Polar Express!

Visitors to Saltburn looked on in amusement as 36 year old Gareth Ellis, from Great Broughton, dressed himself in a red suit and strode up and down the shoreline pulling two heavy tyres and a rucksack.
Gareth is in training for The Polar Challenge - a 350-nautical mile sled race on foot to the Magnetic North Pole. Determined to help boost his expedition fees, Gareth decided to complete his training dressed as Santa Claus.
“Well it’s Christmas isn’t it?” he said as he headed towards Saltburn Pier.
Gareth has pledged to donate 30% of funds raised to the NSPCC, the Juvenile Diabetes Fund and research into polar bear habitats.
To support Gareth call 07740 078012

Road to the Isles!

A special train will head for the Hebrides as the age of Pullman luxury returns to Saltburn.
For several years, Loftus GP Rob Dallara and friends have hired a plush train to take trippers from Saltburn on a yearly jaunt.
They’ve been to Fort William, Chester, Cornwall, Inverness and, earlier this year, Canterbury.
Now bookings are being taken for a four day trip on June 20-23 next year to Oban and the Western Isles.
The Saltburn Hebridean will feature Pullman coaches hauled by heritage diesel locomotives, posh nosh on the train and the choice of three or four star accommodation.
Only about 60 of the 270 seats remain for a trip which also includes optional excursions.
It’s planned the train will head for Oban in Scotland via Newcastle and Carlisle.
Tickets are £340 per person, excluding excursions.

Visit Saltburn Rail Tours for more information.

Late Summer ends.

Tens of thousands of visitors flocked to Saltburn beach this mixed-weather summer, which officially ended in November with the cliff-lift shutting for the winter.
The lift, which had carried over 101,000 people up to last weekend, was kept open an extra month following a late burst of Indian summer weather. It was open all week to cater for school half-term holidays.
Last year it carried 102,000 visitors and its use is a barometer of Saltburn’s summer season business. The record number of passengers was 112,000 in 2001. “We’ve had more rain than sun this year and the Indian summer came a little late to help trade,” said veteran beach shop and café owner Edna Vernon. “On hot days we do quite well, but when it rains no one comes.”
Mrs Vernon has invested thousands of pounds in a new shop and takeaway at her rebuilt café near Cat Nab. It is due to open next March.
Nick Noble, who runs the surfing school and equipment hire side of Saltburn’s surf shop, said: “We've done well this year.” Colleague Gary Rogers said: “We’ve had a pretty good autumn and the surf has been tremendous. On a good day we’ve averaged 40 surfers, some from Leeds,
Cumbria and Durham.”
A Redcar and Cleveland Council spokesman said the cliff lift had taken over £49,000 for the year so far and the total expenditure was £67,750. “This is a fantastic and well-loved attraction and we welcome its continuing success.”
The spokesman said there was no planned opening date for the restaurant at the controversial foreshore building opposite the pier. Saltburn Foreshore Committee, made up of businesses and beach users, said it is looking forward to the opening of a community room at the newly-painted building.
Ten new dog and litter bins are to be placed on the lower promenade next spring.

Speciality Market and Christmas Lights Switch On

For the start of the Christmas season Saltburn will be holding a two day speciality market on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th November from 10 am to 4pm.
The markets sell locally produced, high quality foods and gifts and were initially started to draw local residents’ attention to the excellent wares available from independent retailers on Saltburn’s traditional high street and the surrounding areas. The main market day will be on Saturday when the town switches on the Christmas lights at 5pm.
The speciality markets will include the ever popular organic meats, organic vegetables and locally produced chocolate delights. There will also be locally made gifts, cards, jewellery and candles as well as fairly traded gifts and a wide selection of traditional Christmas items. The long list of products includes delicious honey, herb vinegars, game, gourmet hampers, wine, jams and chutneys. So come along with all the family as this is the place to start your Christmas shopping.
To celebrate the biggest market ever in Saltburn the BBC bus will be visiting the town centre. There will be many family activities including Specky the clown, Punch and Judy and several brass bands generously provided by Saltburn 500 Club.
During the day children can make Christmas decorations at the market with the help of the Friends of Saltburn Library, the decorations will be used to dress Santa’s Grotto for when he visits the town in spectacular style at 5.15pm.
The Saltburn Christmas light switch on has always been a popular, annual, family event. This year to encourage the older children to join in the family festivities the Saltburn Agora Partnership has secured funding from Tees Valley Community Foundation’s Local Network Fund for a free ice rink in the town centre on Saturday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 10 am to 6pm. The artificial ice rink will feature music, decorations, artificial snow and even a skate coach. Up to thirty people can be on the 8m by 9m ice-rink at any one time.

Saltburn hit by tidal surge.

Teesside’s coastline braced itself for the effects of a North Sea tidal surge caused by gale force winds and a high tide.
Saltburn was hit overnight on Thursday, with the coastline affected between 3am and 5am, but the flooding has now receded.
A clean-up operation began yesterday morning after the seafront was battered by storm waves. Rocks, sand, seaweed and other debris was tossed across the coast road by rough high tides.
The flooding subsided as the tide ebbed but the sea remained choppy. Catherine Scott, licensee at The Ship Inn in Saltburn, said: “We were really lucky as the tide came up the slipway but just to the edge of the entrance to the car park. The police and Coastguard were out all night, keeping an eye on the tide, to see how it was going. It has receded now, it has just left a lot of stones. Part of the road was closed during the night too, but that has reopened now.”
Saltburn Pier was also closed yesterday as a precaution.
The Humber Coastguard commented that they were aware of the floodwatch warnings in place and had taken the necessary precautions but stated that the worst of the surge had now passed.
The Environment Agency issued eight severe flood warnings, mainly in areas of southern England which were most at risk from the surge.

Pageant of Light

Saltburn woods were lit by flickering lanterns when 2,500 people walked in the annual 'Pageant of Light' at dusk on Sunday, October 29th to the Woodlands Centre.
“It was a great event and everyone was well behaved,” said countryside ranger Neil Thirkell.
Numbers were well up on last year’s 1,000 walkers with everyone celebrating the end of British Summer Time and clocks going back an hour.
The theme of the event, which was organised by Redcar and Cleveland Council and the Friends of the Valley, was the 'Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.' “Three ‘fire-sculptures’ by artist Derek Mosey were a prominent feature, the Orion scouts from Guisborough entertained people in the tea gardens and the Saltburn-based Earthbeat Theatre Company was well received,” said Mr Thirkell.
Saltburn WI provided refreshments at the woodlands centre.
The Butterwick Children’s Hospice, of Stockton, raised about £300 through selling glow-sticks.

Bankside contoversy

Concerns that a nightclub was on its way to a prominent Saltburn spot have been dismissed. The former Bankside pub is in the middle of a £450,000 refit prior to becoming Vista Mar, which is Spanish for sea view. But an application for a 3am licence provoked suspicion from some locals, who fear a noisy nightclub scenario.
That application has now been revised to 2am by Dave Stokes who will own and run the 'restaurant and concept bar', in conjunction with Enterprise Inns Ltd.

Some residents have voiced opposition to the bid for a licence to allow music, singing and dancing in the premises until 2am. These concerned residents are not opposed to developing the seafront and think the idea of a restaurant is a great idea but they are concerned that the late night concept, with a licence for music, singing and dancing until 2.am will lead to problems with noise and nuisance.

