A sparkling start to Christmas

Father Christmas swapped his sleigh for a fire engine to arrive in style for the seasonal lights switch-on event. Despite the blustery, wet weather festivities began on Saturday morning when local bands took to the streets to perform Christmas carols.Youngsters enjoyed Punch and Judy shows in Station Square while shoppers were offered a variety of wares from a Christmas speciality market. Local primary schoolchildren gathered around the Christmas tree to perform carols before the lights were officially switched on. It was then up to Father Christmas to make his debut, as he travelled from the fire station in Leven Street, along Albion Terrace to the railway station.

Father and two children airlifted to safety from incoming tide.

A MAN and his two children were airlifted to safety after getting trapped on rocks by the rising tide. The family, from Saltburn, were winched to safety by an RAF rescue helicopter after they were trapped near Staithes. The father called in the emergency services after ringing the Humber Coastguard on his mobile phone. He told rescuers where he and his daughter, 13, and son eight, were on the foreshore between Staithes and Skinningrove. The trio had set off to walk to Staithes last Sunday afternoon and became trapped by the rapidly rising tide. The man's wife had rung the coastguard as she was worried about the tide and did not know where her family was. Staithes Lifeboat was launched at 12.50pm and was directed by the father who managed to reach it on his mobile. The crew were joined by the coastguard and an RAF Leconfield rescue helicopter. The three of them were found stranded on rocks above the rising waves half-a-mile south of Skinningrove at 1.05pm. Due to the closeness of the cliffs it was decided the safest option was to winch the three to safety. The family, who were not injured, were flown by the RAF helicopter to Skinningrove beach.
Lifeboat helmsman Paul Theaker said: "We would urge anyone intending to walk along the coast, beneath the cliffs, to check the time of high tide and to tell someone when they set off and expect to return."

Celebrations

A taste of Christmas is being laid on in Saltburn as the town enters the festive season. A full day of festivities will take place on Saturday from 10am-6pm to celebrate the switching on of the Christmas lights.Organisers Saltburn 500 club say the event will be bigger and better than ever. And a new focal point will be a Christmas speciality market, organised by the Real Meals delicatessen, with a wide range of seasonal food, gift and craft stalls. Real Meals will sell their produce and even cook Spanish paella for people to sample. Local chocolatiers will tempt chocoholics, and other traders will offer traditional Christmas produce and homemade organic food. There will also be trade, gift and charity stalls, plus a "secret garden" by the Friends of Saltburn Library. From 1pm there will be Christmas decoration making for children, organised by the Woodland Centre and Sure Start. But the day starts at 10am with bands playing carols in Station Square. There will also be clowns and Punch & Judy at 11am, noon, 1pm and 2pm, with the lights switch-on at 5pm. The revitalised programme is backed by the Agora project, a scheme part-funded by Euro cash to reverse economic decline in eight UK communities. Stephanie French, Agora's business development manager, said the Christmas market was "the first in a series of promotional initiatives intended to revitalise Saltburn." She added: "It will be a great opportunity for some local Christmas shopping and a chance to place orders for food and wine with local retailers."

Off the Shelf

Artwork by over 40 artists, which can be bought straight off the shelf

Painting, photography, jewellery, printing, artists' books, ceramics, glass….

Preview: Friday 17 th November 2006 , 7 - 9 pm

Exhibition runs until 31st December 2006

From November 17 th , SALTBURN ARTISTS' PROJECTS will be holding a very different type of exhibition. Over 40 artists from all over the country will be showing a wide range of work, from jewellery to ceramics, from t-shirts to books. All the work displayed will be for sale, making it an ideal place to go to find that unusual Christmas present. Prices range from £2.50 - £500, so there's something for every budget. The exhibition will be constantly changing – as one piece sells, another will fill its place – all the more reason to visit more than once.

Off the Shelf workshops: Let your children create something inspirational, while you finish the Christmas shopping. Artists' based at the Saltburn Studios will be running a day of exciting workshops, introducing children to techniques of bookmaking, stencilling and collage. This will result in an exhibition in the Saltburn Gallery Window Space.

Saturday 9 th December, 10am – 3pm
Open to children aged 8 upwards. Free.

Spaces are limited, so contact SALTBURN ARTISTS' PROJECTS to reserve your child's place.
Saltburn Gallery, 30-32 Marske Road, Saltburn by the Sea, TS12 1QG 01287 626060

Library advice sessions to be warm and well

Libraries across Redcar and Cleveland are hosting information sessions to offer help and advice for keeping warm this winter.
The Borough's Warm and Well initiative can undertake benefit checks and home energy efficiency surveys, with the chance of accessing grants for energy efficiency measures and discount insulation schemes.
The Council's Cabinet Member for Housing and Neighbourhood Renewal, Councillor Chris Abbott, said: "We want to ensure that people who might struggle with their heating bills this winter get all the help and advice available to help them cope."

