Talk of the Town December 2019

EDITION 222

CIRCULATION 4,600

DECEMBER 2019

SALTBURN’S FREE MONTHLY MAGAZINE 1

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SALTBURN’S TOWN TALK Letter from the Editor

Merry Christmas everyone! It‘s a slightly larger edition this abuse, or will it be just populism at the expense of common month and number 222 too! Please note the very early sense and decency? Will those ignorant and ridiculous men in deadline for contributions to January‘s magazine. This is government finally show respectful and equal attitudes because of Christmas holidays at the printers and I‘m sure the towards women and stop criticising first ‗career mums‘ and people of Saltburn would still like their magazine to be out on then ‗stay at home mums‘? Will they put an end to political time. The deadline is also on Friday the 13th, unfortunately, hypocrisy, meaningless slogans and broken promises, restoring but because it is the day after the general election it‘s bound faith, interest and excitement to politics, mending the divisions to be unlucky for some. Will the new government be giving in our broken society, stopping irrational hatred and prejudice? us more of the same utter rubbish or will they put an end to Will they properly fund the NHS and our schools and councils the national shames of child poverty and homelessness and and services and the police so that young people can grow up the need for food banks in this, the fifth richest country in the to have a safe, healthy, prosperous and happy future, realising world? Will they put a stop to the routine, unnecessary and their dreams and enjoying their lives without crime and inhumane cruelty shown by government departments towards horrible activities? Will the scourge of obesity be tackled so the disabled and unemployed or will it be just bullying as that nasty, harmful, poisonous, addictive, chemical cocktails usual? Will they be serious about climate change and bring in masquerading as ‗food‘, full of unhealthy, artificial ingredients urgent measures to reduce our carbon emissions and alleviate and stodgy, empty calories will cease to be on sale in our the damage caused by plastic pollution, flooding and erosion supermarkets, or at least be given the same treatment that or will it simply be business as usual while irresponsibly tobacco has been? Will the new government apply themselves pretending to set targets, partying while the earth burns? Will to all that urgently needs to be done or will they continue to be they stop saying the most stupid things about their opposition obsessed with their own narrow-minded agendas? Will Brexit parties and start putting the country first rather than their own get done? Don‘t! Don‘t mention the B word! Love, Ian careers? Will they stop telling lies and start showing real Send letters, adverts and contributions for the next issue (by leadership, taking heroic stands against racism and other Friday, 13th December 2019) to: The Editor, Talk of the Saltburn Farmers’ Market: Enjoy our special, extra large Town c/o Jackie‘s Saverstore, 8 Station Buildings, Saltburn, Christmas Market in Saltburn on Saturday, December 14th. Cleveland, TS12 1AQ. Telephone: 01287 623903 (or email: Packed with food and drink at the traditional Farmers‘ Market talkofthetownsaltburn@gmail.com). and lots of ideas for Christmas. There‘s nowhere tastier to Talk of the Town can be found on a new Facebook be! 9am till 2pm in Saltburn Town Centre! Lots of Christmas address at www.facebook.com/talkofthetownsaltburn. goodies, tasty treats and ideas for gifts.

Craft Club Busy Fingers: 2nd and 4th Thursday of each Saltburn Studios and Gallery: Our Winter Show begins on month, 1.30 till 3.30pm in the Coffee Room, Saltburn Saturday, 30th November with Open Studios 12-4pm. Our Community Centre.

Stitchers of Cleveland (Embroiderers‘ Guild) are Gallery is open weekends 12-4pm throughout December. Random Saltburn Traditional will beSee NO in Saltburn Library thisMusic monthWorkshops: on 12th JuneThere at 2.00pm.

We‘ll have an unusual Christmas Tree made from a Roman meetings in December, but the group will meet again in article on page 10 for further details.

Fishing Trap woven from willow by Studio Artist Derek Library January 2020. For more information please contact Dave on Mosey. Our Studio Artists have decorated it with handmade 01642 316255. baubles which will be on sale.

WI Report: November has been yet another busy month and as Emmanuel Church Hall Table Top and Collectors’ Sale: I write this we are only up to the 14th. Already we have had a We will be back for our normal sales on December 7th and craft session making decoupage Christmas cards, a knit and 21st and then January 18th, 2020 then the first and third natter session and a coffee morning. Oh and we mustn‘t forget Saturday of every month. Our rich fruit cakes are now on sale strolling round Saltburn in the pouring rain! At our November ready for Christmas. We are really taking off as we are using meeting Simon Harper gave us an extremely interesting talk all three rooms and it‘s really busy. It‘s nice that we have a lot about his jewellery business. It is always good to listen to of people just wanting a clear out. In this sale we are using someone who has a passion for what they do. Before our next three rooms full of stall holders and we have also let some meeting we have our mystery trip to look forward to, always charity people in like different church groups, cancer charities one of the best outings of the year even though we have no idea and more. It‘s helping a lot of people. We are looking forward where we are going! Several of our members will also be to seeing you all again and thank you all for your support. We attending the area WI carol service, this year taking place at St are also doing our usual lunches and all day breakfast, fresh Mary‘s church in Moorsholm. home baked cake, pies and scones. Home made refreshments We have a great variety of activities every month, if you and light lunches are on sale all day. FREE ENTRANCE and would like to come along, we meet on the 2nd Thursday of a warm welcome to everyone. With over 26 stall holders, each month at 7.00pm in the Saltburn Learning Centre. Full selling lots of bric-a-brac, books, toys, baby goods, and all details of all our activities can be found on our website sorts of collectables, there is something for everyone. Contact www.saltburnbytheseawi.wordpress.com. You can also find us Denise Marshall on 07929 589538. on Facebook.

Diane Falla Cover Photograph: Christmas on The Rose Walk, Saltburn Woods, by Heather Lofthouse 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, Mercury House, Grove Lane, Hemsworth WF9 4BB. 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.)

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Saltburn-by-the-Sea: Changes in the surrounding areas Over the years we have taken many photographs showing the changes that have taken place in our town. We have also many photographs taken throughout the local area which illustrate how much change there has been over the years.

Sharing these photographs, we hope to bring back memories for some and illustrate how the area once looked to others.

Guisborough from Highcliff in the late 1950s

Skinningrove 2010

Guisborough from Highcliff 1984

Skinningrove 1960s

New Marske 1960s, from Errington Woods

Skelton 2012

New Marske 1980s Skelton 1960s 4

Cath and Tony Lynn

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS FROM SALTBURN METHODIST CHURCH MILTON STREET

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Saltburn Councillors’ Surgeries

CHRISTMAS SERVICES SUNDAY 15th December 10.45am Toy service and THE ‘NATIVITY’ with the Sunday School SUNDAY 22nd December 10.45am Morning Worship 6.00pm Carol Service at Emmanuel Church CHRISTMAS EVE 11.15pm Communion - Rev B Bell CHRISTMAS DAY 10.00am Worship with Rev K Martin SUNDAY 29th December 10.45am Morning Worship

Saltburn Councillors‘ Surgeries, each month - all on Saturdays

Every Wed. Library 4-5pm Cllr. Craig Hannaway 2nd Sat. Library 10am-12 Noon Cllr. Philip Thomson 3rd Sat. Outside Sainsbury‘s Cllr. Stuart Smith 9.30 -10.30am and 11.30 -12 Noon Cllr. Hannaway: 07787 880613. Cllr. Smith: 07557 540628.

Cllr. Thomson: 01287 624883.

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Once Upon a Time in the Wapentake In all the years I‘ve tramped and traded along the old roads, Watling Street, Deere Street, the A1(M), the Pilgrims‘ Way, the Peddars‘ Way, I‘ve never known it so cold in December.

There‘s been days when it‘s hardly reached seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Maybe at last it‘s cooling.

Now I‘m heading north on the old A19, out of the Galtres Forest. I‘m riding with Old Len The Believer, who‘s going the same way I‘m going, with a load of winter fodder, being as I‘m not too proud to arrive sitting on top of a wagon load of Giant Purple Cabbage. Soon as we get to Thormanby, we‘ll meet up with Little Miss Freebird, come down off the High Moor on her white mule, Angel, carrying wicker baskets full of the stuff from the Smokehouses on the coast: kippers, hot smoked salmon, haddock and wild boar hams. We‘ll do our exchanges there and then. For me she‘ll have beads of jet and as much smoked sausage as I can carry. For her there‘ll be bags of cinnamon and ginger and a piece of silk, folded away so neat it takes no space at all in my bag. We‘ll swap gossip of the big wide world: the news she‘ll have got off the schooners in from Narvik with amber and honey; mine that‘s been picked up from the east Indian clipper that brought the spices and silks I got in Eborwick Harbour (York, most people still call it). Both of us carry gold, mine a well-worked piece from Marrakesh. (We‘d carry more if it wasn‘t for the weight.)

Now gold‘s a thing. When they got round to breaking open the vaults, there were hundreds of tons of the stuff, a lot more than they knew what to do with, till someone remembered what was so special about gold; that it wouldn‘t rust, rot, react or dissolve. It could do everything the plastics used to do, and it wouldn‘t perish with age or choke the fish like plastic did, so we could use it for everything from doorknobs to children‘s toys. But there was still some sort of magic about it. Nobody now, I think, would ever make chamber pots out of gold, as they‘d done in the old days; our potters can make them well enough in earthenware. And it makes pretty baubles, some of which are hanging on the sequoia in Saltburn Square, along with the silver tinsel and the platinum star on top of the tree.

And where are we heading, Len The Believer, Freebird, and me? Tonight we‘ll be at the Amber Inn, dug deep in the hill between Shandy Hall and the White Horse.

Why is it called the Amber Inn? There‘s a rusty iron post at the end of the lane that used to have three round bits of glass on, red, green and amber. What it was for, who knows, but it may have had something to do with the name. Others say it was named for someone who was involved in something they had early in the last century called Brexit, something people got very het up about then. Now we wonder whether they might not have been better off worrying about the weather. But we weren‘t there; they were. And then there are the old folks who say it used to be The Amble Inn, one of those silly jokey names they used to give pubs. And why are we going there? There‘s the famous rabbit and carrot pies to start with. Some folk say we shouldn‘t eat the little fluffy bunny rabbits. Theena, the landlady, says, ―If we didn‘t eat the rabbits, the rabbits would eat up all the vegetables, and then what would the vegetarians eat?‖ I once saw a rabbit with myxie, which they used to use to get rid of rabbits, and me, I‘d rather be eaten in a pie, any day, than that.

Theena‘s also famous for her well-hung horse steaks.

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She says the horses are noble beasts who serve us loyally and well, and then they have their quiet retirement. When they finally die, do we just leave them out in the field, to the dog pack and the vultures, or bring them in? I‘m not so sure about that one, not at all. Any road, it‘ll be good food, and there‘ll be good wine from the Howardian Hills, local perry and cider.

Best of all there‘ll be the beer that Theena brews. All year round she makes good mild and bitter, but tonight we‘ll be drinking her Number Fifteen Dark Winter Ale brewed a year or more ago from roasted malt and October‘s hops. And then, when we‘ve eaten and drunk, I‘ll get out my mouth organ, Len‘ll get his fiddle out, and Theena‘ll take the small pipes off the wall. Then there‘ll be dancing and I‘ll be singing for my supper. Tired, happy and staggering we‘ll go and sleep in the stables, warm amongst the animals, then wake to real Blue Mountain coffee and lots of porridge and cream. Some of the gang will spend the whole festival there, but not me. And why not me? Because I am that rare thing, a mum. Waiting for me in Saltburn-by-the-Sea is my daughter, Gwendolen. I was one of the lucky (unlucky?) ones who found a fertile man (a piratical scholar from Jarrow called Chung, if you must know) at just the right (wrong?) time. So you say, with a daughter so precious to you, why are you tramping the roads, so feckless, so reckless? Well, soon, maybe, she‘ll join me in my wanderings and learn my trade, such as it is, but only if she wants to. And, for now, really she has a dozen mothers, back home in Saltburn (and a couple of dads, for the use they are).

We share everything we‘re short of, everything including our kids. And I know for sure that being free to live the life I want to live makes me a better person and a better mum. Of course, Gwen knows who her real mum is, and I know she‘ll be glad to see me, even before she sees the quilted, embroidered waistcoat from Kandahar I‘ve brought her.

But we‘re not there yet. We‘re still walking up the A19, stopping now and again to talk to the oncoming traffic: a young lass on a donkey, with strings of late ripening chillies and tomatoes round her neck; two Brompton water buffalo loaded with bamboo; a man with a paella pan on his back, looking like a vertical tortoise; a wagon load of potatoes heading for Easingwold market; two players of the glass bead game coming back from Ingleby Greenhow; and a small flock of black faced sheep with a shepherd and his lad and a couple of dogs. The canniest, though, is the last one we‘ve met: a dusty, old woman wheeling a barrow full of peat. We‘ve not cut peat for a very long time, it matters too much, but the old witch insists it‘s very old peat, cut and dried more than a century ago, and stored in a shed down by the railway line ever since. She‘s taking it now, for cooking, and because she thinks it‘ll be cold next month, down to sixty she says. Was I fair, just then, calling her a witch? What else can I call someone who sees, someone who watches? And she is watching the coordinators.

When everything went bust, when the world got hot and the population crashed, we thought we would do everything ourselves, generate our own electricity, for instance. And we could, except when the wind didn‘t blow, or the sun didn‘t shine, so we needed some sort of grid, and some reliable way of getting the power to feed the grid (tidal power, it turned out to be). And the trains were kept running, because sometimes, rarely, people had to be somewhere else, quickly, and every so Continued on next page

often we might want a special treat, so inland folk in Strasbourg or Metz might get a taste of cuttlefish from Port Mulgrave and lobster from Lindisfarne, while we scoff mangoes from the Camargue and papaya from the Dordogne.

