News from The Barnet Society

Despite the widening public provision of defibrillators, the Barnet branch of St John Ambulance is keen to do more to increase people’s confidence in responding to cardiac arrests by embarking on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation treatment.

Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, called in at the brightly lit sensory playroom at the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice in Byng Road, Barnet, when he met staff and parents. During his visit he confirmed the financial settlement for the next three years for children and young people’s hospices under government funding from NHS England.

After a busy first year organising social events, volunteers at the High Barnet Islamic Centre are planning their next initiative to reach out to the local community – a monthly soup kitchen for homeless people and needy families.

Youngsters queued up to sit in the cab of a fire engine and try on a firefighter’s helmet when Barnet Fire Station held its family open day – and it was also an opportunity for parents to learn about other challenges facing the emergency services.

An abundant crop provided an ideal opportunity for the chance to turn surplus fruit into apple juice at an autumn open day in New Barnet organised by the campaign group Incredible Edible.

Honey of exceptional quality collected this summer has been a bonus for members of the Barnet and District Beekeepers' Association during what has been a year of uncertainty for a well-established society.

Young trainee organists had a chance to try their hand at the keyboard of the 135-year-old church organ at Monken Hadley during an open day held as part of the 2025 “Play The Organ Year”.

An award-winning engineer in the development of offshore wind technologies, visiting professor Emily Spearman – who grew up in High Barnet – returned to Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School to present prizes at the annual celebration of excellence.

A mass protest against plans for five high-rise blocks of flats on the car park at High Barnet tube station attracted over 250 residents who were greeted with toots of support from the horns of passing motorists.

A massive crane has been brought in by contractors to help install scaffolding and internal braces to stabilise the walls of a large Georgian house on Hadley Green which was gutted in a disastrous fire over the May bank holiday.

A bumper crop of apples and plums is being collected for foodbanks across the London Borough of Barnet by volunteer fruit pickers from Barnet Community Harvesters who save and redistribute surplus produce. Despite record summer temperatures and a prolonged drought, many trees have been fruiting far better than expected.

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, which provides palliative care for over 350 children from its base in Byng Road, Barnet, depends on a continuous programme of fund raising together with community financial support from across north London and parts of south Hertfordshire.

High Barnet’s acclaimed drama group is busy rehearsing for their autumn production -- an imaginative presentation of The Tragedie of Macbeth, William Shakespeare’s play about the destructive consequences of unchecked ambition and political power.

After missing out on the award for several years, Barnet’s oldest hostelry Ye Olde Mitre Inne has been voted pub of the year for 2025 by the Enfield and Barnet branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.

Displays and training demonstrations by reservists and cadets filled the parade ground at the Army Reserve Centre in St Albans Road, Barnet, in celebration of Armed Forces Day.

A celebration of the joy of growing and eating beans organised by members of Barnet’s innovative Incredible Edible campaign group was a journey from start to finish – from seed to plate.

Barnet’s long-established international folk dance club is being relaunched to take advantage of the growing popularity of the traditional folk music and dancing of the Balkans with the hope of attracting a wider membership.

An art workshop arranged as part of the London Festival of Architecture combined the idea of dreams and visions seen through notable window frames of historic buildings in and around High Barnet.

Seven Barnet winners of the King’s Badge – the highest award in the Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Association – were honoured at a special service at Barnet United Reformed Church after an official presentation at Guildhall in the City of London.

Arkley’s annual village fayre attracted even more entrants than last year for its all-comers dog show – and the class for golden oldies among local canines proved especially popular. First prize went to Tracey with Teabag, her eleven-year-old Bichon Frise. Another old timer, Raffi, took second place – Sue’s 15-year-old Chinese crested hairless.