an investment in our town’s future so we can all help make it the place of possibilities.”

Julie Turner, secretary of Dearne Community Arts’ Festival, said: “We're really excited we were able to offer such a great free community event.

“As the dark nights draw in, it's wonderful to have such a positive and bright event to enjoy and we’re grateful for the funding from Love Where You Live which helped us to make it happen.”

There are more festive events to enjoy around Barnsley over the coming weeks. Visit our Love Where You Live webpage to find out more.

Love Where You Live Unity and Inclusion Grants of up to £5,000 – or £10,000 over two years – are available to support projects breaking down barriers and bringing communities together. Email areateamsupport@barnsley.gov.uk for more information.