It was all very old technology but, lovingly looked after, it worked, thanks to the co-ordinators, people chosen by us, and then left to get on with it. Until now. It‘s rum how we can send a message round the world as fast as light, yet a rumour can take a generation to come from Harrogate to here. And the rumour we‘re hearing is that the co-ordinators seem to be having more than their fair share of lobster and papaya. We hear they seem to be running more trains, including heavy freight heading for Teesside where they seem to be building something near the Dead Zone, where the radioactive waste was buried. But worse than that we hear they‘re having children, far more than we can have. If they‘ve found a way to beat the infertility, why haven‘t we been told about it?

Why haven‘t they shared? We would.

We‘re not historians, no scholars, but now and again we sit down and talk of the old days. We talk of how folk like us all had to work, and pay taxes, so the rich could live in luxury, and the kings could rule: priest kings who were there to make the sun rise in the morning; and the warrior kings who kept away the enemies only they could see.

We‘re not sure what the last lot of ‗rulers‘ were supposed to do, and when we hear how they shot off to their favourite fortified islands, and then found out their fortunes in fossil fuels were worthless now they couldn‘t be burnt, worthless like their luxury apartments in drowned London and New York, then perhaps we ought to be more sympathetic, but we‘re not, I‘m afraid.

Tim Beswick

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Councillors’ Column What do we understand the meaning of a statement to be?

Quite often in life we say something and it can be taken quite the wrong way, often ending up with lengthy explanations and perhaps thinking, should one have spoken in the first place?

Excerpts from the Bible often require some interpretation. The King James version of the Bible, which many will have grown up with, reads ‗Suffer little children to come unto me‘. What do we make of that?

Redcar & Cleveland is experiencing an ever increasing number of ‗looked after‘ children, the product, in the main, of families experiencing domestic violence, drug and alcohol misuse. The trend continues to rise.

Whilst the ever increasing costs of care are continually questioned, no effort should be spared in finding a loving home for those in need. Foster carers are in greater demand than ever. Anyone who feels that they would like to take on this role is encouraged to get in touch with the Council at the earliest opportunity. Contact can be made via fostering.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk or telephone 01642 444087.

For those not fortunate enough to have had a family to grow up with or have had to change homes in the growing up process, this is a challenging time.

The success of Redcar & Cleveland‘s fostering system became only too apparent on an evening at Saltburn Campus where the recent annual awards for ‗looked after‘ children were held. The evening recognises outstanding achievements of ‗looked after‘ children, across a wide range

of disciplines, including categories such as academic excellence, sporting excellence and community spirit. The long list of nominations and award winners revealed a world of love and achievement that was humbling to witness.

There are many reasons to foster and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council are well placed to encourage and hand hold. It provides a high level of support through a local Supervising Social Worker and access to an out of hours helpline with help always on hand when needed, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Foster carers receive expert advice, guidance and support on education and health needs for the young people they care for. Also provided is excellent ongoing and up-todate training which is flexible to fit round the family lifestyle and tailored to individual needs. Carers have access to local support groups and social events throughout the year.

The ‗Children in Need‘ national fund raising has brought home to many the vast range of disadvantage in our country and this borough is little different.

As we enter the period of Advent we are reminded of a special nativity. A birth into a world that was torn with strife.

Two millennia later one could question whether one lives now in a better place.

Each of us has something to give and supporting young people at any stage of their development is a responsibility that all in the community can share.

As the Nativity approaches let there be even more reason to rejoice.

Philip Thomson 7

Saltburn Evangelical Church (Leven Street Mission)

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Help! Your local Playgroup needs you!

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

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SOS - Save Our Saltburn

Decision time for campsite proposal By the time you read this, Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council should have decided about one of the most important and controversial planning applications it has ever received the proposed campsite on Saltburn Lane. If approved, the plans would permanently damage the character of the town and its iconic landscape.

Thanks to the tremendous support of local residents and visitors, and shared pride in our town, we are hopeful that the proposal will be firmly rejected. Over 400 well-argued objections were submitted during the consultation in May, a larger number than for any previous planning application. And, on 21st November, a petition of nearly 2,000 signatures is being presented at the full Council meeting to the Leader of the Council and the Mayor.

The critical date, however, is 28th November, when the

application is due to be decided by the Council‘s Regulatory Committee. It is difficult to imagine the Committee ignoring the breaches of the Council‘s own Local Plan, inconsistency with the town‘s Conservation Area and Heritage Coast guidance, the impact on the ecology of Saltburn Gill SSSI and the increased highway risks.

The arguments against the plans are overwhelming and we are optimistic that the proposal will be decisively rejected. If so, we then need to ensure that the decision is neither appealed nor any further development plans for the site presented. Only then can we finally put an end to two years of uncertainty for the community and its many visitors.

Hopefully, we are nearly there but do, please, keep supporting our campaign.

The Save Our Saltburn Action Group and Supporters

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Tim 1:15). This is the great and unique Christmas message. He ―came into the world‖ and must therefore have had a previous existence. Bethlehem was not Jesus Christ‘s beginning for He had dwelt with God the Father from all eternity, but He came into the world as a Man on a specific errand—to save sinners! The poor, the lost, the angry, the lustful, the promise-breaker, etc., etc.

All of us are sinners, perhaps in different ways, before a holy God, and all of us therefore need this Saviour, for the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). We should therefore welcome the Christmas message from God which shows us how we might get right with Him. Jesus Himself said, ‗He that hears My word, and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life‘ (John 5:24).

No one was ever saved from the consequences of sin without first being convicted of it, and yet sin is not the kind of subject we dwell on if we are thinking about the Christmas story. We talk much of God‘s love—and rightly so—and little of sin, but the very Name of Jesus indicates why He came—‗He shall save His people from their sins‘.

May there be at this Christmas time not only ―peace‖ on earth, but ―joy‖ in heaven, over sinners that repent and turn in faith to the Lord Jesus, the Man of Calvary, who died on the cross to save us, bearing our sins in His own body.

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Saltburn Rotary Club News It was a very successful November, especially in terms of recruitment. Two more members were inducted, Becky Gutierrez, and Charanjit (Jitti) Chowdhry with a third new member, Tony Kirlew to be inducted within the next couple of weeks. A very warm welcome to you all which now takes the membership of our fine old club to 28.

Events of note in November included our Halloween special which saw another array of imaginative costumes on display, President Lou leading our tribute on Remembrance Sunday (pictured here) and then to conclude the month our table top Tombola in the Community Centre for Rotary supported charities December will of course, in common with many other organisations, be manic in the build up to Christmas.

On Saturday, 14th December, we will have a stall at the Christmas Market where we will run a special chocolate tombola, with the proceeds going to support The Salvation Army Homeless at Christmas Appeal. Please come along, have a flutter and support a great cause.

Saltburn Rotakids are also going with a Christmas theme by supporting the TFM toy appeal, for disadvantaged children and have already stockpiled many items which will bring joy to those less fortunate than themselves.

On Sunday, 15th December, we will be holding our annual Christmas celebration for all the family at Saltburn Cricket Club between 2pm and 5pm. Another fun programme has been arranged including carols from a

brass band, children‘s games, a buffet and of course a visit from Santa. Tickets are £4 for adults and £2 for children and can be ordered from 01287 623301 or by leaving a message on our Facebook page.

Our club Christmas dinner will be held on Wednesday, 18th December at our usual venue, The Victoria, followed by our final event of the year on Saturday, 21st December. This is ―Christmas Carols with A Touch of Brass‖ to be held at 5pm, outside Sainsbury‘s in Saltburn.

Please come and join us at this free event to start Christmas in the traditional way.

On behalf of our President, Lou Foster and all the members of The Rotary Club of Saltburn-by-the-Sea, have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year.

Dave Sadler

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Saltburn in Bloom We now have the results of the Britain in Bloom competition. We won a silver gilt, which is wonderful.

Three of us went down to London for the celebration event, a whole evening of award giving, eating and entertainment.

The awards were given out by Baroness Floella Benjamin, the Royal Horticultural Society‘s vice president and ambassador. She was remarkable, full of energy, had a huge smile for everyone and really seemed to enjoy the event.

Saltburn-by-the-Sea This is Stuart Smith, Baroness Benjamin and me on the night

Our next decision is whether we enter Britain in Bloom next year. We have been invited to take part and we were given tips the following day from our judges on how we could improve. If you have a view, let us know. Whitby won gold and I think we should rise to the challenge of at least equalling their brilliant efforts.

We will be having our own celebrations on 30th January 2020 when we will invite everyone who won anything and everyone (well, we‘ll do our best) who helped to an event, hopefully in the Cricket Club. There will be more on this later and individual information sent out.

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Have a great Christmas, Sue. 14

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On the Way to Bethlehem

Put aside those Christmas to-do lists and leave the piles of presents and wrapping paper in order to share a relaxing musical evening with Renaissance, Saltburn’s Chamber choir with a difference! In our signature cabaret set- up, at our favourite venue – Saltburn Community Hall - we, together with our accompanist, Martin Dack, will present an evening of Christmas music. The Christmas story will be told through a range of traditional (but perhaps not so well known) songs and the centrepiece of the first half will be Britten’s short sequence ‘ A Ceremony of Carols’ .

After an interval in which we will serve seasonal refreshments, we will share in the fun of the festive music that we’ve come to associate with our modern Christmas preparations – let’s get those Silver Bells ringing! Because, of course, we’ll be encouraging you to warm up your voices and join in with us!

We aim to send you home, refreshed, relaxed and ready for the final countdown to Christmas. So do join us on December 13th, Saltburn Community Hall, at 7.30 pm (doors open 6.45pm). Tickets £8 : To include Mulled wine and Cake , from S. Nelson at Saltburn Golf Club, from any Renaissance member or contact 07796 305235.

Cheveux Hair Salon

Cheveux Hair Salon would like to wish all of our very loyal customers a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. Also a big Thank You for everyone’s continued support. We look forward to seeing you all in the future.

SARA Autumn Stroll SARA‘s traditional Autumn Stroll may have been low in numbers participating but spirits were high. Hardy dog owners were clearly no fair weather people. Complete with waterproof coats, the supporters set off – Olly the pug, Pip the Jack Russell, Ted the Greyhound, Bella the German Shepherd who donned her own magnificent fur coat, and Zebo the ex racing greyhound, currently one of SARA‘s residents, joined in the twilight walk.

Flowers were laid in The Memory Garden – a beautiful autumnal bouquet – where thoughts focused on pets past and present, and animals worldwide who live under poor conditions.

Welcome hot chocolate and mallows, and light refreshments were served up at Foxrush Farm whilst dogs received a choice of goodies to take home.

This small local animal charity would like to thank all the committed people who turned up under bleak skies and allowed another autumn stroll to happen.

See you all in 2020 at the next one.

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Starpaws came up trumps for SARA

Hello everyone! You may remember reading an article in the November issue how ‗Starpaws‘ support the local animal charity SARA by hosting a charity afternoon in the gardens of Northrifts, Saltburn. What was not known at that point in time was the actual amount that was raised.

We at SARA felt it is totally worthy of a special mention to readers as we were aghast that such a sum could be raised in an afternoon. (albeit with masses of organisation beforehand).

The splendid total of £1004 was handed over to staff – wonderful news, and the most ever raised to date by this event at Northrifts.

Again we extended our grateful thanks to all involved. With a little pug needing a serious operation and lots of kittens to neuter (when ready) we really do need funds for vets‘ bills.

Well done Starpaws!

I want to be Grumpy!

(Just Joking!)

It‘s panto time in Saltburn and elsewhere, wherever that is, and a good time for me to announce that I want to be Grumpy! Before somebody points out that I have the height advantage to be any of the Seven Dwarves, I‘m not just talking about being the part for the seasonal event, I‘m talking long-term or however long the Good Lord gives me.

Don‘t tease my young wife, but next year I will be Eighty! I know that I refuse to look it or to behave like it, but I‘ve decided that there‘s one thing I‘m lacking and that‘s the Grumps.

I‘m tired of people who are concerned for my personal safety advising: ―Don‘t say anything!‖ Like so many folks who are considerate of others, I‘ve left so much unsaid when, with practice, I could really be rather good at it.

Some things will still have to be unsaid for Health and Safety reasons, like telling annoyingly loud revellers in bars to shut up, and bigger-than-me people who jump queues for drinks orders and buses to get behind me. It happened the other day when I was waiting for a Saltburn bus in Middlesbrough bus station and this rather misery-faced old codger jumped into the queue two places ahead of me.

I‘ve bravely thought since that I should have snatched off his new-looking tweed cap and thrown it up the concourse or better still through the open door of another bus going anywhere.

I thought I heard him asking someone if it was the queue for the Lingdale bus, and when he comfortably seated himself on the Loftus for Whitby bus I smugly informed him as I moved past ―If you want Lingdale you‘re on the wrong bus‖ but he replied ―Nah, Whitby!‖ See, I‘ve been missing out. I should have spoken my grumpy mind earlier. There‘s a snag though: I‘m not from Grumpy stock, so I‘m not at all qualified for the job.

I blame a lot of it on my merry Manx grandfather, who I never heard with the Grumps. Mind you, he worked in a brewery on the Island. I just remember his schoolboy howlers, which I still inflict on unfortunate friends whenever I make the opportunity. ―A man fell off the top of the Empire State Building and he said as he plunged ever downwards ‗So far so good‘. Another man went for a haircut, and he said ‗Well, it won‘t be long now‘.

Wanting to be Grumpy isn‘t helped though when I‘m so Happy living in Saltburn, and so proud of the place and its people. If I stayed away from pubs and buses I would struggle to be Grumpy.

So next time you spot me just give me a smile, and make it absolutely impossible. I‘ll just have to die happy, but not quite yet.

Peter Holbert 17

Emmanuel Church Hall, (off Windsor Road) Saltburn

Tuesdays at 3.30pm, 5.30pm or 7.30pm.

Earthbeat Centre, Marske Road, Saltburn

Saturdays at 8.30am For Details Ring

Stevie on

01642 474920

The Saltburn FBI (Food Buying Initiative) recruiting new members.

