Talk of the Town November 2017

EDITION 197

CIRCULATION 4,600

NOVEMBER 2017

SALTBURN’S FREE MONTHLY MAGAZINE 1

2

SALTBURN’S TOWN TALK Letter from the Editor I have removed the website address from the front cover of tea cosy! As readers from last month will know, I have given the magazine because it no longer exists! Also, there is a new up plastic-contaminated tea bags and gone back to good old Facebook address, www.facebook.com/talkofthetownsaltburn traditional loose-leaf tea for my morning cuppa. The use of a which is similar to the email address. There will soon be a woollen tea cosy on the tea pot makes a huge difference to the new website but it is a work in progress. Thanks to Richard temperature of the tea. Perhaps ‘traditional’ is best! Love, Ian for pointing out to me that the website was no longer with us. Send letters, adverts and contributions for the next issue (by Thanks also this month to Janet who has knitted me a Friday, 17th November 2017) to: The Editor, Talk of the Christmas Tree Exhibition: Saltburn WI are hosting a Town c/o Jackie’s Saverstore, 8 Station Buildings, Christmas Tree Exhibition in Emmanuel Church from Saltburn, Cleveland, TS12 1AQ. Telephone: 01287 623903 Saturday, 1st December to Saturday, 16th December 2017 (or email: talkofthetownsaltburn@gmail.com).

Talk of the Town can be found on a new Facebook between 10am and 4pm (12pm on Sundays). Pop in and see the trees decorated by local groups, businesses and address at www.facebook.com/talkofthetownsaltburn. £1.3m house raffle: A modern farm house near Brotton is organisations.

Saltburn Farmers’ Market will be bursting with fine food being raffled at £50 a ticket. Barns Farm, which includes 18 and drink so don’t forget to come on down on Saturday, 11th acres, was built by John Askew and has been owned for the November for another fabulous event. 9 till 2 in and around past 25 years by businessman John Bennett and his wife Antoinette. He is reported to have received interest from all Saltburn Town Centre. See article on page 30.

Redcar’s Visual Presentations is the new name for the over the world, including Canada and New Zealand, following Group formerly known as the Redcar Lecture Society. Its first widespread publicity. Sited just off the Saltburn-Brotton road, it November meeting will take place on Tuesday, 14th has been on the market for six months at just under £1.3 million November in the Redcar East Community Centre on Durham but has not been sold. Hence the raffle, which closes in March Road at 2.15pm when Ian Goodman will be showing and or until 28,000 tickets have been sold. Anyone interested telling us what it is like to experience ‘Life in the Fire should go on to www.winbarnsfarm.life.

Brigade’. A fortnight later on Tuesday, 28th November, Mary Emmanuel curate the Rev Julie Smith has left Saltburn to and Robin Bielby will be taking us on an ‘Historical Tour of take up the new post of vicar of St Thomas, Barrowford and St East Cleveland’. Membership for the Full Season is Mary’s Newchurch in Pendle, near Burnley. A farewell service unchanged at £20 and Visitors are very welcome at each took place at St Thomas Church, New Marske, on 8th October. presentation for £2.50.

Mrs Smith has been a popular figure in this area for the past The Guisborough and District Branch of the three years and has been chairman of Saltburn Churches Embroiderers’ Guild are holding their monthly meeting on Together, which stages the outdoor service outside Sainsbury’s Saturday, 4th November in Sunnyfield House, Westgate, on Good Fridays.

Guisborough. TS14 6BA at 2pm. Our guest speaker is Craft Club Busy Fingers: 2nd and 4th Thursday of each Maggie Smith and her subject is The Joys of Hand Stitching. month, 1.30 till 3.30pm in the Coffee Room, Saltburn Visitors are welcome whether non-stitchers, beginners Community Centre. or more experienced stitchers. The car park behind Belmont WI Report: We were definitely in for a treat at our October House (council offices) is free on Saturday. Contact telephone meeting. Three members’ homemade soda bread and scones number 01642 314860. complimented our speakers’ talk, ‘From bums to Emmanuel Church Hall Table Top and Collectors’ Sale: tums!’ Rosalind, of Rosalind’s Larder, told us of her career as The next sales are on Saturdays, 4th and 18th November and a radiographer before retiring, and then her passion gave way to then 2nd and 16th December. We are taking Christmas producing preserves with a twist. There were lots to sample orders for our popular rich fruit cake and our usual pies and tasted delicious on our bread and scones. and cakes. We have a lot of new stall holders and anyone As always, food plays a big part in WI with a who would like to join us or just to have a clear out can monthly supper club and our own ‘Masterclass’ cookery class contact Denise on the number below. Thank you all for your the chocolate chip cookies were amazing! And we also have a support this year. Christmas is fast approaching so have a one off sweetie workshop this month too. clear out! We are also doing our usual lunches and all day The countdown to Christmas has started and we are breakfast, fresh home baked cake, pies and scones. Home planning a Christmas Tree Exhibition in Emmanuel made refreshments and light lunches are on sale all day. Church. Please contact us if you’d like to take part, FREE ENTRANCE and a warm welcome to everyone. With (saltburnwi@outlook.com). over 26 stall holders, selling lots of bric-a-brac, books, toys, We meet on the second Thursday of the month at 7pm in baby goods, and all sorts of collectables, there is something the Methodist Church Hall; come along and see what we’re up for everyone. If anyone would like to book a table please to; you’ll get a warm welcome. contact Denise Marshall on 07929 589538.

Lynn Mitchell Cover Illustration: Milton Street Sunset by Paul Waugh Disclaimer: Talk of the Town tries to make sure the articles and announcements made on its pages are accurate, but views expressed in letters and articles printed in Talk of the Town are not necessarily those of the editor. Any offers in adverts included in Talk of the Town are made by the advertisers; details should be confirmed with them. Always confirm event details with the organisers, in case of alteration or error. Talk of the Town is printed by DC (Yorkshire) Print, Unit 34a, Lidgate Crescent, Langthwaite Business Park, South Kirkby, West Yorkshire, WF9 3NR. Website: www.dcprintyorkshire.co.uk Tel: 01977 642331. Proprietor/Editor of Talk of the Town: Ian Tyas c/o Jackie’s Saverstore, 8 Station Buildings, Saltburn, TS12 1AQ. (Ian Tyas tel: 01287 623903.)

3

A Tribute to Saltburn Miniature Railway Volunteers Left: Steam Locomotive “Reg Blacklock” departs the new station 24th June 2017.

Despite many setbacks the Saltburn Miniature Railway has had a very successful season in 2017, seventy years since it first began to operate.

Now thanks to the present-day volunteers it is a very popular major tourist attraction for Saltburn-by-the-Sea. As a tribute to all the efforts of the volunteers we share a few photographs to commemorate the 70-year achievement.

For more information on the Saltburn Miniature Railway visit www.saltburnminiature-railway.org.uk.

Above: Paddling pool and railway on west side of Skelton Beck pre-1974.

Below: Work being carried out assembling steam locomotive “Reg Blacklock” 28th June 2009

Above: Locomotive circa 1947. Below: New station on east side of Skelton Beck, 11th August 2007.

Above: Three visiting locomotives including “Blacolvesley” which operated on the line in 1949.

Below: Volunteers carrying out winter maintenance 15th December 2013.

Cath and Tony Lynn 4

Same chef and owner for over 6 years

SALTBURN METHODIST CHURCH MILTON STREET, SALTBURN. Looking for that special gift and card?

Choose from our vast range of products incl: Woodwick scented candles, Jellycat soft toys, Thomas Kent clocks, Arran Aromatics toiletries, Emma Bridgewater & Cath Kidston pottery & much more.

Now also available online.

Visit us at www.bramblesgiftshop.co.uk 4, Station Street, Saltburn by the Sea, TS12 1AE Tel: 01287 623 368 www.bramblesgiftshop.co.uk

Saltburn Councillors’ Surgeries Saltburn Councillors’ Surgeries, each month - all on Saturdays 1st Sat. Library 11-12 Cllr. Craig Hannaway 2nd Sat. Library 11-12 Cllr. Philip Thomson 3rd Sat. Outside Sainsbury’s Cllr. Stuart Smith 9.30-10.30 and 11.30-12.15 4th Sat. Library 11-12 All Councillors Cllr. Hannaway: 07787 880613. Cllr. Smith: 07557 540628.

Cllr. Thomson: 01287 624883.

Su n

p.m.

Come to us for worship On Sunday at 10.45am & 6pm Wednesday at 10am Bring the children to Sunday school at 10.45am Prayer meeting Tuesday at 1.30PM

WE ARE OPEN - 10am - 12 noon MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY. A quiet space with a listening ear, Or just call in for tea or coffee.

MID WEEK MEETINGS MONDAY LADIES MEETING at 8pm.

TUESDAY KNIT & NATTER at 2pm.

THURSDAY (fortnightly) LADIES MEETING 2.30pm

TUESDAY & THURSDAY MUMS & TODDLERS at 10am.

COFFEE MORNINGS Wednesday 10am - 11.45.

And Saturday 10am - 12 noon.

First TUESDAY OF THE MONTH Soup & Bun lunch at 12.30pm.

5

Once Upon a Time in the Wapentake The day after I handed in last month’s article to our editor, I watched Lucy Worsley on TV giving a somewhat different account of the Roses, White and Red, than I had given. As she said in the programme, history isn’t a single truth, a single story, but lots of different stories. I agree.

There is no way of knowing what really happened.

Sometimes, archaeological digs and discoveries in the archives can prove that some things couldn’t possibly have happened when and where and how we thought they did.

Much more rarely such discoveries seem to make it more likely that the story we knew might be true. But nothing can really be proved beyond doubt.

So what use is history? Quite a lot, I would say. Just as you don’t have to be a believer to find wisdom in the Bible, or the Koran, or the Hindu and Buddhist Sutras, you don’t have to imagine a history to be absolutely true, to learn from it.

And the general shape of History can be discerned, even if the details are in doubt. We know that the Roman Province of Britannia, a sophisticated, literate, Christian land of towns and cities linked by excellent roads, became a place largely inhabited by peoples who seemed to have no use for cities, Christianity or the art of writing, and who mostly spoke a Germanic Dialect, but we don’t know exactly how or why.

Similarly we know that there was a financial crisis, the Great Crash, in 1929, caused by uncontrolled speculation, and which led to a prolonged worldwide (except in the Soviet Union) Depression, and there is a reasonable consensus as to how and why. It should be possible to learn from that. Unfortunately…

And the relevance of this to what I promised to be this Month’s topic, the future of Yorkshire, is this. If, without a properly functioning Time Machine, we can’t know what happened in the past, how can we know what will happen in the future? We can’t, but we can make guesses, based on what we think we know about the past and the present, and eliminate the impossible, except that one lesson history does teach is that it’s the impossible, or at least the highly improbable that usually happens.

Donald Trump becoming President of the USA, for example.

So, what chance is there of Yorkshire achieving some sort of autonomy or independence one day? Would it be possible? Would it be desirable? Or is this all a silly joke?

I’ll deal with the last point first: the SNP was, in my youth, regarded as a joke, as having as much to do with the real Scotland as Bonnie Prince Charlie, and any degree of self-rule being as likely as Home Rule for Hertfordshire. They lost their referendum, narrowly, but took 56 out of 59 Scottish seats at Westminster in the 2015 General Election. Not so funny, then, not at least for those who believe that the Union of England and Scotland is God-given and everlasting.

We seem to be living in a time when the old certainties, that a nation is a single indivisible thing (much 6

like an atom was thought to be) whose boundaries may waver a little, but whose existence may be as taken for granted, are crumbling.

For the ancient nation-states are anything but: Belgium did not exist until 1831; Italy went from being a geographical area, and became a United Kingdom in 1871, the same year as Germany stopped being a collection of petty kingdoms, duchies and free cities, and became an Empire. Even newer, for the most part, are the nations of Eastern Europe in between Germany and Russia, the Baltic and the Black Sea. Struggling to escape from these modern nation-states are much older groupings of people, some of which were once great kingdoms themselves, others, whose very existence was unknown to us, have only experienced rule by others, and have always been part of someone else’s empire.

Their struggles are now on the news everyday: Catalunya (but if Catalunya breaks free of Spain, will the Basque Lands, and perhaps Galicia be far behind?); the Kurds fighting for independence from Iraq, and one day, perhaps, from Turkey. More discreetly Veneto and Lombardy are voting whether to have greater autonomy within Italy. Perhaps Yorkshire should join the queue, hopefully the queue marked ‘peaceful resistance and peaceful negotiations’.

But does Yorkshire have any history of being an actual independent state? It does. There was a Kingdom of York in Viking times, for a while ruled by the formidable sounding Erik Bloodaxe. Before then what is now Yorkshire had been part of the wealthy and powerful Kingdom of Northumberland, itself the result of a merger between Bernicia, the land between the Tees and the Forth, and Deira, which consisted of most of modern Yorkshire, minus the West Riding, which was still Elmet, a part of Wales. Yorkshire has as much, if not more, claim to be an historic nation as, let us say Slovenia or Slovakia. But is there any public awareness that it is? I think the display of White Rose flags that lined the route of the Tour de France when it made its Grande Depart, repeated for the Tour de Yorkshire in subsequent years tells us something, as does the fact that there is a Tour de Yorkshire.

A story is told that, one day, a young man with full beard and a dusky complexion arrived at Heathrow.

Immigration Control were interested in him, for some reason. “What Country were you born in, Son?” “Yorkshire,” was the reply. “That’s not a Country,’ said the official. “You try telling them that,” said the young man. He was admitted. He was, undoubtedly, a Yorkshireman.

I hope to be able to continue with this in January, after the tinsel and the tarts have all been cleared away. I want to look at whether Yorkshire culture is different enough, whether its economy would be strong enough, and whether the whole idea of more independence is a good or a very bad idea.

Tim Beswick

Real Meals Purveyors of Fine Foods

Real Meals Delicatessen and Bistro Specialist retailer of Cheese, British Meats, Charcuterie and Dry cured bacons.

Stockists of French, Spanish, Italian and South African specialities.

Open 7 days a week serving fine food to Saltburn and beyond!

For more details contact: REAL MEALS, 25 MILTON STREET, SALTBURN, Tel: 01287 622266.

New email address: realmeals.uk@gmail.com

New Website: www.real-meals.co.uk

Councillors’ Column How much time do we spend talking about waste? Obviously not enough. A recent visit to a recycling site demonstrated, if needed, the extend to which household rubbish is continuing to grow and challenge the environment. Much effort is made to return materials to the production process route but this requires commitment from households. Without greater effort the tonnage sent for incineration will only grow. Land fill may be a practice from the past but will setting fire to millions of tonnes of rubbish not further pollute?

As basic recyclers we might benefit from knowing some simple hints. Always put the top back on a bottle, whether it is plastic or glass. This ensures that the top is recycled and not rejected from the conveyor belts. Take the plastic film from the see through address window in an envelope as this can be considered foreign material in a quality control audit. Polystyrene is not recycled. The list goes on. Could everyone write to their M.P. and local supermarket M.D. to advocate cutting down on packaging and only using genuine recyclable or biodegradable materials?

Incidentally, the last day for green waste collection is the 23rd November.

For those who care for others the demands are great, and respite may often seem like a dream. All who need care and love should never be without. However, carers need some time out too. The South Tees Clinical Commissioning Group are consulting on a proposed change in respite services for those with learning disability, autism or complex needs.

Consultation ends on the 10th and details can be accessed on the C.C.G. web site. These services do not come without cost.

Even when austerity is the watchword and cuts are propounded for failure to act, money can be found if priorities are just.

Good news. More resources may be coming to this area some time soon. The devolution of powers and funding to the Tees Valley Combined Authority has started and now the launch of the South Tees Development Corporation is under way, promising to bring greater wealth for distribution within the community. The entire 4,500 acre development site sits within the Borough of Redcar & Cleveland.

The long awaited infrastructure investment in the area is now beginning with the announcement of improvement works of £2million at Swans Corner and £3million at Cargo Fleet roundabout. Plans for dualling the Redcar Lane to Quarry Lane roundabouts are being worked up for funding submission. We now need to press harder for Four Lane Ends to be upgraded to allow a freer flow of traffic.

The freer flow of Skelton Beck is still awaited. Work at Forest Halt and the Cat Nab car park, both suffered in the 2013 storms, will eventually happen. For now a water course assessment has been undertaken and water course inspections carried out but a topographical survey, an ecological survey and a geotechnical survey are still awaited.

The Saltburn Improvement Company Board would no doubt have had some reservations to express.

Philip Thomson 7

Saltburn Beachwatch Bacteria Litter containing plastic averages over 70% of the total amount of rubbish found at each Saltburn Beachwatch litterpick and survey and a third of all plastics produced per year end up as litter in the ocean.

Over the last two issues I have reported on new products coming onto the market which provide a 100% biodegradable alternative to plastics in the food and drinks packaging industry and also about the products trying to prevent micro fibres getting into the ocean and polluting our beaches. It now seems that Mother Nature has come to help in the fight against plastic pollution by evolving a bacteria which can eat plastic - the first known to science. In a report published in the journal Science Japanese researchers have found a species of bacteria (Ideonella sakaiensis) that can break the molecular bonds of one of the world’s most used plastics: Polythene Terephtalate (PET).