Mr Stokes, former tenant at Windsor’s bar in the town, said the site had been crying out for a good quality bar-restaurant. The development is not intended to be a nightclub - it’s a bar-restaurant where people can chill and enjoy good service in comfort. He added that there would be no dance floor, no DJs - just a background music system. He emphasised that the site had been an eyesore for some time and that everyone wanted something doing with it. Mr Stokes said he was happy to talk to anyone concerned about the plans. He stated that he was aware that the Bankside site had had its problems and a certain reputation over the years but his idea is to create an environment where people can have a good meal, a drink and enjoy the view in comfort. On the food side, Mr Stokes is employing three full-time chefs and providing an expanded kitchen. And so customers can drink in the sea view, a large balcony area, complete with floor to ceiling glass and an outside area, is being built.
The planned opening date is December 6.

No progress in developing Saltburn's Foreshore Building

Local businessman Harry Meckiffe is furious at an apparent lack of progress in the successful utilization and use of Saltburn's Lower Promenade building. Mr Meckiffe opened a kite and extreme sports equipment shop in one of the building's commercial units in 2004. More than three years later his business is standing firm, but a restaurant and community room are still not open and another season has come and gone. Although the council says it is doing all it can to realise the buildings full potential Mr Meckiffe disagrees and he has even withheld rent from Redcar and Cleveland Council, claiming the terms of his lease aren’t being followed.
Mr Meckiffe, who is also a personal fitness trainer, has expressed his dismay at the fact that so little is being done with the building. “It costs more to maintain this way than if they got the place running properly. You’ve got a building here that looks derelict half the time. One visitor thought it was a water treatment works. At no point in its history have all the shutters been up and the building fully open.”
Mr Meckiffe chairs the Saltburn Foreshore Committee. The committee want the council to open the building, improve seafront maintenance and put some effort into development of the foreshore. As part of this remit Mr Meckiffe has contacted the Audit Commission over the lack of progress - a constant complaint since the building, originally costing £570,000, was mooted by the now defunct Saltburn Improvement Company in the late 1990s. Construction work was completed in 2002 but since then, funding and legal wrangles and even a water leak from the adjacent hillside have hampered progress.
The council’s Cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism, Councillor Sheelagh Clarke, sympathised but said the authority was “doing all within its power to progress the situation so businesses within the building can thrive commercially”.
She explained the proposed restaurant was originally given a domestic gas supply “inadequate for the purpose of opening a restaurant”. British Gas is now due to fit the correct supply on October 20. The restaurant operator is also seeking planning permission to alter the unit’s façade.
She said the building would be cleaned and painted during the first week in October - work which will hopefully help secure a commercial operator for the currently vacant third commercial unit.

Another blooming year!

Dazzling floral displays have helped two Teesside towns take gold and silver in this year’s Northumbria in Bloom competition.
Stockton celebrated a gold medal award in the “best city” category whilst Saltburn also came up smelling of roses in the annual competition by scooping a silver gilt medal for best coastal resort. Saltburn earned its silver gilt after judges were impressed by the enthusiasm of local people.
Special mention was given to Saltburn in Bloom stalwart Jackie Taylor for her tireless work in bringing together a “wonderful team”.
In July, when the NIB judges arrived to inspect the town, they were met with around 350 hanging baskets, bought through fundraising and sponsorship. They also took in the allotments, the new planting at Albion Terrace and the picnic area at Marine parade.
Jackie paid tribute to the loyal band of volunteers and thanked Redcar and Cleveland Council and Saltburn, Marske and New Marske Parish Council for their support.
This year marks the 20th time Saltburn has entered the regional floral competition organised by the Royal Horticultural Society, also winning silver gilt and named best coastal resort in 2006. Both Stockton and Saltburn are also representing the region in this year’s Britain in Bloom competition with the awards announced later this month.

Organism appears on Top Prom!

A sculpture based on one of the world’s most vital sea organisms has arrived at Saltburn.
Organism, a sculpture by Teesside artist Andrew McKeown, has been installed on Saltburn’s Top Prom. It was inspired by microscopic sea organisms called diatoms - a single-cell algae which inhabits virtually all of the world’s aquatic environments. They are considered the most important of all plankton, as they form the basis of nearly all food chains in the oceans. As such, they are considered one of the most important organisms on the planet. Diatoms remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and produce approximately up to 50% of the world’s oxygen.
Individually, they are invisible to the naked eye but in large concentrations they are seen as brown or golden brown patches in the ocean. The sculpture is part of the Saltburn Top Prom Improvement Project and complements a fossil garden - with work also by Andrew McKeown - which was opened last year by Dr John Frood, chairman of Saltburn Forward.

Paraglider survives cliff crash

A novice paraglider had a miraculous escape after smashing into the side of the cliffs near Saltburn on Thursday afternoon. The 46 year old, from Malton, is a member of two gliding clubs in the region. He had only just passed his Club Pilot’s Licence and has had only an hour’s air time since passing. Despite the conditions being perfect for gliding the pilot got too close to the ridge and hit it at about 20mph. Several other paragliders were in the air at the time and watched in horror as he hit Huntcliff. They called the emergency services. Humber Coastgaurd called in an RAF Helicopter from Boulmer because of the difficulty in getting the casualty from half way down the cliff to the cliff top to the ambulance.The injured pilot was winched to safety by a search and rescue RAF Sea King helicopter and was airlifted to James Cook University Hospital where he was admitted for observation but his injuries are not believed to be serious.
The incident took place just 300 yards from the Ship Inn and the area was sealed off while the crash was investigated. The incident has been referred to the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association which oversees pilot and instructor training standards.

Craft Show returns after 50 years

This month Saltburn held it's first craft and produce show for over 50 years. The event was last held in 1953 and this month the organisers saw their hard work pay off when the Saltburn Craft and Produce Show was reborn. Mystery surrounds why the show ceased but with the efforts of volunteers and support from the community, the event was successfully re-launched on Saturday 18th August in the Emmanuel Church hall.
Helping in the celebrations was mine-clearing expert David Alderson, who lost a leg following an explosion in Lebanon, when he went to the aid of a shepherd who had become stranded in an unmarked minefield.
Saltburn-born Mr Alderson, whose heroic efforts made national headlines and won him a bravery medal from the Royal Humane Society, told the crowd: "I was very pleased to be asked to come and open this show, as it has not been held on a yearly basis since 1953. As you can see around the room, there is a lot of good stuff that local people produce - so enjoy it."

Methodist Church gets £63,000 Lottery Grant

Saltburn Methodist Church, with its tower and distinctive eight-sided spire, was built in 1905 at a cost of £6,600, helped by £1,000 from the 20th Century Fund for Church Building. More than a century later, the Milton Street building’s future is again dependent on grant funding. In 2005 the building was inspected and concern was expressed that the lighning conductor might be broken. It was discovered that the lightning conductor was OK but there were serious reservations about the tower and spire. The brickwork needed repairs and there was a lot of metal corrosion. The Church is a listed building so money had to be found to pay for the repairs. The 85 church members set themselves the task of raising £109,000 to carry out the work on the spire as well as the additional pointing and guttering repairs. This time some of the cash is coming from the Heritage Lottery Fund. With the grant offer of £63,000 and nearly £40,000 they have raised themselves, they are just a few thousand short of the figure needed to pay for the crucial repairs. The Church members feel that the The Heritage Lottery grant is absolutely vital as once given Lottery fund approval, other trusts tend to be more willing to give money. It is hoped the work can begin later this year.