I wrote in July‘s issue about a proposal to set up a bulk buy cooperative – food staples and other household items. The main purpose was to do a small bit to cut down on packaging materials and we are doing this with the cooperation of Real Meals who have kindly offered their premises for storage and distribution. We order from Suma, a cooperative wholesale supplier with commitment to ethically sourced products. So far we have a dozen members which has been a good number to test the idea in a small way - it does work! However, we do need to grow a bit to enable us to buy a slightly bigger range of produce.

It is fairly simple – we decide on a few items which most of the group want, pay in advance to Real Meals who put our Suma order in with their own. (Some of us have paid in a bit more so we can purchase other items. We can keep that money in as credit or draw it back when enough of the produce has sold.)

When the order arrives we have a private session at Real Meals one evening to divide up the rice, oats, lentils etc, bringing our own containers. For simplicity we have decided on a minimum order of one kilo.

As we are not a business and have no capital we have agreed on a membership fee of £5.00 per household. This is just helping to give us a bit of a cash float as we get off the ground and also represents some commitment to the scheme.

We have membership forms for contact details and members will be able to see all the financial details of orders and their own income and expenditure. Please contact me if you would like a membership form or if you have any more queries.

Why not give it a try?

My contact details: phone Lorna Moone 01287 624571 or mobile 07779 664679 (or email lornamoone@talktalk.net).

18

White Rose Singers Christmas Concert

Saltburn residents will be delighted to welcome back Eddie and Sarah, our own international stars of the opera world. They are performing together with the acclaimed White Rose Singers on Saturday, December 14th at 3pm at the Methodist Church, Milton Street. They will be singing favourites from the opera and musicals, with a touch of seasonal fun and audience participation!

Tickets (ÂŁ10) are available from Book Corner in Milton Street, (Saltburn), Cook & Forth (Guisborough) and Alison Hargreaves opticians (Marske).

What actually is Yoga? And what actually is Pilates?

Join us on Saturday, 14th December at our friendly studio in Saltburn town centre for a festive open day. A day to talk to complete beginners and advanced practitioners alike, and bust some Yoga and Pilates myths. We would love to see you!

FREE Taster classes Prosecco & Cake Book your taster class online or contact the studio for details.

Vicky Studio 21 Saltburn 19

Saltburn Athletic FC The weather has taken its toll over the past month with numerous games postponed.

The under 9s team have managed one game which they won 3-1 and the under 10s team also were able to play a single game in which they lost narrowly.

Both under 12s teams also suffered badly with only the Sharks able to play when they lost 2-1 to Whitby in a game which they had the chances to win.

The under 13s have done much better and have played three games. They beat Nunthorpe 8-1 and drew both other the games 3-3 versus Eaglescliffe Elementis and 1-1 against the league leaders Riverside.

The under 15s Falcons managed a cup game but were beaten by a far better side, 21st Allstars, 11-0 and finally the under 15s Dolphins whom are finding life very difficult in division one and have been unable to get any playing time over the last few weeks.

Hopefully the weather can improve and we can get the game time the players crave so much for.

Andy Croll, Club Secretary

th

Scout Post 2019

Monday 25 November – Tuesday 17th December Do you struggle to deliver your Christmas cards?

Let your local scout group deliver your cards for you for just

25p per card Delivered to the following places and box locations Brotton – Spar, Chemist, VG store & post office Carlin How - mini mart store Easington - Farm direct store Guisborough – McColl's Westgate & Esk close, Sainsbury‘s, Morrison‘s, Sainsbury‘s local Avenue & Enfield Chase Liverton Mines—Fish & Chip shop Loftus – Harrops, Co-op, Library, Clarks hardware, Arnies Marske – Cooper‘s Chemist, Marske Furnishings, Library & Vicarage news New Marske – McColl‘s & Kilbridge mini mart Saltburn – Sainsbury‘s, Petrol station, Echo building, library Skelton – Curly Tops, Church shop, Shorts butchers Skinningrove – Post office Guaranteed delivery by 24th December on correctly addressed cards 20

Saltburn 500 Club

Congratulations go to the November Saltburn 500 Club draw winners, who are: £100, D Hudson; £50, M Harding; £25, C Parish and £15, H Goodwill. Don‘t forget, you have to be in it to win it and application forms are available at the library or Jackie‘s Saverstore.

WE HAVE DONE IT! I have just been given news, today (11th November), that an anonymous donation has been received, which means we have achieved our target of £13,500! I acknowledged a lot of the donators in my November article and would like to add to that list The Rotary Club and Diane Jones (a 500 Club member who administers the JustGiving page) and has closed this year‘s appeal with a whopping £720.76. I am aware that the Conservative Club have made the lights their charity of the year and am not aware, yet, of how much they have raised. The 500 Club committee have agreed that any surplus money can go towards the cost of refurbishing motifs and acquiring a few new strings of lights (as and when the money is raised). The motifs and lights are into their 28th year and only have a guide life of 25 years, making it essential that we now focus on that area of spending.

The electricians started putting the lights up around the town, today and proved that they are, indeed, hardy soles! I was with them for a short while this afternoon and couldn‘t get back to the warmth of the house quick enough!

(Perhaps it‘s my old age!) By the time you read this article, we will have had the Christmas parade and I hope you all enjoyed it. My November article mentioned that I was trying to arrange a band to play Christmas music on Saturday, 7th December. This has been done and North Skelton Band will be playing.

Of course, all this effort on the Christmas lights does not mean that other areas are being overlooked. We are already looking for funding for the 2020 Bandstand Summer programme and have plans to donate £500 to Saltburn in Bloom to help towards the cost of the beautiful displays they do around the town. The committee will consider any requests for financial help from organisations in the town and try to help where we can.

I would like to finish this article by wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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

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

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

Structural Surveys, Beam Designs, Building Restoration Foundation & Underpinning Design General Building Works Professional and Friendly Service Structural and Civil Engineering contact: Gregory Sills BEng (Hons) CEng MIStructE FGS

t: 01287 624644 m: 07960 967865 Architectural Services contact: Martin Ledger BA (Hons) PgDip Arch

m: 07870 631415

Email: liz.ingledew@btinternet.com Website: www.liziesdecorating.co.uk

www.scurator.co.uk info@scurator.co.uk www.beamdesignservice.co.uk 21

Bones of Loftus

Bringing high quality dog grooming services to the East Cleveland and North York Moors area. Fiona Durdy is a fully qualified Level 3 City & Guilds diploma stylist and a Qualified Teacher who has run a successful salon in South Yorkshire for 6 years.

We were proud to open the doors of our fresh modern salon to clients old and new in October and our first month has been a very busy one. Following a full renovation program using local tradespeople and supported by a very generous grant from Redcar & Cleveland Council we were able to bring a disused building back into the high street of Loftus. Everyone has been commenting on how smart the property on Station Road, Loftus looks from the outside and the community have been extremely generous and shown great support to us. 2019 has been a year of huge change relocating my family and closing my successful South Yorkshire salon but it is lovely to have had the opportunity to return to my roots and for my family to have a better life here.

Bones of Loftus can cater for all breeds of dogs and even has a giant low level bath to accommodate elderly or our larger clients.

We try to be as flexible as possible and offer late evening appointments and some weekends but obviously these are extremely popular so we advise to book ahead to avoid disappointment. We encourage clients to bring their dogs for grooming regularly and offer maintenance baths to our grooming clients at reduced rates from £10 as we know how awesome it is to enjoy a freshly groomed dog in the house. We see lots of dogs for nail trims, pad clearance, teeth cleaning, eye area tidy ups. It‘s not just full grooms as we want to help you keep your dogs healthy, so are happy to work with owners. A lot of owners want low maintenance and that is great, but I am also an experienced handstrip groomer and as well enjoy doing nice fluffy scissor styles.

You can find my salon and other qualified groomers on the Groomers Spotlight website.

The Groomers Spotlight has been formed to celebrate fully qualified groomers and the art of professional dog grooming. The aim of the Groomers Spotlight is to champion and promote Pet Groomers that have worked to achieve the Level 3 City and Guilds Professional Diploma or an equivalent industry recognised Qualification. Owners using the site can rest assured that the groomers featured are fully competent in all aspects of your pet‘s skin, coat and styling needs. So even if you are far away from me (I actually have clients who travel from my old salon 100 miles away) put your postcode in the Groomers Spotlight website and it will identify your local qualified groomers. Our dogs are too precious.

Anyone wanting more information on breed specific prices and grooming services can find me on facebook or call 07879 427857. We look forward to welcoming your dogs into the salon.

Fiona Durdy [bonesofloftus@gmail.com] 22

New Saltburn Therapist Hello, my name is Susan Widdup. I have recently moved from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire to work and live near the sea in the beautiful town of Saltburn.

I am all about quality of life for myself and others.

I am an experienced, mature holistic therapist & Reiki Master and a member of the Federation of Holistic Therapists FHT. I am ITEC and VTCT qualified and I offer a variety of therapies from a tranquil home treatment room in the centre of Saltburn.

My therapies, often combined in one session to promote a deep sense of relaxation, are designed to provide relief from the stresses of everyday living.

I am particularly interested in the holistic approach to health and well-being, the connection between the mind and the body and how the state of one affects the other. My therapies work on many levels to restore the balance in mind, body and soul.

The treatments I offer include Swedish Massage - Deep Tissue, Japanese Reiki Healing, Angelic Reiki Healing, Full Body Massage, Back, Shoulder & Neck Facial and Scalp Massage, Indian Head Hot Stone Massage, Foot Massage including Reflexology, Hopi Ear Candle Therapy, Pregnancy Massage, Mindfulness, Meditation, Relaxation Techniques.

My treatments are suitable for a wide variety of people of any age for relaxation or therapeutic purposes and to help relieve stress, anxiety, sleep disorders and many other ailments.

Holistic medicine aims to treat a person as a whole, rather than just the symptoms or a particular disorder. It takes account of the individual‘s lifestyle, their emotions, levels of stress, mental attitude, diet and past experiences and relationships.

The treatments can benefit those with chronic conditions and can also work alongside conventional medicine to help alleviate symptoms of ill health and promote a feeling of well being.

As a special opening offer here in Saltburn-by -the-Sea, all Bookings & Gift Vouchers paid for in December will be only £25 for a full hour, not the usual £35.

With Christmas around the corner, why not buy yourself or a loved one a gift voucher which can be used anytime within 3 months?

I have a Facebook Page Saltburn Massage or you can contact me direct. email: sueyorkshire@gmail.com Phone: 07917 - 805959

Redcar’s Visual Presentations On Tuesday, 10th December at 2.15pm in the Redcar East Community Centre on Durham Road our group will be meeting for the last time in 2019 before we take a five week break for the Festive Season. Our Presenter is Jim McCormick, who will take us on a short journey across the North Sea to Norway and show us many of the impressive views of that country. Admission to the Presentation is £2.50 and visitors are very welcome.

We will return in the New Year on Tuesday, 14th January. We wish our members and many regular visitors, the compliments of the Festive Season and hope to see you all again on January 14th.

Tony Crow

Reunion Concert Returning On Saturday, 28th December at 6.30pm in the United Reformed Church on Station Road, Redcar, the second successive Reunion Christmas Concert will be presented

by The Clare Singers Reunion Choir to raise funds for The Friends of Redcar Cemetery.

By popular demand, the most successful items featured in last year‘s show will again be aired alongside a number of other Christmas Favourites. They were not included last year due to lack of programme space and include Gentle Shepherd, The Cowboy Carol, Three Wise Men, Mary Had a Baby and How Soft Upon the Evening Air. The Glockenspiel Group will also re-appear and our audience will have the opportunity of making their voices heard by joining us in the singing of Christmas Carols.

Make a note of the date, time and venue and DO join us for this Feast of Christmas Entertainment!

Saltburn Photographic Society Wednesday, 4th December is Chairman‘s Night when Phil Dove shows a selection of his recent work. Wednesday, 11th December Results of the Studio Tristan and Les Gould competitions. Wednesday, 18th December Christmas event with Olivia Costello and Marilyn Beacham. The first meeting of the new year will be January 8th 2020 Summer Challenge presentation.

A selection of members‘ work is on display in Saltburn Library; this is changed every two months.

Practical night 7.00pm on Monday, 16th December advice on tripods, remotes, bags and histograms.

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 01287 622519.

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Christmas at The Pillar Box

There will be a warm festive welcome from The Pillar Box on Milton Street. We‘d like to thank everyone for their support during our first year open!

We‘ve got an exciting line up for the entirety of December starting with Sunday, 8th December: Veterans’ Christmas Sing-A-Long from 3.00pm.

Wednesday, 11th December: Body Shop Christmas party. The back room will be transformed into a party with our friends from the Body Shop. Items will be available and offers on cocktails and prosecco.

And our singers on Sundays will blow you away: Sunday 15th Cameron Glover, Sunday 22nd Jonny Pollard, Sunday 29th Chris Don. And once again we will be open for Christmas Day if you need a stress relief from cooking the dinner. From 11-4 free shots will be available, one per customer, as a show of gratitude from all of us here at The Pillar Box. Have a wonderful festive period! We look forward to seeing you throughout December and into the New Year.

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year from Richard and Louise and the Team at The Pillar Box.

Walking with The Snowman art trail has arrived in Middlesbrough!

The walkable Art Trail features twelve giant fibreglass snowmen sculptures each painted by different artists in the theme of the 12 Days of Christmas. They have been placed around Middlesbrough town centre from Saturday 2nd November 2019 until Saturday 4th January 2020 and trail maps are available showing the exact location of each of the snowmen.

A Saltburn based artist Susan Noble (www.susannoble.co.uk) was delighted to be one of three local artists commissioned to decorate a snowman as part of the trail. Her snowman is the Eleven Pipers Piping and can be found in Captain Cooks Square - he‘s been decorated as a gingerbread Snowman wearing a linoprinted festive jumper with the pipers incorporated into the knitting pattern 24

along with some Christmassy snowflakes.

In a tribute to Raymond Briggs‘ magical classic The Snowman, Middlesbrough Council‘s public art trail is presented by Wild in Art in association with Penguin Random House UK and the local artists decorated their Snowmen at the Creative Factory‘s community art space in the Hill Street Centre in Middlesbrough during October.

