Chief reporter JACK TOLSON takes a look back through the Chronicle Archives from March 1994
AID FOR FORMER COLLIERY WORKERS CONDEMNED AS ‘WOEFULLY INADEQUATE’
AID put into South Yorkshire’s mining communities has been condemned as ‘woefully inadequate’ after revelations that former miners of Grimethorpe Colliery have less cash in their pockets to spend.
More than a year after the pit ceased production, 44 per cent are still unemployed and 46 per cent who have found jobs have seen a decline in their income.
Of the 959 miners employed at the colliery in October 1992, 164 took part in the Coalfield’s Communities Campaign’s survey.
It found that 85 per cent of those questioned admitted to being worse off.
Only three men claim to be better off now.
Launching the survey at St Luke’s Church, Grimethorpe, Coun Hedley Salt said: “This survey confirms what we all felt to be the case, that former miners are seeing their incomes and standards of living drastically cut back.
“All we ask is that the government follows the European Commission’s lead and offers us a programme of aid that will help the people in our communities get back to wok and build up the economic case of our region.”
The average wage of the miners questioned was £217 a week when working at the colliery, 42 per cent of them earning under £200 a week.
They have seen their wages fall by about £65 a week.
LIFESTYLE TEAMS ENJOY VIP DAY - COURTESY OF BERTIE
TEENAGERS who have up their summer holidays to carry out useful community work have been treated to a VIP day at the Sheffield sweet manufacturers Bassetts.
The youngsters took part in the Lifestyle project organised by South Yorkshire Police.
They formed teams and came up with ideas for work that would make their neighbourhood a better place to live.
Bassetts invited teams from Barnsley to their Hillsborough factory and showed them how they make their world-famous Liquorice Allsorts.
While there, the teams entered a competition to guess Bertie Bassett’s birthday.
The prize, a Bertie Bassett doll, was won by the Go-Getters team from Darfield.
KEEN COMPETITION EXPECTED IN REGIONAL POLICE DOG TRIALS
CRUFTS, it’s not - but the Regional Police Dog Trials promise to be just as keenly-contested as the famous London dog show.
The trial, however, are not just about the prestige of competing for sought-after honours - the competition is geared to reflect conditions likely to be encountered on operational duties providing dogs and handlers with additional expertise on the streets.
Representing South Yorkshire are three dogs and handlers, two teams of which - PC Roger Smith and Lex and PC Alan Jamieson and Tex - are based in Barnsley.
Lex is PC Smith’s first dog and pair regularly represent the force in competitions.
This year they won the in-force dog competition which was open to all handlers.