Tracking Saltburn's Industrial Heritage

Maritime archaeologists and volunteers want to uncover more of Teesside's history during the next phase of survey work below Saltburn Cliffs. The surveyors will spend a week recording rutways - ruts cut into the bedrock - believed to be associated with the alum and ironstone industries between the 17th and 19th Centuries.
It is believed the rutways were cut to take the wheels of the Yorkshire carts, which were used to load and unload the ships and boats servicing the industry. The archaeologists and volunteers from Tees Archaeology, the Nautical Archaeology Society North-East and the Teesside Archaeological Society have already recorded a complex network of rutways, including sets of points, where tracks met or crossed.
Rachel Grahame, Tees Archaeology's project officer, said: "More than 100 years of constant coastal erosion has erased many of the rutways. It is important that we record what is left of a fast-disappearing aspect of Saltburn's industrial heritage."
Gary Green, regional co-ordinator of the Nautical Archaeology Society North-East, said: "We have had some excellent results, uncovering an impressive network of rutways stretching round to Skinningrove."

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Spadework on Learning Campus begins.

Students from Huntcliff School, and pupils from Saltburn Primary School united to celebrated the start of the schools' summer holidays - and the beginning of construction on the new £14.7 million Saltburn Learning Campus. The first of two phases should be completed by September 2008, providing a new secondary school to replace the existing Huntcliff School buildings, then in a second phase, the new primary school is expected to be complete by September, 2009. The development, which is being carried out by contractor Balfour Beatty Construction Northern Ltd, has been designed to create a modern learning campus, expanding on the existing facilities of the Children`s Centre, Leisure Centre and a Multi-Use Games Area providing lifelong learning opportunities. The Council's Cabinet Member for Education Councillor Ian Jeffrey said: "The summer holidays will be a busy period for the contractors, then the challenge will be to build the new secondary school around the existing Huntcliff while allowing the school to continue its normal operations, without adversely affecting the pupils' education. "It was a busy last day of term at Huntcliff, whose students enjoyed a fund-raising non-uniform day. Headteacher Ruth Headdon said: "Friday was a ground-breaking day in more ways than one, celebrating the achievements of the school and looking forward to the development in the future. We are already working on joint projects with the primary school. We've had a Japanese drumming workshop and Year 9 recently experienced the awe and wonder of Iceland and are now preparing a virtual tour for the school’s website. "Saltburn Primary headteacher Janet Richardson said: "I think it's an exciting opportunity for our children as well as the community as a whole. We will be watching it grow and we are already looking forward to starting to share the facilities - even though we won't be in the building just yet."

Progress can be monitored here.

Countryside Team backing 'Big Wild Read'

REDCAR & Cleveland Borough Council's Countryside Team is backing the Borough's Big Wild Read in its branch libraries over the schools' summer holidays with a series of free fun sessions, aimed at young people, aged four-13. Staff from Saltburn Valley Woodland Centre will visit the town's library on Monday, July 30 and Monday, August 13, from 2pm-3pm, for animal craft fun sessions.
Staff from Flatts Lane Woodland Country Park, Normanby make three visits to Ormesby library on Tuesday, July 31, Tuesday, August 14 and Tuesday, August 28, from 2pm-3pm.
There will be Dinosaur Fun, organised by the Forestry Commission and the Countryside staff, at Guisborough library on Monday, August 6, from 10.30am-noon. There will be a £1 charge to cover the cost of materials.

Comedy Festival Success

SUCCESS smiled on Saltburn’s first ever comedy festival.
Organisers now hope it will become an annual feature in the town, after three of the four-nights were a complete sell-out.
Performers included Markus Birdman, Jason Cook, Barbara Nice, Jason Manford and Anvil Springstien, ok who stepped in as replacement for Jo Enright, who pulled out due to illness.
Festival promoter Rob O’Connor said the event had been “great fun” with hopes to hold it annually.
He added: “The line-up and mix of styles obviously caught the imagination of a lot of people.”
Many of the performers who took part had stopped off in Saltburn on their way to the world famous Edinburgh Festival.
Rob added: “All the comics really enjoyed their time up here.”

Lifeguards ready for action.

Nine students trade in their text books for lifeguard uniforms as Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council's Beach Lifeguard Service returns to Redcar and Saltburn beaches for seven days a week patrols throughout the schools' summer holidays, starting on Monday, July 23. The students began weekend duty in May and are now prepared for daily 10am-5pm patrols until September, led by retired Police Sergeant, Jim Beckett, in his 14th season, who will also organise vehicle patrols along the sands. The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Sheelagh Clarke said: “All our lifeguards have retaken and successfully passed their Beach Lifeguard qualification. We want people to have fun and feel safe on our beaches and the experienced team we’ve put together will help us to do that."The lifeguards have a broader job than just watching the beaches. Last summer, the team dealt with over 80 incidents from minor first aid to inflatables swept out to sea. At Saltburn, stationed on the lower promenade, Teesside University students Chris Taylor, 21, and Craig Grainger, 21, return for their fourth seasons joined by fellow Teesside University student Gemma Cann, 24, for her first year.

Saltburn represented in parliament.

Saltburn Agora Partnership Chairwoman Diana Parker represented Saltburn at an all Party Parliamentary Committee meeting at the House of Commons on Tuesday 6th July.
The two hour meeting was attended by 6 MP’s looking for feedback on how Saltburn’s participation in the Agora pilot scheme run by Manchester Metropolitan University had progressed, and what lessons could be learnt by other small towns, both nationally and internationally.
Saltburn’s parliamentary representation came at the end of an 18 month successful pilot study to improve the local economy in Saltburn.
“Saltburn has created a strong partnership with businesses, community groups and important local stakeholders such as Cleveland Police and the Parish Council.” Says Diana “this has made our town very effective when addressing decisions that affect our future”.
The meeting involved presentations to the MP’s about the effectiveness of the pilot studies in the individual towns. The meeting gave an opportunity for the representatives from the pilot towns to express the real life concerns of high streets that need economic support to survive to MP’s formulating future strategies that will have a significant impact on our high streets.
“I asked the MP’s why the large Supermarket Chains were allowed to build such large stores on the outskirts of towns, killing off the independent retailer in the high street. In Saltburn this has been highlighted by retailers as a significant threat to business.”
In the light of recent government research into the severe decline of British coastal towns it is particularly important to see that improvements in the fortunes of seaside towns are possible.
Although the pilot study has come to an end, the Agora partnership is planning for a long and strong future to build on their success to date.

Blooming Symphony

The Northumbria In Bloom regional adjudicators, who recently visited Saltburn for the summer judging of the floral competition, were greeted with a symphony of sound and colour as the choir from Saltburn Junior School were invited along to sing to them.
Green fingers are now firmly crossed, as residents will have to wait until September for the outcome of the visit. Saltburn in Bloom co-ordinator Jackie Taylor commented on the fact that it was a good day and the weather was kind.
She added: “The judges went all around the town, taking in the allotments, the new planting at Albion Terrace and the picnic area at Marine Parade.
“We have around 350 hanging baskets around the town, bought through fundraising and sponsorship.”
She added: “We want to thank everyone in the town for their efforts and also Redcar and Cleveland Council and Saltburn, Marske and New Marske parish council.”
National judges from Britain in Bloom are due to visit Saltburn in August.