More information and a PDF t r a i l ma p c a n b e f ou n d a t www.lovemiddlesbrough.com/ christmas/snowman/ to download.

Alternatively, pick up a trail map from Middlesbrough Town Hall, Central Library, Cleveland Centre, Baker Street Kitchen or Psyche and follow the path of the 12 snowmen across the town centre!

#TheSnowmanWalkBoro #BrilliantlyBoro #CreativeFactoryBoro

Christmas Singalong

There will be a singalong of favourite Christmas songs and carols in Echo on Friday, 20th December at 7.00pm. Mince pies will be provided but bring your own drink. There will be a full evening‘s entertainment including some dancing and listening to some wonderful hand bell ringers. Entry is £3 on the door. Please also note that Emmanuel Church will be hosting this year‘s Nativity and carol service on Sunday, 22nd December at 6.00pm. We will be collecting gifts of toiletries which will be distributed after Christmas by Redcar Food Bank.

or email: simon.robson1@ntlworld.com

25

SALTBURN BLUES CLUB

Friday Friends

Friday Friends would like to thank all who have supported us throughout 2019 and wish you all a Happy Christmas.

Friday Friends is an inclusive friendship group based in Saltburn, for people aged over 18. We are a friendly group and welcome people with different abilities.

Activities for December 6th December Seated keep fit with Taylor and afternoon Craft 1-4.00pm Paper Christmas Decorations.

13th December 10-12 a morning decorating the hall followed by our Christmas party 12 till 3pm.

Friday Friends will then be closed until 3rd January 2020.

We are a non-profit making group, run by volunteers. We meet on Fridays at Emmanuel Church Hall, McNay Street, Saltburn. Activities are 10-12.30 and arts and crafts 1-4. First session is free to see if you like it then there is a charge of £2.00 per session or £3 all day. Carers are always free. Registered Charity No 1177967.

For more information 07725 998566 (or email admin@thefridayfriends.co.uk).

Saltburn Library News Here we are already then, about to see off 2019!

Celebrations abound in the library but as anticipated, the children‘s events have proved extremely popular and consequently are already fully booked. Please speak with the library to confirm any availability.

DIARY DATES 11th December at 2.00pm Liz & Steve Sing a‘ Long…

Friends of Saltburn Library Event. On 13th December there are Health Checks available. Please contact the library on 01287 623584 to book an appointment time.

14th December 10.00am-12 Noon there will be Santa‘s Christmas Grotto and on 16th December 2.00-4.30pm there will be Santa‘s Christmas Grotto again.

On 23rd December 3.00-4.00pm there will be the Polar Express ‗Pyjama‘ Story Time – fully booked.

NB: No Reading Group Meeting is scheduled for December 2019.

LOOKING AHEAD 29th January 2020 10.30-11.30am Saltburn Library Reading Group. Burnt Shadows by K Shamsie (new joiners always welcome). On 26th February 10.3011.30am Saltburn Library Reading Group. Discussion book TBC (new joiners always welcome).

Kelly Rose 26

December 21st is our Christmas Gig at our normal venue of Saltburn Cricket Club when we welcome the superb storming Blues/Rock of Storm Warning. They are lauded by the UK blues press as one of the classiest, contemporary blues bands in the UK, playing superbly crafted original blues rock songs and breathing new life into blues standards.

This year the band were voted ‗Best Band‘ on the Saturday Introducing Stage at The Great British Rock & Blues Festival. They have recorded four CDs, all receiving critical acclaim and tracks have been played on radio stations across the world including BBC Radio 2 for whom they also recorded a live session which was broadcast on the Paul Jones blues programme. Supporting Storm Warning will be FULL FAT from Scotland. The power trio Full Fat formed five years ago, building a loyal following across Scotland and The North East, playing headline gigs at famed venues such as The O2 Academy in Glasgow and The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen. Full Fat have a passion and a talent that will not be stopped and this is clear to anyone who sees them play. Their unique mix of smooth vocals, tight rhythm with sweet bass and mellow guitar tone lets any audience know what the band is all about.

This tremendous double header of a gig promises to be a highlight of our 2019 gigs, not one to be missed. Two really exciting rocking Blues Bands so a good night is guaranteed. And as it is Christmas included in the ticket will be a Christmas Buffet for all.

Doors 7.30pm, tickets £12 from Milo‘s Cafe Saltburn, The Cricket Club, www.yorkshireticketshop.co and 07960 935263.

Also after the success of two gigs I‘ve held in the Conservative Club recently I am creating a new branch of SBC called the Balmoral Acoustic Blues Club to be held occasionally in the Balmoral Room (upstairs) of the Cons Club. The next one is on Sunday, 8th December with Dean James and The Black Dogs Duo. Tickets are £8 for SBC members and £10 for non members. Bookings to be made direct with me, limited to 40 seats. Doors 7.30pm.

Finally I would like to thank all of Saltburn Blues Club supporters and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Bluesy New Year. We have more top class UK and International Bands already booked for all of 2020.

See www.saltburnbluesclub.co.uk for details.

Don‘t forget my radio show, Still Got The Blues on Zetland 105 FM and online every Monday 7pm-10pm, or catch it later on Mixcloud. Visit www.zetlandfm.co.uk and scroll down to Mixcloud link. Three hours of the very best of the Blues.

Harry

KR DĂŠcor painter & decorator domestic & commercial fully insured DBS checked

07825 678757

27

Cleveland Diving Club There is a saying that, ‗It is better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times,‘ and this was certainly true for our club members who took an early October flight to Tenerife. The week-long vacation started on a high at the airport with cake and a birthday celebration and ended with an awesome and prodigious appreciation of the various diving experiences encountered. Each dive presented different features such as cave, wall and wreck diving (photo 1).

However, the pièce de résistance was without question the last dive, being the most memorable and mind-blowing.

Descending into the clear blue waters a welcoming party of a meandering shoal of roncadores fish graciously allowed our divers to intermingle and get up close (photo 2). Although, other less tolerant creatures such as this black moray eel did offer a good photo opportunity as it protracted from its lair to ward off some meddlesome divers (photo 3, opposite below).

A more subliminal approach to avoid unwelcomed attention, however, failed to hoodwink an eagle-eyed diver who was able to capture, on film, this well camouflaged, bottom-hugging, motionless monkfish (photo 4 below). The climax of the dive though came in the final moments with a longed for encounter with a turtle. Exciting, enthralling and enchanting our captivated divers by orbiting and weaving in and out of the group this mischievous turtle stole the show as it hovered, almost within kissing distance, over a diver whilst snapping playfully at his bubbles. Their affair, caught on camera, can be viewed on the club‘s Facebook page, ‗The Diving Club – Cleveland.‘ Interested in scuba diving? Cleveland Divers can be contacted via Facebook or phone 70960 608529.

June Coomber

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 28

29

G . Bishop - Decorator *Interiors and Exteriors

*Free Estimates

*All Aspects of Decorating Undertaken *Realistic Prices

Time Served Telephone 01287 624016

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40 Years Experience Mobile 07757 912575

What Is Silent, Painless And Can Ruin Your Life?

Glaucoma. It‘s an eye condition that nearly half a million people in the UK suffer from. You are most at risk after the age of 40. The good thing is, in many cases, if it‘s seen early enough, this horrible eye condition can be stopped in its tracks. However, most people don‘t have regular eye tests.

Not going to the Dentist is one thing (you can always eat with false teeth) but neglecting the Opticians is another (you can’t see with false eyes!)

My name is John Prouse, I‘m an Optician and I do a home visit eye test service especially for people who struggle to leave their home or you can visit me at my practice. Either way, don‘t risk spoiling your vision and your life.

Call 01287 644211 or visit www.loftusoptical.co.uk for your free over 40 eye test.

30

150 Squares finds a new home You may remember that as part of the Saltburn Pier celebrations, 150 people contributed a knitted or crocheted square to create a celebratory wall hanging that was displayed on the back of the Amusement Arcade for 6 weeks.

I am writing to you today, as organiser of that project as we have found a permanent display space for the hanging, so that it will continue to be on public view, and I would like to let people know where it us going to be.

The wonderful staff @ Re:Furnish have hung it on the wall, in what was the Salerooms in Diamond Street, and to mark the culmination of what has turned out to be a fabulous year to mark the Pier‘s birthday, we have planned a little celebratory event, inviting everyone who contributed, and all of Saltburn to come along and see this community work of Art in its new home. Re:Furnish will be hosting an informal unveiling celebration on Wednesday, 4th December 11.30am - 1.30pm. Teas, Coffees and Kaye‘s famous cake will be available. This will be open to all to come and celebrate the Community Artwork‘s new permanent home.

We are especially keen to see anyone who contributed a square, and we will be opening a Comments Book for residents and visitors alike to record their memories of Saltburn, its Pier and the Anniversary Celebrations. BBC Radio Tees also did a follow-up Interview with Kaye and I, which was broadcast in November.

As a further part of the Pier Celebrations, a Commemorative Postcard and open Greetings Card is also being prepared, featuring the Wall Hanging in place on the Pier. These will be being sold in Jackie‘s Saverstore, Re:Furnish, Ripping Yarns (Stokesley) and at the Charity Crafters‘ Christmas Gift Fair being held on 14th December in the Community Centre. All monies raised will be donated to the Saltburn Food Bank.

Dawn Rowley, Organiser, 150 squares

’53 Drama Group Presents

Treasure Island

Shiver me timbers, shipmates! The nights are drawing in and it‘s time for gathering around the fireside and sharing tales of adventure and daring – and what better stories are there than of seafaring folk and buried treasure! Add in memorable music, special effects and some truly spectacular choreography and you have Saltburn ‘53 Drama Group‘s pantomime – a rip-roaring version of the well-loved Treasure Island story.

Expect to meet all your favourite characters (although perhaps not as you remember them!) and a few extra besides. Who is the mysterious Mary Celeste? And what on earth has happened to old Billy Bones? Dean Heslop, the creator and director of Aladdin and Cinderella, has surpassed his previous pantos with this hilarious show and in partnership with Andrew Pierce and the theatre band has put together a truly musical adventure.

The performances take place in January in Saltburn Community Theatre – Wednesday 15th to Saturday 18th and Wednesday 22nd to Saturday 25th.

Evening performances begin at 7.30pm (doors and bar 6.45) and there are also matinee performances in addition to the evening shows, at 2pm on Saturday 18th and 25th.

But don‘t wait until January to get those tickets – the Wednesdays are nearly full and other nights are selling fast. Grab your passport to a seafaring adventure at Spar, Milton Street, from the Theatre Box Office, or online at www.saltburnarts.co.uk. See you aboard the Hispaniola!

Sue Pierce

What’s Happening at Marske Hall Happy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year from all at Marske Hall and our team of volunteers. Many thanks for your support and we look forward to welcoming you to more events in the new year. Keep up to date with everything that‘s going on by visiting our Facebook page.

Appeal: The fundraising team is always looking for tombola and raffle prizes to use at events throughout the year. Simply call into Marske Hall from 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.

Visit www.facebook/marskehall.com or look out on Facebook for what‘s on in coming months or call the Hall number 01642 482672.

Kath Bloomfield 31

American Tribal Style Belly Dance

It‘s a busy time for the Saltburn dancers. You‘ll remember Tribal Marsquers danced at Brockley Hall on 12th October and here‘s the photo of us beside one of the caravans. The group recently also enjoyed dancing at Parkville Care home in Middlesbrough on 31st October. Yes, it was Halloween. And we have a Christmas engagement at another care home.

If you would like to try this lovely dance style please come to the free U3A tribal dance workshop on Monday, 9th December in Earthbeat at 2pm. We‘ll be dressed up for a fun Christmas theme. Or try it for free any Sunday morning at 10.30pm. Text/Tel 07908 005850 for more details.

Saltburn, Marske and New Marske Parish Council At the recent Parish Council meeting a representative from ICL Boulby gave an informative presentation to Members on the vision for the future of the mine and the necessity of gaining planning permission to extend operations for a further 25 years, once the current permission comes to an end in 2023. They explained the new products being mined and developed from polyhalite, and it was hoped that the extension would preserve current jobs and hopefully provide additional posts for the future at this major employer in East Cleveland. The Parish Council had no hesitation in approving a letter in support of the planning application.

Congratulations were extended to Saltburn in Bloom who had recently been awarded a Silver Gilt by the Royal Horticultural Society, for Britain in Bloom.

Armistice events had taken place throughout the Parish on Remembrance Sunday and Vice Lord Lieutenant Peter Scropes had attended the Saltburn event to lay a wreath on behalf of the Queen - pictured.

Members considered the response from Saltburn Ward Councillors following concerns about derelict boats and tractors on Saltburn Beach. It was noted that work had commenced to trace the owners but this was proving difficult as licensing rules had lapsed.

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By the time this edition hits the mats the Christmas switch on event in Saltburn will have taken place (30th November). A big thank you to everyone who has taken part in the Christmas Craft competition. At the time of writing the winners, who will get to switch on the Christmas Tree lights, have not been selected but hundreds of entries have been received; further details next month. Thanks are given in advance to the volunteers behind the scenes who make sure that this event can safely take place each year.

The annual Parish Council Carol Service will be held in Emmanuel Church, Saltburn on 19th December at 7pm. The Dalesmen Singers will be performing accompanied by Marske Junior and Learning Brass Band. 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.

On behalf of the Parish Council best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Tracy Meadows (Clerk and RFO to the Parish Council) 01287 623477 office@smnmpc.co.uk www.smnmpc.co.uk

10th Saltburn Beer Festival The festival took place on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th November, at Saltburn Community & Arts Association and was opened by Sharon, our Town Crier, at 11am on the Friday. Thanks go to the organisers and team of volunteers who worked extremely hard to ensure a great success. Thanks also to the many sponsors for their kind support: Real Meals, Brew Build, AP Maintenance, Saltburn Conservative Club, GR Henderson Architects, PMD Agricultural Services, John Walton Decorators, The Guns Bar, Lune Street Club, Rita‘s Pantry, Saltburn Blues Club, Saltburn Cricket Club, Saltburn Rotary Club and individual real ale supporters.

