Aroundtown Magazine

28/05/2024

We often get asked what our demographic audience is, but we didn’t think our readers were THIS young! 😂

Loving this photo sent in by one of our fans of her daughter practicing her phonics by reading the latest edition 😉 I’m guessing she loved the Grimm & Co. story the best.

Have you got your copy yet? We’re down to our final reserves of the May/June edition so be sure to grab yours and let us know what your favourite article has been.

23/05/2024

The founder of Rain Rescue, Jacquie Neilson MBE, is retiring from the animal rescue charity 22 years after setting it up.
We spoke to her to hear about how she's dedicated the last two decades to rescuing animals in need.

Full story here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/rain-rescue-founder-to-retire-after-22-years/

22/05/2024

Holiday season has started to kick in and some of us will be jetting off abroad ✈️

If you’re bound for a tropical destination, Andrew at Good Measure looks at how you can protect yourself against any unwanted souvenirs by making sure your travel vaccines are up to date.

Read more here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/you-and-your-health-travel-vaccines/

21/05/2024

Mortals and magical beings! Have you visited Grimm & Co.'s bamboozling new HQ yet?
It’s not in a kingdom far, far away or some far flung corner of an undiscovered galaxy. 🪐💫
You won’t need a pumpkin coach, flying carpet, portkey, or ruby slippers to get there.🎃👠
A little magic takes you a long way. 🪄
And oh the places you'll go once you step through the doors.

The Emporium of Stories is an immersive, multi-sensory bolthole where children and young people can leave the human world behind and escape into the pages of a real-life adventure.

In the May/June edition, we look at this exciting new chapter for Rotherham's literacy charity and what visitors can expect to find when they visit.

Read the full story here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/a-never-ending-story-at-grimm-co/

18/05/2024

They call her the Chief of the Warriors. And rightly so.

Over the last three years, Megan Wylde has fought for a space in football for women like her.
She’s become a community powerhouse, changing the landscape of football and fitness in her hometown of Rotherham by running Memo Warriors and Millmoor Warriors LFC.

We spoke with Meg to hear how she's empowered a tribe of over 70 women to improve their fitness or get back into the game they love.

Read the full story here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/a-warrior-in-womens-football/

17/05/2024

Don't fancy cooking this weekend?
Why not take a visit to Rotherham's newest Thai restaurant Thai River Kwai!🇹🇭

We worked with owners Tou and Richard to create a launch feature showing off the authentic Thai menu and tastefully decorated restaurant.

Having personally tried it, Tou's food is outstanding in both taste and presentation. She trained in the art of Royal Thai cooker in Phuket and has brought that skill and knowledge back to Rotherham.

If you've not yet visited, get your table booked! They're open for breakfast, lunch and evening meal 7 days a week.

16/05/2024

They may have been born in this millennium, but there’s something timeless about Eletto.
The Barnsley folk duo released their debut EP 'I Wanna Be The Star' earlier this year. Each track has its own nostalgic style with compelling vocal harmonies, poetic, melancholy lyrics and ritualistic sounds of the piano and acoustic guitar.

We caught up with Mila and Zoe to hear about their musical journey from Barnsley Youth Choir to working with renowned producers at Eiger Studios.

Read the full story here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/eletto-wanna-be-the-stars/

14/05/2024

On 21st May, it will be 100 years since Barnsley Photographic Society started in an art studio on Shambles Street 📸
On Saturday they launched a six-week exhibition at Barnsley Civic to mark their centenary.
This runs alongside the Yorkshire Photographic Union's annual exhibition in the Civic's main gallery.
Find out more about the society and how to get involved here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/barnsley-photographic-society-in-the-picture-for-100-years/

13/05/2024

Rotherham Minster has towered over the town for more than 500 years.

But to ensure the town’s oldest and most significant building remains for the next thousand years, its vicar Rev Canon Phil Batchford and the Bishop of Sheffield, Rt Rev Dr Pete Wilcox, took a leap of faith to launch an ambitious £3 million fundraising campaign.

Read about what's planned for the Minster here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/rotherham-minster-launches-3-million-redevelopment-campaign/

09/05/2024

It’s been an exhilarating journey for Sheffield’s racing superstar Rowan Campbell-Pilling.

The Birkdale Sixth Form student made his ROKiT British F4 debut at the end of April following a successful 12-year karting career.

South Yorkshire’s only F4 racer, Rowan signed with Argenti Motorsport in November – a month before he turned 17.

We spoke to him ahead of his first F4 race at Donington to hear how he’s on-track to become one of the next big names in motorsport.