Although PET is 100% recyclable only a small proportion is collected for re-use. A test with PET film showed that the bacteria were capable of degrading low quality plastics much quicker than other related bacteria and fungi which have recently been found to help degrade plastic. However, the bacteria took a lot longer to break down crystallized PET which is used to make things like plastic bottles. In the future with further refinement these bacteria and fungi could be used in industrial applications for the environmentally-friendly treatment of synthetic polymers.

Other potential applications of this discovery could be to spray the bacteria onto the vast islands of floating rubbish in the ocean, although as PET does not float its use would possibly be limited to the cleanup of beaches throughout the world, although some marine scientists think that other bacteria may have already evolved to degrade plastics but we just haven’t found them yet.

Micro-biologists have shown that bacteria are extremely adaptive and if there is only one food source they will adapt to consume it. Initial genetic examination of I. sakaiensis has revealed that the bacteria may have evolved enzymes which are capable of breaking down PET in response to the amount of plastic waste in the environment. At a glance this seems like good news. A growing number of plastic-consuming microbes will help reduce the disgraceful amounts of plastic that are dumped in the ocean, some of which are consumed by animals that die or survive long enough to be eaten by us.

However, this does not mean we can continue dumping plastic in the ocean without consequences. With 90% of all plastics being made from petro-chemicals, part of the long term solution is to use bio plastics that are 100% biodegradable from renewable resources especially in the food and drinks packaging industry.

This approach provides hope for the future but does not address the plastics that are already present in the ocean so an organism that has the potential to degrade a widely used plastic would be useful.

Roy Smith 8

MILES, HUTCHINSON & LITHGOW SOLICITORS CONVEYANCING DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL LEASING (FREE WRITTEN QUOTATIONS ON REQUEST) MATRIMONIAL MATTERS CIVIL - CRIMINAL LITIGATION

CHILD CARE IMMIGRATION PROBATE & WILLS POWERS OF ATTORNEY LEGAL AID PRACTICE

For a friendly efficient service on all legal matters Tel:

(01287) 623049

Our New Address: First Floor, 15 Station Street, Saltburn-by-the-Sea TS12 1AE

Help! Your local Playgroup needs you!

Little Nippers is in desperate need of willing volunteers to help out on Monday and Wednesday mornings, either in the kitchen or in the group. We need people to help set up and put away. If you can help, even if it is only for a few hours each month, we would love to hear from you. So, if you love spending time with young children, painting, glueing, singing, making music or reading stories, or even simply making drinks, then please contact Little Nippers Playgroup on

01287 624575

We have spaces in November for babies and newcomers to the town

Christina Simpson Bespoke Furniture, Joinery Fully Qualified Experienced, Local Carpenter/Joiner 1st, 2nd Fix Doors, Flooring, Skirting, Loft Conversions Hand-Made Kitchens/Bedrooms, Painted Furniture Paintings Commissioned

No Job Too Small

Call 07773 091727 Email: simpsonc999@gmail.com

9

Friday Friends

Saltburn Evangelical Church

We are an independent inclusive friendship group, based in Saltburn, for people of all abilities over 18. We are a friendly group and welcome new members.

We would like to say a HUGE Thank you to Siobhan Woodland who ran in The Great North Run for Friday Friends and who raised the whopping sum of £1,650! This amazing feat is even more amazing as this was Siobhan’s first ever marathon and she only started running this year!

Siobhan ran in memory of Frances who was a committed member of our group. We are bowled over by the strength and generosity of our sponsors.

“Have I got news for you?” Well, have you? What sort?

Alternative facts? Fake news? Pick ‘n’ mix news, probably! There’s so much happening out there that our media news editors have enormous power over which bits make it into the papers or TV bulletins. For instance: Did they tell you about the people in North Korea hung on a cross over a fire, crushed under a steamroller, herded off bridges and trampled under-foot?

Did they tell you about the Eritrean 8-year-old girl locked up with her family long term in a filthy lice-infested shipping container, sweltering by day, freezing by night?

Did they tell you about Howard Lam in China, abducted, detained and tortured by government agents as a warning not to send a signed photo of footballer Lionel Messi to Liu Xia, the widow of Nobel Laureate and activist Liu Xiaobo, who died in Chinese custody on 13th July.

They shot 29 staples into the skin on his legs, in the shape of crosses, telling him it was because he was a Christian. And that’s what drives the abuse in North Korea, Eritrea and many other countries. It goes on daily, and it’s largely unreported in Western media.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (among other organisations) campaigns tirelessly for persecuted minorities. Not just Christians: it took up the cause of the Rohingya people of Myanmar long before our media took any notice. But the truth is that across the globe it is Christians who are most likely to be abused, imprisoned or slaughtered for their beliefs.

29th October – 5th November is Suffering Church Action Week. We are marking this with a special event: SATURDAY 4TH NOVEMBER, 11 AM at 27 GARNET STREET, SALTBURN. (Hosted by Robert and Christina Dring. Refreshments provided.)

You are welcome to join us, either to pray (if you do), reflect or simply learn more of the news the media didn’t have for you!

The Macmillan Coffee Morning we held raised an excellent £345 to support their excellent cause (for Linda).

Thanks here go to Norma, Christine, Marjorie and Titch for their tireless fundraising. Thank you to everybody who came.

Some members of the group have been lucky enough to have art work chosen and shown at Kirkleatham Museum Artefacts 2 Exhibition. This is running from Sept 30th 2017 - January 7th 2018. We are grateful to John and John for including us, and looking forward to seeing our work displayed!

Friday Friends in November 3rd - Seated Keep-Fit to music with trainer Taylor followed

by Bingo; the arts and craft afternoon is making a peacock picture.

10th - Friday Friends Workshop 10-11, by Angela from Lloyds Bank Charity Foundation. 11-12 Drumming by Eebydrum - a great fun filled session! Making poppies for Remembrance Sunday.

17th - An instructive morning learning basic First Aid with the British Red Cross. An afternoon at Kirkleatham Musuem Artefacts 2 Exhibition, and making an autumn leaf collage in the grounds/outside cafe area.

24th - Indoor Bowling at Saltburn Bowling Club, then back to the hall to make Christmas Decorations with Pam. We meet at Emmanuel Church Hall on Fridays.

Macnay St, Saltburn. Activities 10-12.30. Arts and Craft by Caroline 1-4.00pm. First taster session is free then £2.50 a session or £4 all day to help cover costs. None profit making and run by hardworking volunteers. Carers are always free. Tea/coffee and board games/colouring-in too.

We are a friendly group and you’d be more than welcome!

For more info please contact 07833 895 501 (or Thefridayfriends@outlook.com).

Anjee Charman-Clark, chairperson 10

SALTBURN EVANGELICAL CHURCH We are a small friendly church located in Leven Street (opposite the Fire Station).

We believe that Jesus Christ is the One who gives us forgiveness, comfort and eternal hope.

We believe that anyone can enjoy peace with God through Him. We come from different backgrounds and all ages, sharing a common faith and desire to share God’s love with others.

Sunday services are held at 10:30am and 6pm.

Sunday School is at 10:30am.

Everyone is welcome here, no matter what your background or experience.

Saltburn 500 Club I must open this article by apologising for my senility! In the October TotT article, I informed you that the Saltburn Christmas lighting-up parade would start at 5.30pm on 2nd December. The correct time is 5pm and not 5.30pm. The plans for the Christmas lighting-up parade have now been virtually finalised and I would like to think the parade will be enjoyed by all. We intend to prove that unicorns do exist and that the Star Wars characters can cease hostilities for a short time to enjoy Christmas. We’re hoping that we have included enough to please all ages so please come along and show committee members and volunteers that the work has been worthwhile. If you own or manage a business in the town, could I please ask you to consider staying open until approximately 6.30pm. This will add interest to the night and, also, may put extra money in the till.

Congratulations go to M Crick for winning the £100 First Prize in the Saltburn 500 Club monthly draw.

I was invited to attend the Coastal View Community Awards presentation this year, not knowing that I was to be one of the recipients. Destinations sponsored an award which was given to me in recognition of “all the hard work done to raise funding to have the Brass Band performances each summer”. It was very kind of Paul and his wife to donate this award to me and I felt very honoured to receive it. However, I did point out that there is no ‘I’ in TEAM and the award goes to all of those volunteers who give their spare time to ensure the success of the season. Space prohibits me from listing all their names but I refer to the Chairman of Saltburn 500 Club who was successful in obtaining funding from Tees Valley Community Fund, the lady who organised the schedule, the people who prepare/ tidy up the bandstand area and the collectors who help to raise vital funding from the audience each week. I also include Philip Thomson, who is always there to ensure the day runs smoothly and always seems to be able to obtain some maintenance funding from Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council. I would also like to thank Emmanuel Church and the Methodist Church for allowing us to use their premises during inclement weather. 2017 was a very successful season and, I’m sure, you will all agree that music of a very high standard was enjoyed by all. ` Myself and other committee members of the 500 Club have been asked on many occasions if it is our intention to arrange a memorial to the late Jackie Taylor. As we all know, Jackie did that much for the town that she was lovingly known as Miss Saltburn. I have been given the task of organising the memorial and the first thing I have done is to contact Jackie’s brother, John, and seek his permission to do so. John thinks it is a very good idea and has given the family’s full support. He did suggest that Jackie’s modesty would have meant her declining this honour “but she can’t argue back this time”. I would like to arrange a meeting of all interested parties who would like to help me in establishing what type of memorial the town should have and achieving that aim. I intend to form a small group of people to drive the project forward. Could you please contact me on the email address below, or, leave a letter for me in the Saltburn 500 Club jar in Saltburn library.

T: 01287 201876

M: 07737 654772

E: darrenflintoff@yahoo.co.uk A: Unit 2, The Drive, Longbeck Industrial Estate. Marske, TS11 6HB

Website: www.flintoffs.co.uk

Trevor Welburn Secretary, Saltburn 500 Club/Friends of Saltburn trevor.welburn@btinternet.com 11

Saltburn in Bloom Autumn is here and though the hanging baskets are down, the Saltburn in Bloom volunteers continue their work in the town. On Saturday, 18th November 10.00am-4.00pm we are holding a Table Top Sale in the Community Centre, with a tombola, small knitted items to sell, and homemade refreshments served all through the day. Why not pop in to see us and enjoy a bacon sandwich, a scone or a lovely piece of cake? Or perhaps you might be able to make some goodies to sell or to help on the day for an hour or two.

Our committee really needs some new members and this is a chance to give something back to the community. It is an opportunity to meet new people, especially if you are new to the area or with time to spare. We would really welcome your help. Why not get in touch?

Our Gardening group continues to meet every Wednesday morning, 9.30 – 11-30am in different locations around the town and of course weather permitting. Not everyone is an expert gardener, but that doesn’t matter as there are many different jobs to do, including litter picking and sweeping. Everyone benefits from the fresh air, the company, the knowledge that we are keeping our environment clean and tidy, and thoroughly enjoys the break for coffee, biscuits and a friendly chat. Our weekly arrangement, with volunteers turning up when they are able or want to, means there is flexibility for all concerned with the freedom to go on holiday or still enjoy their hobbies.

Give me a ring on 01287 209518 if you would like to be involved in any way, be it gardening, baking or committee work.

I recently heard that Trevor Welburn, from the Friends of Saltburn received a very deserved award on behalf of all those who are involved in ensuring the Band Concerts take place during the summer months at the Bandstand. There are many volunteers working behind the scenes and our group, Saltburn in Bloom, contributes by keeping the garden and seated areas clean and tidy. The award was sponsored by Destinations as part of the Coastal and Moors View’s Community Awards.

So, congratulations to all who volunteer to make a difference. Why do we do it? Because we care!

Lynda Parkes (Chair)

Craft Magic Looking for that special gift, something different and handmade? Then you have come to the right place. Craft Magic stock unique handmade goods and some quirky new goods.

Craft Magic, 4 Dundas Street West, Saltburn.

Open Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm Closed Wednesday and Sunday 12

Saltburn-by-the-Sea Garden Flat available for holiday lets.

Less than five minutes walk from the sea and from the train station, shops and local restaurants etc.

The property consists of a fully fitted and equipped kitchen, spacious and well furnished lounge overlooking the garden (which is for your personal use), and a double bed with en-suite bathroom.

WiFi access Prices - £40.00 per night (minimum of two nights) Contact Mr & Mrs Smith on 01287 623740 (home) Or 07988 838956 (Mr Smith mobile) Or 07877 384977 (Mrs Smith mobile)

Andy Pollard

07773006361 (based in Saltburn) Residential and Commercial Property Maintenance Plumbing, Drainage, Property Refurbishment, Roofing Repairs, Fencing, Carpentry, Joinery, Painting and Decorating, General/Ongoing Property Maintenance.

COMPLETE PROPERTY MANAGING SERVICES A PERSONAL TOUCH

CHRISTINE HACKNEY PROPERTY MANAGER (OVER 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE) 28 HAMBLETON AVENUE REDCAR, CLEVELAND

07881556145

chrishackney@ntlworld.com

Let me take the hassle out of renting your property.

Architectural Services & Chartered Structural & Civil Engineers Architectural Planning and Building Regulation Advice Listed Building Experts House Extensions & Loft Conversions Alterations and Refurbishments Residential New Builds Shop Layout Designs Alcohol Licence Applications Office Warehouse Designs

Structural & Civil Engineering

Also, Joinery Work Undertaken

Call Liz on: 01287 203571 Mobile: 07834 022289 Email: liz.ingledew@btinternet.com Website: www.liziesdecorating.co.uk

Structural Surveys Beam Designs Building Restoration Foundation & Underpinning Design General Building Works

Professional and Friendly Service Gregory Sills BEng (Hons) CEng MIStructE FGS

t: 01287 624644 m: 07960 967865 www.scurator.co.uk info@scurator.co.uk www.beamdesignservice.co.uk 13

Keeping It Clean At Saltburn (#KICASaltburn) KICASaltburn would like to say a huge thank you to our 773 followers on Face Book and supporters on Twitter and Instagram. An especially huge thank you to those who come and join in our beach cleans, that are now held regularly on the first Saturday of every month. We usually meet in the Pier car park at 11am for a one hour clean up.

This month we used our very own equipment for the first time, pickers, hoops, gloves and bags, all purchased with the help and support of Redcar and Cleveland Council’s ‘Love It’ campaign.

A team of 28 people, including very enthusiastic children, joined in the beach clean on 7th October. One of the images we posted, of a child’s bucket full of plastic cotton bud sticks that was collected in an hour, was acknowledged by the 2 minute beach clean social media team. Remember: don’t flush anything other than pee, paper and poo down the loo!

October has been a busy month for the Keeping It Clean At Saltburn team. Barbara was seen talking about volunteering to be the ‘someone who does something’ and ‘being the change that you want to see’, our kicas mantras, on an ITV Tyne Tees news report of a documentary being made by film maker, Izak Jackson, called Save Our Oceans. Izak highlights the issue of plastic in our Oceans.

We were invited to do a presentation at Saltburn Neighbourhood Action Partnership event. This was very well received and we spread the word about what kicas do, also how long it takes for plastics, balloon debris and litter that end up in the sea to break down, which is very surprising. A plastic bottle can take 400 to 500 years and just breaks down to smaller pieces, that get into the food chain and cause irreparable damage.

There is now more awareness of the negative effects of Balloon and Lantern releases. Balloons have been proved to be a hazard to wildlife and the environment.

Even the so called ‘eco friendly’ balloons take four years to break down, still causing great damage. Lanterns are a fire hazard and horses, sheep and cows in fields get burnt and wild life get damaged by the paper and metal debris.

We had a ‘Flash Clean Up’ on the 14th October.

One of the kicas team noticed the plastic and litter waste revealed after the shrubbery had been cut back next to the river on Camfields side. So we sprang into action, armed with our equipment and a lot of enthusiasm, we cleared away what we could in an hour. One large bag full of plastic bottles and pieces was recycled. Then we had a nice coffee afterwards.

On 28th October, kicas will be helping Surfers against Sewage in their nationwide Big Autumn Beach Clean, on Saltburn Beach. Together we can all make a difference. We also support Saltburn Beach Watch with their regular beach surveys.

We can all do our own little bit to make a huge difference to our environment. Take a bag with you on a walk and pick up the bottles, cans and litter you see. Refuse once use plastics. Re-use what you can and Recycle. Mini cleans are a regular part of our dog walk now and very satisfying too.

Don’t forget that there is a 2 minute beach clean station outside of Nick’s Surf Shop and School on the lower prom, when the shop is open, so you can use the pickers and bags for a beach clean.

Two more 2 minute beach clean stations are on order and will be launched on our sea front very soon.

Kicas’s next beach Clean is the first Saturday in November (The 4th) from 11am to 12 noon. Meet at the pier car park. Hope to see you there.

We love Saltburn. Let’s kicas.

Saltburn and District Group for Visually Impaired People Hello everyone. On Tuesday, 10th October we were joined by Lindsey from Chocolini’s. The first thing she did was pass around some samples, guaranteed to get our attention!

Lindsey told us a brief description of the cocoa being grown and dried in Africa before it is shipped to Belgium to be made into the chocolate drops which are then imported directly to them in three different varieties – dark, milk and white chocolate.

Lindsey and the other chocolateers then heat the drops to 42 degrees and then allow it to cool to 30 degrees which is the optimal temperature for it to be moulded. Three different types of moulds are used to create the many shapes and sizes which they produce. The 14

chocolate is then decorated by hand in differing colours to create the perfect goodies we all know and love!

Currently they are putting their Christmas selection on the website and will be on display in the shop at the time of this edition of Talk of the Town. Preorder is recommended as they go fast!

Thanks go to Lindsey for what has been our tastiest talk to date!

