Goldthorpe recently featured in a TV programme about benefits and was portrayed pretty negatively. The view from many people is that this area is not a good place to live and is full of cheats, liars, scroungers and people with addictions and problems who don’t have any future (a little bit like the view in Bible times that Cretans were all liars, evil brutes and lazy gluttons, perhaps!) Whilst we are not blind to the many problems in our area, we absolutely refute the view that this is not a good place to place. We love where we live!

Love Where You Live Barnsley, Goldthorpe Development Group, Dearne Area Team and the Big Local groups in Goldthorpe, Bolton-on-Dearne, Highgate and Thurnscoe do an amazing job in promoting community spirit, and our local businesses also work tirelessly at helping the local community. Most of all, the vast majority of people who live in our area want this to be a good place to live and so many are involved in volunteering initiatives (like the Dearne hOurbank) which significantly affect the quality of living in this area. Volunteers in local churches (the Parish church on Lockwood Road, Furlong Road Methodist Church, the Salvation Army, GPCC and many others) put in countless hours of unpaid work to support the local community. There are lots of people here whose community spirit reflects God’s interest in and love for our community.

Our church has recently had someone move into the area from ‘down south’ and one of her recurring comments is ‘the community spirit in Yorkshire is phenomenal!’ Sometimes, those of us who have always lived in this area don’t realise how amazing this is. Sister Carmel had a nun visit from London recently, and her car broke down. When local people pushed her car off the junction she was blocking to safety, the nun said in astonishment, ‘that would never have happened in London!’ We can’t comprehend that, for to us, it is simply normal to offer a helping hand to those in need.

The Goldthorpe Christmas Market is a great community event and we are pleased to be involved with that event and grateful for the community in which we live. We count it a privilege to work together with other local churches and make a difference to local families through our giving – whether that is through craft activities, organising games, serving refreshments, baking cakes, giving time or singing carols. Most of all, we know that such working together reflects God’s generous, giving heart and we want to be lights in our local community: ‘with God in the community, with God for the community.’ Christmas demonstrates God’s giving heart to the world, for He gave His only Son to rescue us from the mess that sin brings. Our community may well look a mess to outsiders at time, but with God’s help and people’s goodwill, we can make a difference.

It’s time to believe truth, not lies, and to speak well of where we live, for God loves Goldthorpe and hasn’t given up on us!

The Christmas Market started early:

… and got busier…

We probably had over 400 people throughout the afternoon and evening (certainly the 300 goody bags we had prepared all went, and these were often given out to a family, not necessarily to an individual), and it was great to see so many in, enjoying the atmosphere and participating in the activities.

We were overwhelmed at the end to count up the money and discover that we had raised £725.56 for the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. Last year, we raised £500, which was an amazing amount, so this year’s total is even more mind-blowing! We are so grateful for all your support and know that Alison and the Salvation Army will work hard to make Christmas truly memorable for needy families in our local area. If you want to help further, come along to wrap presents at the Salvation Army on Tuesday 20th December from 9 a.m. until 12 noon.

Back inside, things were now really ready!

A lollipop game:

Craft items to buy:

A teddy bear to win:

A donkey to beat:

Craft activities to do:

Tombola prizes to win, manned by the fantastic hOurbank team, led by Gill, with Emma a great helper:

Food to munch:

Helpers to serve:

Now we just need to get going!

Whilst all our preparations were going on, outside, the market stall holders were also busy preparing:

Turner New Leaf were busy getting their chutneys out:

Pom Pom Heaven were also getting ready:

Our thanks go to the Goldthorpe Development Group whose vision and action have made the Christmas Market such a wonderful community event for us all and to the volunteers who helped with the setting up and taking down of the market, marshalling the traffic and ensuring a safe and peaceful event for all. It was a great event!

Immediately after the Parent & Toddler party yesterday, a team of volunteers began work on tidying up and getting the hall ready for the Christmas Market:

Outside, posters were put up advertising the event:

Inside, stalls were prepared:

The donkey was put up!

The gazebo was erected outside, in preparation for the carol singing:

Goody bags were brought out, ready to distribute:

Kitchen preparations, ready for the rush for hot chocolates!

Soon it will be time to start!

The Parent & Toddler group at church is supported by a great time of parents whose children have now grown up but who continue to provide the most amazing baking for us:

The party is self-funding, largely through the generosity of parents who donate raffle prizes and then buy lots of tickets which helps us to buy the food and presents for the party. The raffle prizes were won by these smiling faces this year!

No wonder she won – look at how many tickets she bought!

Bev and Tracey have learned to pose for the camera!

Some other prizewinners:

Thanks to all our church helpers throughout the year (Mark, Debbie, Pat, Ray, Dave and Joan), but a special THANK YOU must go to Diane, whose energy and vision are the heartbeat of the Parent & Toddler Group. She bought and wrapped all the presents for the toddlers, folded well over 1300 raffle tickets, wrapped all the raffle prizes, prepared all the sandwiches and food for the party and did so between an early morning shift at work and a lunchtime duty at school, before coming back to church to help with the Christmas Market. We can’t thank her enough for all she does and are grateful for her commitment, hard work and faithfulness.