A RETIRED couple have given over a decade of their life to help the young people in their community as they run regular playgroups - though they admit it’s ‘not work’ due to how much they love it.

Ron and Barbara Cooper, aged 80 and 77 respectively, have run the playgroups at Gawber Church Hall for around 15 years now, seeing multiple generations come and go.

Though this long and enjoyable journey began completely by accident.

Barbara told the Chronicle: “We used to take our grandchildren to some of these groups.

“But when summer ended and people started going back to work they needed help running it, so we just slipped into the role.

“Now a lot more mums end up going back to work, so that’s when the grandparents have to step in.

“I took early retirement because my daughter wanted to go back to work - I was a teacher before, I used to teach year one at St Mary’s School, so taking on these groups felt natural.”

The couple helped run a group on Huddersfield Road and before long had groups both there and in Gawber.

However, Barbara admits it all got ‘a bit too much’ and around five years ago they decided to focus solely on Gawber.

“There’s so many lovely people who come,” she added.

“The parents all get on really well and we have quite a few grandparents come in too.

“And then the children are so nice - it’s great to see them progressing from crawling on the floor to going to school.

“Though that’s when I end up thinking ‘no, go back, we want you to be babies again’.”

The pair have now been nominated as Children’s Champions at this year’s Proud of Barnsley, as they devote all they can to supporting families in the area - though Barbara has found the nomination hard to accept.

“There’s lots of other people who do more than what we do,” she said.

“It’s not work, it’s total enjoyment for us.

“The reason we carry on is because we love doing it so much.

“The parents are all so supportive and we’ve seen these brilliant friendships develop.

“By the time the kids are going off to school, we see them walking with the friends they made here - not just the kids but the parents too.

“I don’t hope to be any of their best friends, it’s a passing phase and we’re here to help when we’re needed.”