The Festival was very well attended on both days by real ale lovers from far and wide. Listening to regular visitors to Beer Festivals around the country it is very obvious that this is a very popular event. The ambience of the Community Hall setting, the friendliness and the excellence of the beer and food make this ‗a must go to event‘.

Money raised went towards the refurbishment of the Hall in the Saltburn Community Arts Association.

More information on www.clevelandcamra.org.uk and www.saltburnarts.co.uk 33

Linda Hodgson BSc (Hons) McPod / SRch HCPC Registered

Podiatrist / Chiropodist Appointments available call

07985 194056

A Milestone Achievement for a Great Cause During August 2019, two stalwarts of Saltburn Golf Club Ladies, Katie Clark and Anne Gollogly were moved by the diagnosis of a close friend with Motor Neurone Disease (MND), a tragically degenerative condition for which there is currently no cure. They decided to take on the Coast to Coast (C2C) bike ride in order to raise funds for the MND Association. The sum total of Anne‘s previous cycling experience was a ride to Guisborough on an old Raleigh (with stabilisers!), a far cry from the epic challenge of the C2C which is 175 miles from Whitehaven to Saltburn! Our two girls completed their adventure during September and raised a massive £5,500 (at the last count!) for their chosen charity. Many thanks from Katie and Anne to all those at Saltburn Golf Club who made donations to their cause.

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Countryside Volunteers The Countryside volunteers are continuing to clear and repair pathways, thin the trees which are stealing light and keep Saltburn Beck free of large debris after all the rain we have had. The Valley Gardens are looking good with a distinct lack of mess thanks to all responsible dog walkers and others who pick up litter. Along with Paul Murphy, a creative session was held in the library at half term for children to paint pebbles, read books and socialize. Bird feeders and bird boxes were for sale, as well as refreshments and £53 was raised. Thank you to all who attended. The funds will go towards preserving our marvellous Millfield Meadow, near the viaduct.

We have had a request to support our local Hedgehog Rescue group and we feel that some of the items required may be surplus to our needs. Lindsay has upwards of 40 needy hedgehogs at the moment; so all contributions will be greatly appreciated.

A small group of volunteers supported Saltburn Primary EYFS to clean up their garden and plant bulbs ready for Spring. We will have a stall at their Christmas Fayre on December 6th, selling items to promote the wild life in your outdoor spaces.

We welcome two new volunteers Clive and Paul, to our Friday sessions from 10.00am – 12.00 midday. It is surprising what a team of workers can achieve in a short time, benefitting from the exercise, fresh air and satisfaction of ‗doing your bit‘ for the conservation of our beautiful space.

Rosalyn

Christmas at Book Corner I‘m delighted to be hosting two exciting events in December.

On Wednesday 11th December at 1pm, I will welcome author Dominic Brownlow and his publisher Louise Walters to give a joint talk in the bookshop.

Dominic will talk about his debut novel, The Naseby Horses, and Louise will give an insight into running a small, independent press.

The Naseby Horses has a fascinating premise: ‗Seventeen-year-old Simon's sister Charlotte is missing. The lonely Fenland village the family recently moved to from London is odd, silent, and mysterious.

Simon is epileptic and his seizures are increasing in severity, but when he discovers the local curse of the Naseby Horses, he is convinced it has something to do with Charlotte's disappearance. Despite resistance from the villagers, the police, and his own family, Simon is determined to uncover the truth and rescue his sister‘.

The event is free, but please let me know if you would like to reserve a seat. You can either call into the shop or phone 01287 348010.

On Friday 13th December from 7pm – 9pm, I‘ll be hosting the Saltburn book launch of Mike Pratt‘s new poetry collection, North Facing (Mudfog Press).

From the blurb: ‗North Facing is Mike‘s personal exploration of the varying degrees of north, from his homeland North East England to the extremes of Iceland and Greenland, Finland and the polar ice cap. Setting out on a mid-life quest to see the north as it is today, a place of contrasting values and challenging, dynamic and threatened nature, he encounters many classic wildlife icons and sees for himself the changes coming to these wildernesses, at the same time as experiencing tipping points in his own life. ‗North Facing is a collection of prose and poems from the northern lands and ecologies. It is also a reflection of one man‘s inner landscape as he comes to terms with changes in his own life and finds his moods resonating with the wild places and creatures he tracks down.‘ This event is free, and there‘s no need to book.

Please come along!

I‘m also pleased to now offer Book Corner Gift Vouchers. I‘ll still be stocking National Book Tokens, but I thought my own vouchers might be another good option for locals and regular customers. So if you want to give a bookish gift, but have no idea what to choose, please bear my gift vouchers in mind!

Finally, I would like to thank all my customers for their wonderful support this year. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

Happy reading! Jenna PS Not only other books, many by local authors, are sold at Book Corner but also tickets for local shows and Talk of the Town‘s 2020 Calendar.

Come and see our great range of Christmas books!

Gift Vouchers now available

Opening Times: 10am – 5pm (Closed Wednesdays and Sundays)

24 Milton Street, Saltburn, TS12 1DG 01287 348010 www.bookcornershop.co.uk

Looking for somewhere to stay?....Holiday, Family, Friends coming to visit?

Short stays welcome 2 nights minimum.

Centrally located only 300yds from Saltburn Square, shops, restaurants, bars, 5 minutes from beach. Self catering 2 bed roomed Cottage offers a modern well equipped kitchen, spacious lounge, bathroom, 1 double bedroom, 1 single with bunk beds. Sofa bed in lounge if needed. WiFi and a private parking space. Pet friendly.

For all enquiries Contact Carol 07817 506 784 or 01287 651896.

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Keeping It Clean At Saltburn Thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers who made November‘s beach clean a success.

Lots of single-use plastics were removed and recycled, and lots of fishing litter - bits of line, weights and rope - taken away.

The picture this month shows Mike, Sam and Luke having fun at the beach clean where they collected a bucket full of single-use plastics and litter. It is great to see so many families attending and so many mini eco warriors - you really are an inspiration with your knowledge, enthusiasm and awareness.

We‘re keeping the newsletter short this month, as there is a lot for the editor to get into the December edition of this wonderful community magazine. Thank

Have you visited Redcar’s Footprints Community Cafe yet?

Footprints Community Cafe opened its doors inside the South Tees Community Bank on Redcar High Street just over two months ago, in what‘s believed to be the first partnership between a community bank and cafe in the UK. It is already becoming a community hub, with Cafe Manager Kat, her Assistant Manager Tanya and their dedicated team of volunteers offering a warm welcome to everyone who enters through the door.

The cafe is open Monday to Saturday 9.30am until 4pm and offers affordable, home cooked meals, snacks and afternoon teas in a relaxed, friendly environment. But what really makes Footprints Community Cafe different, is the innovative ‗Pay it Forward‘ scheme, which allows customers to pay for a drink or snack for someone who is struggling to afford to feed themselves, for whatever reason. Any profit generated by the cafe also supports the many other projects run by Footprints in the Community, all of which aim to reduce poverty and isolation in the Redcar area.

When you visit, you may also recognise Cafe Manager, Kat Kempen, who was one of the stars of the BBC‘s The Mighty Redcar, with her own inspirational story. Kat said, ‗Footprints in the Community is a charity dedicated to reducing poverty and isolation in the Redcar area. Our new Footprints Community Cafe is the perfect example of how we are working towards that goal, through offering affordable and nutritious home-cooked food in a supportive and friendly environment.‘ If you need any other reason to visit, during December the cafe is offering every customer who buys a ‗Weekly Special‘ meal, the chance to win a delicious Afternoon Tea for two during January. A great reason to visit us soon!

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you Talk of the Town for always finding room for our newsletter and for all your support.

Our December beach clean is on the 7th. We will meet at the lower promenade Victorian Shelter next to Marshall‘s Beach Huts, ready to clean from 11am till 12 noon.

We‘d like to wish all who attend our beach cleans, all the businesses and the Council who support us, all who use the ―2minute Beach Clean‖ boards, all who pick up litter on their walks and everyone who helps to make Saltburn a very special community to live in, a very happy and peaceful Christmas.

Together we KICAS!

Annie and The Young Americans When Annie Lince, of Saltburn, was 14 she participated in an organisation called ‗The Young Americans‘. This is a performing arts/music company that travels around the world going into schools etc and teaching them music, dance and singing. They put on a three day workshop and on the third day the kids do the show. They teach the kids not to care what others think about them and most of all give them confidence.

Annie said, ―I was extremely shy before I heard about them and they helped me a lot. I have now done three workshops and I knew from the first one that that is what I wanted to do. Around the same age I discovered the Young Americans I began to teach myself guitar but never sang in front of anybody. Then gradually I began to come out of my shell. ―In 2017 I had my first gig in a little cocktail bar in Stockton called the Nuthatch. From there I found my love for music and playing to audiences. I now gig every weekend in various venues locally and I absolutely love it. Within all of this happening, my dream for the Young Americans has always been my main focus. ―So last September (2018) I filmed an audition video and sent it over. I put my heart and soul into that video and told them my story. Then, this January I got an email confirming that I had gained a place at The Young Americans College of the Performing Arts! ―I‘m still over the moon and can‘t quite believe it.

However, I was supposed to go this July just gone but financially it was a struggle. So I decided it was for the best that I deferred a year and used this year to save and raise money to go. ―So now I get as many gigs as I can every week and take my little buckets with me for any loose change. Every little bit is helping. I have also set up a go fund me page. I‘m so close to my dream and I can‘t believe it‘s finally going to come true.‖ Well done, Annie, and all the best for your great adventure next year!

We sell a good Merry Christmas to All Our selection of Stationery Customers, Old and New. i.e. Envelopes, Labels, Tapes, Thank you so much for your Mailing Bags, and a wide range of support over the years!

Greetings Cards Christmas stock arriving each Saltburn Christmas Cards now in! week. Why not come in and check us out? Lots of special offers on We now offer a Card Service on line Christmas Stock and on our at giftsandbobs.co.uk so you can general Household Cleaning order your personalised cards and Supplies. We are worth a visit: collect them in the shop Cheaper Prices on your Doorstep!

We sell Saltburn Souvenirs, Postcards, Fridge Magnets, Key Rings, Prints and Greeting Cards.

Saltburn Christmas Cards and Calendars on sale now!

Open 9.00am till 4.30pm, Monday to Saturday 37

Overlapping Stories The nature of, and reason for, duos are varied and not always logical; in fact the majority of successful artistic pairings are not of ‗likes‘ but of differences – Laurel and Hardy, Rogers and Hammerstein, Picasso and Braque…

In a way, it is the fact that two non-tessellating parts can come together and form a pattern that makes them interesting.

You would think that Keith would have enough trouble deciding what he is by himself without trying to find out who he is with someone else. He has though something of a track record in this department; we probably know him best in these parts as half of Dark Horses when he and Flossie Malavialle try to decide which one of them is the most talented and which one speaks the best English. He plays the most amazing guitar and writes songs that will make you cry for different reasons. You can never be totally sure which Keith is going to turn up which is part of his appeal.

Ursula is a storyteller or so we‘re led to believe; leading us to believe is exactly what she does. Her stories are personal or common property, traditional or selfpenned, mysterious or mischievous… She is a performer but not in the way that you might initially recognise that term; Aries on a Piscean cusp, she surprises, with a voice that can‘t stop her from moving then moves you. Her duality plays games with what you decide is fact and what is fiction; the two are equally plausible as a result of her ability to convince.

Overlapping is how they have decided to describe themselves. It is a solution to joining parts that don‘t simply jigsaw together; instead they share some space and become mutual but not secure. It is as easy to see what they both like as it is to see how unlike they are.

Both belong to a narrative tradition and both are skilled at portraying others. The folk world has always found ways

in which to re-tell long-established stories and although they may appear to be coming from different angles they are more alike than they differ – they overlap.

How this will ‗personifest‘ itself on the night is uncertain but it will almost certainly involve a mixture of experiences and emotions. The extent to which they will agree to complement each other or play off against one another remains to be seen. Their personal overlapping is their own concern but their ability to tell tunes and tales that transcend time is a treat that we are glad to share.

Christmas is about sharing and we are delighted that Keith and Ursula will be helping us to celebrate the end of the 2019 Season of Seaside Folk on Friday, 20th December at 8.00pm in the new-look Schoolroom. We are also looking forward to starting our 2020 Season on Friday the 28th March when another year-long festival will begin.

Five Saltburn Artists at Middlesbrough Exhibition At the current Arts Council sponsored exhibition ―Legacy: 50 Years of Painting in the Tees Valley‖, no fewer than five Saltburn-based contemporary artists are amongst the thirty that have been chosen to represent the very best in painting in the Tees Valley area over the last half-century. Works by Gordon Dalton, Deb Covell, Sarah Cooney, Kelly Jayne and Raymond Bentley are on show alongside some of the most celebrated post-war artists from the North East, including William Tillyer, Basil Beattie, Peter Hicks, Joe Cole and many others.

Sarah Cooney, who curated the exhibition with Deb Covell, chose to move to Saltburn when she came back to the North East three years ago because of its growing reputation as a centre of excellence in the visual arts. She said that with ―Legacy‖ they aimed to show a selection of artists whom they felt had been overlooked alongside some of the most celebrated names from the area. ―Legacy‖ features a stimulating, diverse and frequently surprising selection of works, and can be seen at 38

The Auxiliary, 31 Station Street, Middlesbrough until 12th December.

Mark Lawton

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40

Talk of the Town’s monthly Pride of Saltburn Award

Saltburn Station Gallery

The gallery would like to thank all our customers for their support over the course of the year, through supporting the business and our fundraising. We will announce how much we‘ve raised for our chosen charity Children with Cancer UK and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We would also like to remind our customers that Christmas is an opportune time to cash in your filled in loyalty cards.