Our next meeting will be on 8th November and we will be welcoming a representative from British Wireless for the Blind. Please come along to the Coffee Room, Community Centre, Saltburn from 2pm.

For any further information please contact Chris Ferguson on 01287 204170.

15

SALTBURN CRICKET CLUB Marske Mill Lane, Tel 01287-622761

BINGO – Wed 8th & 22nd Nov - eyes down 8.00pm GRAND FIREWORK DISPLAY – SUNDAY 5th NOVEMBER 7.45pm Play FLOODLIT TENNIS all winter – contact us for details Saltburn Tennis Club AGM – 16th November Sat 25th November Saltburn Blues Club GERRY JABLONSKI & THE ELECTRIC BAND with JOHN ALEXANDER – all ticket night, £10 (10% discount for club members) *Free WiFi in Club* * BIG screen TV showing SKY sports etc * ***FEATURED IN CAMRA GOOD BEER GUIDE!!***

GREAT VENUE for YOUR family events, weddings, parties, funerals & meetings - free use for charity/community groups during normal opening hours.

Now booking Christmas parties Convenient venue, free parking, reasonable bar prices.

Contact us to book your event.

Members and non-members welcome.

Facebook saltburncricketbowlsandtennis socialclub PLEASE add us as a friend and check our Facebook page regularly!

SALTBURN BLUES CLUB It was a full house when Henry Priestman and Flossie Malavialle performed at The Earthbeat Centre for us last month. Their fourth visit to Saltburn and it was once again a great success with fans travelling from as far afield as Merseyside. One of the highlights of the evening was when past band member from The Christians, Paul Campbell, joined the trio on stage and produced some superb guitar accompaniment. What a bonus to two already excellent sets.

We have 2 gigs again in November. We’re back at THE EARTHBEAT CENTRE on the 11th for HARRY MANX. ‘Special’ can be an overused word, but Harry Manx is. His performances are captivating. His official website describes his music as blending slide guitar blues with Indian folk melodies, a sprinkle of gospel and some compelling grooves. He creates a sound and atmosphere that ranges from mesmerising to thrilling. The Sydney Opera String Quartet joined him for his version of ‘Summertime’ on his most recent album. Enough said!

He’ll be performing solo for us and with a now significant following in the UK, I’d advise early purchase of tickets. £12 for this gig.

On the 25th November at Saltburn Cricket Club, it’s GERRY JABLONSKI and THE ELECTRIC BAND. Gutsy rock and roll, memorable melodies and sweet harmonies from this fourpiece playing original music influenced by the blues/rock greats. They’re back by popular demand.

Supporting Gerry is husky-voiced, solo guitarist, JOHN ALEXANDER. Loaded with natural talent, his beautifully crafted songs are a wonderful conglomeration of acoustic roots and blues and more. Steeped in dustbowl blues, Alexander masters some scorching guitar riffs alongside soulful vocals. Tickets £10.

Doors 7.30pm at both venues. Tickets available from www.yorkshireticketshop.co.uk, Destinations, Saltburn, www.saltburnbluesclub.co.uk and 07960 935263.

My radio show, Still Got The Blues, is on Zetland FM every Monday 7pm – 10pm, on line, or you can catch up on Mixcloud at a time that suits you. Just visit the website, www.zetlandfm.co.uk. It’s 3 hours of Blues for the newcomer, the connoisseur and everyone in between. Would love to have your company.

Harry

Saltburn Charity Crafters

01287 624505 16

If you enjoy knitting, crochet, card-making etc please come and join us. We have our monthly gathering on Wednesday, 1st November from 2pm to 4pm in the Coffee Room at Saltburn Community Hall. We can supply you with wool and patterns to get you going and we offer tea, coffee, biscuits and a warm welcome. Do come and join us for a cuppa if you would enjoy making items for local charities. We look forward to seeing you.

For more information please contact Angie on 01287 205153.

17

DOG GROOMING www.saltyseadogsgrooming.co.uk

Kelly - 07523 216363

18

19

What's On at Saltburn House in November Fri 3rd Nov D J set from 8pm Ska, Northern Soul & more.

Sat 4th Old School.

Sun 5th Saltburn House Firework display, Free entry all welcome.

Sat 11th Idolize Sat 18th Saltburn House Darts Tournament.

Cash prizes.

Sun 19th An afternoon of music with Brian Dales @ 4pm. Charity & Bingo in the interval.

Fri 24th Roots Train Strictly Reggae 7pm—midnight £4 on the door, £2 for members.

Sat 25th D.V.D. Rock & Glam band.

Hire out one of our Function Rooms for £20 an hour or £100 for the whole day. We have a choice of three very different Function Rooms, providing you with the versatility your company or party requires.

Accommodation Prices: Single Room only £30.00. Double/Twin Room £55.00.

Single Half Board £40.00. Double Half Board £75.00.

All Stay Types include a Complimentary Full English Breakfast!

For further information, contact Ann or Andy on: 01287 622008 20

Book Corner Saltburn’s Independent Bookshop

Come and see our great range of Christmas books!

Open for late night shopping every Thursday in December.

Gift subscriptions now available.

Opening Times: 10am – 5pm (Closed Sundays and Wednesdays) 24 Milton Street, Saltburn, TS12 1DG

01287 348010 www.bookcornershop.co.uk

Christmas Toc H Appeal This Christmas Saltburn Toc H will be sending ‘well wishing’ Christmas cards and letters to our soldiers who don’t receive cards or gifts from home.

We know of some charities who are making up toiletries, gift parcels and knitting 4-inch stockings to be filled with sweets as gifts. We would like to add to these by sending cards and letters.

If you would like to help please drop in your cards, letters etc at Saltburn Toc H on Monday afternoons when we are open for refreshments etc or you can take them to Saltburn library on a Friday afternoon where you will find the Building Bridges team serving Teas and they will pass them on for you.

Thank you for this little gift of kindness which can mean so much. May we be the first to wish you a very merry & peaceful Christmas.

Mark, Maria and Joyce Building Bridges Day Service Toc H Saltburn 21

Cleveland Diving Club

Cool temperatures and shorter daylight hours are the stark telling signs that the summer has long since gone. However, the season’s changes are a little less discernible for UK scuba divers. This is because the sea cools at a much slower rate than the land which enables scuba divers to continue to go sea diving, weather and sea conditions permitting, long into the winter.

Predictably our ever hopeful band of divers continue to weather watch in the hope that a few more dives can be completed before the winter storms make diving locally questionable. Nevertheless, this does not mean that our club members have taken to sitting the winter out before a cosy warm fire. On the contrary, this is the best time to begin scuba diving training. The winter months allows new trainees to complete their training in time to begin their open water dives in the spring.

To kick start the winter training programme Cleveland Divers offered staff members of Saltburn leisure Centre ‘FREE TRY DIVE,’ sessions. A number of the staff took up the offer and have had their first taste of scuba diving. Photo one shows Wilf and Tom having a brief, pool side, introduction to scuba kit before taking the plunge, accompanied by a BSAC qualified instructor, as shown in photo 2 with Clive and Ruddy.

Once in the water everything is checked to make sure the trainees are comfortable and happy. Photo 3 appears to confirm that Wilf and Tom are happy and raring to go.

During the session our trainees then have the opportunity to put into practice what they have just learned and to get a feel for breathing underwater and controlling their buoyancy (keeping a neutral position in the water neither too high nor too low). This is an important skill that even the most experienced divers continue to master and refine. Photo 4 is a great photo of our group of divers where each is becoming more proficient at controlling their buoyancy.

Finally at the end of the session it is our expectation that we will see happy faces, like Jason and Jaclyn in photo 5, showing off how much they enjoyed the session.

22

Throughout the winter Cleveland Divers are offering an extended ‘Try Dive,’ scuba diving course. If anyone is interested in giving scuba diving a go then they can sign up for a four week course and learn more about the equipment and develop their underwater skills. Following this there is the opportunity, if desired, to become a member of the club and continue training for a BSAC diving qualification, which is recognised world-wide.

Club membership offers free training by BSAC qualified instructors and free use of scuba equipment during pool training sessions to anyone aged 14 and over, our motto being you are never too old to learn to scuba dive.

BSAC’s motto is ‘Dive With Friends,’ and this is precisely what happens. Our last photo is a holiday snap of club members, at the entrance to the ‘Atlantico Museo,’ taken during a week’s diving holiday this September in Lanzarote. They gladly posed for the shot, taken by our guide, before setting off to enjoy a wonderful, exciting and fish filled adventure exploring many amazing underwater sculptures along the way (see May 2017 article).

Cleveland Divers is a friendly and sociable scuba diving club and can be contacted on 07960 608759 or pop in and have a chat with us any Monday night between 8pm -9:30pm (excluding bank holidays) at Saltburn Leisure Centre or after 9:30pm at Saltburn Cricket Club. New and experienced divers welcome.

June Coomber

What’s Happening at

Marske Hall November 2017

Body Shop, PartyLite Fashion Show Friday, 3rd November, 6.30-9.30pm, Marske Hall. Enjoy an evening of shopping and fashion at this free event, perfect in the run-up to Christmas.

Christmas Food Event - date to be confirmed call 01642 482672 for details.

Christmas Fair - Saturday, 25th November, 10am-2pm, Marske Hall. Make a date for this annual event and enjoy some family festive fun. Santa, Christmas crafts, tombola/ winbola, bric-a-brac, crafts and cards, DVDs/CDs, cake stall, refreshments, entertainment and much more.

Plus grand Christmas raffle. Entry free, donations welcome.

Look ahead - Coffee Morning, Marske Leisure Centre, Saturday, 9th December, 10am-noon.

Enjoy a home made scone and a coffee.

Appeal: The fundraising team is always looking for tombola and raffle prizes to use at events throughout the year. Any larger prizes are most welcome for our Christmas and Summer main raffles. Simply call into Marske Hall from 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. Thank you for your continued support. Funds raised at these events will enhance the lives of people living at Marske Hall. Registered Charity No: 218186. For details of these and other events call 01642 482672 or visit: www.facebook/marskehall.com Marske Hall, Redcar Road, TS11 6AA. Kath Bloomfield

Emmanuel Church Hall, (off Windsor Road) Saltburn Mondays at 9.30am and

Tuesdays at 3.30pm, 5.30pm or 7.30pm.

For Details Ring

Stevie on

01642 474920

We sell a good selection of Stationery i.e. Envelopes, Labels, Tapes, Mailing Bags, and a wide range of Greetings Cards Saltburn Christmas Cards now in!

We now offer a Card Service on line at giftsandbobs.co.uk so you can order your personalised cards and collect them in the shop

23

or email: simon.robson1@ntlworld.com

Christmas Fair Fundraiser A Christmas Fair will be taking place on Saturday, 25th November between 10am and 3pm, at Redcar’s Literary Institute (behind Iceland - Lord Street, Redcar, TS10 3ER).

This promises to be a great event with stalls offering Christmas crafts, cakes (including Christmas cake), tombola, bric-a-brac, Teddy Bears and a raffle to name a few! Refreshments will also be available, so please come along and join us! All money raised at this event will go towards the Redcar Parish Building Project, who are fundraising to build a community/meeting room at the Sacred Heart RC Church in Redcar.

This project hopes to create a hall for meetings and social gatherings to accommodate between 80-100 people, built between the existing church and presbytery building. This would also create a new entrance area to the church, new sacristy, proper toilets and good kitchen facilities.

The creation of these new rooms and meeting spaces will ensure that the church building is in much greater use throughout the week and able to contribute more fully to the local community in which it is set.

As well as the Christmas Fair, there are many other events taking place including a Body Shop Party on Wednesday, 15th November (7:30-9pm) at the Redcar Guide Hall on West Dyke Road. Try out some new products, stock up on your old favourites or find those perfect Christmas presents. Refreshments, a raffle and catalogues will also be available.

If you’d like more information about the project, the Christmas fair and our other events, please visit us online at www.facebook.com/ RedcarParishBuildingProject or find us on Twitter @RedcarParish.

We look forward to seeing you!

Heather Gittins 24

G . Bishop - Decorator *Interiors and Exteriors

*Free Estimates

*All Aspects of Decorating Undertaken *Realistic Prices

*Reliable Service Assured

Time Served Telephone 01287 624016

40 Years Experience Mobile 07757 912575

Saltburn champion dies at 95 Len Lightfoot, a well-known figure round Saltburn town centre, has died aged 95 at Northampton where he moved to a year ago for family reasons.

Ken was a retired Grangetown newsagent who made Saltburn his adopted home.

He was a keen member of the district’s retired men’s forum. At one point in the 1990s he was chairman, secretary and speaker-finder plus, probably, treasurer.

But members rallied to help and he only had to chair meetings - in his late 70s at the time.

He was also a leading member of the Evangelical Church in Leven Street, and many church members were among the 80 people present at his 90th birthday party held at Brockley Hall, now an hotel but then a Christian holiday centre.

He thoroughly enjoyed the day surrounded by grandchildren, relatives and friends.

Ken was always smiling. In later

HEADGEAR: Ken Lightfoot wears his air-sea rescue beret at RAF Leeming during a visit in 2012.

years he got around with the help of a walker from his terraced house in Diamond Street.

During the 1939-45 war he was a member of Air-Sea Rescue and was proud of its work in picking up airmen who had been shot down in the sea.

He enjoyed visiting RAF Leeming in 2012 when the retired men held an outing there. He swapped stories with airmen and was sporting enough to agree to be photographed wearing his RAF beret (see photo shown here).

A few years later he was nominated as a ‘community champion’ for the annual Evening Gazette event and was formally presented with a citation at a dinner in Middlesbrough.

His working life was filled by his work as a newsagent in Grangetown where he had to get up at dawn to handle the morning newspaper deliveries. He also took an active part in the newsagents’ federation.

Mike Morrissey 25

Saltburn Athletic FC The season is now well under way and I shall begin with the under 10 Sharks who have played three games and won all three. The team had to fight hard in a cup game versus Darlington Young bulls and it was a stunning free kick which won the game in extra time. The two league games were a little easier and won comfortably against TIBS and South Park Rangers Reds.

The under 10 Dolphins have had ups and downs with a fine cup win against Redcar Royals and a win versus South Park Rangers Blues, a loss to Brompton and a draw against Redcar Royal in the league games.

The Under 11 team are going well with good wins under their belt and undefeated in the league but knocked out of the cup.

At under 13 level we have three teams and yet again it’s the Dolphins who lead the way with four wins from four games with a 6-1 victory over mount Pleasant Rangers, a 6-4 win versus Trimdon Utd, a 6-2 win against South Park Rangers and the latest league win of 5-1 versus Normanby and together with a cup win on penalties against Thornaby after extra time having had a full time score of 3-3.

The under 13 Seagulls have drawn two games versus Richmond 4-4 and Wynyard 3-3 but they were unable to get the better of Stokesley when losing 3-1.

However, a resounding 8-1 cup win against Ferryhill should give them more confidence for the next game.

The under 13 Falcons have had two league wins against Ferryhill 5-3 and Linthorpe 8-1. Two losses against Brompton and Bedale by 5-0 and 7-1 have meant an up and down season for them including two cup defeats.

Lastly, the under 14 team are also going great guns with league wins of 3-1 against Eaglescliffe, 13-1 versus Thirsk, a 5-1 versus Northallerton and an 8-2 versus Saxons. As you can see they are doing very well and they are still in the cup.

We have at last a date for the official opening of the newly revamped changing rooms on Hob Hill and will be officially opened by our patron Alan Smith whose father was one of the old Saltburn Seniors team which built the original rooms back in the early 1960s.

All those past and present members of the old Saltburn teams, senior and junior are invited to the opening at 2pm on Sunday, 12th November and the Saltburn Cricket Club will be open for refreshments and food thereafter.

Work having been commenced on the removal of a large mound on our football ground has temporarily stopped but will restart soon when the drainage system will be put in and the area grass seeded. Hopefully by September next year this area will be ready to play on, giving an extra 100 x 30 metres of playing area.

This year’s challenge cricket match (which is held annually for the Don Whiley Trophy) was convincingly won by Saltburn Athletic FC by a lot of runs versus the Saltburn Cricket Club Social Members.

The Christmas party for the under 10s and 11s teams will be on Sunday, 10th December commencing at 3pm at Saltburn Cricket Club. There will be an event for the U13 and 14 teams but as yet this is undecided.

Andy Croll 26

The Countryside Ranger and Volunteers, November 2017 Make the most of the autumn weather, because the first frosts are just around the corner. An early morning walk through the Valley at this time of year can reveal early morning mist which blankets the open areas before the sun warms things up a bit.

The group have been very busy behind the scenes on one of the year’s biggest projects, the annual meadow cut. Funding for the meadow is always a concern for the group to complete the job, from cutting the meadow, to baling and then removing the bales costs a few hundred pounds. This year the group received funding with help from a local ward councillor, and we were lucky enough to be able to outsource the work to a local farmer who will be able to use the bales on his farm.

Some of the finest displays of fungi can be found at this time of year, and many birds and animals are at their most vocal. During early autumn, garden robins are generally rather unobtrusive. This is partly because feeding is relatively easy at this time and birds that already occupy a territory are rarely challenged for ownership by other adults. As autumn progresses, however, young from this year’s broods will be looking for territories of their own. Matters are complicated further by the dispersal of birds from chilly northern and upland regions to more southerly areas. As a consequence, the sound of the robins’ ‘tik tik’ alarm calls

usually become more apparent in late October/November.

