FROM Bafta award winners to great-grandads travelling the country and Barnsley’s oldest resident reaching another milestone to a youngster playing a starring role in a blockbuster Hollywood franchise, it’s been quite the year for the town.
It was overwhelmingly positive but Barnsley lost perhaps its most famous son in Dickie Bird in September - and he leaves a legacy that not only touches the town he loved but across the world. Chronicle chief reporter Jack Tolson takes a look back at 2025 and delves into what hit the headlines over the year.
January
Acclaimed artist and sculptor Graham Ibbeson and Sue Thiedeman, Barnsley Council’s former head of culture and visitor economy, were recognised in the New Year Honours List.
Their contributions to Barnsley’s cultural landscape earned them MBEs in King Charles III’s list, celebrating their impact on the town’s visitor experience.
Councillors defied planning officers’ rejection of Shining Stars Nursery’s relocation bid after a heartfelt plea from the owner, Amanda Goodier.
Her speech highlighted potential job losses and disruption to vital services.
The rare decision, made at a tense meeting, was met with cheers, securing the nursery’s future on Carlton Industrial Estate.
Controversial plans for a vast solar farm between Grimethorpe and Cudworth were unveiled, nearly two years after first being proposed.
Enviromena’s proposed project would span over 130 football pitches.
Coun Ashley Peace pledged to support residents opposing the scheme, aiming to preserve the open space from development.
February
Barnsley model Apollonia Llewellyn walked her fourth New York Fashion Week for swimwear brand Krissy King - wearing wings and a swimsuit.
The Grimethorpe woman, now a Playboy Bunny, was supported by her mum and her newly signed agency.
She called the experience fun and looks forward to future shows.
Ian Neville completed his 600th Barnsley Parkrun at Locke Park, having started in 2011.
His weekly runs total over 1,800 miles, enough to reach the Sahara Desert.
A lifelong fitness enthusiast, he encourages others to join, saying Parkrun builds lasting friendships.
Monk Bretton lad Ash Zach Hopkinson played guitar on stage with Snow Patrol after lead singer Gary Lightbody accepted his request after seeing his sign.
Performing ‘Chasing Cars’ before nearly 4,000 people, Ash impressed with his confidence, fulfilling a dream alongside his supportive mum, Joanne.
March
Teenager Arabella Canetti, born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, has endured four major surgeries and lives with ‘half a heart’.
Despite her condition, she trained for the Junior Great North Run to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation, supported by her family.
Tommy Davies, a British Royal Engineer soldier from Barnsley, walked 200 miles from Belgium to raise funds for Barnsley Hospice.
He did it to honour the care given to his late father, Lee.
The emotional journey followed Lee’s passing from lung cancer, with Tommy praising the hospice’s compassion during their final 13 days together.
Bin collections - or the lack of - were never far from the lips of anyone in Barnsley at the start of the year.
In March, Coun Jake Lodge issued a rarely-used call for action after fielding complaints from fed-up residents.
It was revealed more than 100,000 bins were missed by Barnsley collection crews in the first two months of the year.
A perfect storm for prolonged disruption throughout January and February was encountered due to heavy snow and subsequent ice as well as the council’s new safety scheme - Be Safe, Work Safe, Target Zero - in the waste industry.