Letter to the Editor

The winner of this month‘s bouquet of flowers is Peter Dixon. He was nominated by Jan Hetherington. About him, she says, ―I would like to nominate Peter Dixon for the Pride of Saltburn Award. Since becoming ill, and often housebound, I signed up for prescription delivery from Saltburn Pharmacy. Peter is the delivery driver and so much more than that. He is reliable, always smiling, a breath of fresh air. He took the job after an illness rocked his own world and so appreciates how frail we can all be and of need of help at times. He goes out of his way, out of his working hours, always going the extra mile to get meds to me and others who live alone and rely so much on regular and emergency medicines. He will work late and take his own time to ensure meds are received and always with a laugh and a joke and the biggest smile ever. I asked if I could have his permission for nomination, as he is unassuming, and wondered if he would agree. His response was ‗how lovely, it is nice know I am appreciated.‘ Peter, you are, very much so.‖ Thank you, Peter, for being you, the Pride of Saltburn.

Every month when a nomination is received, a £30 bunch of flowers, kindly donated by Ruby Lilly‘s Florists of Marske, is awarded to someone who has earned admiration, gratitude or love for whatever reason. We invite nominations from readers, to make someone feel special with a bunch of flowers! Send your nominations to Talk of the Town‘s post box at Jackie‘s Saverstore, 8 Station Buildings, Saltburn, 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.

On a very recent visit to Saltburn (6th November) I was appalled and very sad with the amount of dog fouling that I came across in the general town area and also the lower promenade area.

I am a past resident of Saltburn but still visit on a regular basis, enjoying a coffee in the many cafes on offer and a good walk along the beach to Marske and back.

I have contacted the council about this but first response was that they were short of manpower to do regular patrols but would pass it onto the street cleansing department.

I did suggest that they could do more in the way of signage.

Do you think it would be possible for your excellent publication to remind residents and visitors to this great Victorian town of Saltburn to please clean up after your dog and report those that don‘t. I‘m sure Saltburn doesn‘t want to pick up a reputation of a town that doesn‘t care about these issues.

Don Walker

Commonwealth War Graves Cleaned for Remembrance Saltburn and District Royal British Legion, with their affiliated youth groups Saltburn and Loftus Army Cadet Force, attended two cemeteries: Loftus and Saltburn to clean the Commonwealth War Graves in each Cemetery.

The War Graves, 12 in Loftus and 10 in Saltburn, were respectfully cleaned by each affiliated cadet force, Loftus 2nd November and Saltburn on the 3rd.

Also, in attendance was their Cadet Padre, Robert Desics, who performed the Act of Remembrance. Other members of the public attended the Loftus Clean up, and at each Clean Up, dignitaries attended from each Council, to join in with this worthy cause.

Harry Lowe, Saltburn & District‘s newly appointed County Youth Standard Bearer, after just recently attending the York County Youth Standard Bearing Competition and winning, attended both events, flying the Branch‘s standard, on both days.

Stan Glover (Vice Chair from Saltburn and New Marske Parish Council) commented that he supported such a worthy cause and thanked everyone for letting him being a part of it!

The ACF ranging from the ages of 13-18, ensured that the graves were cleaned, weeded and made debris free and then decorated with a poppy cross to mark their remembrance and gratitude.

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Health and Happiness: How conscious are you being?

You are amazing, your consciousness is amazing. Have you ever dwelt on what this thing called consciousness is? Did it start before you were born? Will it stay after your body leaves? Do other animals have it? Do insects or trees?

Perhaps consciousness is our awareness of being?

Maybe not only limited to our awareness of being alive in this body. I wonder how deeply you meditate on your aliveness; how conscious are you of the unique nature of your consciousness? So the question is how often do your bring your consciousness to consciousness?

In a hope to define and understand ourselves we layer ourselves in labels as if wearing clothing. A husband, lover, girlfriend, builder, writer, painter, whatever we define our status as, is laid on top of us by us, as though this is who we actually are. Even gay or straight, British, European, Christian, Muslim or agnostic, even our name, they are all labels that others might assign to us but we can choose to assign them to ourselves or not.

Who are we before we see ourselves as talented or unskilled or attractive or unattractive, great or small, valuable or unimportant? Before we feel good about our hair or bad about it, before we think we are a good lover or average or hopeless, before all of these labels who are we really?

In meditation we come into our breath and for a while we make that our focus. Here we become aware that we are flesh, the awareness that we have consciousness, that we are conscious of being alive, which is no small thing. Aware of our breathing we might notice our heart beating, our skin sensing, our body with emotions feeling and the patterns of our thinking that always seem to be similar when we have our strongest feelings. Aware of teeth and ears and blood and bones and mouth and throat and chest and once again aware of breathing.

Here we live with a higher honesty in a way, the basics

of our being, aware of our eyes behind closed eyelids and how our tongue feels in its warm flesh cave. We can become aware of tightness in a muscle and breath in and with conscious awareness on the out-breath to let go of the tension and relax.

Breath by breath, through awareness of how we feel and how we react and how we can learn to relax we can start to control our state. Through mindfulness and meditation we are no longer at the mercy of our charging thoughts or our impulsive acts, our wild turns of emotional outpouring that spill onto the lives of others.

Who we are is the controller, the one with the essential consciousness and awareness of what is going on for us and from there we are the chooser of who we want to be, who we want to become.

The status we think ourselves into is really not who we are. We are neither good nor bad, kind nor mean, or any other label that anyone else gives us or we choose to give ourselves.

In conscious moments we can let them all drift off us like clothes, as if our real state is naked. This is us before we put on our layers of definition and status, before our peacock feathers, before our armour. These layers that both protect us but also hide the truth of us, not only to others but also to ourselves.

The journey, should we choose to take it on, is to become conscious of the illusions and of what is real to you and I am here alongside others to support you to do that, if that is something that you want to explore and find out.

Kendal Aitken Mental Health and Happiness Training.

Individuals and groups.

Contact: kendalaitken@hotmail.com or 07944 883961

Everyone has a book in them, don’t they?

Having achieved the dizzy heights of an ‗e‘ in English and having only read 11 books in my entire life, I guess you could say that I am not your typical author?

So, does everyone have a book in them? Well, I guess the answer is yes, I‘m living proof. It all began three years ago, I was working away in London, one night I went to sleep and had a series of dreams. I was not really asleep, but also, not really awake which, I guess, is why I remembered everything. It played out in my head like a film.

I shared the story with work colleagues, family and friends and after having Sunday lunch one day I was dared to write it and so it began. Three months later, Room 119 – The Whitby Trader was born.

Being self-published I then had to learn all about the publishing industry using Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) not to mention employing an editor, proof reader and book cover artist. Room 119 was released on 14th December 2017.

My second book was also born from another series of dreams. Being from Marske it made sense for me to write about where I am from, Funicular is a detective mystery thriller based in and around, Saltburn, Marske and Redcar centred around Saltburn‘s famous funicular cliff lift.

Funicular and Room 119 both by T F Lince are both 42

available via Amazon on Kindle, Paperback and Audible. I will also be dropping some off locally in independent book stores if you wish to take a look.

So, if you have had any ambition of writing a novel of your own, you are only being held back by your own imagination. Does everyone have a book in them? Hell, yes!

Get writing folks!

Trevor Lince

Happy Christmas from the Conservative Club Welcome to the monthly article from Saltburn Conservative Club and firstly I would like to wish all readers and followers of this page a Happy Christmas from the officers, committee and members.

Regarding last month‘s functions I cannot report back on the ‗Peaky Blinders‘ and Race Night held on Saturday, 30th November as the event has not taken place as I write this article but I know that we will once again have had great support from our members who will also have raised a large amount of money to put towards the monies already collected over the year for Saltburn Christmas Lights. A cheque will be presented on the evening of the club Quiz night on Wednesday, 18th December.

Moving into December and the functions are as follows. On Tuesday 3rd: SLUG Meeting. This meeting will commence at 6pm (not 7pm). The guest speaker will be Graham Meiklejohn from Transpennine Express. With the new Transpennine service from Redcar to Manchester Airport starting on December 15th this should be a good meeting for anyone to attend. Everybody is welcome and the entry is free. This event will be held in the upstairs Balmoral Room.

Thursday 5th is Backgammon Night. The monthly meeting of the backgammon club will be held from 7pm to 9pm. Entry is free and experts will be on hand to help anyone new to the game.

It‘s always fun and friendly and you will be sure of a warm welcome in the Balmoral Room.

Friday 6th a private party will be held by the early morning swimming group from Saltburn Leisure Centre. Event taking place in the Balmoral Room.

Sunday 8th is a Blues Night when Saltburn Acoustic Blues Club are holding an intimate acoustic gig in the Balmoral Room commencing at 7.30pm. This event features Dean James accompanied by ‗The Black Dogs‘, playing as a duo. Organised by Harry Simpson, this will be a great night you don‘t want to miss.

Tickets are priced at £8 for Saltburn Blues Club members and £10 for guests. Tickets available from Harry by calling 07960 935263.

On Saturday 14th 4 functions are taking place: first Christmas Presents for Children & Grandchildren will be handed out by our very special guest, Father Christmas, to all children 11 years old and under, who have been nominated to receive presents by members. Please note that the closing date for applications is Tuesday, 10th December and the forms are next to Santa‘s post box in the snug. In conjunction with this event there will be a kids disco & karaoke. This event takes place in the Balmoral Room between 2pm and 4pm and adults must be in attendance with every child.

Secondly, a Private Party. This will be held in the Balmoral Room on the evening.

Thirdly there is a Club Christmas Party. Christmas starts here. Let your hair down at the club Christmas Party featuring the brilliant DJ Cookie with his Disco Party music. Come in Christmas Fancy Dress if you want although it is not compulsory. The evening starts at 7pm with an interval at 8pm for the club Christmas Draw (see details following). Buffet will be available on the night.

Fourth, the Club Christmas Draw. This will be held at 8pm during an interval in the Party Night. Many prizes will be available to win including 1 x £250, 2 x £100 & 2 x £50 cash plus 12 x 1 gallons of beer, spirits, wines, meat vouchers, chocolates, pheasants etc. Place your name on the draw sheet in the bar to enter. Numbers are 50p each and the money is payable at the bar.

On Wednesday 18th is the Christmas Quiz, Bingo & Buffet Supper. The evening starts at 8pm and tickets are priced at £4 each. Julie Towell will be asking the questions and calling the bingo and Michelle, our fantastic stewardess, will be providing the buffet made in our new kitchen upstairs. Tickets are available from the bar and they will definitely sell out so you need to buy yours before they all go. There will be a prize for the best Christmas

costume on the night. During the evening there will be a cheque presentation to the Saltburn Christmas Lights Appeal. We have raised a lot of money over the course of the year and I will inform you of the final amount in my next article. Many thanks go to club members for the support you have given to this very good cause.

On Friday 20th there is the ‗Open Mic Night‘ Christmas Party, hosted by Liz Bishop & friends. This event will be held in the Balmoral Room, starting at 8pm. Any person wanting to play or sing please give your names to Liz from 7.30pm. Everybody is welcome and entry is free. You are advised to come early to get a good seat. This will be a fantastic night so come along and support Liz and live music in Saltburn. A buffet will be available on the night.

On Saturday 21st there will be a ladies group private Christmas Party in the snug from 5pm.

On Tuesday 24th (Christmas Eve) there will be a Carol Concert. Get your Christmas hats and scarves out for our annual Christmas Carol Concert taking place from 6.45pm to 7.30pm approx. This year the singing will be led by our very own Paul Morrison, the man with the golden voice, and a big attendance is expected. Carol sheets will be provided and we expect to hear the members in great voice. A small buffet, including mince pies will be available on the night to all attendees.

On Thursday 26th (Boxing Day) there will be a concert.

Paul Morrison will be giving a concert with all your favourite songs. We hope you join in the singing and have a dance to get rid of the Christmas Day dinner. The evening will commence at 7pm. Please come along and give your support.

Friday 27th is a Child‘s Private Birthday Party. This party will be held in the Balmoral Room commencing at 1pm.

Sunday 29th is another Private Party Night. The club are very pleased to welcome the Fire Brigade, several of whom are club members, to hold a party night in the Balmoral Room.

Hopefully there will be no call-outs on the night, meaning they can have a great evening which they very much deserve. They are very good members of the club and it is our privilege to host their party.

Tuesday 31st (New Year‘s Eve) we will be letting in the New Year in style at the Cons Club. Music and dancing till the early hours with a break for the traditional singing of Auld Lang Syne at midnight. Party hats and poppers are a must. The evening will commence at 7pm. There will also be singing from Paul Morrison on what will be a great way to celebrate New Year.

As you can see from the above we have arranged a full programme of events for you over the festive period and we hope you can attend as many as possible. You are always guaranteed a fantastic time in the club where we create the best atmosphere and togetherness you could ever hope for. Our members have been amazing throughout the year and we thank them for their support and encouragement they have given the club and made it what it is today. We have had a very successful year and it‘s all down to the members, Michelle and the bar-staff, officers and committee working together as a team that has made it possible.

As you have been informed, membership is now closed but you can still fill out an application form, without making a payment, and the application will be considered by the committee at their March meeting held on the second Monday. I will contact you after this date with further information regarding your membership and payment details.

Once again, have the best Christmas possible, spent with family and friends and I look forward to getting in touch next year. Best wishes, David.

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

43

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

NEW... SPIRALS DAYTIME CLASS COMING SOON!!! starts JAN 10th / FRIDAYS 9.30am / EarthBeat Centre

A PILATES, YOGA & BALLET inspired 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

SOSA will get you TONED UP, FIT & give you that ‘STRICTLY’ FEELING! This fun and feel good dance fitness class is for ALL AGES and ABILITIES...

Mondays 7pm - Emmanuel Church Hall, Saltburn - £4

Packed with Latin rhythms and International beats…

This FUN and EASY TO FOLLOW class is TONING and a great OVERALL WORKOUT Mondays 6pm - Emmanuel Church Hall, Saltburn - £4 Thursdays 10am - Saltburn Community Hall - £4

Holly Blue

For more info… Call ESTELLE on 07887 525234 or visit...

