Pageant of Light 2008 - a breeze.

Sunday. Celebrating the passing of British summertime this year saw the Valley Gardens lit up once again with a procession of music and light following Mr Toad and his friends from The Wind in the Willows. Refreshments were available from the Tea Rooms courtesy of the Saltburn WI.

In times past the Pleasure Grounds were illuminated with lights and concerts were performed at the garden bandstand with the NER providing special late night trains for the occasion.

Fireworks! A license to thrill...

Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council has invested in a licence to thrill for its spectacular Fireworks Night display on The Stray at Redcar on Wednesday, November 5.
The display, featuring 15,000 aerial fireworks, will be fired off in a secure area on The Stray car park, starting at 7.30pm, against a background of eight James Bond film music scores.
Organiser Steve Illidge, director of Highlight Pyrotechnics, explained: "In the opening sequence, we've got several litres of petrol ejected into the air on fire, creating large rolling balls of flame fired in time to the 007 theme. When we play From Russia With Love, there will be huge red hearts appearing in the sky whilst thousands of pink comets are fired over 30 metres into the night sky it fits beautifully with the tempo of the track. The final flourish is Live and Let Die one of the best tracks for fireworks - and the final salvo is made up from hundreds of brocade shells which will turn the entire sky to silver!"
Other featured soundtracks in the 25-minute display are On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Thunderball, Diamonds Are Forever, Goldfinger, Casino Royale and the latest Bond, Quantum of Solace.
A stretch of the Coast Road will be closed to traffic from 5pm, reopening at approximately 9pm. The Council is organising a free park and ride bus service from the Majuba Road car park, with four 26-seater minibuses starting a shuttle service from 6pm.
This years Skinningrove Bonfire will celebrate the Mining Museums 25th anniversary, the mines closure 50 years ago and its opening 125 years ago. Organisers plan to build a bonfire that depicts a pony coming out of the mine, pulling trucks. And there are plans for a brass band and a folk group, singing traditional mining songs. The celebrations will start at 6.30pm on Wednesday, November 5. The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Sheelagh Clarke said: "Every year the Fireworks Display on The Stray at Redcar gets better and more and more people choose to enjoy this spectacular event rather than have their own bonfire parties. Skinningrove's Bonfire in the Mining Museums 25th anniversary year will be very special, providing family entertainment alongside the firework celebrations. Parents appreciate this is the safest way to enjoy Guy Fawkes night and this year promises to be the best ever for both events."
Saltburn Cricket Club holds it's own event on the cricket club grounds.

Pageant of Light 2008

Saltburn is ready to celebrate the end of British Summer Time with its annual Pageant of Light, themed this year to the classic children's tale of Wind In The Willows, through Saltburn Valley on Sunday, October 26.
Hundreds of people are expected to join the procession of music and light, through the Valley, which will set off from the Cat Nab car park at 5.30pm, reaching the Woodland Centre at about 7.30pm.
There will be some spectacular sights along the way, including fire sculptures and juggling and scenes from Wind in the Willows, acted out by members of Saltburn 53 Society - look out for Mr Toad in his car, riding along the miniature railway track.
The Council's Leader Councillor George Dunning, with the Cabinet portfolio for Rural Affairs, said: "The Pageant has become a marvellous community event for all the family and I'm sure this year's procession will be a wonderful evening out for young and old. When the public arrive at the car park, they will be guided to the start of the procession. Entry will be £1 - or three tickets for £2, with under fives free. Tickets will be available from the Woodland Centre until 4pm on Sunday, October 26, then can be purchased at the start. All the proceeds go to the Friends of Saltburn Valley to fund next year's Pageant.
Everyone is urged to bring a torch - or they can make a lantern at a special craft session in the Valley's Woodland Centre before the event on Sunday, from 1pm-3pm. Booking is essential. The fee is £1.50.Children have already been busy at a Mask and Willow workshop in the Woodland Centre, making colourful masks and lanterns and there is another craft session on Sunday, October 19, from 2pm-4pm. Booking is essential. The fee is £1.50.
The recently-refurbished Tea Rooms will be open from 10am and there will be a special offer of a cup of tea and a cake for 50p from 6pm provided by the Saltburn Women's Institute.For more details, contact Saltburn Valley Woodland Centre on 01287 622408.