Library dates and times are:

• Wednesday, November 22 - Marske, 12.30pm-2pm.
• Thursday, November 23 - Loftus, 2pm-5pm.
• Friday, November 24 - Saltburn, 2pm–4pm.
• Thursday, December 7 - Brotton, 1.30pm–4pm.
• Tuesday, December 12 - Grangetown, 10am–1pm.
• Friday, December 15 - Guisborough, 10am–1pm.
• Monday, December 18 - South Bank, 10am–1pm.
• Wednesday, December 20 - Redcar Central, 10am–1pm.

For more information about the Warm and Well scheme, call 01642 777976 or e-mail, warmandwell@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk.

Remembrance

Armistice Day, Saturday November 11 will be marked by two minutes' silence in Saltburn town centre. A whistle will be blown just before the hour by Ned Atkinson, of Saltburn and District Royal British Legion, to invite passers-by to pause for the traditional two minutes.

Service Details

Box of Delights

Saltburn is to celebrate its Christmas lights switch-on with a day of festive activities. Organised by the Saltburn 500 club, the events take place in the town on Saturday, November 25. Local bands performing Christmas carols in Station Square at 10.00 am will begin the festivities, followed by clowns and Punch and Judy shows each hour until 2pm. A Christmas speciality market, offering seasonal food, gift and craft stalls, will be open outside from 10am until 6pm. On offer will be a selection of traditional Christmas produce and a variety of home-made organic food from local producers. Real Meals will be offering a large variety of its award-winning traditional produce, and cooking speciality foods for visitors to sample. Chocolini's will also be tempting chocoholics everywhere with their Christmas specialities. Also From 1pm, children can make Christmas decorations, in an event organised by the Saltburn Woodland Centre. At 4.45pm, local schoolchildren will gather round the Christmas tree to sing carols. The lights will be switched on at 5pm, just before Father Christmas arrives at 5.15pm.

National award for newsagent

A local newsagent has beaten off thousands of hopefuls to win a national award. Saltburn Spar owner Mike Gosnay was awarded the accolade of Independent Newsagent of the Year from the Retail Industry Awards. The award pinpoints newsagents with traditional values and those who support their local community. Judges thought an in-store butcher and hot-food counter made Mr Gosnay's store particularly impressive and a hub of the community, offering quality services to customers and supporting local producers. But it was the extensive news section - and the only home delivery service in Saltburn - which was the clincher for the award. Mr Gosnay said: "We are delighted about winning this award. This is a real honour, and I want to especially thank the staff, without whom this would not have been possible, the Saltburn community for their loyal custom and James Hall and Co retail distribution centre for its support." John Hodgson, from James Hall and Co, said: "It is fantastic that Spar stores such as Mike's get the recognition they deserve from the Retail Industry Awards for responding to the community's needs and supplying its quality news service. Spar Saltburn delivers to people across the town, from young families to OAPs, providing an invaluable link to the news, whether it be local stories or international events. "Mike strives for excellence within his store, and it is marvellous to see this rewarded."

Watching the grass grow...

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's countryside wardens have been watching the grass grow in Saltburn Valley Garden - to encourage new habitats. Regular visitors to the Gardens could be forgiven for thinking that the grass cutting has not been up to its usual high standards, but it's a deliberate policy on sections of Camp Bank, near to the Woodland Centre and the beck-sides through the Valley. The Council's Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs Councillor Graham Jeffery explained: "The cutting has not been done very well in places and areas have been left to grow wild, but it has been part of a long-term plan to create new habitats. This is a long-term plan and will take a few years to have any positive effect but creating new habitats is always a good thing for wildlife." Camp Bank has been left to grow all summer with the hope of creating a new wildflower meadow. Now it has been cut by the Valley Garden volunteers and all the plants have seeded. All the cuttings were raked from the area to prevent enrichment of the soil, which would prove less favourable for the wild flowers. A survey of the vegetation was carried out prior to strimming and will be carried out over the next few years to see if the new cutting regime has had any effect on the species present. The beck sides have been left to encourage water voles back into the area – they favour the extra cover that unmown areas provide.