We have a large range of Quality Greetings Cards, Wrap, Bags, Balloons, Books, Stationery, Jigsaws, Orchard Toys, Calendars, Diaries & much more.

Book Ordering Service, Quarterly Prize Draw & Loyalty Card System 45 Milton Street (Opposite Sainsbury’s Car Park)

TIME SERVED

Tel: 01287 624283 LEGAL SERVICES AVAILABLE IN YOUR OWN HOME AT VERY COMPETITIVE RATES

I have recently retired after providing legal services at a local solicitors for almost forty years and am now able to provide legal assistance in respect of wills, powers of attorney and help to deal with matters following a bereavement including the obtaining of a Grant of Probate. Please call me on 07402 777393 and I will be happy to visit you in your own home to discuss your requirements and give a quotation.

LORNA SMITH 44

Saving And Re-homing Animals THE ANN PROSSER FOUNDATION

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! We are Carmen the dog, and Todd and Copper the cats. We are looking for our forever families.

Carmen is a very special girl who is about one year old. She came to SARA as a stray. Carmen is completely deaf so would need a home with owners who understand her needs. Carmen is a bonnie girl, white with brown markings and stunning eyes. Carmen loves playing in the pen, snuggling in the cabin and going for walks with the other dogs in our rescue centre, and she is very loving and affectionate. We feel that Carmen would be best suited to a home where she can live with another dog of similar temperament for companionship and playing together.

Todd and Copper are very cute young brothers, who are both black and white. They are around 6 months old. They came to stay with us at Foxrush Farm with their mum Vixen. They were all found abandoned outside a pub and picked up and rescued by a member of the public. We are looking for a home where Todd and Copper can go to live as a pair. Todd and Copper are lovely little boys with lots of energy and would make a great addition to any family. Both boys are extremely affectionate! We feel they could potentially live in a home with another cat or two. They must have safe access to the outdoors.

SARA fundraising events during December Please note our monthly meetings for SARA supporters and the public are now held in the Cleveland Bay, Ings Road, Redcar on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm. Bar open, friendly atmosphere, everyone‘s welcome, so please join us on 3rd December for a pleasant evening and hear all our recent news.

Future SARA fundraising events Our CHRISTMAS FAYRE is on Saturday, 7th December 10am to 1pm at Marske Hall (formerly Sir Leonard Cheshire Home). There will be sherry, mince pies, refreshments, raffle, tombola, Christmas stalls, and wreaths. The ‗Local Vocals‘ will sing and entertain from 11.00am to 12 Noon.

Our traditional CAROLS AT FOXRUSH will take place at Foxrush Farm on Kirkleatham Lane, Redcar from 2pm to 3:30pm on Sunday, 8th December. Entertainment and singers by ‗Local Vocals‘. Come and join in the singing and browse the Christmas stalls whilst sipping hot mulled wine. There will be other refreshments on offer too.

STREET COLLECTION – to be held on Saturday, 14th December – in Middlesbrough town centre from 10:00am to 4:00pm. If you are able to help please ring 01642 488108 or visit Foxrush Farm. All help is welcome.

Joy and Mandy Volunteers at SARA 45

The Talisker Whiskey Challenge: 3000 Miles – Four Men - One Boat The British Army is rowing the Atlantic Ocean! For the first time, a 4-man Army team is entering the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, a 3000-mile unsupported international rowing race across the North Atlantic Ocean starting on 12th December 2019. Billed as the world‘s toughest row, this is the ultimate test of physical and mental endurance and one which aligns directly to the Army‘s ethos of challenge, adventure, teamwork and leadership. Over approximately six weeks, Local man Captain Chris Hames with a team of two other Army officers and an 18-year-old Private soldier, just out of Basic Training, will row in two hours on and off shifts throughout the day and night as they battle their way from the Canary Islands to Antigua.

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is an annual race from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua. In mid-December, approximately 40 crews will set off to row the 3000 nautical miles to Nelson‘s Dockyard in Antigua.

Throughout, they will be raising funds for the Army Benevolent Fund ‗The Soldiers Charity‘.

The fastest crews will cross inside 5 weeks, but 100+ days at sea is not unusual. Fewer people have rowed the Atlantic than have climbed Everest or been to Space.

Rowers race not just against the other crews, but over 40 days of rowing, eating, resting on a small vessel at sea, it is also against the deterioration of their bodies and minds.

To follow their journey and support or donate please 46

check out www.forceatlantic.com and we are on all the social media apps, Facebook is Force Atlantic 19 and twitter and Insta is Force Atlantic.

Image from Ian Forsyth - Saltburn

ADVENT CALENDAR

by John Pearson (DoorWays) It’s a waiting game for sleepy Shepherds, Angels and Wise Men; all are travelling to Bethlehem. Some are already there, some are searching, others are told to, “Go and see.”

What’s all the fuss about?

You probably know the story so far but how much more is there for you to discover? What part are you called to play? The advent calendar is called, “Conversations with Dad.” So, journey with us to Bethlehem through this advent calendar. David and his Dad uncover some interesting questions and thoughts. However, conversations are two way and we would love to hear your thoughts too. Let’s hurry towards Christmas in a positive way.

You’re invited to try this digital alternative at the website marked below or scan the QR code. A printed copy can also be made available at a small fee to cover the cost of printing. Please contact John at Doorways 01287 236006. https://innershell01.wixsite.com/advent

Please see the Churches Together page for all the Christmas Services at Emmanuel.

May God bless you all this Christmas.

Services Times Sundays 9.00am traditional communion 10.45am contemporary worship

Tuesdays 9.30am said communion

Morning Prayer 9.00am Tues-Fri in ECHO

Contact Details tel 01287 622251

email emmanuelsaltburn@hotmail.co.uk

web www.emmanuelsaltburn.co.uk

OPEN CHURCH December 2019 Sat: 7th, & 21st 10am - 4pm Sun: 15th 1 - 4pm

47

Churches Together in Saltburn invite you to join us in our Christmas Worship

Sunday 15th December 2019 9.00 am 10.30 am 10.45 am 10.45 am 3.00 pm

Holy Communion Parish Church Mass Catholic Church Family Worship Parish Church Nativity & Toy Service Methodist Church Christingle Service Parish Church In aid of The Children’s Society

Sunday 22nd December 2019 9.00 am 10.30 am 10.45 am 10.45 am 6.00 pm

Holy Communion Mass All Engage Service Morning Worship Carol Service & Nativity (United Service)

Parish Church Catholic Church Parish Church Hall Methodist Church Parish Church

Christmas Eve: Tuesday 24th December 2019 5.00 pm 6.30 pm 7.00 pm 11.15 pm 11.30 pm

Crib Service for all ages Carols for Christmas First Mass of Christmas Holy Communion Midnight Communion

Parish Church Catholic Church Catholic Church Methodist Church Parish Church

Christmas Day: Wednesday 25th December 2019 10.00 am 10.00 am 10.30 am

Christmas Communion Service Parish Church Christmas Worship Methodist Church Family Mass Catholic Church

Sunday 29th December 2019 10.00 am 10.30 am 10.45 am

Holy Communion Mass Morning Worship

Parish Church Catholic Church Methodist Church

Church Locations and Contacts Parish Church of Emmanuel

Windsor Road

Parish Church Office

Upleatham Street 01287 622251

Methodist Church

Milton Street

01287 632770

Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church

Milton Street

01287 623619

48

01287 622007

Christmas Message Window Shopping I guess that one of the things that we all do at this time of year is to ‗window shop‘. What do I mean by that? Well, of course boys and girls and indeed those not so young but young at heart, all take time at this season to think about ‗what we‘d like for Christmas‘. It‘s a natural thing to do as the ‗big day‘ approaches.

Lights are twinkling amid garlands of ribbons; stars and baubles adorn the trees, and in the weeks before Christmas many shop windows can become a treasure chest of delight!

A stroll through the shops in any major city or town at night and in the Christmas season becomes an exercise in art and design that whets our appetites for things beyond reach (unless it‘s late night shopping of course and we can shop).

Doing our window-shopping in the evenings is a good plan – we may feast our eyes on the lavishness of the unobtainable, safe in the knowledge that the shops are closed! But then, we‘re ‗only looking‘! And of course, ‗only looking‘ is not spending!

There are many parts of the world where window-shopping is possibly the only kind of shopping available, if at all! The riches of the western world compare starkly with the poverty of under-developed countries. They can only look and hope!

On occasions people go ‗windowshopping‘ by going to a church! A stirring hymn, a moving prayer or an inspirational reading of God‘s word may give us a glimpse into a kingdom which is far removed from the troubled world around us; perhaps more than at any other season Christmas is the time when this is the case, a time when hope is held out of light in darkness.

Suddenly we feel within reach of something wonderful — peace on earth and goodwill to all men and once again the hope of a new humanity inspired by the babe of Bethlehem becomes just that little bit more attainable. A dream or a reality!

We hope for a world where the hungry are fed, where children can grow up in love and security and where all things work together for good.

What would you like for Christmas? I certainly would like to see some of these things and yet as a Christian minister I of course believe that the promise held in the life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus hold out that hope for the world, a promise that is possible.

May I take this opportunity to wish you a blessed Christmas and a happy new year?

Rev’d John Henry, Superintendent Minister of Cleveland and Danby Circuit and Minister of Saltburn Methodist Church.

Ensuring Good Mental Health at Saltburn Primary School ―I‘m so proud of the amazing staff we have here, who work hard to ensure that each and every child is happy and able to learn,‖ says Ms Gail Ash, Assistant Headteacher at Saltburn Primary School. ―Staff really care, they strive to provide holistic support and boost the confidence of children.‖ I have been speaking to Gail, Mrs Katie Sawdon, Year 6 teacher and Mrs Joanne McKenna, Year 4 teacher, to discover more about their aims and practice. ―Good mental health in the Primary School means that learners are happy, that they enjoy their education and that they know they can talk to staff about any worries,‖ explains Gail.

Katie continues: ―We support children in developing the essential life skills of recognising a problem and implementing strategies to solve it.‖ Even coming through the classroom door on their own can be a challenge and staff are alert to any child who is overwhelmed. Currently running in the afternoons, is a responsive nurture class for four to seven year olds. Two fully trained staff give full attention to up to eight children to develop their social and emotional skills. They are also available to be called upon to support individual older children at class teachers‘ request. ―For Years 5 and 6, we liaise with the school nursing team for a programme of resilience and wellbeing sessions too,‖ says Gail. ―They worked with Year 6 last year, in preparation for their moving to secondary school.‖ Since 2014, Saltburn Primary School has bought in the services of Time for You, a counselling organisation.

Confidential one to one and small group sessions are offered to support children struggling with problems, such as bereavement issues, peer group relationships or inappropriate behaviour.

Sometimes parents ask for counselling support for their children; in other instances teachers suggest it. The school places high importance on working collaboratively with parents and many are very appreciative.

Research shows that emotional well-being is linked to physical well-being and the Government recommends that children should be physically active for sixty minutes a day, with thirty of those being in school time. ―So we‘re planning to work with a highly recommended Saltburn company called Yoga Bugs in Years 2 and 6,‖ says Katie. ―The staff will take the Yoga training so that they can extend the activity at other times.‖ Gail says that the busy environment of school can sometimes lead to stress in some young children, so staff are making the whole environment suitable for every child. Emphasis is put on keeping sound to low levels where appropriate and quiet background music can be played. There are plans to introduce a Mindfulness afterschool club.

Circle Time sessions are held as part of Personal, Health and Social Education. The younger children are able to speak up if they are holding a favourite class bear, but they can pass it on if they don‘t want to contribute.

Topics, such as stranger danger, are introduced sensitively

by the teachers, who get to know what the children are thinking. ―But PHSE is fed through the whole curriculum,‖ says Joanne. ―We have drawn up the Saltburn Standards, which give guidance to children on how to conduct themselves. Each week one is focused on and the school awards a Super Star of the Week to a learner who has displayed behaviour of the highest quality.‖ Saltburn Primary School can refer children to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and to Educational Psychologists, but quicker help is provided through Time for You Counselling. If a parent is already working with external counsellors, they can come into school to see the children. ―We work hand in hand with Children‘s Social Services and take part in Operation Encompass, which is a national scheme, locally implemented,‖ explains Gail. If the Police are called to a scene of domestic violence in a learner‘s home overnight, they confidentially pass this information on to the school and the staff look out for the child, providing support the next day. ―When helpful, I will meet a child at the door, bring him or her in for breakfast and take them to class,‖ says Gail. ―We aim to bring back a level of normality for them and for this, we have brioche, crumpets, bread and milk ready in the fridge, Lego to play with and unpressurised time for them to talk about how they feel.‖ The staff are constantly looking for ways in which to extend nurture to enable learning. They participate in professional development and will soon be attending a Redcar and Cleveland Conference on Inclusion. The teachers tell me that there are more families involved with external and Children‘s Services today as there are wider social issues being experienced and austerity will have had an impact. There are pressures on children from living in a digital age: they have extensive access to digital devices, which may not always put their interests first.

Nevertheless, staff at Saltburn Primary School are making a difference. They are making sure that children know that it‘s okay to talk about things, that adults are always keen to listen and to help them manage their feelings. As OFSTED said last year: ‗This is a Good School.‘ Rosemary Nicholls 49

Iron in the Blood

by Alan Butler

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50

It was good news indeed to hear that a buyer had finally been found for British Steel and that so many jobs in our locality would be saved – not to mention an industry that was such an important component part of the populating of the area. Metal working came earlier to Tyneside than it did to the Tees, mainly because there was hardly anyone living immediately to the south of river until the early nineteenth century. However, the area was important for two reasons.

The first was the making a little further down the coast of a substance named Alum and the second was the proliferation of natural, iron nodules to be found on the beaches, These were collected and taken further north to the early smelting works on the Tyne. In fact this practice may well have been going on since the start of the Iron Age. Quite late in the Industrial Revolution it became commercially viable to mine the iron rich stone across our area and especially in the Eston Hills. As a result thousands of people began to gravitate to the area – including eventually my great grandparents. In my case the Elwoods from their farming background in Cambridge and the Wallaces, from Scotland after several generations tin mining in Cornwall arrived in the virgin town of Saltburn and put down roots alongside people from so many other places.

