July has flown by here – we hope you’ve had a good one.

It was a joy to welcome so many of you to Thorneythwaite for Barnfest, some for the first time. For that, and other reasons that you’ll spot below, it’s been a particularly special month.

🎻 Barnfest ☀️

A wonderful crowd descended from near and far for Barnfest this year, making it our biggest one yet. We had a programme of live music on the Friday evening and a day of live music and family activities on the Saturday.

Friends & locals stepped up to patch a catering setback and the weather treated us wonderfully too, with a couple of perfectly-timed rumbles of thunder and even a rainbow🌈

A huge thank you to the immense team that made the weekend possible, volunteering their time & skills from the lead-up in the week before, to the clear-up in the days after. And, of course, to everyone who came along and gave so generously. We had a ball and we hope you did too.

We’re just debriefing the Barnfest weekend and will be making plans for 2027 soon. Keep your eyes peeled 👀

The images here were kindly snapped by Tony Seal. Please do give him a follow.

⛺Sunny Dancer💃

Sunny Dancer is a heartfelt, uplifting coming-of-age story about resilience, friendship and discovering how to live life to the fullest. It focuses on 17-year-old Ivy (Bella Ramsay), who is is sent by her parents to a summer camp for young people affected by cancer.

It’s released in UK cinemas from 14th August and we’ve been lucky to work with True Brit and the production team behind it to spread the word about the similarities between the film and what we’re doing in real life here at Flynne’s Barn.

You should spot our leaflets across some early screenings in London and in cinemas here in the Keswick area, but keep an eye on our socials too for some exciting Sunny Dancer-related things coming up.

⚓The Shanty Story ⚓

Another live music event in our Bank Barn to pop in the diary! Following a fantastic fundraising gig in November last year, The Shanty Girls and Shanty Lads are coming over to Thorneythwaite on Saturday 8th August with The Shanty Story.

The evening features shanties, storytelling from Jessie McMeekin and performances from other local artists, with the opportunity to sing along too.

All proceeds from the evening go towards our work here at Flynne’s Barn, supporting the young cancer community.

Book online here or email shantygirlscumbria@gmail.com

🎨 Muslim Women’s Stay ⛰️

Katherine’s reflection

At Flynne’s Barn we’re committed to breaking down the barriers that can prevent people from minority communities from confidently accessing our stays. This led us to holding our first Muslim Women’s Stay here at Flynne’s Barn this month – a magical few days with an inspiring group of young women. Creating a women-only environment, alongside a designated prayer space and Halal menu, proved to be a particularly powerful initiative.

Every women who attended shared that they have felt significant isolation since their cancer diagnosis. Their time at Flynne’s Barn gave them the opportunity to share their experiences and form close bonds with each other which will continue beyond their stay.

One young woman said it was the first time that she felt able to open up about her cancer journey with others, highlighting the importance of providing a safe, inclusive space where people feel seen, heard and understood.

We enjoyed an adventurous programme of activities including canoeing, walking alpacas, a creative art project and playing with a giant marble run in the meadow. The space held together enabled the women to open up wide-ranging conversations around faith, culture, gender and of course cancer.

The feeling of camaraderie and connectedness was palpable. All girls together, in a calming space, supporting each other and drawing on the natural beauty of the valley. It was an extraordinarily powerful, loving few days and we all feel buoyed up by the new friendships forged.

We hope you have a lovely August 💚

With best wishes from all at Flynne’s Barn