Fossil identified

Experts have been busy carefully examining a fossil discovered at the base of Huntcliff and now, after closer inspection, have identified it as an ichthyosaur. Ichthyosaurs were giant marine reptiles that resembled fish and dolphins. Based on fossil evidence, they first appeared 230m years ago and died out about 90m years ago, with their heyday during the Jurassic Period. It’s now hoped to further explore the slate bed on which the fossil was found, with the likelihood that the ichthyosaur’s fossilised head lies beneath the surface. It’s also hoped to get a museum interested in removing and preserving it. The identification was made by members of UKRIGS - UK Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites. UKRIGS member Denis Goldring said: “You can get an idea of how big it is from the diameter of individual vertebrae. These look as if they are 3-4ins in thickness, which equates to something like 15ft-20ft in total length from nose to the end of its tail.”

Flock of Sheep

The well grassed lawns of Saltburn's Emmanuel Church have recently been grazed daily by two of the most unusual members of the church's 'flock'. Lambs Bertie and Shaun belong to Paul Tidy and partner Andrea Cooke, who live near the town centre church. The lambs were rescued by the couple and were kept in the house for the first few weeks while they were bottle fed. Living opposite the church, which has a large grassed area, the couple asked if the sheep could graze there. Saltburn vicar, the Reverend Guy Donegan-Cross, said he was happy for the lambs to stay. “They give the town a more villagey feel and it’s amazing how many people have noticed them. They are doing a good job keeping the grass down!” It also means that the church wardens have an environmentally friendly way of keeping the grass short. Animal health officers and the police are happy that the two month old sheep - both Dutch Texels - are well cared for.

The Saltburn scene is blooming.

Saltburn, with it's Victorian heritage, the pier, Cliff Lift and Valley Gardens, has much to offer visitors. As well as offering traditional seaside pastimes, the north facing sands and great surfing 'breaks' attract a large community of surfers.
Today the plethora of festival events on offer are also proving to be an increasingly big attraction for visitors to the town.
Saltburn's Folk Festival is well esablished and this years festival will be held from August 10th to 12th. Participants and fans arrive from all over the country, some even travelling from abroad, for the annual celebration. This years line-up of musicians includes local folk hero Vin Garbutt, as well as a long list other performers including Sara Grey, Nebula, Kieron Means, Ben Paley and Feet First. The festival weekend also has anumber of other events on offer, including ceilidhs, singarounds, music and computing workshops, crafts and markets. A campsite is also set up to accomodate the influx of interested visitors.
Saltburn's annual One-act Drama Festival, organised by Saltburn 53 Drama Group, has been running since 1990, with this years performances held in March. The aim of the festival is to help encourage new writers and new drama, as well as encouraging people to show what they can do. Drama groups have taken part in the festival from as far away as Consett, Durham, Scarborough and Northallerton. People come to the event year after year and it has become a really good social gathering. The event is held as part of the All England Theatre Festival, with winning performances progressing through a series of rounds, culminating in national finals.
Saltburn does not have its own purpose-built cinema but the Saltburn Community and Arts Association’s Film Society regularly transforms Saltburn's Community Theatre into a cinema, complete with big screen. The town’s first film festival was organised in May with an invitation for movie critic Barry Norman to visit Saltburn to help launch the event. Dates for next years event have already been set.
So many festivals are developing in Saltburn catering for all sorts of tastes and the Community and Arts Group is looking in to the possibility of a jazz festival in the future, catering for all kinds of jazz, from traditional to progressive.
Comedy events are also held at the theatre helping to bring a whole new audience to what is recognised as one of Saltburn's most beautiful buildings. The most recent addition to Saltburn’s festival season is the town’s first comedy festival which will bring previews of Edinburgh Festival performances to Saltburn Community Theatre over four nights in July. Festival organiser and promoter Rob O’Connor, of media and PR firm ten past eight, said: “I could talk for ages about this, but this line-up pretty much speaks for itself. It’s a fantastic mix. This has all come together very quickly, and I think we’re going to have four memorable nights here.”

Saltburn can not be described as a typical commercial seaside town, today it is a place which attracts a lot of artistic talent.

For more information about the 10th Saltburn Festival of Folk Music, Dance and Song to be held in August contact 0798 009 3898 or from Saltburn Tourist Information. Tickets £48 or Saturday tickets £28 and Sunday tickets £25.

Details of Saltburn’s first comedy festival can be found online . All shows are at Saltburn Community Theatre. Tickets are £12 or £38 for a full festival ticket covering all four nights on 01642 729729 or from Middlesbrough Town Hall box office.

Jurassic Park?

James Moore, 49, of Redcar hopes to have made a Jurassic discovery off Saltburn’s shoreline after coming across what could be dinosaur fossils visible in the slate bed below Huntcliff. The region's coastline is known as the Jurassic Coast as it offers a rich hunting ground for fossil finders. Mr Moore was collecting shellfish at the base of Huntcliff around dusk when he noticed what appeared to be a giant backbone embedded in the rock about 200yards from the cliff face. He has been in touch with the Dorman Museum in Middlesbrough and Tees Archaeology in Hartlepool, who now plan to visit the site next week to take a closer look at his discovery.
Mr Moore said, “It tapers away with the head part not visible, as it is further under the slate. I could make out an arm and a claw, it’s a red rock which makes it distinctive against the grey slate.” Experts will have to work around the changing tide to verify Mr Moore’s discovery with something like four hours between the tides to examine the find.
Peter Roe, of Tees Archaeology, said: “I’m looking forward to going out to see it and recording what we find.” Geology experts will also examine Mr Moore’s discovery with the aim of shedding light on the species and whether it is a common find.

Saltburn hits 'The Times'

"Bargain boltholes in Saltburn by the Sea, Terraces named after gems are attracting investors in Saltburn."
This is the headlines in this weeks Times property investment pages. Read the full article here.

Stepping out

Staff and regulars of 'Windsor's pub are planning a 10 mile fundraising walk from Staithes back to the pub on Sunday, June 17th, to help raise funds to repair the roof of Saltburn's Community Hall. The building was targeted by thieves in March who stripped lead from the roof. The hall’s insurance didn’t include vandalism, so the Saltburn Community and Arts Association - which pays a peppercorn rent - needs to find funds to repair the roof.
Manageress Doreen Hawkings said: "The hall is at the heart of the community. I felt devastated for its committee when I heard about the theft. It takes a lot of commitment to be involved in running such a centre and to be faced with the repair bill is something which shouldn’t be just left to the committee to deal with. People in Saltburn are rallying around, with a lot of support already shown."
Along with organising the sponsored walk, Doreen has contacted local businesses who are backing a fundraising raffle.
“We’ve got everything from meals at local restaurants and hotels, to a cut and blow dry and a flight in a Tiger Moth. If people don't want to take part in the walk I'd urge them to just pop in and buy a raffle ticket.” said Doreen.
Winning tickets will be drawn following the sponsored walk.
Raffle tickets are available at various outlets including Windsor’s, Real Meals and Trends hairdressing salon.
Sponsor forms to support the walkers are available from the pub on 01287 622222.