You will also hear them in full song at this time. The birds go to great pains to advertise ownership of their territories – you may even witness the occasional skirmish between individuals. Unlike many other small songbirds, male robins defend their territories throughout the year. It is important to guard the rights to sites that provide good feeding and roosting potential as these may be vital in seeing them through the winter ahead.

The sulphur tuft is one of the most common and widespread fungi in Britain. Its name is an apt and descriptive one, since the toadstool caps are a sulphuryellow colour – at least in the early stages – and the species usually grows in large, tufted clumps. Sulphur tuft is essentially a woodland species since it grows on dead wood, even though this may occasionally be partly buried in the ground. In fresh specimens, the gills are the same colour as the cap and stem, but they discolour and darken with age and as the spores ripen. The stem is seldom perfectly straight and is usually curved or twisted in some way, allowing the cap to stand free of the substratum from which the toadstool grows.

Bracken is, without doubt, the most widespread and familiar fern in Britain. The species has a range that extends across much of the world, wherever suitable habitats occur. For most of the summer, the fronds, which can reach a height of two metres in lush settings, are a rich green colour. In autumn, they turn golden brown and are one of the most attractive elements of the seasonal woodland display. With the first frosts of autumn and early winter, however, the bracken fronds begin to wither, and, come the New Year, they will have died back completely.

The Volunteers will continue to meet throughout the year on Fridays at 10am near the Woodland Centre. Their work can be seen on the website (www.saltburncountrysidevolunteers.btck.co.uk).

If you would like any information regarding volunteering opportunities either within Saltburn Valley, or the wider Saltburn area please feel free to contact (Karen.preston@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk or Sophie.Lyth@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk or myself paul.murphy@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk).

Seaview and Greta Cottage caring together 5 star care homes awarded by Redcar and Cleveland for their quality of care and personalised service.

Home from home with daily activities and weekly trips out in our own minibus.

Please feel free to visit us at anytime.

01287 622498 and 01287 625178 27

Hands On Therapy Clinic Remedial Therapy Reflexology Sports Injuries Relaxation Louise Clark ITEC Diploma MBSR, GCP, BCMA Reg Saltburn Leisure Centre, Marske Mill Lane

Tel: 01287 625700 Mob: 07775 610745 28

The Opening of the Halfpenny Bridge This month’s piece is a blend of fact and fiction which I hope will inform and entertain.

First to distinguish the fact, the fact is the occasion for the fiction. The opening of The Halfpenny bridge, which belonged to and was designed by the Ring Rose Wharton Family of Skelton Castle to whom any tariffs also belonged. The other fact is the existence of my Victorian maternal Grandmother and her lifetime interest in the growth of Victorian Saltburn. Saltburn has been part of family childhood from Victorian days onward.

The central interest of the article is the opening of the bridge. It was a very real Saltburn icon in its time. I am sure my grandmother would have been present on that day accompanied by my grandfather in their betrothal days and it would have been a special day when they took French leave from business for she was a milliner and a greengrocer whilst he was a pawnbroker.

It was a scene in September 1869, perhaps the last day of summer sunshine and maybe a Friday the thirteenth, if judging by the future fate of the bridge.

Quite a crowd are collecting to witness the opening of the bridge and maybe we will include a brass band in immaculate uniform. I leave it to you to imagine them and to choose their music.

At the front of the crowd stand my grandparents, my grandmother is holding their pony. She is wearing an amber heavy taffeta walking dress with a bustle that rustles as she moves. She is a milliner and is wearing a hat decked with amber roses to match her dress which she confected herself. At her side stands her betrothed wearing a polished black bowler hat and his neck is adorned with a red silk cravat clasped at the throat by a diamond pin and he wears black, well-shone boots. He is

restraining the pony who is becoming a little impatient and clattering its hooves, disturbing other spectators. My grandmother notices and strips off her gloves and reaches out a hand to stroke the pony’s mane and we all see that she is wearing ornate rings on both hands. On her right hand she has an opal and on her left an emerald and a sapphire. A look of love comes into her eye as she gives the pony an apple to munch, that same look as is in her eye in the photograph I have of her which has accompanied me through all the trials of my life.

There is a considerable crowd of spectators by now, all wearing their Sunday best but here and there you can see the odd ragged urchin, one of them trying to nick the pony’s apple. Suddenly there is a fanfare and an important looking gentleman climbs onto a solid box. People cheer, the urchins scuffle in the crowd looking for pickings. My grandmother grab the reins and clambers into the trap and goes to the tollbooth. He pays two pennies for the trap and a halfpenny for my grandfather who was not in charge of the trap. The urchins jostle trying to sneak over the bridge without paying but are grabbed and turned away in high dudgeon. At that moment a penny-farthing cycle appears and is the second customer paying a penny and as the rider wobbles over the bridge the urchins jeer and the rider props his cycle against the side of the bridge and clips the nearest urchin’s ear at which the rest turn and run. The music starts again and everyone joins in the National Anthem followed by a rendition of Rule Britannia. My grandparents cross the bridge; grandmother is driving whilst grandfather is gazing out to sea, far past the valley gardens watching the waves frolic in the distance on this last sunny day of the year when all of Saltburn has turned out to enjoy the occasion.

Sylvia Williamson

Saltburn Valleys Charitable Incorporated Organisation Public Meeting When the Saltburn Valley Garden Steering Group was formed in 2008 to consider the future of the Valley and how it could be maintained for future generations it was not anticipated that there would be so many challenges ahead. Although successes have been achieved over the years much remains to be done.

After public meetings in the Theatre, including the Saltburn Symposium in 2015 and the Autumn Seminar in 2016, much discussion has been held to find an appropriate organisation to take this challenge forward.

The listing by Historic England of the Saltburn Valley Gardens on its At Risk Register clearly highlighted that the level of maintenance provided by the local authority and supplemented by volunteer organisations was falling short. More funding was needed and a different approach to managing the resource.

After months of discussion and exploration involving other partner organisations a registered charity has been formed. This Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) is fully constituted and approved by the Charities Commission and is now formally registered.

Its name is Saltburn Valleys CIO and its remit will cover activity in each of the three valleys in the town, namely Saltburn Gill, The Saltburn Valley and Hazelgrove.

The first meeting of the new Board was held on the 3rd October.

A full Public Meeting is now to be held on Wednesday, 8th November in the Community Hall, Windsor Road, at 6.30pm.

All residents who have any interest in any of the valleys are encouraged to attend.

The new Board will be introduced and the proposals for an initial Management Plan for the Saltburn Valley will also be introduced.

The constitution allows for public membership of the CIO and all members of the public will be actively encouraged to join up and contribute to the discussions on the visions for the future of the valleys, and where possible play a role in their future management and development.

Historic England has agreed to be actively involved at this stage of assessment and forward planning.

Now the work begins again.

29

Saltburn’s Neil Jones dies at 93 Saltburn-born Neil Jones, a quiet community champion, secretary of the town’s community and arts association, in the 1990s, has died in Surrey, aged 93.

He was buried at Saltburn Cemetery on Tuesday 17th October.

Mr Jones, a retired manager of a large department store in London, retired to Hob Hill Crescent, Saltburn, in the 1980s and did a lot of work with the community association. This included it gaining major grants to repair and refurbish the roof.

He also was the main officer who gained the charity status for the association which runs the community hall next to the library and theatre, in 1996.

He and his wife Joyce also campaigned to improve road safety at a bad bend in Guisborough Road, opposite their house, before going up to Black Bridge.

They trekked door-to-door with a petition calling on the council to start major improvements following a series of cars crashing through their garden wall. The result was the building of a steel barrier at the junction with Hob Hill Crescent and widening of the road at the bend. Accidents dramatically fell as a result.

In addition Mr and Mrs Jones ran several ‘mile-ofpennies’ collections in the town centre for a charity of their choice.

Tony Cook dies at 85 after writing his own obituary Tony Cook. a regular singer at Saltburn’s annual folk festival, has died aged 85.

A fuel engineer with British Steel on Teesside, he was always a joker and wrote his own light-hearted obituary in The Gazette, which was published to notify friends of his funeral details and which resulted in a good attendance.

“Fell off the edge on 20th September,” he wrote. And later: “He leaves a wife, several children and stepchildren, numerous grandchildren and assorted great grand children. He thinks he will sadly missed by many.”

A good attendance at the Holy Name of Mary Church, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, wasMorrissey the fruit of his words. Both family (wife Carol, seven children and two stepchildren plus many other relatives) attended the service. Donations went to Oxfam, at Tony’s request.

Saltburn folk festival, which places the names of deceased folkies on a bench at Marine Parade, near Saltburn bank, has been informed of Tony Cook’s death.

Tony was an active member of the steelworkers’ union Community (formerly ISTC) and was a member of its national executive committee.

Mike Morrissey 30

CAMPAIGN SUCCESS: Hob Hill resident Pat Gibson is pictured with the steel barrier which was put up on a dangerous bend following Neil and Joyce Jones going door-to-door collecting signatures for a petition. Their persistence paid off in reducing the risk of car crashes. The barrier and warning chevron is a legacy to the couple.

Mike Morrissey

31

T-T-TeesCider Cider from Teesside orchards proves popular at Saltburn Farmers’ Market It may be a little-known fact, but Teesside can lay claim to be part of the traditional apple growing belt of the country!

That’s according to Redcar-based solicitor Julian Gaskin, who brews his own brand of Tees Cider and sells exclusively at both Saltburn Farmers’ Market and Saltburn Food Festival, and has been researching apple orchards for years! Julian’s research shows we’re at the very northern tip of the Tees-Exe line. A geological line running NortheastSouthwest between the mouth of the Tees in Redcar down to the River Exe in Devon which basically divides the country into lowland and upland regions.

And, believe it or not, that makes Teesside and East Cleveland part of the traditional apple growing belt of the country. It’s that interest in history, combined with a love of cider, that has led to Julian producing his own popular brand of Tees Cider – all made using apples from the orchards of Teesside!

Like many producers at Saltburn Farmers’ Market, Julian is a solo trader: he makes his cider at home in Redcar and sells it in Saltburn.

“Our dry cider has an almost Prosecco dryness,” said Julian. “It’s fantastic chilled and pairs particularly well with hot fiery tapas dishes. It’s also great for making cocktails where it pairs well with sloe gin! We also make Spiced and Ginger ciders, both of which are great chilled with Indian and Indonesian food, and our sweet cider is perfect with Roast Pork.”

Julian is now perfecting his latest batch of Tees Cider for Saltburn Farmers’ Market on Saturday, 11th November.

Market Co-ordinator Lorna Jackson said: “The Market is not only about good local food, it’s the people behind the scenes who make it special - a fantastic mix of stallholders and local food producers, all creating and adding to the Saturday morning buzz around the town. An absolute must for local food-lovers, it’s always good to see shoppers and visitors catching up and chatting with Julian and our other stallholders on Market day, so come and say hello.”

Used Stamps for Charity There is a box in Saltburn Library for used postage stamps which are a valuable source of income to a number of charities. Please drop your stamps in the library. Many thanks for your support. There is also a box in Marske Library.

Eric Matson (volunteer), 25 High Street, Skelton, Tel: 07985 767587

32

Saltburn Farmers’ Market: Saturday, 11th November.

More than 40 stalls, brimming with good local food, drink & art, right in the heart of town. 9am-2pm.

The above photo of Julian Gaskin of Tees Cider was taken by Stuart Boulton.

Brotton Library Knit and Natter Group We are a small group making items for charity whilst sharing skills and friendship. It is free to come to the group. We have a few regular members and would welcome more. Thursday afternoon 2pm till 4pm in Brotton library (attached to Freebrough Academy).

Deborah

8th Saltburn Beer Festival – November 2017

Friday 10th and Saturday 11th November Saltburn Community Arts Association Albion Terrace, Saltburn

Nigel’s VIPs! Very Important Pets!

Volunteers have been busy for months with the organisation and they will be setting up the beers 3 days before the festival to ensure that they will be in peak condition. A varied selection of styles of beers are ordered from all over the country and will be ready for you to taste and enjoy from 11am on Friday, 10th November. There will be 36 casks of different real ales to sample.

Tickets for Friday night have already sold out but tickets for the rest of the sessions are still available from the SCAA box office (opening hours Wednesday 2-4pm, Thursday and Friday 11-1pm and 2-4pm) or ring 01287 624997 and Hygge (next to Whistle Stop in Station Square).

You can pay on the door for the afternoon sessions and after 8pm on the evening sessions, depending on the number of people already in the Hall.

Opening times will be Friday 11am – 5pm and 6:30 – 11pm and Saturday 11:05am – 5pm and 6:30 – 10pm. For more information please go to www.saltburnarts.co.uk.

DOG WALKING, PET CARE & HOME SITTING Co. Est’d. 2002 NigelsVIPs@gmail.com

TEL: 07891 092007 Insured, Excellent References

33

Simon Clarke MP Middlesbrough South & East Cleveland Universal Credit has been in the news a lot recently, and I spoke about it in Parliament during last month’s debate.

Politics aside, it is a fact of life that under the old system 1.4 million people spent most of the 2000s trapped in welfare dependency. Many people had no incentive to work longer than 16 hours per week, losing £9 in every £10 extra that they earned. This is why we are bringing in Universal Credit - a simpler system that merges six benefits into one and makes sure work always pays.

I think we all agree that no system is perfect and the government has been working hard to adapt policy to best serve claimants. We’ve listened to the public about the helpline call charges and this will now be free to call, we’ve taken our time with the roll out, although you wouldn’t know it from the press coverage, and we’ve ironed out many of the issues found in the trial areas. Also, a lot of residents are unaware they can claim the advance payments that are available - since June, nearly 50 per cent of claimants did so, and those that do want an advance payment will not have to wait six weeks; they will receive this advance within 5 working days.

Logistical problems aside, independent studies have shown that people on Universal Credit are 4% more likely to find jobs than people on Job Seekers Allowance - that’s not

an arid statistic but thousands of lives being transformed.

When you add that to the fact that the new system will make it far easier for a small business to offer more flexible hours to their workforce, part time workers will be able to earn more every week without fear of losing their benefits and everyone will know that it pays to be in work then all in all it must be a good thing in both the medium and the long term.

All that said, I do genuinely understand that this roll out may not be what some people see is needed but we spend £90billion on our welfare state every year and we need a system that delivers for the whole of our society which includes both those that support it as well as those that need it.

Simon

Live but not live Saltburn Community & Arts Association is committed to encouraging live performances. This is true of drama and music but also spreads to activities such as dance classes, playgroups and Saturday markets. It may seem odd then for it to be showing recorded theatre but that is exactly what it is doing.

On the evening of Tuesday, 28th November the theatre will show the National Theatre’s recording of Peter Morgan’s play The Audience from the Gielgud Theatre on London’s Shaftesbury Avenue. The performance was recorded live on 13th June 2013 and will be shown in its entirety.

Peter Morgan also wrote The Queen in which Helen Mirren first played the role – she is said to have at first resisted the part in The Audience for fear of being typecast.

Whereas The Queen looked specifically at the royal family’s reaction to the death of Diana twenty-five years ago, The Audience looks at Elizabeth II throughout her years of rule.

During those sixty years, she has met each of her thirteen Prime Ministers in a weekly audience at Buckingham Palace. The meetings are not recorded and both parties agree not to discuss who said what about whom.

There are four PMs missing from the play’s script – Macmillan, Douglas-Home, Heath and May who took office after the play was written, otherwise it is a faithful attempt at depicting what we know and what we don’t know about the audiences.

More recently, Morgan was also the creator and 34

writer of Netflix’s drama series The Crown - a biographical story about the reign of our current Queen.

It is hoped that this will be the start of regular ‘live’ recorded performances at the theatre but it will also be continuing to offer the real thing. Discussions are currently underway with the REACH programme supported by Arts Council England that will bring works by new contemporary playwrights, performed by young theatre companies, to Saltburn in 2018. In preparation why not consider buying SC&AA gift vouchers for those people who you would like to have a good night of live entertainment among friends – the ideal Christmas present.

35

36

THE VALLEY GARDENS VICTORIAN TEAROOMS CHRISTMAS CHARITY EVENT 2017

WE ARE SITUATED IN THE VALLEY GARDENS IN SALTBURN BY THE SEA EVERY YEAR WE TRY AND HELP SUPPORT A VERY GOOD CAUSE & WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE’S HELP, KINDNESS & DONATIONS OVER THE YEARS

THIS YEAR WE ARE SUPPORTING REDCAR AND CLEVELAND SHELTER FOR FAMILIES AFFECTED FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THIS AFFECTS WOMEN, MEN AND CHILDREN THIS YEAR WE ARE ASKING FOR HELP BY DONATING A SMALL GIFT FOR CHRISTMAS. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE EXPENSIVE - MAYBE A STORY BOOK, COLOURING BOOK AND PENCILS, A BOTTLE OF IMPULSE, MEN’S LYNX SHOWER GEL - JUST A SMALL GIFT WE CAN WRAP AND GIVE TO THE SHELTER FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS JUST TO HELP CREATE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT AS FORTUNATE AS US. WE WILL BE SO PLEASED WITH ANY GIFT YOU CAN AFFORD TO DONATE. PLEASE DROP OFF YOUR GIFTS TO THE TEAROOMS - ALL GIFTS TO BE RECEIVED BY THE 10TH DECEMBER. PLEASE DO NOT WRAP YOUR GIFT AS WE WILL WRAP AND TAG THEM ACCORDING TO AGE GROUPS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY.