New Huntcliff School building opens.

500 pupils were making themselves at home in Saltburn's new Huntcliff School, which opened today.
Head Teacher, Ruth Headdon said, "We've got excellent facilities for our students and the wider community. We asked the students what they would like and they're going to be delighted. All their major requests have been met - wide corridors, light, airy classrooms, all equipped with interactive white boards and computers.There is a superb atrium with a massive exhibition space, leading to a sports hall and a main hall, plus a resource centre as well as external seating areas, some sheltered."

Ms Headdon added: "We're thrilled with our drama and music facilities which include an outdoor amphitheatre and we're looking forward to developing performing arts within the school."
The return of the 500 pupils represents the first part of creating the Government-funded £16million Saltburn Learning Campus, which will also see the relocation of Saltburn Primary School, with its new build ready for opening next September.
Huntcliff students will get a new look, too, with new sweatshirts - the old ones are going to The Smiles Foundation, a charity which support orphanages in Romania.
Parents will be given a special Huntcliff bookmark, with contact information and term dates.
The Campus will also open the Saltburn Youth Club later this month and there will be a series of adult education classes, with courses in cake decorating for beginners, pilates, crystal therapy, card-making and free adult literacy and numeracy classes. Call community co-ordinator Heather Ollerenshaw on 01287 621010 for details.An open evening for prospective parents and children has been arranged for Tuesday, September 30, from 6pm-8pm.

PC stays put.

Saltburn residents are celebrating following the news that their favourite community policeman - who was due to move at the end of August - is no longer being transferred.
PC Smith was placed in Saltburn five years ago and developed close links with local people and businesses, including Scott Hill, owner of Windsor's Bar - who along with his manager Doreen Hawkins - formed petitions requesting PC Smith be allowed to continue to serve the local community.
Reactions were so strong in the community that police bosses have allowed him to stay.
Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, Sean Price said: "I fully understand the reasoning behind the proposed move and desire to spread his expertise and skills to other parts of the Cleveland Police area. However, having balanced this against his contribution in Saltburn, and the high regard in which he is held by so many of its residents, I felt he should stay. If we are serious about neighbourhood policing, we have to listen to our communities. I look forward to seeing him continue to do an excellent job in Saltburn."
PC Smith said: "I'm absolutely delighted to be staying in Saltburn and am grateful to the local community for all their support. I feel privileged to be able to continue serving such a great town."

Storms close Smugglers Centre

Recent bad weather and heavy rainfall has forced the closure of Saltburn's popular Smugglers attraction.
Heavy rainfall over the past week led to water flooding the centre causing internal damage to the building, its interior and some of the artefacts.
The damage caused by the flooding and the associated repair costs are still being investigated and the centre has been closed for the rest of this year's season. It is hoped that the attraction will reopen in time for the start of next year's season on 10th April 2009.

Folk Festival

THE folk world descended on Saltburn over the weekend for the town's 11th international festival of music, dance and song.
Folk fans enjoyed morris dancing displays, song-writing workshops and singing while youngsters were treated to Punch and Judy and story telling. Paul Lucas co-organiser of the event said: "People seem to have been enjoying themselves. We have had some good feedback already.
We have a hardcore of people who always come to Saltburn but we have people here for the first time as well."
The speciality market also attracted huge crowds with its contributions of good foods and crafts.
Mike Morrissey of Saltburn said that the festival, with its free entertainment and good atmosphere, usually brings about 3,000 people into the town.
The weekend featured well-known folk star Vin Garbutt and performances from Marske Fisherman's Choir and the Darlington Mummers.