Saltburn priest robbed

A local Saltburn priest has told of his shock after he was threatened in his home by a thug who stole his car and crashed it in the garden. 72 year old Canon William Madden of Our Lady of Lourdes Presbytery answered the door to a man who pushed his way inside and demanded his wallet and the keys to his car. The Canon handed over £80 from his wallet and the keys to his silver Vauxhall Meriva. The robber jumped in the car and drove it out of the garden before veering back into the presbytery garden through a fence. He then smashed into a wall before crashing into an ornate metal gate. He left the car and fled, but was chased by 18-year-old Malcolm Keeler who was nearby. He and a woman gave chase in her car and spotted the thug near the Watson Ford car dealership around the corner. They cornered the thief in a nearby alleyway and waited for the local police to arrive and arrest the 29 year old male who is being held on charges of burglary. Canon Madden was treated by a nurse after the incident at 6.10pm on Wednesday night but was not seriously injured. He said: “I didn’t suffer any injuries. I was shocked by it though. It has definitely made me more wary.”
Last month Father Derek Turnham, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese Of Middlesbrough, was also robbed by a crack addict with a 12-inch knife.
Fr Turnham said: “We want to express great relief that Canon Madden is only shaken and unhurt. We are also grateful to all the neighbours and people who rallied round to provide assistance while the police were very swift in reacting.”

Countryside Walks and Events

Download Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council’s
Countryside Events and Walks leaflet for 2007

GENERAL NOTES
Unless otherwise stated all events are free of charge. For all day walks or events participants are advised to bring a packed lunch and something to drink. For outdoor events good weather cannot be guaranteed! Please come prepared with outdoor footwear and waterproofs, if it’s sunny, wear suncream. Walk leaders are experienced and carry basic first aid kits but they reserve the right to decide who may in their judgement, join any of the walks outlined in this leaflet. Walks will start promptly; please ensure you arrive on time. Walks with 3 or less participants may be cancelled.

Learning Campus endorsed by Councillors

A scheme to provide a multi-million pound schools centre has cleared another hurdle despite concerns over potential chaotic traffic problems.
Councillors yesterday approved a detailed planning application for the £16m Saltburn Learning Campus project.
The campus will provide a secondary school to replace the existing Huntcliff School buildings, and a primary school to replace the two Saltburn Primary School sites, at Marske Mill Lane and Upleatham Street.
The development on the current Huntcliff School site will create a modern campus, expanding on the existing facilities of a children's centre, leisure centre and multi-use games area.
It is hoped the first of two phases will start next month, with the building of the secondary school. The second phase - the primary school - is to be completed by September 2009.
Outline planning permission was granted in May last year, but Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's planning committee was asked to approve a more detailed application yesterday.
During the meeting, residents spoke of their concerns over the increase in traffic and possible congestion caused by the access road to the site.
The campus is to take 1,000 pupils, both primary and secondary.
One resident of Marske Mill Lane told councillors she had suffered a loss of privacy by a long line of cars queuing opposite her home, which would be made worse with the new scheme, which included traffic lights in front of her house.
Councillor Philip Thompson said: "Looking at the plan, there are areas where I think we have difficulties in terms of highway safety.
"Given that the access to the school is also going to share access to the leisure centre and cricket and tennis club, my concern is the traffic volume. This is going to need considerable management.
"I would wish to see much more detailed proposals to how traffic is going to be managed. The junction with Marske Road and Guisborough Road is already an area that gives considerable potential for congestion."
Officers agreed to investigate the possibility of introducing double-yellow lines and traffic calming measures.
Saltburn resident Michael Morrissey raised concerns over the loss of a hedge in Guisborough Road.
He said: "Hedges are something we all take for granted. These school plans look good - an attractive building, well thought-out landscaping - but there is a two-metre high fence going to go all the way round the building. Some local residents have asked for the fence to be put inside the hedge."

Speciality Market

ON Saturday June the 9th as part of The National Week of Independent Retailers, Saltburn is hosting a market showcasing a selection of the best North East produce.
The Real Meals Speciality Market has become well established in Saltburn and has a strong following of independent retailers. The speciality market takes place outside Sommerfield, the largest supermarket in the town.
Organiser, Lorna Jackson, says "As an independent retailer we can no longer afford to sit back and wait for customers. We need to be proactive and join with other retailers to offer shopper great choice and service.”
Since the Agora Partnership was formed Saltburn has run a series of initiatives to strengthen its shopping and visitor experience. Local business owner Elaine Dyer says “Chocolini’s supports the market because it is fun. Saltburn has successfully retained its traditional high street and the market adds to the atmosphere."

Craft and Produce Show to return to Saltburn

Saltburn is to reinstate its craft and produce show after 50 years to try to get youngsters back to basics. Saltburn Women's Institute (WI) and Saltburn Allotments Association are re-launching the show this summer, and are hoping schools and youngsters put their baking, growing and craft skills to the test.The Saltburn Craft and Produce Show last took place in 1953, but no one seems to have any idea why it ceased.

However, it will be reborn on August 18 this year, and promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Saltburn Women's Institute president Ann Cowie said: "We have decided to bring the show back because we felt there was no competition or competitiveness in schools anymore. We felt this would be a good way of introducing competition to children again, as well as bringing back some of the old values and ways of life that youngsters just don't see now.We are organising quite a large children's section in the show, and are eager to get all the schools and children involved in creating things. So far, the schools have shown quite a bit of interest, as have Saltburn Allotments Association. We are hoping a lot of people take part."

There will be a range of categories in the show for adults and children, including produce, flower arranging, cakes, painting and crafts. Many of the children's sections are based around fun and imagination, such as vegetable animals, gardens on a dinner plate, poster designs, beading and cake decorating. And there will becash prizes for the first, second and third places of each contest.

Cath Lynn, 74, who is assistant treasurer of the WI, remembered the show as a girl. She said she won a prize after the Second World War, with a particularly good raspberry jam one year. "I don't know why the show stopped," she said.

"It's just one of those things that disappeared into the big black hole, I suppose. As far as I remember, it was always well supported."

The show will be held in Emmanuel Church Hall, off Windsor Road, in Saltburn, from 1pm on Saturday, August 18.

Schedules and entry forms will be available in the coming weeks from Saltburn Library, the tourist information office, and Destinations store, in Saltburn Square.

£788 Boost for Theatre Building Fund

A gig by Father Ted legend and stand-up comic Michael Redmond has raised almost £800 for the Saltburn Theatre Building Fund. A total of £788.10 was raised by the near sell-out show, held at the Theatre on Wednesday 25 April. Gig promoter Rob O’Connor of media & PR service ten past eight, donated his profits of £332, with the theatre’s own bar profits, hire fee, and a bucket collection on the night of the show making up the rest.
Rob O’Connor said: “Michael was fantastic on the night. People were stopping me in the street after the gig and saying he was the funniest comic they’d ever seen. In the days leading up to the gig I’d had visits to my website from as far afield as Paris, New York, Valencia and Billingham. That Father Ted effect gets everywhere.”
“Big thanks should go to all the local shops and businesses who happily displayed posters, to Garry.Biz and Thurston Printers who rustled up a new poster between them for free when I decided to turn the night into a benefit gig, and especially to Saltburn Health Foods in Station Buildings. Saltburn Health Foods sell tickets for every production at Saltburn Theatre without accepting any commission whatsoever. They don’t seek publicity. They just do it because they love the town, and they are fantastic people.”
The £788.10 will hopefully go a small way to help replace the dent in the Theatre’s Building Fund, after the theft of a significant amount of lead from the community hall roof was discovered back in March.