Magical night for Crawford and Hospice From London to Lockwood - and Saltburn - was the spread of talent who staged a ‘gala evening of brass and voice’ at a packed Saltburn community theatre in October.

They put on a show, which was described as ‘magical,’ to honour Saltburn brass virtuoso Crawford Hall, who was probably best known locally as the trumpet player for the town’s annual outdoor Remembrance Sunday service.

He was also a former trombone player with the Welsh Guards in London and taught music at Teesside schools.

Performers were a mix of local talent and Londonbased friends of Crawford’s niece Rowan Pierce.

Mark Sidwell, leader of Lockwood Brass, a 20-strong brass band from the Lockwood area, off the GuisboroughWhitby road, said Crawford had been ‘an amazing player.’

Julie Hall, his wife who performed with her sister Sue Pierce, recalled help given to her 63-year-old husband and family over last Christmas when he was looked after by Teesside Hospice staff. He had been free from pain before dying in January.

She thanked all who had contributed to the success of the 13th October concert, and said more than £3,000 had been raised for the Middlesbrough-based Hospice.

In the front row were family members from Australia and Canada, who had all travelled specially for the event. ` “We have remembered Crawford as he would have wished - with music, laughter and friendship,” wrote Mrs Hall in the programme. She called him a ‘special guy.’

The evening included classical songs sung by Londonbased singers led by Rowan Pierce, who performed at an Albert Hall Prom in the summer. There was also a Gershwin medley by the Saltburn-based Renaissance singers, and the Hippopotamus Song (Flanders and Swann) by Bill Greenwood and the audience.

The evening ended with a laughter-filled rendition by half the 150-strong audience singing It’s a Long Way to Tipperary and the other half singing Pack Up Your Troubles in an Old Kit Bag. Magical and memorable.

Mike Morrissey 37

d-FORMED

Ground-breaking photography exhibition puts Disability firmly in the Spotlight He began the year with an exhibition that helped attract almost 30,000 people to Middlesbrough’s Dorman Museum.

The response was so good that Saltburn-based photographer Kev Howard’s ground-breaking d-FORMED exhibition is set to end the year with a hugely welcome Middlesbrough run at Teesside University’s Constantine Gallery.

And, with an exciting nod to the exhibition’s University setting, visitors and members of the public are being invited to join a focus group to help aid PhD student Louise Logan’s research into the perceptions and understanding of disability.

A familiar face at gigs and events across Teesside and beyond, Kev’s social documentary and observational photography has reached global audiences for more than a decade. He’s photographed hundreds of bands, poets, artists and demonstrations in that time – with a photo of Benjamin Zephaniah appearing in The Independent, and his photo of Saltburn-based writer Carmen Marcus gracing the cover of her critically acclaimed debut novel How Saints Die earlier this summer. Also a much-loved musician, he’s travelled the world as a didgeridoo player, appearing in an Australian Rock Opera plus festivals in Holland, Germany, Belgium and America.

It’s a string of achievements made even more remarkable given the fact that Kev lives with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC) – a term used to describe over 300 conditions that cause multiple curved joints in areas of the body at birth. In Kev’s case, it’s meant a series of major operations throughout his lifetime, undergoing his first surgery aged just six months old!

55 major operations followed over the next 24 years, including full amputations, bone grafts and shortened limbs.

With each new operation shifting his centre of balance, it’s meant that Kev has had to learn to walk 22 times! An incredibly hard-hitting yet sensitive photographic record of the physical and emotional challenges and the constant surgical procedures he’s faced over the years, it’s safe to say this this startling autobiographical exhibition is Kev’s most personal work to date.

We spoke to Kev about the inspiration behind his upcoming exhibition, and found out why Barack Obama and Prince Harry are welcome to come along too.

“A whole range of things inspired the exhibition really,” said Kev. “Everything from growing up in a generation where, in my opinion, disability rights are often just given lip service. So I decided to chart my own history, found that my body has its own story to tell, and the exhibition is based around that.

“The reaction to the exhibition earlier this year was incredibly positive and, amidst all the uplifting feedback, it’s inspired Louise Logan to work with me on this Teesside University display. Louise is a PhD student whose work explores the varying different perceptions of disability, and she is inviting members of the public to join a focus group to help aid her research.

“In doing so, she’s helped transform the exhibition into a project that may, somewhere along the line, help make a difference to the way that millions of disabled people are treated in future generations. “She has already established focus groups with some students, but is keen to attract people from the wider community to get as broad a mix of opinions and perceptions as possible.

“So, not only can people enjoy and hopefully be 38

Photo by Stuart Boulton

inspired by the exhibition, they can also potentially contribute to some important research while they’re here. Get signed up in advance and everyone’s a winner!”

Talking about the final image in the exhibition, a photo called Blood on Their …. Kev said: “It was great to see Prince Harry and Barack Obama at the Invictus Games and, like the Paralympics, to see disabled people and their athletic achievements shining out on the world stage. But it would be even better to have the same level of equality and social inclusion that everybody else can take for granted on a day-today basis. This image is my own response to both this and the previous Government’s lambasting of people with disabilities, ill health and mental health issues – something that cuts across all the main parties.

“Successive policies and cuts in funding, particularly the loss of the Independent Living Fund and mental health budgets, have created an ongoing crisis for people in need of support.

This is not only causing needless stress and anxiety to some of the most vulnerable people in our society, but people are actually dying as a result! Due to changes in the welfare system and the cruel use of sanctions, over 2,800 vulnerable people died within six weeks of a Work Capability Assessment from January 2011 to February 2014. And in the same period, around 10,600 people died within six months of being found ‘fit for work.’ Those figures had to be dragged out of the Government and, if anything, the situation is getting much worse. In fact, earlier this summer the UN described the Government’s welfare cuts as creating a ‘human catastrophe’ for disabled people in the UK. “The thing is, everyone can see this if they look closely enough so, if Prince Harry and Barack Obama would fancy banging a few politician’s heads together and actually making a real difference, I’d be very happy to sit down with them and have a chat about this. Anyone got their number? No?” d-FORMED: An exhibition by Kev Howard. Constantine Gallery, ground floor of Middlesbrough Tower at Teesside University, Middlesbrough. Wednesday 15 November until Friday 8 December. 8am-6pm. Free admission. Exhibition supported by Arts Council England, and part of a PhD project by Louise Logan. Photographer’s Assistant, Clare Hansford. To join the exhibition focus group, please email l.logan@tees.ac.uk before 6 November.

Facebook: Follow d-FORMED on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/D-Formed-234689533635609/ F o r mo r e i n f o o n K e v ’ s w o r k , v i s it www.kevhowardcreativephotography.com and for more info on AMC, visit www.arthrogryposis.co.uk.

Piano Lessons with Margaret Shields LRAM, GRSM A teacher with a lot of experience and “endless patience�.

You can start from the beginning, improve your skills, or work towards the ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) Exams (Grades 1 to 8).

100% pass rate; many pupils pass at Distinction level.

01287 624778 Email: margaretshields2003@yahoo.co.uk

39

Saltburn Photographic Society Wednesday 8th November Henrietta Byrne shows her latest work. Wednesday 15th November Second monthly competition results subject Light and Dark.

Wednesday 22nd November Tony Worobiec presents “Photographing landscapes whatever the weather”.

Wednesday 29th November George Ledger, freelance photographer, shows a cross section of his various photographic interests. Next practical night is Monday 20th November.

Members’ photographs are displayed in Saltburn Library and are changed monthly.

Practical nights will be held frequently, more details available from contact number or website.

Meetings are held in the upstairs hall, Saltburn Milton Street Methodist Church TS12 1EB at 7.30pm. Visitors are welcome to any of our meetings; there will be a small charge. For more information, visit our website (www.saltburnphotographicsociety.co.uk) or contact Tony Lynn on 01287 622519.

Friends of Saltburn Library News The Friends are pleased to announce on Wednesday, 8th November from 1.45 – 2.45pm they will be holding a social afternoon serving tea/coffee with cake and scone at 50p per head. There will also be a “bric-a-brac” stall featuring costume jewellery and paperweights, among many other odds and ends, all at bargain, give-away prices. I will be interested to listen to suggestions of yours for future talks and events for our monthly meetings in 2018.

On Saturday, 18th November from 10.30 – 11.30am Catherine Lynas will be giving a children’s workshop making Christmas tree trimmings. These trimmings will decorate the “Friends” tree which we are presenting at the WI exhibition in Emmanuel Church during December. There are a limited number of places for this activity so, if you are interested, please call in at the Library to put your name down. All you keen young “crafters” have the honour of representing your own Library.

In answer to several enquiries I have had: Yes! “Rhyme Time” is still being held on Monday and Wednesday, each week, at approximately 10.50am.

Barbara Chaffer

40

Love dancing? Want to get fit?

GET FIT, TONE UP and SALSA!! with this fun and dynamic ‘Strictly’ style dance class! For ALL ABILITIES and PARTNER FREE. Mondays: 7.00 - 7.50pm at ECHO, Saltburn - £4pp (DISCOUNT! ONLY £6 for both Zumba Gold & Ballroom Blitz on Mondays)

This dance fitness class is EASY TO FOLLOW, TONING and a fun OVERALL WORKOUT. Watch out for BRAND NEW ‘bums & tums’ targeted dances!

Mondays: 6pm - ECHO, Saltburn - £4pp Thursdays: 10am - Saltburn Community Hall - £4pp

A PILATES, YOGA & BALLET inspired dance fitness class: Spirals will build up CORE STRENGTH, TONE and DEFINE YOUR FIGURE. It also works on BALANCE and FLEXIBILITY. Wednesdays: 7pm - The EarthBeat Centre, Saltburn (Booking essential / get in touch for details)

For more info call ESTELLE on 07887 525234 or visit...

Saving And Re-homing Animals A small charity seeking to rescue and re-home cats and dogs, Tel: 01642 488108 (weekdays only, 10am to 2pm).

SARA has many dogs and cats that need new homes. All are clean, healthy, neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.

Hello readers! We are Milo the dog and Boo and Pixie the cats.

Milo is around 6 and a half year old Staffy cross that came into SARA’s care following an unfortunate change in his owner’s circumstances. Milo is a cutie; he’s brindle and white with a happy face. He is such a sweet and happy little dog who enjoys running around and playing in the pen as well as enjoying walks with SARA’s volunteers. Milo walks nicely alongside our other dogs but he would maybe benefit from some training, perhaps attending a dog class, as he still seems unsure how to greet dogs. Milo would be best suited in a home with an experienced dog owner and no other pets. As you can see,

he loves having his tummy rubbed!

Boo is a gorgeous shorthair black cat with golden eyes, and Pixie is a stunning semi long haired dark Tabby Tortoiseshell cat, with green eyes. These two lovely ladies are looking for their forever home jointly as a pair as they have always been together. Boo is a 1 year old youngster who is very outgoing and is always at the door waiting to greet people to come and give her a fuss. Pixie is about 3 years old; she is a bit more laid back and she will wait for you to see her. This lovely pair of cats came into SARA’s care when their human was moving and wasn’t able to take them with her.

Love, wuffs and purrs from Milo, Boo and Pixie.

SARA fundraising events during November The next monthly meeting of SARA will be held on Wednesday, 2nd November, at 7.30pm in the TocH premises, Albion Terrace, Saltburn. New members are very welcome.

As SARA is no longer in Saltburn we are changing our name slightly. We will now be known as SARA Saving and Re-homing Animals, The Ann Prosser Foundation.

Saturday 18th November – Members of SARA will be holding a street collection in Guisborough. If you can help please ring the centre on 01642 488108.

Members of SARA would like to thank everyone who attended their recent Autumn Sale at Foxrush Farm, Redcar. The day was a fantastic success with fine weather.

We are looking for new VOLUNTEERS and/or new MEMBERS. If you would like to volunteer or become a member please ring 01642 488108 or turn up to our monthly meeting at the TOCH premises on the above date.

The great amount of support we receive at our events makes it possible for us to help the ever increasing numbers of animals that so desperately need our help. For this we are most grateful.

We are currently collecting wish tokens from The Gazette. Could you please save them for us and either drop them off at the farm or our shop? Thank you.

John Fuller, Press Officer Helpline: 01642 488108 41

150 Years in the Life of Emmanuel Last month, on the 29th September, the Bishop of Whitby led a good congregation in thankful worship to commemorate the laying of the foundation stone at Emmanuel, Saltburn’s Parish Church, on the same date in 1867.

Services had first started in the Zetland Hotel stables on Ash Wednesday 1863, later moving on to the First Class Waiting Room in the new station before a new build was constructed in Ruby Street. Initially it was used as a place of public worship before Emmanuel was built and thereafter for Sunday School and the Church Hall. Regrettably this building has recently been demolished and replaced by street houses.

The new magnificent building, which we know today, was to be built on Garbutt Field and the foundation stone laid

by Lord Zetland. Within it were deposited a mission statement for the church, local papers and coins of the realm.

We would like to receive any copies of photographs or press cuttings that any residents may have of this event so that the archives we are building as part of the 150 Celebrations can be as comprehensive as possible.

Any contributions can be brought in to the Church Office, in ECHO, the Parish Church Hall, in Cambridge Street or to the Church Shop in Milton Street and originals will be returned.

For the next twelve months Emmanuel will be encouraging all residents of Saltburn and East Cleveland to join in the 150th celebrations, remembering all that has transpired during those decades and sharing memories with family and friends.

42

Every month will have activities to bring the community together, look back over an incredible period of development of the town and the part the Parish Church has played in that development.

A very happy evening is planned in ECHO for Saturday, 25th November. This is a sing along of popular songs from the shows. Everyone in the town is invited with proceedings starting at 7pm.

Normal refreshments will be provided at the interval but if you want to bring your own bottle to add to your celebrations, please do.

In a decade that saw the opening of the Albert Hall, the discovery of the abandoned Mary Celeste, the completion of Monet’s ‘Sunrise’ and the first Impressionist exhibition, the invention of the telephone, the first practical internal combustion engine, the phonograph and the incandescent light bulb much was happening in the development of the new town of Saltburn. It is even alleged that the first telephone call in Britain was made from the Zetland Hotel.

As the town grew so did Emmanuel. From the earliest times, and through the decades since, a particular feature had been the church choir. It is the hope as part of the celebrations to welcome back in early 2018 as many members of previous choirs, irrespective of age, and perhaps tonal quality, to celebrate in a massed choir. If you were a choir member or have a family member who was, please get in touch with the Church Office so that work can begin in delivering this ambitious project.

GIVING YOURSELF COMPLETELY?

by Rev Adam Reed November is the month of remembrance. The 1st & 2nd are All Saints and All Souls respectively, which are soon followed by Remembrance Sunday, on 12th November this year. We, the living, give thanks for the departed; those who we love but see no longer, and those who gave their lives in service to their country by defending liberty and peace. Alongside remembering and giving thanks what more can we do?

We can follow the advice of St Paul to the church in Rome: “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” (Romans 6.13) We can give ourselves completely to God, and use our whole body as an instrument for doing what is right. And we can ask God to help us do this, in these or similar words…

Heavenly Father, don’t let my feet take me to places where darkness will surround and seduce me.

Rather, let my feet take me to places where I can radiate your light.

Don’t let my hands grasp the things of this world too tightly.

Rather, give me hands that will work for peace and touch with compassion.

Don’t let my ears tune in to voices that doubt or mock the truth.

Rather, give me ears that are open to your words and your ways.

Don’t let my eyes seek out what is corrupting and poisoning.

Rather, let them gaze on what is beautiful and pure.

Don’t let my mouth be used to speak what is false or filthy.

Rather, fill my mouth with words of truth, purity, and meaning, with words that bless and encourage.

Don’t let my intellect be captured by superficial thoughts and foolish ways.

Rather, fill my mind with the depths of your knowledge and wisdom.

Don’t let my heart go after destructive passions and glittering idols.

Rather, break my heart with the things that break your heart. Capture my heart with a passion for the good news of your Son Jesus Christ and your glory.

Here and now, from head to toe, inside and out, may no part of my body become an instrument of evil to serve sin.

Rather, let my whole body be an instrument to do what is right for your glory!

Emmanuel 150th Celebration Service 29th September 2017

Services Times Sundays 9.00am traditional communion 10.45am contemporary worship

Tuesdays 9.30am said communion

Morning Prayer 9.00am Mon-Fri in ECHO

Contact Details tel 01287 622251

email emmanuelsaltburn@hotmail.co.uk

web www.emmanuelsaltburn.co.uk

Visitor and Exhibition opening times in Nov Saturdays 4th & 18th 10am - 4pm Sundays 12th & 26th 1 - 4pm

With thanks to ‘L&S Photography’ 43

Talk of the Town’s monthly

Pride of Saltburn Award

Open 7 days a week Quality Fresh Fruit and Veg at Competitive Prices.

If it’s grown locally we do our best to source it.

The winners of this month’s Pride of Saltburn Award are four ladies retiring from many years of service to Story Sacks. They were nominated by Rachel Price. About them

she says, “I am nominating Jen Leaver, Eirwen Price, Yvonne Greenwood and Joyce Howard for the Pride of Saltburn Award. For 17 years the ladies have been volunteering at Saltburn Primary School, and with the help of a variety of parents and grandparents they have made 80 story sacks. Each sack contains a story book with characters and objects from the story, which the nursery and infants children have been taking home to read with their mums and dads every week. The ladies have been in school every Thursday during term time to repair, clean and sort out the bags. They describe their work at school as a labour of love as they are passionate readers themselves. The ladies have seen the pleasure on children’s and parents’ faces over the years, and say if the children go on from Story Sacks to develop a love of reading they have achieved their goal. The ladies have developed great companionship and genuine friendship with each other. I’m sorry that the ladies are now stepping down from this fantastic role, and sincerely hope the school is able to look after the Story Sacks as well as the ladies have over the years. As a mum of 3 children who all benefited from the Story Sacks, I want to say a huge thank you from all the parents and children of Saltburn Primary School. Well done ladies.”

