ONE of the town’s leading bands has described the ‘fantastic feeling’ of being nominated for a Proud of Barnsley award.

The Frumptarn Guggenband, which formed in 2003, has been praised for its musical contributions and further work in the local community - which has come as a pleasant surprise for member Cat McGrath.

She said: “It’s a fantastic feeling, we’re all from Barnsley and it’s our home town.

“We try to bring a bit of joy in our own way - over the past year we’ve done several gigs in Barnsley, including Barnsley Live where we got to meet volunteers from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity and collect with them.”

The band have also performed abroad, including trips to Austria and German city Schwabisch Gmund, which is twinned with Barnsley.

Despite the trips abroad, the band make sure they still embody the spirit of Barnsley in their performances.

Cat added: “Our name is obviously inspired by Barnsley but everywhere we go we try to be open and proud of where we are from.

“When we perform we want to embody that pride and appear friendly, down to earth, and proud of where we are from, which we hope links back to Barnsley.”

Dominic Howell, who nominated the band, emphasised their cultural impact and value to the people of Barnsley.

He said: “The Frumptarn Guggenband is more than just a band, they’re community story-tellers bringing Barnsley’s heritage to life with energy, creativity, and inclusivity.

“Their infectious enthusiasm and deep connection to local culture make them a stand-out choice and an incredibly worthy recipient of the Proud of Barnsley award.”

Winning would mean a lot to the band - and Cat has already expressed her delight at the recognition her and her bandmates have received.

She added: “It’s an honour just for us to be nominated, if we did win we would be incredibly proud.

“We just want to give everything to our performances and when we play in Barnsley we always get it back.”