With the return of the village diary (see Events p.29); the switch-on of the Christmas lights; the Christmas Street Market and the return of the Christmas Tree Festival, it feels like things are finally getting back to normal – even if it’s a slightly different kind of normal. The particularly exciting thing for Christmas in Barrow is that BUSCA has teamed up with the Parish Council and Love It Local to produce a whole host of events between now and into the new year. In November, the Murder Mystery ‘Two’s Company’ was held; there’s a zoom Murder Mystery event planned for February and in March the Barrow Panto Group will be performing ‘Little Red Riding Hood’.
This Christmas/winter issue brings the return of the popular Christmas quizzes to keep you and your family amused. We have articles about live music bands in Barrow; why Barrow midwife, Danielle Gudger, will be spending her Christmas bikini-clad on a beach and why Barrow’s heritage warden, Kathryn Timmons, is seeking a home for our history. Barrow Baptist Church wants your memories to help them celebrate 200 years in the village; and find out, in our Featured Family, how a fourth generation Barrovian brought his new partner to the village. We congratulate, and feature, the winners of the library’s short story competition for children and offer some ideas for exercise after Christmas (walking football or archery.
Val Gillings, having written for Barrow Voice for over 20 years, is putting her pen out to pasture and retiring from regular writing. Everyone who has worked with her over the years would like to wish her all the best. Watch out for an article about Val in the next issue of Barrow Voice.
Barrow Voice would like to give a special ‘thank you’ to British Gypsum, which has sponsored this issue.
On behalf of the editorial team, I would like to wish you all a Happy Christmas and the best of health and happiness for 2022. We hope you enjoy this issue of Barrow Voice.
Karisa Krcmar (editor)
Front cover photo by Lindsay Ord: playing in the snow in Barrow 2021