Thank you, Jen, Eirwen, Yvonne and Joyce, for all being the Pride of Saltburn. See more of the Story Sacks story opposite on page 41.

Every month, a £30 bunch of flowers, kindly donated by Ruby Lilly’s Florists of Marske, is awarded to someone in Saltburn who has earned admiration, gratitude and love for whatever reason. Talk of the Town invites nominations from readers, to chose whom to receive recognition and a bunch of flowers. Send your nominations to Talk of the Town’s postbag at Jackie’s Saverstore, 8 Station Buildings, Saltburn, Cleveland, TS12 1AQ or email Ian (talkofthetownsaltburn@gmail.com). (Please include your name, phone number and the reason you are nominating the person of your choice.) Please also confirm with the nominee that they are willing to receive the award (many people feel shy about it). All the nominations will be read and kept for future use, so even if your choice doesn’t win this month, they might do so next time.

44

Stocking a wide range of health foods, chutneys, jams and honeys.

Monday to Saturday: 9.00am to 5.00pm Sunday 11.00am to 4.00pm

5 Station Buildings

Grasers 07703 884184 Find us on Facebook Try something different at Grasers

Chestnuts Chestnuts roasting on an open fire… Grasers sell huge and enticing fresh chestnuts and for those who like them easier, packets of Merchant Gourmet Whole Chestnuts, all prepared for you. Delicious with Christmas Brussels sprouts while equally enjoyable as a seasonal treat, smelling and tasting fantastic as they roast under the grill or indeed on an open fire. Take care not to overdo them and let them cool a bit before peeling off the shell.

Compared to other nuts chestnuts contain little protein and fat, and no gluten. They are sweet, containing some natural sugars, but are the only nuts to contain vitamin C.

The Story Sacks Project at Saltburn Primary School “Volunteering to make and look after the Story Sacks has been good,” says great-grandmother Yvonne Greenwood.

“You put yourself into them and it’s like reliving your childhood. My great-granddaughter, Darcy, gets so much pleasure trying them out at home.”

Led by former Saltburn Nursery teacher, Jen Leaver, a core team of Eirwen Price, Joyce Howard and Yvonne Greenwood has been creating, checking and refurbishing eighty Story Sacks for the last seventeen years. “We’ve had lots of wonderful support from Saltburn families and we have enjoyed the commitment, but now the four of us have decided it’s time to retire,” says Jen. The project started in 2000, when Nursery staff and volunteers attended a presentation by Neil Griffiths, creator of an innovative approach to early reading. He explained that a Story Sack contains a story and accessories which can be used in storytelling, a game, an audio tape, an information book connected to its theme, a sheet of further ideas and a contents list. Developing a love of stories in this way helps motivate children to want to learn to read.

Inspired by Neil’s ideas, Saltburn staff and volunteers, with former Head, Janet Richardson’s enthusiastic support, set about creating a Story Sacks Library, which parents of Nursery (and later Reception) children could use to help them gain a love of books.

Sponsorship was sought from local businesses and friends who gave £10 towards the cost of creating a Story Sack. Effort was made to match the type of business with the story subject: for example, ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ was sponsored by Upleatham Street grocer, Mr Smith and Kell’s Motor Repairs funded ‘Mr Grumpy’s Motor Car’. Seniors at Hanover House sponsored ‘Grandpa’.

A Garden Party in the Nursery garden launched ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ and children performed the story using the accessories. More volunteers came forward and the Story Sacks began to be used more widely in school lessons. Nursery staff took them when they visited children at home and introduced them to families at the Emmanuel Church Breakfast Club.

The team then submitted proposals for the development of a Story Sacks area within school and achieved a £3300 Reading Families Millennium Award. A Fairytale Castle was created in 2003 to house a Story Sacks Library and Storytelling area. Families helped greatly with the transformation and Neil Griffiths, founder of Story Sacks, came from Swindon for the launch. ‘What a thrill to be asked to open your amazing Library. (The best ever!)’ he wrote, following his return home. He sent another congratulatory letter in 2006, when he was informed that eighty Story Sacks had been created!

The exciting move from Upleatham Street to Saltburn Learning Campus sadly meant that the Fairytale Castle was left behind, but the Story Sacks have continued to be created and refurbished on the new site. Jen has since retired from her post as Nursery teacher, but as Story Sacks Co-ordinator, has continued to serve the school.

To celebrate the seventeen years’ work of the core group of four, each is being given the opportunity to select a Story Sack to keep. I asked each how they got involved,

what they are proud of having contributed and which Story Sack they have chosen.

Eirwen explained: “I came to school with Erin, one of my granddaughters and saw a notice asking for volunteers for the project. I am very keen that children should read and it seemed a wonderful way to get them interested.” Eddie, Eirwen’s husband, made a shed for the ‘Amanda’s Butterfly’ Story Sack and she sewed and knitted. “I loved meeting the children and hearing that they’d enjoyed them,” she added.

Eirwen has chosen to keep ‘The Smartest Giant in Town’ Story Sack, because it is one of the ones she made.

When Joyce’s granddaughter, Katie, started school, she volunteered to help in the Nursery garden, but she loves making things and was drawn to the Story Sacks project too.

“I was roped in,” she laughed. She has enjoyed the companionship and the creative work. “We really felt part of the school community,” she said.

Joyce is taking home ‘The Dinosaur’s Egg’ because she made it and her great-grandchildren, Olivia and Chloe, will love it.

Yvonne has been a prolific knitter and sewer and has got her family involved. Her son, Karl, made wooden accessories, such as Postman Pat’s van and the windmill for ‘Rosie’s Walk’; her daughter did all the pictures for the front of the Story Sacks. Yvonne is keeping ‘The Golden Egg’ because she likes Easter stories. When she made the Story Sack, she used lambs that had belonged to her granddaughter, Samantha.

And Jen? She has loved using her skills in the project and has enjoyed creating a real community venture. Her husband, Bill, made the boat for ‘The Bear’s Adventure’, so she would like to keep this Story Sack.

Head of School, Mrs Caroline Chadwick, is very keen that the Story Sacks project should continue and asks families and friends to volunteer their skills and time at school or at home. Please give your name into the School Office if you can help.

“Story Sacks enable our younger children to engage with reading and develop their early literacy skills,” she says.

Rosemary Nicholls 45

Rotary News Since our last report, events have moved on at a relentless pace. We started this period by welcoming Harry Forster, our Rotary Youth Leadership candidate for 2018. Harry was also sponsored by the club for his recent Colour Run for which he raised a total of £240.

We then enjoyed the company of Ingrid and Joanne from the Friends of the Valley. It was good to hear their 5year plan, with the club committing to continued support in the future.

Next to visit was District Governor Len Burns with his wife Val. After updating us of local & national Rotary issues, he awarded two longstanding members, Allan Whiley and Peter Johnson with a Paul Harris Fellowship, in recognition for their commitment and service to Rotary and to the local community This is the highest accolade Rotary can award and richly deserved in both cases.

Also, following a splendid presentation, a representative of the Great North Air Ambulance received £3291.50p, the proceeds of the Howzat Music Festival.

Representatives were present from Saltburn Cricket, Bowls, Tennis and Social sections, Saltburn Blues Club & also Paul Chapman who created the programme. Thanks also to the Barclays Bank £ for £ scheme realising a further £1000 bringing the total raised to 4291.50p. A truly magnificent sum and again well done to everyone involved.

We then had a great family day out playing cricket against a star studded select eleven from Saltburn Cricket Club (made up mainly of their under 11 side). Despite the tremendous odds stacked against us we went down fighting only just missing out by about 70 runs and 9 wickets. Next Year!

We finished September with our Community Centre Tombola to raise additional funds for our charity account.

Thanks go to Julie Wilby, for accumulating the prizes over the last few months and thank you as always to our

community for their generosity and support.

Plans for our Cancer Research Fundraising Dinner in February 2018 is well advanced and is looking like a sellout. We have some fantastic prizes to raffle and more on this will follow in the coming months.

Into October and Saltburn were one of 45 Rotary Clubs to attend Rotary District Conference at Harrogate. It was a fabulous weekend of fun and a chance to attend presentations of inspiring Rotary projects throughout the world.

Anne Sadler & Elspeth Chappell attended the first Rotakids meeting of the new school year and several new Rotakids were in evidence, bringing the total now to around 22. Projects are under way for the School Christmas Fair and the Rotary Tree Challenge set by RI president Ian Riseley.

Finally, it is with great pleasure we welcome back Past President John Simmons to the club. Our seventh new member this year and the 9th this calendar year taking our membership to 21. If you would like to join us please let us know via our Website or Facebook page.

Dave Sadler

Holly Blue Saltburn’s brand new card & gift shop Local Author Book-Signings At Holly Blue in November Saturday, 4th November: Julie Noble 11.00am - 2.00pm Signing her book Talli’s Secret.

Saturday, 18th November: Frank English 10.00am - 5.00pm signing his Mulberry Road children’s books.

We stock a large range of Quality Greetings Cards, Wrap, Bags, Balloons, Social Stationary, Jigsaws, Orchard Toys, Calendars, Diaries & much more.

Quarterly Prize Draw & Loyalty Card System.

45 Milton Street (Opposite Sainsbury’s Car Park) Tel: 01287 624283 46

SNAP At the quarterly Saltburn Neighbourhood Action Partnership (SNAP) meeting held in the Library last month a good turn out of residents filled the seating area to listen to speakers and ask questions.

PCSOs Laura Collins and Vicky Watson updated everyone on incidents over recent weeks. Full details of crimes can be viewed on the user friendly Cleveland Police website, on Twitter and Facebook. Residents were encouraged to use the web ‘Cleveland Connect’ facility to liaise with the local force and receive direct updates on local issues, and were reminded to use 101 for all reporting of incidents except emergencies. Officers will attend in the Library on Saturday, 18th November between 10 and 12 to discuss any local policing issues with individual residents.

Before the Officers left they were requested to pass on residents’ concerns that the underused Police Station was not having its garden area properly looked after and was in a state of neglect. Two leading lights in cleaning up our area then addressed the meeting.

Barbara Helen from ‘Keeping It Clean At Saltburn’ (KICAS) and Roy Smith from Saltburn Beachwatch explained their individual missions in keeping the town and its beach clear of litter and collecting data for further understanding of waste issues. Litter was a matter of real concern with plastic waste building up over the decades and adversely affecting all life on the planet. The response from volunteers was very heartening but the continuing failure of many human beings to understand and recognise the damage they do to the environment was discouraging. This would not daunt, however, and efforts would be continuing to litter pick and spread the word.

The following questions came up under the public session: 1. Is there a published programme of scheduled road works that the public can look through? What number of years does it cover? Can the public see this? If residents want to add suggestions how can this best be done?

2. There are cyclists using the Lower promenade as a highway and disturbing pedestrians. Is this allowed? How can it be stopped? Cyclists are disturbing pedestrians walking in the Valley Gardens. The signs showing no cycling are being ignored. Can the No Cycling be enforced please? Can clearer and more prominent signs be put up?

3. What is the latest progress on the renewing of the under pier lighting?

4. Quad bikes have been used on the beach. They have been very near to other beach users. Is this allowed?

Can it be stopped?

5. A national survey has been undertaken showing that marked car parking bays can make more efficient use of a highway for car parking. What is the Council doing to follow this guidance, particularly on main parking areas used by visitors?

6. Instead of the proposed development above the pumping station being for caravans, could it be made into a car park and government money obtained to improve the road from the Skelton by pass so that it could be accessed to save all the traffic coming through Saltburn?

7. Can a pedestrian crossing be put in opposite the Windsor Road SPAR shop?

8. Can improvements be made to the traffic flow outside the new SPAR shop?

The next SNAP meeting will be held in January.

47

Saltburn, Marske and New Marske Parish Council The Parish Council has been approached by the Sievert family from New Marske, who tragically lost their son Tom in July this year after he suffered from a fatal coronary occlusion - a sudden stoppage of the heart. The family are fundraising to have defibrillators installed throughout the Parish and Council have agreed to work in partnership with them to achieve their aim of installing 35 units, one for every year of Tom’s life. So far enough funds have been raised for 3 units together with vandal proof cabinets which will be installed in the very near future. Anyone (either personally or a business) who would like to donate to this very worthy cause should contact the Parish Council office for further details. If you are a business who has a defibrillator would you be prepared to make this accessible to the public? If so please get in touch.

At the recent Donations and General Purposes Committee meeting grants were awarded to Friday Friends towards craft materials and trips, Yorkshire Countrywomen’s Association towards outings and crafts, Marske United Junior FC towards the set up costs of a newly formed youth team and 1st Marske & New Marske Barn Owls towards maintenance of their scout hut. The next meeting of this Committee will take place in January 2018 and any community group who would like to apply for a grant can get further information from our website.

A consultation on ward boundaries for Redcar and Cleveland has begun and will run until 4th December 2017. View interactive maps of the borough, draw your own boundaries and have your say at the specialist consultation portal (at https://consultation.lgbce.org.uk). Find out more about the review at www.lgbce.org.uk (and email your views to reviews@lgbce.org.uk).

FUTURE DATES FOR THE DIARY – Saltburn Christmas event will take place on Saturday, 2nd December.

There will be children’s activities and entertainment during the afternoon at the Library. The Christmas tree lights will be switched on at 5.00pm and then the local Fire Brigade will lead the parade bringing Father Christmas to his grotto which will be situated in the Station Portico - anyone who would like to volunteer to assist on the day should contact the Clerk to the Council. The theme this year is Disney and fancy dress is encouraged! A colouring/ craft competition will be held and the winners will get to switch on the Christmas Tree lights. Further details can be found on our website.

Saltburn WI have arranged a Christmas Tree Exhibition - to be held at Emmanuel Church, Saltburn. The event will run 10am - 4pm daily between 2nd and 16th December.

The annual Parish Council Carol Service will be held in St Mark’s Church, Marske at 7.00pm on Thursday, 14th December. Marske Fishermen’s Choir will be performing and Marske Junior Brass Band will be providing a musical interlude. This will be followed by light refreshments. As well as invited guests, members of the local community are invited to come along and the event is free.

Tracy Meadows (Clerk and RFO to Saltburn, Marske & New Marske Parish Council) The Conference Centre, Saltburn Learning Campus, Marske Mill Lane, Saltburn, TS12 1HJ 01287 623477 email: office@smnmpc.co.uk www.smnmpc.co.uk

Coast to Coast Fundraising of £6000+ for Zoë’s Place Craig Hornby, of Milton Street, along with his border collie Meg, completed an 180-mile sponsored ‘Coast to Coast’ walk raising a whopping £6,000 plus for Zoë’s Place kids’ hospice at Normanby.

Setting off from St. Bees in Cumbria, the pair walked for 15 days home to Saltburn. They followed the famous Wainwright route across the Lake District, Pennines and Yorkshire Dales before picking up the Cleveland Way near Swainby. Craig said, “Rather than finishing at Robin Hood’s Bay, I wanted to give it a unique Cleveland ending and go via Eston Nab as a salute to the hospice below.”

They were helped on that last leg of their journey by the Zoë’s Place bear who met them at the foot of Roseberry Topping with a bag of flapjacks and dog treats.

Elaine Dunning, fundraising co-ordinator at Zoë’s Place said, “For one person to raise over £6,000 is amazing especially in this current climate. A big thank you to Craig and everyone who supported him. This money will go a long way to supporting our babies and children at Zoë’s Place.”

Craig added, “I turned 50 this year and wanted to do something physically challenging before I was too long in the tooth! But it was doing it for this charity that 48

gave it real meaning. It was hard going especially in the Lakes. The weather was horrendous and I was lugging an 18kg pack as I camped it all the way. It was exhausting but a stroll in the park compared to what the kids at Zoë’s Place have to contend with. Big thanks to everyone in Saltburn who donated and inspired me to keep going to the end. It was great to dip our feet in the sea and raise a jar at The Ship.”

Health and Happiness: A Hundred Million Years Someone said to me a couple of weeks ago: “if people only realised that they may have waited a hundred million years to get here and if they are lucky they may have a hundred or so here and then they might wait another hundred million years for their next opportunity, then they might chose to do more with the lives they’ve got now.”

I breathed sharply out of my nose and smiled. The idea amused me a lot. I know that’s only one version of what happens when this body collapses and stops, our last beat beats and then silence... or the final out breath.

A million things could happen, a trillion things could happen. Yet to simplify it down the main beliefs are: one, that’s it, end of life, full stop.

Or we come back in some form and we are on some kind of wheel of learning or evolving towards something.

Maybe this is where we may have to wait a hundred million years for our next time around? Presumably we would be pretty up for it by then.

Possibility three is that there isn’t any end after death and there is in fact a forever continuation. And there you will be rewarded or otherwise in correlation to how pious you might or might not have been through your life. Which depends on which religion or philosophy you chose to follow and which rules of that belief system you contravened. You can either spend rather a long time in a place often imagined as hellish (whatever that actually looks like not even Dante has been able to help me with) or you can go to another never ending place where everything is apparently comfy and soft and smells heavenly. Either way these interpretations are still presuming a continued existence in some form of yourself.