A Sparkling Display

Fans of bright lights, loud bangs and the smell of gunpowder have been spoilt for choice at this years bonfire celebrations.
A giant, tiered birthday cake featuring themes from past years including Dracula, Vikings, Harry Potter and the Wizard of Oz was the central feature of Skinningrove village's spectacular 25th anniversary bonfire celebrations which took place on Saturday 4th November.
Following on from Skinningrove's annual firework display, Redcar and Cleveland Council’s annual Fireworks Night switched on for a sparkling display on Sunday, November 5th on Redcar Stray.
Starting at 6.30pm the 30-minute extravaganza, between Redcar and Marske, meant that the Coast Road was closed to traffic from 5.30pm until about half an hour after the spectacular display. Organisers set off the fireworks from the grassed area on the Stray, firing over the sea. The finale saw fireworks rising up to 1,500 feet in the air and spreading 1,200 feet wide.
Meanwhile Saltburn's own event, held at the Cricket Club, continued to be a major attraction for the town, with the addition of a fair on the car park in front of the leisure centre.

Hummersea steps back...

STEPS are now back in place for walkers to go down the long steep descent to the beach at Hummersea, near Loftus, from the clifftop thanks to a £31,000 restoration scheme. Hinderwell-based contractors DM and JM Barker Construction Limited have carried out the work, funded by Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council's Countryside Section and the Impetus Environmental Trust. It has involved the installation of dozens of steps, including a metal section at the base of the climb, providing necessary protection from the sea. The Council's Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs Councillor Graham Jeffery said:"The steps are a unique feature of the coastline. The Countryside Section recognises their importance, the restoration of the access will give the area a boost, positively impacting on visitor numbers." Hummersea Beach has been used by families on day visits to the coast and for mineral extraction and export. Following closure of the alum mines, the beach became a tranquil spot for local people. Use was so frequent that over time a public right of way was claimed. The Cleveland Way National Trail runs along the clifftop and the access down to the beach creates an interesting stop-off for visitors from far and wide. In 2004, during a violent storm, the steps were ripped from the cliff side and were unable to be repaired, so replacement was the only option.

Work has also begun on one of the cliff paths at Saltburn. The access to the lower promenade from the upper promenade at the bottom of Emerald street has seen the pathway cleared and a re-distribution and levellling of the clay banks along the side of the steps. As yet this work appears to be still 'under construction' and the way has not yet been opened up to the public. However it does seem to be a 'step in the right direction' after such a long time waiting.

See previous posts: Cliff top access blocked. and Harry speaks out ...again!

Saltburn TIC gets a gold Sea Safety award

Saltburn's Tourist Information Centre is one of the best in the country when it comes to offering advice and information about sea safety. The centre in the town's Station Square has been awarded the Coastguard's Sea Smart Safety gold award, one of only nine awarded nationwide, recognition of 'going beyond the call of duty.' Safety posters, leaflets and children's name tags are all part of the Centre's service, operated by Redcar and Cleveland Council, which passed scrutiny on a 'secret shopper' visit during the summer. The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said:"We're delighted that the work of our staff has been recognised nationally. It's a deserved honour for them and another accolade for the Council's services in Saltburn." Centre manager Judith Bullock said:"We've had a really busy summer, with hundreds of people through the door, many asking for advice and information about the beach, which we're only too happy to provide." Volunteer coastguard Paul Waugh, the deputy station officer at Skinningrove, who presented the certificate to the Centre manager, was the Coastguard's undercover man. He said:"The staff are always friendly and helpful, it's a smashing facility, well-used and very well run." Chief Coastguard Peter Dymond commented:"These awards really demonstrate the great work that Tourist Information Centres do. They are a vital source of coastal safety information."

Business Regeneration Appointment

Saltburn Agora Parnership has announced the appointment of a Business Development Manager for Saltburn. Stephanie French, a Saltburn Resident, has been appointed to the post that is funded by the Tees Valley Partnership and based at the Groundwork office in Saltburn. She said, " I am delighted to be appointed to this post and make a contribution to my local community. Saltburn is a very special place with enormous potential." Saltburn is one of eight pilot communities selected by Manchester Metropolitan University and the Association of Town Centre Management as part of the Agora project, which is part funded by the European Social Fund Programme. This project aims to reverse economic decline on the high street by ensuring town centres are run to serve the needs of their local communities. Stephanie's role will be to co-ordinate and promote retailers, community groups and local publicity material to attract visitors and shoppers to Saltburn. This will help to fulfil the aim of Agora, which is to create a booming vibrant town that is attractive to both local people and tourists, where tourists shop and locals enjoy the facilities of the town. She said: "Saltburn is full of hidden treasure, it's time to rediscover it and for all to enjoy it." The first Agora activity will be the Christmas speciality market, organised by Real Meals, on Saturday 25th November at the Station Square in Saltburn, starting at 10a.m. and continuing throughout the day and early evening as the town prepares to switch on the Christmas lights. To date the Agora committee has formed a partnership with 40 local businesses to promote Saltburn and it's business community. The number of businesses in the partnership will expand over the coming months. Saltburn is looking forward to an exciting new future.