Read the full story here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/sheffield-sixth-former-makes-his-british-f4-debut/

08/05/2024

It’s been a long and glorious innings for Wath Cricket Club as they celebrate their 125th anniversary this season 🏏

We met with chairman, Peter Barlow, to hear how the club’s history has not been without a few sticky wickets – or water-logged – with flooding from a nearby stream playing havoc on their Moor Road ground.

Read more about the club's history here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/wath-cricket-club-125-not-out/

07/05/2024

How many kids dream of being a footballer when they grow up?
But how many would sacrifice their dreams for family?

Brian Hirst did.

When given the opportunity to break into the first team of his boyhood club, Rotherham United, he turned down the contract to put his family’s considerations first.

We interviewed Brian, now 83, to hear about his footballing exploits, working at Steelos, 63-year marriage, managing Spurley Hey Old Boys, and why family has always comes first.

Read the story in full here www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/aroundtown-meets-brian-hirst/

02/05/2024

May it be a fruitful summer - with the help of Aroundtown Magazine! 🍋🥭🍎🍐

The May/June edition is out from today and there are lots of juicy articles including:
⚽️ An interview with former RUFC footballer Brian Hirst
📖 A peek inside the new & Co. Emporium of Stories
🏏 125 not out for Wath Cricket Club
📸 Barnsley Photographic Society celebrate 100th anniversary with exhibition at Barnsley Civic
🚌 A visit to South Yorkshire Transport Museum
🐾 Rain Rescue founder to retire after 22 years
🎤 Debut EP for Barnsley folk duo Eletto
🏎 South Yorkshire's only Formula 4 racer
⚽️ A warrior in women's football Millmoor Warriors LFC

Plus all your favourite fashion, health, homes and dining inspiration from the brilliant independent businesses of South Yorkshire.

Pick up your FREE copy from one of our 240+ outlets or read it online here www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk

25/04/2024

Happy 25th birthday The Lamproom Theatre! 🎉

On this day in 1999, Barnsley Lamproom opened its doors to the public. And it's remained the people's theatre ever since.

Congratulations to everyone involved in this cultural gem who continue to entertain audiences with a unique blend of roof-raising comedies, live music and family fun.
Here's to reaching your golden anniversary!

Read more about the Lamproom's history here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/lamproom-in-the-limelight-for-25-years/

18/04/2024

For Throwback Thursday, here's a few photos from the diary of flying picket, Bruce Wilson.

Silverwood miner Bruce and his comrades spent the 1984/5 Miners' Strike picketing collieries up and down the country in his trusty ‘battlebus’ a battered Triumph 2.5 TC.

Their escapades were meticulously documented by Bruce in both his diary and on camera, turned into a book for the 20th anniversary of the strike in 2002.

For our commemorative feature for the 40th anniversary, we met with Bruce to hear about his time as a flying picket.
If you haven't already, you can read the article online here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/diary-of-a-flying-picket/

17/04/2024

Have you seen the Days of Laughter, Days of Pain exhibition at Clifton Park Museum?

On until the summer, the exhibition looks at the resilience, camaraderie and force of the 1984/5 Miners' Strike in a way that hasn’t been sanitised or toned down for modern audiences.

From mobilising the pickets and police in the spring and summer months, through to the solidarity of communities as the strike entered the hardship in autumn and winter; the exhibition includes miners' memorabilia, a Silverwood pit banner, a model of Orgreave Coking Plant and a Kiveton Park miner’s locker door.

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am-4pm.

Find out what you'll see in the exhibition here

To mark the 40th anniversary of the strike, a new exhibition at Clifton Park Museum explores the year of the strike across the Rotherham borough.

16/04/2024

Our May/June deadline is fast approaching.
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Make sure your business is known Aroundtown and book your advert today.
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15/04/2024

If you’ve still got the game in you, age doesn’t have to be a barrier.
The Mature Millers walking football club is there to help you play the game you love for longer ⚽

The club has been running for the last ten years and now has players aged between 55 to 80-plus, including 77-year-old Tommy Charlton, the younger brother of Jack and Sir Bobby.

There’s no running allowed – with or without the ball – but players still get quite a sweat on.

Mature Millers meet twice a week at Rotherham Football Centre in Eastwood. Mondays and Wednesdays from 12pm. Sessions cost £4.
If you are interested in joining, please call 01709 252 300.