Perhaps the fourth thought is that we are all part of one entity and so there is no real beginning or ending but a moving somehow, or transferring, cyclical waves coming in and out to the shore of experience, turning and changing but

not dying in any clear way, just as waves on the sea form and crash but don’t in any real sense die.

So simply put one theory is that there is nothing after death, another is that there is continuation but not in human form again. Then there is reincarnation of various different types and finally there’s a belief in a oneness and that there is only changing shade, while all the colours are always present. Life never reduces - it just changes form.

In all of these after-life philosophies there is still an awareness that what we have here in this life is an opportunity. It may just be this life and then nothing, or it is maybe an opportunity to progress in some way depending on what we understand progression to mean.

I see happiness now as the most important progression we can make because while you can speculate you cannot know what is after life or what value there is in the actions that you do here in this life, beyond enjoying them or not enjoying them.

None of us know if the opportunity to live will come again, yet you do know that you can choose what to do in your life now. You can choose to get involved in things and see what you can do and choose to feel deeply, or learn to relax,. Whatever it is that our higher selves tell us is really valuable for us to do. Or you can let life push you around and it can feel shallow and unfair. In basic binary you can choose to really express yourself and follow your calling or to stay hidden and leave yourself unexplored.

What would you do in this life if you really felt like you could make it work and if you couldn’t imagine waiting for another lifetime to give it a try?

Please feel free to contact me or come to our groups at Earthbeat. Kendal Aitken Health and Happiness Coach / Counsellor. Contact: coach@happygreenblueeyes.co.uk or 07944 883961.

Saltburn, Redcar & Cleveland Philatelic Society November Meetings We meet at 7:00pm on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at Redcar Community Centre. Our last display concerned Illustrated Envelopes which first appeared in 1849 and, as pictorials, many were destined for Victorian scrapbooks. They all carried propaganda messages: antislavery; cheap bread, and social reform. Shown is the unique, Registered ‘ocean penny postage’ (OPP) envelope addressed by Elizabeth Pease (1807-97) Darlington’s outspoken activist who fought for Antislavery, Chartism, Peace, Social Reform, Women’s Votes and Rights. Her letter referred to an enclosed (handsome) donation for an aged impoverished clergyman with many dependants. A cousin of Henry Pease MP, our ‘Saltburn visionary’, she used an OPP envelope to promote the cause for cheaper overseas postal rates.

Our November meetings are: 1st – Auction (viewing from 6:30. 15th – Spirit of Teesside Trophy – when we host Middlesbrough and Stockton societies in the local annual competition.

Geoff Reynolds (Secretary, 01642 478229) David D. Turner (01287 624736) 49

A November to Remember in The Cons Club Alterations and upgrades are still ongoing at the club. We have carpeted the stage and fitted a balustrade, installed and fitted new tiffany table lamps, installed a new Sky 65”TV for watching all major sporting events and added 2 more circular high tables with 2 more to follow. The new curtains for the bar and snug have arrived and waiting to be fitted and 3 new tiffany style chandeliers have been ordered and should be fitted before the end of October. It’s amazing to see how much we have achieved considering we only started alterations in March. The next phase of our renovation in the club will be the fitting of a bar in the function room (ex-snooker room). This work will involve knocking part of the wall out in the function room into what is, at the moment, the office and moving the office into what at present is the committee room. This will eliminate the need to carry drinks upstairs thus making it much safer and accessible for all concerned. Next year we will also be looking into the possibility of installing ladies toilets/invalid toilets downstairs.

Credit has to be given to the committee, under the chairmanship of Joe Cockfield, who have worked tirelessly over the past year. Barbecues have been manned, raffles and draws have been held on a regular basis, re-decorating has taken place plus a lot of fixtures and fittings have been taken out or moved into place. Dave Harris has assisted Joe on much of the work and his efforts have been enormous and so much appreciated. All committee members have put many hours into the club, not just on the above mentioned work, but also in organising social functions, supplying in house music for discos, repairs and maintenance, health & safety work, grass & hedge cutting plus so many other things too long to mention.

All this has been really appreciated by myself as my time this year has encountered personal reasons which have taken up some of my time. Last, but not least, praise must go to Michelle, our stewardess, and our fantastic bar-staff who always smile and enjoy their work. Michelle goes above and beyond her position and assists in so many ways from setting the quizzes to organising club outings plus providing incredible buffets. She is such a vital and important part of the success of the club. Every function that we have arranged in the club has always been fully supported by our fantastic members who have made it possible for us to finance all the work that we have done and to them I give my sincere thanks.

Towards the end of October, following the writing of this article, we will have held the Halloween Quiz, Bingo and Pie & Pea Supper which I know will have been a very successful night. Julie Towell will have again been on the mic asking the questions, calling the bingo numbers and providing a hilarious night of entertainment to a full house. Moving into November and this month’s entertainment starts with an 80s Disco night on Saturday 4th from 7-30pm till late. Our resident in house DJ (DJ Cookie) will again be providing the music to sing and dance the night away. As it’s only a week after Halloween fancy dress in the form of ‘Rocky Horror’ is

encouraged but not a formality. Light refreshments will be available and the entry is free. On Tuesday 7th we hold the monthly SLUG (Saltburn Line users Group) meeting at approx 7-15pm for all railway enthusiasts and people interested in the local rail lines. Everybody is welcome in the function room and entry is free. On Sunday 12th November I will be laying a wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day on behalf of the club and its members. This year, after the service, we are opening the club to all represented groups and attendees and we will be providing a free buffet. The club will be opening at 11am and we give you all a welcome.

A private birthday party is taking place on Friday 17th and we finish the monthly entertainment on Friday 24th when ‘Teesside Steve’ and Liz Bishop host the club’s monthly ‘Open Mic Night’. Names to entertain are taken from 7-30pm and the music commences at 8pm in the upstairs function room. Whether you want to sing, play or just listen this is a night not to be missed with the best live music in town. Free entry and all are welcome.

Yet again we had a very large number of membership applications in October taking us to well over 500 members.

Please note that if you apply for membership in November you will have to pay £14 per person which covers you for Nov / Dec this year and all 2018. In December it will be £13.

Existing members please note that subscriptions for 2018 are payable in January at a cost of £12 for the full year. If you are away in January you can pay your membership for 2018 before the end of this year.

Looking further ahead to December I have to report we have a varied non-stop line up of entertainment for everybody, including a Christmas Draw (board now in place to enter your name at 25p per entry), Christmas presents to the children & grandchildren of members with Santa in his grotto, Carol concert on Christmas Eve, Christmas music night and Boxing day concert with Paul Morrison. I’ll go through these events in detail in the next issue.

As I mentioned earlier Joe Cockfield puts in many hours of work in each week at the club and there is rarely a day goes by when we do not speak to each other on club matters. It can be demanding at times. Owing to taking some time out for personal reasons I must thank Joe for his support to myself and Anne and the extra workload he has taken on.

Remember the club now opens at 4-30pm every weekday. Happy Hours are from 4-30pm to 7pm weekdays and from 3pm to 5pm weekends where a pint of beer will only cost you £2.10p. The Beer Draw takes place every Sunday at 6pm and the Club Draw takes place every Tuesday at 10pm.

I hope you are all keeping safe and well. We’ll have a lot to report in the next issue. Till then look after yourselves.

David Rigg, Club President Email: davidrigg21@yahoo.co.uk Article financially supported by Saltburn Conservative Club

Saltburn Cons Club: Future Events to entertain in November Every Tuesday: Club Draw Nights for Meat Voucher, Wines & Chocolates… 10pm.

Every Sunday: Beer Draw & Cash Rollover. Increases by £25 each week if not won … 6pm.

Saturday Afternoons: A get-together by ‘The Conmen’ Americana Musicians ‘ Jam sessions... 3pm.

Saturday 4th: 80s Music Disco Night (Rocky Horror themed) …7-30pm till late.

50

Tuesday 7th: SLUG (Saltburn Line Users group) meeting …715pm.

Sunday 12th: Remembrance Day: After Service Club Open 11am with Free Buffet… 11am.

Friday 17th: Private Party.

Friday 24th: ‘Open Mic Night’ hosted by ‘Teesside Steve’ & Liz Bishop …8pm.

Neil Wilson Builder and Joiner

Your local professional builder Established 1974.

All aspects of building and joinery work undertaken by qualified, experienced tradesmen.

For free estimate call:

01287 652124 or 07976 628783 Member of the Federation of Master Builders

**CHRISTMAS IS COMING...** As we had a great event last year, there will be a Christmas Gift Fair on Saturday, 9th December in Saltburn Community Hall from 10am to 4pm. This event is being organised by Saltburn Charity Crafters and will feature stalls selling a variety of gifts for everyone. Local charities involved include RNLI, The 500 Club and SCAA. Admission is free; however, there will be a festive basket at the door for donations to Saltburn Community and Arts Association towards the upkeep of our vital community building.

A wide variety of refreshments will also be available throughout the day from the amazing Mrs White’s Kitchen.

For further information please contact Kath on 01287 205242 or Angie on 01287 205153.

51

G Hodgson Joinery For Domestic & Commercial Property maintenance, Repairs and Improvements Including

Kitchens Bathrooms Bedrooms Doors Windows Flooring Skirting

UPVC Doors & Windows Tiling Glazing Plumbing Electrics PVC Wall & Ceiling Board Decking

For quality workmanship guaranteed by time served tradesmen at a sensible price call for Free Estimate

01287 623099 07900 492439

52

The Middleton Choir Christmas Concert 2017 at St Peter’s Church, Redcar (Cross roads of Lord Street and Redcar lane) Guest Artistes: Guisborough Salvation Army Citadel Band on Wednesday, 13th December at 7.00pm Tickets £6 including Seasonal refreshments, available from choir members, Rita on 01642 479038 or at the door.

The Saltburn Profile Nick Noble “Once I tried surfing as a teenager, I was hooked by the thrill of riding the waves,” says Nick Noble, who has run a successful surfing business on Saltburn’s Lower Prom for nearly thirty-five years.

He was born in Guisborough, with an older and a younger sister. He went to Park Lane Infant, Northgate Junior and Laurence Jackson Schools, before taking A levels in Geography, Geology and Maths at Prior Pursglove College.

Next he went to Sheffield University to study Geography, but afterwards he decided not to head south for a conventional job like his fellow graduates. He became a Lifeguard at Stokesley Swimming Baths, while he thought about his future.

At fourteen, Nick had a go at surfing at Saltburn. His Great-Aunts, Nell and Emily Wood, had a chalet at Hazelgrove and the family went down on summer evenings.

His next-door neighbour had two belly boards in his garage, so Nick tried surfing with them and loved the experience.

Later, while he was playing at Guisborough Tennis Club, he got to know Alan Davis. They watched a TV programme on surfing and decided to have a go together.

“We went to a Stockton fibreglass supplier, Strand Glass Fibre and bought a kit to built a surfboard with,” remembers Nick. “We did it in a weekend and after it had dried out, we took it to Saltburn and tried it near the pier in perfect sea conditions.”

Back at Sheffield, a surfing club was in its early stages. Nick joined and with some good friends he made there, went to surf at Cornwall and North and South Wales at weekends.

After nearly two years at Stokesley, Nick left to travel through France, Portugal and Morocco. Unfortunately, the van broke down in France and Nick and his friends returned to the UK. A variety of jobs in Southern England followed: on a construction site, at an equestrian centre and at a Leisure Centre in Bracknell.

For a while, he had considered running a business hiring surfing and windsurfing equipment at Saltburn and with encouragement, he asked the Council for space to do this in the Lower Prom car park. Permission was granted for an experimental year. After the first June – end of September season, the venture had proved its viability and since then, the business has become more year round.

“We hire and sell essential surfing equipment and second hand boards,” says Nick. “As well as trading from the slipway, the business acquired a kiosk to store equipment in at the Hazelgrove end of the prom. Gary Rogers, who in 1983 came up to marry Christine, a local girl, joined me in 1986 and we developed the retail side of the business together.”

The pair bought a bigger van and after trading for four to five years, applied for planning permission to build next to the tram lift. In 1990-91, they were given the goahead to construct a proper surf shop. The enterprise then became Saltburn Surf Shop and Hire.

“We were joined in 2008 by Zoee Smith, who offered to develop the Surf School,” adds Nick. “She came with experience of surfing in the army. Lessons are a good way to start surfing and anyone over the age of eight, who can swim fifty metres is welcome.”

Around 2011, the premises moved again to the deck chair store half way along the prom. Nick made the structure

by Rosemary Nicholls

good and this is now the base for Saltburn Surf School and Hire. Gary remained in the original building and continues to run the Surf Shop.

Zoee’s partner, Kris, also now works as an instructor.

They are qualified Level 1 instructors with the Surfing England and Nick has a Level 2 certificate. They all have Beach Lifeguard qualifications.

Nick and Gary ran popular Saltburn Open Surfing contests in the 1980s and 1990s, where people gathered and shared experiences. While more communication takes place on the Internet now, Gary still runs contests each autumn.

As well as enjoying good quality surf, Nick plays tennis competitively at Guisborough Tennis Club. He used to play squash and badminton. His wife, Kate and sixteen year old son, Josh also surf and are big mountain bikers. Nick joins them and Sonny, their Collie-Kelpie Cross dog, on their rides occasionally. He likes watching the Olympics and six nation Rugby on TV. He appreciates a wide range of music, including folk, reggae, jazz and rock; the 1970s were his era. He rates highly Free, Al Stewart, Third Word and JJ Cale. He taught himself to play the guitar in his teens and was a member of Avocet, a band which played mainly original music. But Nick has played in a string of pub bands over the last thirty years or so too.

Nick is very much an environmentalist; he is Regional Rep for Surfers against Sewage. He was an early member of Teeswatch, which brought people together to campaign on environmental issues. He takes part in Beach Litter Picks and has a strong belief in the value of maintaining a good marine environment.

Nick says that people from youngsters to seniors in their sixties and seventies book up surfing lessons and he encourages everyone with an interest to consult the website (saltburn-surf.co.uk).

53

1st Saltburn Scout Group October is progressing and as I write this article all Sections are not meeting for a fortnight, a combination of school and Leaders’ holidays.

All the Sections were finishing meetings in darkness; although Scouts seem seemingly unaffected by darkness and ruefully accept that entire evenings cannot be spent outdoors.

Beavers finished their last session with a Halloween evening; said goodbye to Bodhi, Harry, Harry and Isla as they ‘moved on’ to Cubs. Other Beavers having also left; in the first two weeks after the break Elliott, Ewan, Gabriel, George and Kitt will be joining the Colony bringing numbers back up to 24.

They will then be preparing themselves for participating in the District Xmas event in December and an opportunity to meet up with friends made from other Colonies in the District.

Cubs will welcome the Beavers ‘moving up’ as numbers have dipped dramatically after the summer break; apart from a nice text from one parent I have no idea as to reasons and at times could deplore parents’ ill-manners.

James is the only Cub ‘moving on’ to Scouts but fortunately he is already familiar with two Scouts as at present we have assistance from Aidan who is undertaking his servicer portion of Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award and Peter who having completed the same is continuing with his Silver Award.

The Troop continues with 22 Scouts as we close for

Saltburn Line User Group Next Meeting: Tuesday, 7th November 2017 at 7.15pm.

Meetings at Saltburn Conservative Club are held on the first Tuesday of the month, 19.15pm for a 19.30pm start.

As always, all welcome.

Talk to Saltburn Line User Group.

The Group exists to protect passengers’ interests.

Find us at www.facebook.com/ saltburnlineusergroup Email the secretary on: slugsecretary@virginmedia.com

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LINE 54

the break and although Sam will be moving to be a Young Leader Explorer Scout; James joins from Cubs and at the same time we welcome Shane who has an older brother in Scouts, so numbers are still increasing. Aidan, Jacob, Leon and Nick were a credit to the Troop, the Group and to Saltburn at the Scout Training weekend; undertaking activities which tested their abilities to work as a team; including planning and undertaking a planned walk from Kettleness to Whitby, preparing ducks and pheasants for grilling over an open fire and generally getting well exercised. Well done lads; 1st Saltburn Group is proud of you!

All Sections will be seen again as we support the annual Remembrance Day Service and Parade in Saltburn, on Sunday, 12th November, so please come and see our young people!

Scout Post is coming! Boxes will be in situ, in all the normal locations: Sainsbury’s, Saltburn Leisure Centre, Saltburn Library and Saltburn Windsor Road Service Station (Co-op) from Saturday, 25th November till Saturday, 16th December (boxes close at 12.30pm that day). The charge remains the same at 25p per card as last year and I am sure all our Scouts and all parents are now bracing themselves for the coming evening and weekend deliveries. Merry Christmas!

Many parents continue to offer assistance in a variety of ways and I must thank them for their support.

We are continue with our recruitment strategy to attract Leaders for the Group and are pleased that parents are becoming involved in ensuring our Sections are exciting and interesting for our young people. If you can offer assistance or are interested please get in contact: 07811 801627 (or johnghannah@yahoo.co.uk).

RITSON Tree Care QUALIFIED ARBORISTS

 Sympathetic Tree Pruning  Sectional Dismantling  Hedge Trimming  Storm Damage  Tree Planting  Tree Inspection  Woodchipping  Stump Grinding  All Aspects of Tree Surgery

MEMBER

Local Authority Approved

undertaken

 All Debris Removed  All Areas Covered ALL WORK TO BS3998 STANDARD.

