BCA NEWS

Everyone welcome at the BCA AGM

The Barnes Community Association AGM will take place today, Thursday 14 May at 7:30pm at Rose House.

Whether you’re a long standing member, occasional volunteer or simply interested in the local community, please join us for a glass of wine and learn more about BCA’s work.

We are delighted to welcome guest speaker Marjie Millum, who will talk about her work supporting local residents through two community organisations: Shenehom Housing Association and The Barnes Fund.

No need to RSVP - just turn up!

Chelsea is in bloom…and so is Barnes

We’re excited to be partnering with Barnes Artists to celebrate Chelsea in Bloom and Chelsea Flower Show with beautiful art displayed across Barnes.

From Saturday 16 May - Saturday 23 May, discover stunning floral artwork by local artists displayed in Barnes’ flower shops and greengrocers - and all for sale!

Participating businesses include The Flower Room and Maison Maioli on White Hart Lane, Barnes Fruit and Veg on Barnes High Street and Two Peas in a Pod, Barnes Pantry and Bella’s Fruit and Veg on Church Road.

Find out more

The Beatles and Bowie come to Barnes Pond

There’s not long to go until the BCA/OSO Outdoor Stage returns on Saturday 6 June - and this year’s lineup promises a brilliant summer evening of live music on Barnes Green.

The Backbeat Beatles will bring all the energy and unforgettable hits of the Fab Four, while David Live delivers a spectacular tribute to the music of David Bowie.

New for this year, Festival Passes let you enjoy the full evening of entertainment, with a BBQ, bar and festival stalls on site. DJ Tom Ato will keep the party atmosphere going between sets from 6:30pm - 7:30pm.

Buy Tickets

Please note that the Barnes Pond Market has been rescheduled from its usual first Saturday slot to Saturday 13 June, running from 9am-4pm.

Barnes Town Team update

The Barnes Town Team met on 13 May, with volunteers sharing updates on a range of Ponder projects to a packed room of local residents. Highlights included plans for the launch of the new Barnes website, The Barnes Hub, at Barnes Fair, as well as potential plans for coffee facilities at Small Profits Dock. The Travel Barnes team discussed the outcome of TfL’s consultation on buses in Barnes and the petition to stop HGVs using The Terrace. Attendees also heard about a new initiative in East Sheen called The Fixery. Mike Hildesley from Barnes Common also presented an update on the Vine Road recreation ground planning application, with further details available in the full Town Team presentation.

Interested in joining a Barnes Ponder team? Email emma@barnes-ca.org to learn more.

View the presentation

Update from our Greenkeeper

Our Greenkeeper has been busy tending to Barnes Green through an unusually dry spring. With rainfall below normal levels, keeping the Green healthy has become a huge task, particularly in newly re-seeded areas where growth has been affected by the drought conditions.

To help protect the Green through the summer months, we are looking for volunteers who would be willing to water sections of the Green. This is very much a hands-on role - as it involves carrying watering cans across to different areas on The Green. Any help, whether regular or occasional, would be a huge help. If you are interested in volunteering, please email membership@barnes-ca.org.

We are delighted to have recently launched a new community seed exchange at Rose House, complete with wildflower seeds ready for local residents to take home and plant. In exchange for taking seeds, visitors are encouraged to donate any spare packets or saved seeds they may already have at home.

Join our BCA Community Morning

We look forward to welcoming you from 10:30am-12:30pm on Saturday 23 May, for a relaxed Community Morning on the Castelnau Parade, near Hammersmith Bridge.

It’s a great opportunity to meet the team from the BCA, find out more about what we do, and share what matters to you. We’ll be chatting about BCA membership, volunteering, and how you can get involved. Enjoy a drink, listen to live music from Freya and Thomas, two Lower Sixth music students from The Harrodian School, and also take advantage of special offers taking place in the shops in the parade by Hammersmith Bridge.

Barnes Fair 2026

Barnes Fair returns on Saturday 11 July 2026, 9:30am - 5:30pm. With over 300 stalls, live entertainment, delicious food and drink, and fun for the whole family. It’s our favourite summer event!

We are extremely grateful to the many local businesses supporting this year’s fair. Special thanks go to Attic Design & Build Specialists, our Principal Sponsor; Marsh & Parsons, Bandstand Sponsor; Killik & Co, Event Stage Sponsor; Chestertons, Bookstall Sponsor; and Barnes Private Practice, Sponsor of St John Ambulance at the event.

We would also like to thank our additional sponsors A2B Scaffolding Access, Alexanders Group, West Motor Group and GWR Kia for their support.

Good Garden Awards

Over the coming weeks, BCA volunteers will be making their way around Barnes presenting Good Garden Awards to some of the front gardens that bring so much colour and character to our streets.

Well tended front gardens do far more than enhance curb appeal. They support biodiversity, improve drainage, and create a greener, more welcoming neighbourhood for everyone.