Find out more Mature Millers here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/keep-playing-the-beautiful-game-with-mature-millers/

02/04/2024

It's back to work for many people today after the bank holiday weekend.
But did you know that April brings with it some changes to employment law?
From minimum wage increases to flexible working rights, the employment law team at Elmhirst Parker's Barnsley office give us the low down about what's changing.
Full story here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/legal-talk-employment-law-changes-for-2024/

23/03/2024

It’s the Easter fayre at Harley Mission Rooms today 10am-2pm 🐣
Lots of gift and craft stalls to browse plus Cynthia Shaw MBE’s egg-ceptional raffle! 🪺
Every bunny welcome 🐰

21/03/2024

Have you read our 10-page special feature about the 1984-85 Miners' Strike yet?

To mark 40 years since the start of the strike, we spoke with former miners and their families who shared their memories of that year-long struggle.

From flying pickets to women running soup kitchens, we’d like to thank everyone who contributed to this feature.

We also visited the NUM headquarters in Barnsley, the National Coal Mining Museum at Wakefield, and the new exhibition at Clifton Park Museum.

If you haven't yet picked up your free copy of Aroundtown, you can read all the Miners' Strike articles here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/category/miners-strike-40-years/

19/03/2024

This year is the 50th anniversary of the Barlow Salmons Shield, a football competition for those schools knocked out in the early rounds of the Totty Cup.

It's named area after two Mexborough footballers, Frank Barlow and Geoff Salmons, who both went on to play for Sheffield United from the mid 1960s.

The 50th final will be held this Thursday, 21st March, where a Wath derby will see Wath Victoria take on Wath C of E to bring home the shield.

Find out more about the history of the shield here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/50-years-of-the-barlow-salmons-shield/

Totty Cup, Barlow-Salmons/Clarke Shield, Don & Dearne

18/03/2024

Looking for something to do this week?
Why not head to The Light Cinema in Sheffield to watch the new biopic, Vindication Swim?

Vindication Swim tells the story of Mercedes Gleitze, a pioneering swimmer who was the first British woman to swim the English Channel in 1927. However, she was forced to do a ‘vindication’ swim after a rival came forwards with a hoax claim that she'd beaten Mercedes' time.

As well as open water swimming, Mercedes made waves as an endurance swimmer. Here in Rotherham, she swam for 45 hours straight at the old Main Street baths, seeing in the New Year in 1932.

The film has been written and produced by 23-year-old director Elliott Hasler of Relash Films, and has already received glowing reviews since it was launched on 8th March.

This week, there are 2 showings at the Light, Tuesday and Thursday at 11.50am.

Read more about Mercedes and watch the film trailer over on our website https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/vindication-swim-seeps-into-cinemas/

15/03/2024

He might call himself the Sweeny Todd of Barnsley.
But barber Tony Batty is anything but demonic.

He’s shear saintlike, a breath of fresh hair who’s changing lives one haircut at a time.

For this edition's Aroundtown Meets, we spoke with Tony to hear about his family life, why he's chosen to give back to the community through the Barnsley Christmas toy bank and Easter appeals, and how Tonys BBA Barbers on Racecommon Road is possibly the only barbershop in the UK that opens at 6.30am!

Read his interview here https://www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk/aroundtown-meets-tony-batty/

11/03/2024

Say hello to our spring 2024 edition, out across South Yorkshire now! 🌼
A great way to brighten up the dank and drizzly start to the week...

In this edition, you can find:
💈 An interview with Tony Batty of Tonys BBA Barbers
⛏ A 10-page commemorative feature for the 40th anniversary of the 1984/5 Miners' Strike
⚽️ A look back at the 50-year history of the Barlow Salmons Shield
🏊The new film about pioneering endurance swimmer Mercedes Gleitze who once swam for 45 hours in Rotherham
🎭 Celebrating 25 years of The Lamproom Theatre
🥅 The The Mature Millers Walking Football Club
💇‍♀️The fabulous hair and beauty salon at Rotherham College
🌸 Floral fashion inspiration

And as always, we bring you the best of Barnsley and Rotherham with places to go, eat and shop locally this season.

Pick up your free copy from over 240 outlets, or read it online here www.aroundtownmagazine.co.uk

15/02/2024

13/02/2024

If you’re looking to improve your health and fitness in 2024, Rotherham United Community Trust can help.

They run a wide range of activities for adults ranging from badminton, football, and fitness classes to dance-based classes for menopausal women, a walking group or even a spot of table tennis.

Many sessions are free, while others cost just £3 or less.

Find out what their weekly programme of events looks like here 👇

Rotherham United Community Trust have a wide range of free and low cost activities to improve your health and wellbeing in 2024.