Grimethorpe Millennium Majorettes Fun Competition Gala

Ryecroft Angels - Grimethorpe Gala Majorettes competition in full swing

Saturday 25th August 2007, saw the First Gala in the village of Grimethorpe for over 25 years. Grimethorpe Millennium Majorettes hosted the event which included:

A Majorettes Competition

featuring:

Stanley Starlights from Leeds
Ryecroft Angels from Ryhill
Rising Stars from Outwood nr Wakefield
Lynbar from Leeds

With displays by Grimethorpe Millennium Majorettes from Grimethorpe

Majorette competition at Grimethorpe Gala

Grimethorpe Millennium Majorettes Display at Grimethorpe Gala

A Mini Football Tournament

Under 7s Mini Football Tournament at Grimethorpe Gala 2007

featuring

Brierley Cubs under 7s v Redfearns under 7s
Brierley Cubs under 9s v Redfearns under 9s
Brierley Cubs under 10s v Redfearns under 10s

A Junior Rugby Match

A 'First Aid' Competition run by St John's Ambulance

over 50 Stalls
Face Painting
Astroglide
Swings
Roundabouts
Hook a Duck
Food and Refreshments served all day

Reviving 'Community Spirit'!

Based around the original 'Grimethorpe Miners Welfare Gala' last held over 25years ago, Grimethrope Millennium Majorettes Fun Gala took place between 10am to 5pm on Saturday 25th August 2007 at Grimethrope Welfare Ground near the Grimethrope 'Stute' Welfare Club.

The revival of the event will hopefully breathe much needed life back into Grimethrope's community by offering local and neighboring village Families a Fun Competition Day focusing on Yorkshire's enviable and enjoyable, competitive community spirit.

Many years ago the mining community congregated at the end of their shifts in Grimethorpe Miners' Welfare Club, and the place would come alive with the sounds of the men who had just finished their early morning shift. A reminder of their spirit lies in a plaque on the wall of the club "First Aid Cup Winners 1962, 1963, 1965 and 1968", recalling fierce competition at the Galas held every year. The Saturday afternoon event saw various pits compete in a simulated pit accident to see which colliery (often Grimethorpe) could save most lives.

Following the demise of the coal-mining industry brought on by the "1984-85 Miners Strike'', and the 1992 pit closure programme, Grimethorpe and Houghton Main were the only two pits remaining open in the Barnsley coalfield, but unfortunately both were also due for closure by the end of that year. The outcome saw Grimethorpe fall into a decline and the village and its population diminished with the majority of its shops and buinesses closing down.

'Brassed Off' puts Grimethorpe under 'National Spotlight'

Grimethorpe was placed in the National Spotlight over 11 years ago, following the filming of Mark Herman's 'Brassed Off'. I was fortunate enough to have a shop in the next village when filming was taking place and my customers where buzzing as many of the locals had parts as extras including friend Carol Thomas and her 2 daughters who were extras in a chip shop scene in the specially created 'In Cod We Trust' Fish and Chip shop .

The film was inspired by Grimethorpe Colliery Band's success in the 1992 'National Brass Band Championship' Final held at the Royal Albert Hall, at a time when the pit's 33,000 miners faced redundancy. The film went on to be a truly moving and memorable portrayal of what can happen to a pit community when the jobs start to go, incidentally the film was recently voted 11th in an 'all-time Favourite Movies in the UK' survey, beating 'Titanic' and all the 'James Bond' films.

Grimethorpe Colliery Band

Grimethorpe Colliery Band - National Brass Band Champions 2006

Grimethorpe Colliery Band are now the proud owners of yet another National Brass Band Championship making it a scoop with 3 National Brass Band Champion titles:

1970 conductor George Thomson piece Pride of Youth
1992 conductor Frank Renton piece The New Jerusalem
2006 conductor Allan Withington piece Les Francs Judges

Grimethorpe Regeneration

Over the last few years Grimethorpe has undergone a transformation with public and private investment expected to have exceeded £70m. Barnsley Council, through the Grimethorpe Regeneration Executive and Barnsley Development Agency, together with Yorkshire Forward, have pioneered the way for reviving Grimethorpe’s fortunes. Brierley Town Council, Chevin Housing Association, Yorkshire Metropolitan Housing Association and other local organisations have also played important parts. As a result, new businesses have been attracted to the village, leading to 150 new jobs in 2006, which in turn is expected to rise to 1,500 new jobs by 2010.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead we hope we will see further significant growth in the village with more new homes, even more jobs and the addition of more community facilities and community events like the Gala being held this weekend.

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