The £788.10 raised on the night comprised:

£322.87 - profits donated by gig promoter ten past eight
£150.00 - theatre hire fee paid by ten past eight
£230.00 - theatre bar’s profit on the night
£75.23 - bucket collection/donation organised by the theatre on the night

Doorways kept open.

Last September, things looked bleak for Saltburn’s Doorways project. Based at Saltburn’s Station Buildings the project was set up in 1998 by Saltburn Christian Projects to offer support, advice and a drop-in centre for teenagers and young adults. Needing £50,000 a month to survive, three staff members had to be laid off and project co-ordinator John Pearson admits the door was about to shut permanently. An initial £7,000 donation from Tees Valley Community Foundation’s local network fund help prevent the closure and additional funding has since been found so that the immediate future at least has been secured. Grants include £25,000 for each of the next two years from Northern Rock, £4,000 from Redcar and Cleveland Partnership’s community fund and, from the Youth Opportunities Fund, £2,000 to help young people with drug, alcohol and risk-taking behaviour issues. And thanks to £4,000 from Saltburn, Marske and New Marske Parish Council, the young people using the scheme will be able to write and read all about it in their own youth newspaper. However, the project still needs at least £35,000 a year to meet its running costs and the search for funding continues.

Visit www.doorways-project.org or call 01287 625305.

Walk on Wheels

A "walk on wheels" event is to kick off Christian Aid week efforts in Saltburn with a walk for toddlers in buggies and older folk in wheelchairs along the top promenande. In addition, a treasure hunt will be held for families in the valley gardens and a five-mile walk for keen walkers in the area - all on Bank Holiday Monday May 7. "The wheelchair walk will be a chance for older people to `get their own back' on children and grandchildren who often ask them to sponsor them," said organiser Mrs Annette Adams. "We hope several hundred pounds will be raised in sponsorship from all the `walks on wheels' plus treasure hunt and main walk. And everyone will have fun." Mrs Adams said the walks would start in the early afternoon and end with tea and refreshments at Emmanuel church hall, off Windsor Road, Saltburn, between 4-5pm. In addition Christian Aid week would start with a buffet meal - those taking part are asked to contribute the price of a lunch out - at the church hall on Sunday May 13 followed by an informal service. After that dozens of house-to-house collectors will deliver envelopes round the town. "Saltburn people have always been generous both in helping to collect money and giving it," said Mrs Adams. Christian Aid week ends on Saturday May 19. Sponsorship froms will be available from Emmanuel's church shop, Milton Street, the church office in the church hall and from the Doorways youth project, Station Square.Further information can be had from Mrs Adams 01287-624674 or John Pearson 01287-625305. MEDIA QUERIES TO MIKE MORRISSEY 01287-622493.

Organiser Annette Adams, who has a disability, tries out a "walk on wheels" on Saltburn's top promenade in readiness for Christian Aid's event there on Bank Holiday Monday.

See Climate film for free...

Members of two local campaign groups have joined forces to stage a free public screening of the Oscar winning film An Inconvenient Truth in Saltburn.

Friends of the Earth and the World Development Movement decided to act together to give more people a chance to see the hard-hitting documentary. The movie features former US presidential candidate Al Gore, explaining why we need to act now to lessen the dangers of climate change.

At the screening, on Friday, April 27 at 7.45pm in the Emmanuel Church Hall, the Energy Saving Trust will have an information stall and a supply of low energy light bulbs to give away.

Smugglers Centre & Cliff Lift open

The story of smuggler John Andrews is coming alive again with the seasonal reopening of the town's popular Saltburn Smugglers visitor attraction.The three-room Heritage Centre invites visitors to relive the sights, sounds and smells of the smuggling trade over 200 years ago.
John Andrew, landlord of the Ship Inn, was known locally as the Smuggler King. Outwardly, he was a pillar of the local community, but underneath, he was an artful and successful smuggler.
Opening times, until May 31, are Wednesdays-Sundays, 10am-6pm, then from June 1, it will be Tuesdays-Sundays, 10am-6pm before the attraction opens every day from July 1, from 10am-6pm.
Admission prices are: adult/oaps £1.95, children £1.45 with a £5.80 family rate for two adults and two children.There are reduced rates for pre-booked groups and schools. Call 01287 625252 for more details.

One of Saltburn's most popular attractions opens on Good Friday, April 6 - the Victorian Cliff Lift. Over 100,000 people made the journeys up and down the cliff last year in the two cabins, built in 1884, thanks to its original water-powered system.
The lift will be open from 10am-5pm, seven days a week, apart from a 30-minute lunch break, until the end of September, and until 7pm from the late Spring Bank Holiday Monday, May 28.
Fares are 65p for adults and 35p for oaps.

Dangerous Tides

The RNLI has issued a warning about the danger of rising tides after a man was rescued from the foot of Saltburn's Huntcliff.

Lifeboat crews found the 48yr old Loftus man, confused and suffering from mild hypothermia, at the base of Huntcliff - trapped with his back to the vertical cliff face by a rapidly rising tide - after he alerted the coastguard. Redcar Lifeboat Station's inshore lifeboat was used to retrieve the man on Saturday afternoon. RNLI spokesman Dave Cammish said: "The Huntcliff coastline can be extremely treacherous. People try to walk round on a fairly decent day from the foot of Huntcliff to Saltburn, but it's very deceptive - it can look as if there's a way around. It's quite easy to get halfway round and find that the path ahead is blocked by the tide and then by turning around and starting to go back, you find it's sneaked up on you again." Anyone walking south along the beach from Saltburn is advised to check tide times before venturing onto rocks or around the cliffs and bays where incoming tides may cut off a return to safety. It is also important to tell others where you intend to go and give an approximate time for return.

A change in Amusements

Saltburn Pier Amusements has been sold to a Tyneside firm. J D Leisure of South Shields took over the business on Friday 16th March and it will be run as a family business by David, Matthew and Keith Taviner. The new business will be called 'Mr Tav's Family Entertainment Centre'. They hope to develop the Pier Amusements into an entertainment centre where families can be catered for in a safe and enjoyable environment. Plans include the introduction of a coffee shop serving quality bean-to-cup coffee, hot chocolates and muffins in a luxury surrounding including leather seating.
The change of ownership could mean the end of the annual American and Custom Car Rally, although it is hoped that this years rally will still take place. The organisers will know at the end of April whether or not funding from the Awards for All lottery grant will be made available to get the show on the road.

Anchors Away!

Saltburn in Bloom plans to place a ships anchor on land at the top of Saltburn Bank. Speaking at a meeting of the areas environmental committee, PC Stuart Smith, the groups new vice chairman, said, "We plan to improve the towns floral display." PC Smith said that Marske had recently been donated an anchor to display on the high street and Saltburn had asked PD Ports for one too. He asked for help from the committee towards the £3,000 cost. The committee is considering the request.