N.P.T.C. Certified & Fully Insured Environmentally Friendly Member International Society of Arboriculture

(01287) 625457

Postal Subscription to Talk of the Town If you enjoy reading Talk of the Town, why not subscribe to the postal service? You can have the magazine delivered to your door, anywhere in the UK for as little as £33.50 per year.

Write to us at TotT Subscriptions, 9 The Wynd, Marske, Cleveland, TS11 7LD. Don’t forget to enclose your name and address or alternatively, you can call us on 01642 477200 if you wish to pay by credit or debit card.

Holes by Alan Butler We came back from town yesterday to discover that a series of large holes had appeared in the gardens of the houses opposite our own. I can’t say I was entirely surprised because the whole district seems to be replete with holes at the moment. I wondered at first if it was some sort of strategy dreamed up by whoever makes temporary traffic lights. Maybe they go round in the night puncturing gas mains and water pipes, in order to keep up the sales of their products – they’re certainly doing well in our district at the moment. Up until very recently getting in and out of Saltburn from the direction of Redcar was as good as impossible and I know this caused a great deal of frustration in the town.

Laying awake during the night, which I am inclined to do, my mind turned to all the holes that are appearing and disappearing within a stone’s throw of where we live and I got to worrying slightly about what was going to happen to all the spare earth so many holes is bound to create. It’s an immutable law of nature (and since nobody else seems to have commented on it I intend to call it Butler’s Law) that having dug a hole it is then impossible to get back into the hole all the earth that came out of it.

As I write these words I can see through my office window that two men are presently standing by an extremely large pile of earth and are scratching their heads, obviously aware that before they finish they are going to be left with a fair sized pile of dirt that they will either have to dig another hole in order to bury, or else take it somewhere else. I appreciate of course that digging another hole in which to place the spare earth is only delaying the problem until another time but I suppose if the procedure was perpetual, the inevitable problem could be almost indefinitely delayed – at least until whoever was responsible had gone on holiday, leaving the final conclusion to someone else.

Around here we live on a flat plain that runs from the bottom of the Eston Hills to the coast. Perhaps it has occurred to someone that our outlook could be improved by the provision of a few more hills, closer to the seashore? If so, they are likely to put this plan into action at any time now because there is the makings of one such hill already present in our street. Another option that occurs to me is that all the spare earth could actually be taken and dumped on top of the existing Eston Hills, eventually making them into sizeable mountains. This would certainly be good for tourism because in the winter we could encourage people to come here on skiing holidays, whilst during the summer we could place pretty Alpine cows up there so that tourists could walk up and look at them, whilst surveying the meadows of wild mountain flowers reaching down towards the coast.

The effect of this could be enhanced by the fact that although all the earth dug from a hole won’t fit in it again, what ‘was’ the hole will eventually subside and leave a distinct hollow – like the ones that appear

everywhere after road works have finished and all the workmen have gone away. I think there is another conspiracy present in this situation too because it seems to me that companies that make shock absorbers probably pay the road menders ‘not’ to come back and make the work good because if the holes remain, it surely means they will do better business.

If the resultant holes are allowed to fill with water – and bearing in mind the mountains that are being created, we could end up with something akin to the Lake District, but here in Teesside. A lot of the small fishing boats in Redcar and Saltburn that are not presently used very much could then be employed to take visitors across the lakes to the foothills of the Eston Mountains, where the gentle foothills would rise to the majestic peaks beyond. We could even end up becoming the Teesside National Park and wouldn’t that be something?

It is just possible that my work as an investigator of historical mysteries has given me a better insight into the remote past than I might have had otherwise and whilst I remained awake last night I started to wonder if geologists have it wrong and that plate tectonics and natural erosion are not the reason why the surface of the Earth is so lumpy and bumpy. Could it be that major civilizations from the past, about which we know little or nothing, were also in the habit of digging holes everywhere and that the resulting spare earth from their exploits is the ‘real’ reason why mountain ranges such as the Rockies and the Himalayas actually exist? Is it indeed possible that the Lake District, about which I was talking earlier, is a prime example of what happens when an over keen hole digging culture carries its obsession to the extreme?

One of the holes across the street has become noticeably larger and deeper, even during the time it has taken me to write this article. I’m getting a little worried in case what is really going on is the start of fracking by the back door and that any moment now the ground will begin to move and huge plumes of gas and sticky shale oil will start to gush up. I mentioned this to Kate but her mind doesn’t work in quite the same way mine does, so she simply tutted and went off to plant more bulbs in the garden for next spring. It strikes me that even this is bound to lead to a quantity of spare earth. Short of building a rockery I’m not sure what Kate intends to do with the surplus. It’s especially significant this year because in all the time we have been together Kate has never purchased or been given such a large quantity of spring flowering bulbs as is the case this year. In an effort to be neighbourly I think it is incumbent on me to offer all the spare dirt to anyone locally who has the opposite problem and who needs to fill up a void left from a previous and now subsided hole.

If you don’t hear from me again it is because the hole across the street, which has now reached epic proportions, has swallowed us up altogether, which is probably what happened to all those lost civilizations that I mentioned earlier.

55

Saltburn Allotments Association When you read this, we will have had our annual Pumpkin Party (Friday, 27th October). It was another successful evening with pumpkin carving and soup, a treasure hunt and other games and food. I remember saying this one previous year, but it’s appropriate to remind you. If anyone listens to Danny Baker on Saturday mornings on BBC Five Live you’ll understand that when I say thank you to people for making the event so excellent I’m adding his words “and thank you chiefly to yourselves”. That is, those of you who came and joined in.

I’ve had a very lucky tomato year this year with outdoor tomatoes growing among the flowers in the flower bed. This wasn’t planned; there must have been seeds in the compost. I made green tomato chutney today with what was left: a great, free treat. If you still have a few green tomatoes, they’ll ripen in a paper bag, or a draw, or just lie them out on the windowsill. Even quicker if you put a banana with them. As bananas ripen they give of the gas ethylene which is a ripening agent.

One of my winter jobs this year, I do it every few years, is to collect a lot of well rotted cow/horse manure to add to my raised beds, and put around my fruit trees and bushes, for better crops next year. Bulky organic matter is the best thing for our clay soil. It improves the structure no end, making it less brick like in a drought and less waterlogged when wet. Also, I’m going to give all my pots and canes a really good clean as I’ve had infection in my greenhouse and polytunnel for the past two years, despite using sulphur candles, and I’m determined to stamp this out.

Under cover I’m still sowing seeds, including various salad leaves, broad beans, sweet peas and early peas. You can also sow broad beans and early peas outside and this month is good for this. I’ve found that sowing in October can enable the plants to produce too much leaf and stem, making them more susceptible to frost damage. In November (early) the soil is still warm enough for roots to grow but the plants tend to stay small and compact, ready for growth in spring. Of course, there’s just time for over wintering onions and garlic early this month.

It’s the season of boring jobs too. Get as much clearing and tidying done as the weather allows. Dig over your beds (if you dig), enrich your soil and cover it over for the winter with black plastic, cardboard etc.

So, if the temptation to curl up in front of a nice fire, reading the seed catalogues is tempting you, wait until December and get that cleaning equipment out. If the weather’s really bad, look in your freezer and see if you’ve got any harvests you can turn into Christmas presents for family and friends. Homemade is always appreciated and there are lots of recipes for jams, chutneys, cordials, liqueurs etc on the internet these days.

Happy gardening, Sue. 56

Saltburn Labour Party News On this occasion I must begin with a call to action. Labour members of Saltburn, we need your help!

In the branch exec. we’ve known for a while that the greater number of members, whilst more than willing to help in campaigns and other events, are less keen to sit in branch meetings, especially recently when events have necessarily involved in-depth discussions about party rules, though now this is happily giving way to broader and more interesting discussions on important issues such as housing and health.

This is entirely understandable, but now I have a task for us all. I recently went, with other members, to a meeting at which the Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP gave a speech.

He had some revealing things to say about the last General Election, including the story of how he found himself, on election night, trying to comfort the usually-formidable Conservative Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon MP. When the official BBC results forecast appeared, showing that Theresa May had lost her parliamentary majority, Fallon appealed to McDonnell in great distress, repeating the words, “That can’t be true, can it John?” Sic transit gloria mundi.

But the main thing he wanted to talk about was the Labour Party manifesto, entitled For the Many, Not the Few. He told us that the popularity of our manifesto, a document (it is worth repeating) for which over 40% of the electorate voted, rested upon how it was formed - from thousands of conversations all over the UK about people’s problems and the best way to address them.

This is in stark contrast to the Conservative manifesto, which was written by Theresa May’s advisors, in consultation with a tiny number of Westminster politicians.

He also shared with us the reaction at Labour HQ, during the election, during the now-famous incident when our manifesto was leaked to the press before it was due to be published. Clearly, whoever leaked it intended to hurt Labour’s chances in the polls, but, since the media loves to possess knowledge it is not supposed to have, Labour policies were given more exposure than the party would have dreamt possible following an official launch. Millions of people saw them and agreed with them. One member asked John McDonnell whether he had leaked it himself, knowing what would happen. “I wish I were that clever!” exclaimed John.

In the final part of his speech he gave us his message. We already know that the policies in our manifesto are popular - now we need to consult as many people as possible on the best ways for the next Labour Government to implement them. Whether the policies are about creating an economy that works for all, negotiating Brexit, working towards a National Education Service, a fair deal at work, social security, secure homes for all, healthcare for all, safer communities, extending democracy or a more equal society, we want to galvanise the collective intelligence of our communities. No one person or indeed party holds the patent on wisdom on all occasions, and for this reason we very much want to continue the listening exercise which produced our successful manifesto. I can, of course, hear the sceptic chuckling as I write this, telling me that the last thing politicians do is listen, and have often observed this myself. But as has been firmly established by both his supporters and his critics, Jeremy Corbyn is not your usual politician. So, get to work, my friends. Search for ‘Labour manifesto’ online - then ask them in the workplace, ask them in the pub and in the living room (I seem to be echoing someone here), and then give us feedback on what you hear. You could even report back to the branch meeting if you want: next meeting 1st November, 7 for 7.30pm at Saltburn House.

Councillor Craig Hannaway

The Muses of Jim They say that time flies when you are having fun. So therefore I must have had a ball over the last month. It is true I have had some very good news of a family matter.

My nephew John has just been appointed as the new CEO of HSBC and takes up his new appointment in February 2118. John has worked hard for many years working for the bank and has travelled the world learning his craft.

Whilst we live miles away we are especially close with my children in regular contact with my two sisters’ children by the means of Facebook. John’s mother is especially close because some years ago she suffered from blood disease for which every treatment had failed. The consultant had asked her if she had any siblings that she could ask to be a possible donor. I proved to be a match and my youngest sister was not a good match. I gladly agreed to be the donor. This lead to a series of injections into by stomach to generate white blood cells and then later my stem cells. These injections are rather painful if delivered quickly but not if delivered slowly. Once a course of injections had been delivered I had to travel down to Sheffield University Hospital to have my enhanced blood harvested by the means of a special machine. The machine was operated by two nurses from the Blood Transfusion Service. I was strapped in and my left arm was connected to the machine and the machine connected to my right arm. Thus the machine was switched on and began silently harvesting elements of my blood. The two nurses attended to my every need.

Fortunately, in the next four hours I did not suffer a call of nature of any kind. The nurses fed me, wiped my brow and scratched my nose when required. This was repeated about six times over about twelve months. All this was done in a open ward and I had a lots of cancer patients calling in the ward to speak to me. This experience was the most humbling of my life because the warmth these poor people showed me was unbelievable. I can still remember one old gentlemen who told me that even though he would not see Christmas, his consultant had said that he could take his wife on one last holiday in this country. My only regret that my Father was not here to see John’s success as he was very close to his only Grandson.

Another delight I experienced in the last month was the Coffee Morning held by Friday Friends for the Macmillan Cancer Fund. This self help group is one of the Hidden Gems of Saltburn. They meet, as the name suggests, every Friday in the Echo Centre behind Emmanuel Church in Saltburn and all are welcome. If you are new to Saltburn please visit them and you will be made most welcome.

Since I have given up driving I have had some interesting bus journeys, two in the last month alone. The first one was involving a journey from Saltburn to Long Newton. I turned on the magic box (computer), typed in ‘Bus routes, Saltburn to Long Newton,’ found it and printed it all out, and set off on my journey. I got on the bus, paid 30p travel to Middlesbrough, changed at Middlesbrough, got on the Darlington Bus and requested the stop at Long Newton. The driver queried my request

but I waved the computer printout at him. In Stockton the driver came to me to explain that the bus did not stop at Long Newton. I showed him the printout. Driver shook head and sought assistance from colleagues. The driver returned, still shaking his head and advised that I seek assistance at the two bus companies’ offices. I visited both and was advised that no buses stop at Long Newton. I had to take a taxi to Long Newton. At all times I was treated with respect by all concerned.

The second one involved a trip to Middlesbrough. A quick visit I thought. Once my task was completed I planned to catch the 63 so that I could call at Aldi to buy Spud some cheap but nourishing Cat food. I put my hand in my pocket for my bus pass, and it was empty. Shock! Horror! Panic!

How was I to get home? I had no mobile phone because it was at home being charged, and only one pound in my money. Pride in my pocket, I went to the office and confessed all. Did I have my ticket? Yes. I handed it to the staff. Ticket was checked and the bus identified. The Redcar Office was contacted, and I was told to please wait. My thoughts raced: Wallet on the bus. Wallet lost. My whole life was in that wallet. Bus Pass, Rail Card, Driving Licence, Credit Cards, Debit Card, Putin’s telephone number, YHA membership card and finally my money. The Redcar Office rang back and my wallet had been handed in and was awaiting collection. I was then escorted to the Redcar bus by a very helpful young woman who explained my circumstances to and I was allowed to travel free to Redcar. Once there I called at the Office explaining what had happened. Fortunately, I looked like the photograph in my bus pass and it was handed to me without question.

What a relief. It had been handed to the bus driver by a kind passenger.

Finally, this month has seen the start of the Boundary Commission consultation over the possible changes to the various political boundaries. In fact this week on Radio 4 it was suggested that parliamentary boundaries could change every five years. God knows what with happen to voting patterns then. Locally, it has been suggested that the new estate in the process of being built by the Riding School should move into the Saltburn Ward. This appears to be suggested last year at the Enquiry in to the appeal against the decision to refuse planning permission for the building of the estate. Then the expert on the environmental impact for the developers stated that the important gap between Saltburn and Marske would not be affected in any way. I thought it was strange at the time.

I was always of the opinion that when you are asked for your opinion in a consultation exercise it was reasonable to expect some change. As I understand it, all options are open so it is up to you, the public, to say what you want to happen or not. Should Upleatham stay within Guisborough or join Longbeck or even Saltburn? The possibilities are endless. What about the 800 houses for Marske? Which wards would take them? Could this lead to social engineering or will the boundary changes effect voting pattern?

Jim Wingham 57

The Saltburn Crossword no 197 set by Saxton Across

Name___________________________________ Address_________________________________ ________________________________________ Telephone_______________________________

1 Rank under captain comrade men assorted after losing one direction (9) 6 Acidic pastry? (4) 8 Impenetrable by gas, I that rig amended (8) 9 and 2 Down Talk of the Town page priest star Tim rewrites (6, 7) 10 Organ of the body initially sad, poor, lost, eventually even necrotic (6) 11 Saltburn shop and business remakes slow ruff (8) 12 Emergency caused initially by careless Russian indecently sharing interesting substances (6) 15 Guiding light stirring dole rats (8) 16 Unfortunate event cited can unravel (8) 19 Something done again but usually without improvement has her reshuffle (6) 21 Workers in the metal industry put tree in teens around and about (8) 22 Shining strongly shown by Brighouse losing river and gaining tea we hear (6) 24 Disappear from Ivan, I should think (6) 25 Healthy activity for body or mind (8) 26 Scottish island sounds heavenly (4) 27 When waiting calmly like a medical customer? (9)

Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 13 14 17 18 20 22 23

Solution to Crossword no 196

The winner of last month’s crossword was Geoffrey Watkins of Zetland Terrace, Saltburn.

D. V. Townend & Co 8 Dundas Street East, Saltburn TS12 1AH

Country Outfitters Tel: (01287) 623754 Website: www.dvtownend.com Email: info@dvtownend.com Specialising in practical but stylish leisure and outdoor wear, we also stock a wide range of accessories, gifts and leather items from the most famous brands including Aigle, Magee, Seasalt and Tumble & Hide.

58

Abbreviated primate out of reach I’m planning (5) See 9 Across Noble gas from far gone region (5) Attentive to obligation or carrying extra tax burden? (7) Person who answers the call, usually 4 Down, for a 12 or 16 Across (9) Plenty of places in Saltburn to quench if one... (7) On which the trains run or a laird’s regrouping (9) On which speeders run car racket mingling (9) Vessel built from shapes Tim arranges (9) Make a list of articles hiding back in leaves I’m etiolating (7) Give decent bloke sunburn? Or go off on one? (7) Plenty of Saltburn salons to get one of these (7) Musical note, usually a semi, hidden by lamb reverend (5) Speedy and often rashly (5) Send your completed crossword to: Saltburn Crossword no 197, c/o Jackie’s Saverstore, 8 Station Buildings, Saltburn, TS12 1AQ by Friday, 17th November 2017. First correct solution out of the bag wins a £10 voucher kindly donated by Tim and Sheila of Real Meals.

59

60