Barnsley, South Yorkshire – Retiring Mayor of Barnsley, Councillor John Clarke JP, is celebrating a remarkable fundraising achievement as his mayoral year concludes.
Cllr Clarke has successfully raised £26,489.56 for his two chosen charities: Age UK Barnsley and The Well, Barnsley Hospital Charity.
The impressive total, accumulated through a year of dedicated efforts, will be split equally between the two local organizations, with each receiving a substantial cheque for £13,244.78. Representatives from both charities were invited to the Mayor’s Parlour for the official presentation.
A significant contribution to the overall sum came from the Mayor’s Charity Golf Day, generously hosted by Wates.
The event’s success was further amplified by match funding provided by the Wates Family Enterprise Trust, demonstrating a strong commitment from local businesses to the Mayor’s charitable endeavors.
Throughout his tenure, Mayor Clarke and the Mayoress spearheaded a diverse range of fundraising initiatives that captured the community’s spirit.
Highlights included a well-attended sponsored walk, the prestigious Mayor’s Ball, the aforementioned Charity Golf Day, and a series of popular karaoke evenings.
The Mayor also acknowledged the invaluable support of the community team at Tesco Superstore in Stairfoot, as well as the free entertainment provided by Angel Voices Performing Arts Academy at a special social evening.
Expressing his heartfelt gratitude, Mayor Clarke stated, “As my year as mayor draws to a close, I am absolutely over the moon to have raised such a phenomenal amount of money to help my chosen charities, both of which mean a lot to me. To be able to hand over a cheque for over £13,000 to each of my chosen charities is such an honour.”
He continued, “My fundraising efforts have been a real highlight of my year and a real joint effort between colleagues, partners, and residents. It’s been wonderful to see so many people get behind me – whether that be buying a raffle ticket, joining in my karaoke evenings or simply donating. At the start of my mayoral year, I said I hoped to do my charities proud and together we’ve done just that.”
Reflecting on his time in office, Mayor Clarke added, “It’s been an absolute honour for Doreen and I to serve Barnsley as mayor and mayoress, and raising money for my chosen charities has been just one highlight. We’ve cherished all the opportunities it has given us – we’ve met so many outstanding people from all walks of life; we’ve hosted visits to the town hall from local schools and met many inspirational volunteers who contribute to making our town exemplary.”
Mayor Clarke also highlighted other significant moments during his year, including the privilege of hosting a Royal visit from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in October, the celebration of the Adult Education team’s Outstanding Ofsted rating, and the launch of the Pathways to Work initiative.
Looking ahead, Mayor Clarke expressed his best wishes to his successor. “On Friday, I will be passing the baton over to Cllr Leech, who will be welcomed as the new Mayor for 2025-26, and I wish him well as he takes on this honourable role.”