The two and a half ton anchor, in the middle of Marske High Street roundabout, was given by PD Ports at Teesport, after a request from Marske Residents Association. The Council's highways partner, Alfred McAlpine, secured the anchor in place at the weekend and it has now become a landmark for the seaside town. Exact details about the anchor's history have been difficult to trace, because it does not have a number or stamp, which could be tracked through Lloyd's Register. But the anchor, retrieved by the Ports' buoy tender vessel, Wilton, during its regular Teesbay patrol, could be at least 60 years old.

Holiday Fun at Kirkleatham Museum

Kirkleatham Museum, Redcar, is hosting a number of free, fun activities for children over the Easter holidays, including its annual Easter egg decorating competition for all ages, from toddlers to grandparents. There are four workshops to enjoy, all organised as free drop-in activities and all with two sessions on the day, from 10am-noon, 1pm-4pm.

The timetable is:

Tuesday, April 3: Egg decorating workshop - Bring a hard-boiled egg and use all the bits and pieces from the Museum's craft store cupboard to decorate it for the annual competition.

Thursday, April 5: Spring collage and Easter Bonnet workshop - We need your help to complete our huge Spring picture and make yourself a natty Easter bonnet to take home.

Tuesday, April 10: Train Trail Postcard workshop - The trail links all the sites around Teesside with connections to the birth of the railways. You can design and make your own postcards and post them off to the other venues for display in an exhibition.

Thursday, April 12: Egg decorating workshop - another chance to bring a hard-boiled egg and decorate it for our annual competition.

Friday, April 13: Decorated egg competition judging and prize-giving: Final times for entries is 2.30pm. Judging is at 3pm. Easter quizzes and puzzles to do while you wait to see if your egg is a winner.

Admission to the Museum is free. For more information, call 01642 479500.

Raise funds for the Roof

Hello everyone, I went to teach Yoga at Saltburn Community Hall, Albion Terrace, this morning (20th March 2007) to be told that thieves had stolen the lead off the roof, leading to a badly leaking roof, vandalism that will cost something in the region of £10,000 to repair.

Unfortunately although heavily insured, vandalism is not covered.

So with the help of anyone interested I am arranging a fundraising event on Sunday 15th April between 2pm-6pm, all monies raised will be given to the Roof Fund.

The event will run something like this.....

Yoga for Children
Yoga for Adults

Treatments of: Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Reiki

Coffee and Tea with lashings of scones and cakes (any budding bakers out there that would like to contribute?)

A sponsored event to follow on another date (108 rounds of Surya Namaskara..........not necessarily all in one go), I can email you a sponsor form.

This hopes to be a good healthy fun afternoon, if you would like to get involved, in any guise, please email me by clicking here.

You may like to help with....
-poster making
-poster distribution
-coffee bar support
-talking to the press/radio
-giving treatments
-making tickets
-selling tickets
-coming to this event and bringing your friends
-shouting and screaming at the top of your lungs about this event to the people in your street.

Your support is greatly needed, however small.
Thank you, love Lesley Wood, (Yoga Teacher)

134 reasons to visit Saltburn

Saltburn is getting ready for a bumper year of activities for all ages to enjoy. 2007 will celebrate two special community anniversaries, the 20th Anniversary of Saltburn in Bloom and the 60th anniversary of the Saltburn miniature railway alongside a further 132 local activities planned between April and December. The events range from the Saltburn Victorian Footballers’ Duck Derby and the Pageant of Light to a night with Barry Norman at the Community Theatre. You can download a copy of these events here. (n.b. this version requires Microsoft Publisher. We are working on a pdf version which should be available soon.)

There has always been a strong community spirit in Saltburn and a drive to realise the potential of this beautifully preserved Victorian Spa town. It is this enormous creative energy that helps keep Saltburn vibrant. A recent government report has highlighted the serious social and economic issues facing the seaside economies and as Saltburn Agora Partnership spokeswoman Stephanie French says “It is the commitment of the local community to Saltburn that helps keep this wonderful town alive”.

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’s Equal Programme. This project aims to reverse economic decline on the high street by ensuring town centers are run to serve the needs of their local communities.

For more information contact: Stephanie French
Agora partnership
26 Station Street
Saltburn TS12 1AE

Tel: 01287 625326
Fax: 01287 625527
email: stephanie.french@groundwork.org.uk

Summertime tea in the Valley Gardens

Plans are being prepared for the development of a new summertime teatime facility at Saltburn Valley Gardens. Redcar & Cleveland council aim to re-develop the existing tearooms on the Tea Lawn below the Woodland Centre for year-round use.It is hoped that the facility will also extend the employment and training opportunities for those adults with learning disabilities working successfully at the Upsall Hall Rural Centre, Nunthorpe where trainees help staff the Upsall Cottage cafe.

The work is due to start in May with the tea rooms open for business at the start of the schools' summer holiday as part of a £136,500 investment for the Gardens.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said, "The improvements will provide a boost to tourism. We are not only making a considerable investment into upgrading the Gardens but we're offering a marvellous chance for these adults. We have been delighted at the success of the Upsall Cottage cafe and are absolutely convinced that the skills of these adults will be able to be transferred to another environment."

Other work in the Gardens will refurbish the Albert Memorial, a Grade II listed building, on the beckside below the bandstand. The 1867 structure, a memorial to Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert, will be treated with anti-vandal paint and be restored to its original paintwork. Plans also include the installation of a new fountain on the beckside and new seating around the feature

Saltburn Foreshore Committee

This newly constituted committee was initially born out of the growing frustration over the lack of total management, leadership and foresight with regard to Saltburn's prime resource and traditional focal point - the seashore.
Saltburn has resort status; this means it is actively promoted as a tourist destination. An exploration of the gift shop in the Tourist Information Centre reveals how much effort goes into this endeavour. The latest, most reliable data to confirm that visitor numbers have increased are the ticket sales on the Cliff Lift and the fact that both car parks on the lower promenade will shortly be charged all year round. This committee will be asking robust questions of the local authority and will highlight problems as well as promoting events and working to actively improve the overall look, efficiency and business potential that should have been addressed, given the amount of regeneration money already spent.
The Foreshore Committee's overiding remit and the primary reason for its establishment is to act as a lobbying/pressure group in order to effectively target exisiting resources; constantly improve services; maintain infrastructure and successfully promote tourist facilities for both upper and lower promenades. To this end we will be regularly updating a website and in line with our constitutional aims will be regularly reporting our progress in achieving these goals.
the 2007 season is approaching and the seafront remains in an underdeveloped condition. In spite of resident businesses persevereing we find ourselves in basically the same position as 10 years ago. Our aim for 2007 is to bring together local people, public sector organisations and businesses in order to have a sea front that we can be proud of. There is no room for party political allegiances within these aims. It's about common sense and having a vision for improving and maintaining our wonderful sea front that will be long lasting and sustainable.

Read the full article here.