The BCA would like to thank Laurent Residential for their sponsorship of the awards and to Sarah Dickinson of Barnes Artists for allowing us to feature her artwork on this year’s certificate.

Men’s Shed team repairs Olympic phone box

The phone box in front of Olympic Cinema, which houses one of the BCA’s community defibrillators, has been given a much needed refresh after the glass panels were damaged by acid graffiti. Since the graffiti had etched into the glass rather than being painted on, it could not simply be removed. A local resident kindly got in touch to ask how they could help restore the phone box and generously funded the replacement glass panels.

Our Men’s Shed team then stepped in to carry out the repairs. We’re incredibly thankful to have residents who care so deeply about their community, and for our brilliant Men’s Shed group, who can fix just about anything!

More Connect More!

Connect More 2.0 is a new series of hands-on smartphone sessions, run by the BCA, for those ready to go beyond the basics. With separate courses for iPhone and Android users, you’ll learn practical skills like staying safe online, using everyday apps, and keeping in touch.

Choose the sessions that suit you, there is no need to attend them all. We will have five sessions on five Mondays.

Session 1: Core Phone Basics & Accessibility

Session 2: Safety, Privacy & Scam Awareness

Session 3: Photos, Media & Practical Life Tools

Session 4: Internet and Everyday Apps

Session 5: Communications & Staying Connected

For more information and to register for our first Android course at Castelnau Community Centre in June, please visit: https://www.barnes-ca.org/connect-more-2dot0

Any queries please email us : connectmore@barnes-ca.org

WHAT’S ON AT ROSE HOUSE

Couch to 5k with Barnes Runners

If you’re keen to start running, why not sign up to Barnes Runners free 9 week Couch to 5K programme this June.

Using the NHS Couch to 5K plan, the group will be led by experienced volunteers from Barnes Runners. The programme will finish with a celebratory parkrun and breakfast.

Sessions will take place on Tuesdays at 7pm from 2 June 2026, meeting at Rose House.

Everyone is welcome. You can just turn up on the day or, to find out more, contact Oliver or Vassos at info@barnesrunners.com.

OTHER NEWS

London Children’s Literature Festival

The UK’s largest dedicated children’s literature festival returns to Barnes on 27 and 28 June. Tickets are selling fast for this year’s London Children's Literature Festival which sees over 100 family-friendly events taking place locally. 

Headliners include Michael Rosen and MC Grammar, Liz Pichon, Robin Stevens, Rob Biddulph, Paul Linnet, Rachel Bright alongside festival favourites like Axel Scheffler. Families can enjoy live theatre, music, creative workshops, and free activities all weekend. 

Book Tickets

Visit Barnes Open Gardens

Barnes Open Gardens event returns on Sunday 31 May in support of FiSH Neighbourhood Care. Each year, owners of some of the most beautiful private gardens in Barnes and East Sheen open their gates to raise funds for FiSH, with the location alternating annually.

This year the focus is on Barnes, giving visitors the chance to explore a variety of local gardens. Tickets are £10, with under 16s free, and can be bought online, from M&S Barnes or Waitrose East Sheen on Saturday 30 May (10am–2pm), or on the day from Barnes Green Centre (from 12.30pm).

The following weekend, 6 & 7 June, 11am-6pm, sees another open event in Barnes, Barnes Artists Open Studios. This event is run in partnership with FiSH Open Gardens and features over 38 local artists across 17 studios and venues. Visitors will be able to meet artists and view work including painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography and more. Admission is free. Find out more about Barnes Artists Open Studios event.

Community BlueScapes Fair

Join Community BlueScapes at their Flood Resilience Event on Saturday 20 June, 10am-1pm at the OSO Arts Centre - a free, family-friendly event celebrating water, nature and community wellbeing. Visitors can explore practical flood resilience ideas, learn about local Community BlueScapes projects and sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), and enjoy wildlife-inspired crafts and activities for children and families. The event is drop-in with no booking required, and the first 100 attendees will receive a free cupcake.

Barnes Young Musician of the Year

Many congratulations to 16 year old violinist Jane Lee has been named Barnes Young Musician of the Year 2026. A Music Scholar at St Paul’s Girls’ School, Jane studies at the Royal College of Music and has already achieved international success in major violin competitions and performances. Despite competing around the world, Jane said winning in Barnes felt especially meaningful because “it feels like home.” Having entered the competition five times before winning, she hopes her story shows that perseverance pays off. The award also highlights the importance of local opportunities such as Barnes Young Musician of the Year, organised jointly by the Barnes Music Festival and Barnes Music Society, in supporting young performers.

Fireside Folktales

BCA is proud to support Fireside Folktales Barnes Fringe Festival, a new theatre festival coming to Barnes later this month. It features theatre, storytelling, music, workshops and more, all inspired by myths, legends and folklore.

The festival launches on Saturday 16 May at St Mary’s Barnes and continues over the weekend of 23-24 May across three local venues.

More information and full programme: www.shadowroad.com/fireside-folktales-fringe

Book Tickets