Art Feature

A 5ft sculpture, which has been inspired by seabed algae, is to be placed on Saltburn's upper promenade near the top of the Cliff Lift. It will be the final part of the £300,000 fossil gardens, which were opened last September.
Ian Moran, Community Project Officer for Redcar & Cleveland Council with the charity Groundwork South Tees, said the sculpture would be made of cast and fabricated steel and would stand on a circular plinth 1.2 meters in circumference. The sculpture has been made by Middlesbrough artist Andrew McKeowan and is called 'Organism'.
"It was inspired by microscopic organisms called diatoms, which live in the sea and are a type of single-celled algae. They are considered the most important of all plankton as they form the basis of almost all the food chains in the ocean. Diatoms remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and produce nearly 20% of the world's oxygen. Individually they are invisible to the naked eye, but in large concentrations they are seen as brown or golden brown patches in the ocean."
The sculpture will stand at the opposite end of the promenade to a 9ft high steel scupture of Henry Pease, the founder of Saltburn.
The gardens, which provide easy access to the Cliff Lift for wheelchairs. have been created by local community group 'Saltburn Forward' in partnership with Groundwork South Tees.

150th Celebrations

Did you know that one of the first railway hotels in the world was built in Saltburn - the Zetland - in 1863? Some journals of the time recorded it as the best railway hotel in the world.
Did you know that one of the earliest telephone conversations was made in 1877 using apparatus which connected wires laid across the Halfpenny Bridge?

A public meeting held on Friday 16th February in the Community Hall agreed to start planning for a sustained period of celebrations in 2011 to commemorate the arrival of the first steam train into Saltburn on the 17th August 1861.
Representatives from a variety of local organisations agreed to support an exhibition, related to the 'Victorian Week' celebrations of 1986, to be held in the Community Hall on Sunday 15th July. This would be a reminder of what happened in 1986 for those who took part and would give an idea of what was missed for those who were unable to do so.
Of the many ideas generated for the future, ranging from massed brass bands, choirs, fireworks at the end of the pier and temporarily closing off Station Square, it was felt that the emphasis should be put on Saltburn's railway heritage. Steam trains could be organised to bring visitors in to enjoy a well planned programme of events with the possibility of using the incoming trains to run on the Skinningrove line throughout the day.
A further open meeting was planned for the 5th June to continue discussions and welcome any additional individuals or groups who wish to be involved. Saltburn Community and Arts Association can be contacted on 01287 624997 to receive any thought or ideas.

Photo finish

Keen amateur photographers Ella Towers and Vicky Shepherd created a photo-finish with their competition entries for the best shot from Saltburn Valley's Pageant of Light. The judges, members of the Friends of the Valley, could not choose between Ella's picture of the lantern procession crossing the beck in Saltburn Valley Gardens or Vicky's shot of fire club swinger Cathie Sprague at the event which celebrated the end of British Summer Time in October. Friends secretary Lorna Moone said: "We were delighted with the quality of the photos, and in the end we couldn't separate these two, so they've shared first prize. This was the first year of the competition, but we'll definitely do it again next year."

Cleaning the beach in waves...

An army of volunteers, both young and old, headed to Saltburn beach on Saturday to take part in the 'Adopt a Beach' event organised by the Marine Conservation Society. Local volunteers, rounded up by Saltburn 500 Club, have been carrying out regular clean sweeps on the beach for the last eight years and this weekend's operation was as well supported as ever. The volunteers cleared bags of litter off the beach during the clean-up drive. Chris Terry, organiser of Saltburn Beach Watch, said: "Around 30 people usually take part. Not only does the rubbish spoil the beach for visitors, but it is dangerous to wildlife. The volunteers were asked to record the items they found, from plastic bottles to old shoes, sanitary and shipping waste. After the collection, the rubbish was weighed and categorised into sections and the data is sent to the Marine Conservation Society, Redcar and Cleveland Council and Northumbrian Water. Mr Terry said: "The survey helps us to keep track of any trends so that we can see where the problem lies."

This is exactly the sort of public-spirited action we need if we are to make the most of our area. It is a great event and helps to keep the beach clean - however the worst place for plastic waste and rubbish has got to be along the banks which are covered once again. No guessing as to where the problem lies here - it's all the result of the current methods of recycling!

Cliff Rescue

A dramatic air sea rescue was launched after four young girls were trapped on cliffs near Skinningrove as darkness fell. The girls - aged 12 and 13, from the Brotton and Saltburn areas - were rescued in an operation involving two helicopters, police and coastguard teams. One of the girls suffered an asthma attack and was stranded in a precarious position just below the cliff summit. Three other girls were stranded lower down the cliff face. All attend Saltburn's Huntcliff School. After they sent a 999 call at about 4.30pm yesterday, the Cleveland Police air support unit was launched from Durham Tees Valley Airport and a Sea King search and rescue helicopter was scrambled from RAF Leconfield in Lincolnshire. All four were winched off and taken to James Cook University Hospital. A coastguard spokesman said it was unclear how the girls had come to be on the cliff in fading light. The police helicopter used its search light to illuminate the scene while one of the coastguard team inched down onto the ledge where the stricken girl was standing. The Sea King then used its powerful search light as it carried out the operation to winch all the girls to safety.

Learning Campus Planning Submission

Redcar and Cleveland Council is ready to submit its detailed planning application for the £16million Saltburn Learning Campus project next week. The Campus will provide a new secondary school to replace the existing Huntcliff School buildings and a new primary school to replace the two Saltburn Primary School sites at Marske Mill Lane and Upleatham Street. The development of the current Huntcliff School site will create a modern learning campus, expanding on the existing facilities of a Children’s Centre, Leisure Centre and Multi-Use Games Area providing life-long learning opportunities. The first of two phases is hoped to commence in July, with the building of the new secondary school, and the second phase, the new primary school, will be completed by September 2009, subject to planning approval. Members of the public attended the latest meeting at Huntcliff this week to see the proposals and designs for the development presented by Council officers and the project's architects, Aedas. The Council's Capital Projects Manager Lionel Danby, who chaired the meeting, said: "The plans for the new buildings were generally well received. We have also taken on board issues raised and noted them for consideration during further design development." Improved shared facilities for both schools and the community will include a sports hall, multi-use activity halls, changing facilities and remodelled playing fields. Enclosed wildlife areas and amphitheatres will form new outdoor learning areas for the schools while woodland areas and landscaping will be used to improve the visible aspects of the site. The inclusion of on-site parking, drop-off facilities and cycle storage is expected to alleviate public concerns over traffic management and control. A formal public consultation process will take place once the planning application has been submitted. The Capital Projects Team's website is regularly updated as design development progresses - log on to www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/capitalprojects and click on the Capital Projects BLOG on the home page.

Jewel Streets Refuse Collection Changes

At last the council has recognised the problems faced by residents in the Jewel Streets which have been compounded by the changes in refuse collection - rubbish now being collected fortnightly rather than weekly. Many properties in this area are multiple occupancy, many are upper floor properties which do not have any rear access and therefore cannot accommodate a wheelie bin except in the rear allies. These bins become targets and are often stolen, torched or vadalised and residents are left without a receptacle to accommodate their rubbish. Black bags and general rubbish are then dumped in the allies. This has become a major problem since the introduction of the fortnightly collection and many residents have complained bitterly about the 'overflow' and the resulting mess which is then an ideal target for attracting vermin. In an effort to address this problem the council has decided to install large container bins at the top and bottom of each alley. These bins will be clearly marked 'for domestic use only' and can only be used by the residents of the Jewel Streets. Unfortunately they will still only be emptied fortnighly in line with the current refuse collection calendar.

Whislt applauding the councils consultation with residents representatives and making a positive move to address the problem we still feel that the whole issue of refuse collection and the present recycling methods needs to be carefully reassessed so that the town does not become a 'plastic' jungle.