There is a rich diversity of origins amongst those who live immediately north and south of the Tees and it‘s a fact that had it not been for the discovery of exploitable iron in the district none of us would have been here at all. Up until today the area might still be given over to the marginal sort of coastal farmland that it once represented. As it was, the smoke and soot of a rapidly growing Middlesbrough led to the establishment by the Pease family of our glorious little town of Saltburn and the rest as they say is history.

Saltburn must surely be one of the very first ‗new towns‘ ever established and how wonderful it would be to go back there in the latter part of the 19th century and to hear the rich diversity of accents and to experience the melting pot of humanity alongside that of the smelters. In my case, both my Grandmother and my Mother were born in Saltburn and my Grandfather came here from Staithes, where the family had settled two generations earlier after their adventure north from Cornwall. Life must have been hard in a Britain that was restructuring itself completely but in the case of Saltburn a community was soon established and a new identity forged like the iron and steel north and south of us. Meanwhile those who had been drawn to the area to mine the ironstone had to be flexible. From census records for my Grandfather‘s family it is obvious that they moved about almost peripatetically from one village to another – no doubt seeking the best wages as new mines opened and closed. This story must have been repeated time again for hundreds of families and there was probably more than a flavour of the Klondike in the outlying hamlets, where isolated terraces still stand as a testimony to tiny communities that came and sometimes went as the iron was chased across the district.

I hope all the steel workers and their suppliers can settle down to a happier Christmas that might have been the case otherwise and that we never forget the spirit of our ancestors and the iron in their blood.

The Saltburn Profile Kim West ―My dream is to have a West by Design Studio with a showroom,‖ says local wallpaper and furnishing fabric designer, Kim West. She is inspired by nature in our area and her work features hand painted pieces that reflect the bountiful and ever-changing countryside in which we live – from bees to pheasants to feathers.

Kim was brought up in Skelton, where she says she had a lovely childhood. She went to Skelton Infants and Juniors and then on to De Brus Secondary School. After that, she studied part-time for a Diploma in Interior Design from home, while working full-time at Gisborough Hall as a wedding and events co-ordinator, ―That was a very energetic and engaging role,‖ she says. ―It was interesting and often exciting to see the different approaches people brought to their weddings.‖ After her intensive work and study period, Kim moved to a career outside interior design: she took up employment as a packaging designer at Quorn Foods of Stokesley, which produces meat-free sausages, burgers, pies and other vegetarian meat-like foods. She worked there for eight years, engaged in food photography and the design of the packaging. ―I‘m a vegetarian myself,‖ she explains, ―so the business attracted me.‖ From there, she moved to her current position as Marketing Manager of a new recycling technology company at Wilton: ReNew ELP (End of Plastic). ―The new technology involves water and pressure to break down the molecular structure of waste plastic,‖ she tells me. ―Once broken down, the product can be used to make new plastic and other products. It differs from mechanical recycling because it can recycle plastic film, which is currently incinerated or sent to landfill. There are environmental benefits as waste plastic sent to landfill often leaks out into the environment. Our process is able to capture that material and use it as a resource rather than it be a waste product.‖ It‘s Kim‘s role to work alongside various associations and companies to promote ReNew ELP‘s recycling technology. She also lobbies Government to accept this type of recycling as part of a national recycling scheme.

But for some time, Kim has longed for a creative outlet; she was very arty at school, although her career to that point had entailed working in offices. One rainy Saturday, she dusted off her decade-old paints and began work with a collection of fossils, gathered locally from our Jurassic Coast.

She painted them with acrylics and a tin of old house paint, which was past its best; this added texture. ―I had an idea that I‘d like to see these pieces on walls, as I‘ve always loved wallpaper and how it can transform walls,‖ she says – and so West by Design was born.

The focus of her wallpapers is beautiful and natural things from North Yorkshire, anything inspiring from the local landscape. She hand paints and then digitally manipulates her painting into a wallpaper design. ―I started with a collection of seven papers and in the autumn, I launched a further ten and a children‘s nursery design,‖ Kim explains. ―I have recently begun to offer fabrics for furnishings too, selling by the metre.

Designs are being printed on silk, cotton, velvet, voile and tweed.‖ Interior design outlets across North Yorkshire are stocking the wallpapers – the nearest being Peter Silk Interior Design at Helmsley – but the majority of orders come from across the UK through her website (www.westbydesign.co.uk).

Kim featured her wallpaper and fabric designs at her first trade

by Rosemary Nicholls

show on 26th October at the Biscuit Factory in Newcastle: the Northern Quarters Interior Design Festival and she‘s looking forward to exhibiting at the Surface Design Show in London from 11th – 13th February. This will attract national and international visitors.

Spending twenty to twenty-five hours a week on West

by Design and working at a full-time job doesn‘t leave Kim much leisure time. But she goes to the gym and runs, often from Skelton to Saltburn, to keep fit. Saturdays sometimes see her off walking with Darren, her partner, who is a butcher at Malton. ―I‘ve been a vegetarian since the age of twelve, when I found I didn‘t agree with the ethics of intensively farming animals for meat,‖ she remembers, ―but I say ‗Each to their own‘ and Darren and I get along fine foodwise!‖ She enjoys cooking on a Saturday evening and preparing Sunday lunch.

Although she is concerned not to eat too much baked food for health reasons, she is an enthusiastic baker.

A couple of years ago, Kim went on a month long trip to New Zealand, during which she was Maid of Honour at the wedding of her best friend from Skelton. As well, she travelled throughout the North Island, spending a night or two in each stopping place. She travelled for pleasure to Budapest last February: ―It was impossibly cold, but beautiful,‖ she says. For work, she has visited Barcelona, Vienna and Frankfurt.

Looking to the future, Kim hopes to develop her business, establishing the West by Design brand name further, but she‘d also like to visit an animal shelter or charity to get a whippet, something she‘s set her heart on for some time. She says her family are ‗definitely dog people‘ with three working springer spaniels amongst them!

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Saltburn, Redcar & Cleveland Philatelic Society PHILATELIC GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST We are all now used to seeing and using special Christmas stamps on a yearly basis but as far as a commemorative Christmas stamp issue they were slow to appear and did not arrive on the scene until 1966.

It was the brainchild of (Sir) Anthony Wedgewood Benn, the then Postmaster General (1964-1966).

The designs were a result of a competition being thrown open to school children who were invited to submit designs for two stamps: a 3d (pence) and 1/6d (1 shilling & sixpence) (pre-decimal era). There was no shortage of entries and after much consideration Tasveer Shemza‘s design for the 3d King and James Berry‘s design for the Snowman were the winners. Both children were 6 years old.

The stamps were printed by Harrison & Sons Ltd, security printers, High Wycombe and were issued on 1st December 1966.

Several FDCs (First Day Covers) were also produced and are easily available for collectors at affordable prices.

Both stamps, however, produced some interesting and rare ‗errors‘ to look out for. The 3d (pence) King in particular some of which had a double Queen‘s head and also a double Queen‘s head where one was albino! Both of these errors currently have a catalogue value above £700 each!

A common and often seen error on the 3d King (bottom left margin) is a missing ‗T‘ in the line T. Shemza. These are of no great value.

Our meetings begin in the New Year on 8th January, 22nd January, and 5th February, 7.00pm - 9.00pm. Visitor and guests are welcome FREE. If you have an old stamp collection you would like to seek advice or valuation on (for free!) please come along or contact us.

Contacts: Geoff Reynolds 01642 478229 or Martin Snowdon 01287 622504.

Saltburn Line User Group Next Meeting: Tuesday, 3rd December 2019 at 6.30pm.

The speaker will be Graham Meiklejohn from TransPennine Express.

Meetings at Saltburn Conservative Club are held on the first Tuesday of the month, and our starting time is now (permanently) 7pm.

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 52

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Postal Subscription to Talk of the Town If you enjoy Talk of the Town, why not subscribe?

You can have your favourite local magazine delivered anywhere in the UK for just £33.50 per year.

Just call us on 01642 477200 and we can take card payment over the phone.

You’ll then get the next 12 issues delivered direct to your door at the start of every month.

Saltburn Allotments Association We have would like to thank everyone who attended the pumpkin party in October. It was a great evening despite the rain that night. We would like to thank the scouts for allowing us to use their hut at such short notice. We had great entertainment thanks to Colin’s Drumming and the Forest School activities arranged by Rosalyn and Claire, help from our Committee members with activities and staffing the food stall providing refreshments. It was a resounding success and seems to have been enjoyed by all.

We are pleased to announce we will be stocking peat free compost. We chose miracle grow multipurpose and also a few bags to begin with, of tomato compost from Dalesfoot. This contains a season long fertilizer! I tried this out during the summer and added no additional feed and it gave me an excellent crop. Come and see us in the container for more information on Sundays.

This time of year you may not have much growing but continue to clear any crops when they are ready. You may wish to leave cover for wildlife rather than be too tidy, somewhere to find food or overwinter or chop and lay on the surface to provide soil protection. You can do your tidying in the spring, composting the remainder then.

You can still plant shallots, overwintering onions and garlic as long as the weather holds. Check if any winter pruning of fruit is needed or plant additional fruit bushes or trees while dormant.

Keep winter protection to hand for any overwintering crops you may have if the weather turns.

You may need to insulate your greenhouse if you have crops inside or are planning to sow seed early next year but of course you will need to remove any crops that are finished. Give it a good clean first with a suitable preparation to remove any pests that are looking for a winter hotel and clean out any disease! Make sure you remove any green algae or dirt from glass to maximize the light in to it.

On good weather days take the chance to check your sheds and boundaries and make any repairs. If mild you can add a coat of paint or creosote. Check plant supports, and tidy away any weeds. On cold or rainy days you could sort out your spades, shovels, forks and rakes and the like, cleaning and sharpening for next season, Wipe with an oily cloth to keep them rust free, a perfect job to do in a warm shed.

Perhaps purchase a water barrel and collect rainwater from your shed?

Plan for the next year’s crops, Check out websites and seed catalogues for ideas. Write yourself a list for Santa!

Finally don’t forget to call and see us at the Christmas farmers’ market. We will have our stall set up in the town garden behind Consteel that we used for the food festival and plan to make it look really festive!

Julia

The Muses of Jim

First of all, I wish all of you a very merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. I went for my first check up of my CDI and it is the first time I have been consulted without having to speak. I was told to lie on a bed, take my jacket off and that was it. The nurse technician, a very attractive young lady, without speaking to me, worked on the computer and a long length of paper came out and she said I am doing fine. Then she asked me if I had any trouble and I said it seemed to be moving about a bit and she said that they do and not to worry. So it will be another six months before I have to go in although their machine will talk to my machine occasionally. So when I get the letter I have to sleep in my own bed.

I am struggling to finish my one man’s view of Saltburn but I should finish it soon. It is just a question of relating Saltburn now to when I did my study and finding things out like the pier wasn’t open until the July of 1869 and the Zetland was the second railway hotel after one in West Ridings of Yorkshire. I have to get in touch with the British Museum for a photograph of the cloth on display that was found down the well of the signal station. The one taken from the British Museum web is just a blob of black on a white background. I have to get permission to use some photographs from a couple of photographers. Fortunately, they are friends of mine so I am hoping they won’t object.

By the time you are reading this, I will have visited Tutankhamun’s treasures in London which is a birthday present from Vicki, my daughter, which is very kind of her. I am going with Megan also, so she can carry my bag! At the time of writing I have just got back from touring the three market gardens and got a surprise at the Cherry Tree one at their Christmas display. It had singing yetis and four live reindeer! Clearly, on loan from Santa because they were all lying down resting, preparing for the great day. The look on the children’s faces at the yetis and the reindeer was pure magic. So, remember you children, straight to sleep or they might forget to call.

As I feel a lot better now, I am beginning to pick up the activities that I do for various organisations and I feel a lot better for having something positive to do, rather than just sitting in the house, moping. And I think I might finally pluck up the courage to apply for my license back as the person I believe to have said I was medically unfit, without any medical training, has left the area. But, of course I can’t be absolutely certain but logic tells me so.

I miss not having all the family over at Christmas but happily it has been decided where and when I am going over Christmas and New Year. I think as usual we will be going to Cheshire to stop at my youngest, Lisa’s house, where I lower the tone of the local club as it is a very wealthy area!

I must finish now as under pain of death I have to finish my birthday and Christmas list, otherwise I will get all kinds of rubbish, like underpants, socks and back scratchers.

Jim Wingham 53

The Saltburn Crossword no 222 set by Dinosaur Across 1 and 27 Across Current 500 Club fundraising is for this in our town, is bright assistant fun calm lord I redesigned (2, 3, 2, 8, 9, 6) 7 Began to change first letter for victory person on a conscientious diet (5) 8 Great threat to the environment to clasp it about (7) 10 Looking back with fondness in goal sat around (9) 11 A wild animal might be thus if not mated (5) 13 Mary, mother of Jesus, was often painted wearing one in brave Illinois (4) 15 Someone following orders is thus to be dine out (8) 18 Someone with opinions can have thus at bird due out (8) 19 Title given to an independent Middle Eastern ruler when initially each man is reconciled (4) 21 South African antelope found in England after losing two?

(5) 22 King Richard of England apparently had one big cat at the centre (9) 25 Children‘s 60s TV pirate captain cleaned a small dog? (7) 26 Northern riot exploded explosive without glycerine! (5) 27 See 1 Across

Name___________________________________ Address_________________________________ ________________________________________ Telephone_______________________________

Down 1 Saltburn road in vain revue (5, 6) 2 He names a breed of cattle in Aberdeen! (5) 3 Saltburn street with an East and a West found back in a sad nude (6) 4 Romantic liaison to be thrown? (5) 5 Clapped the short mobile phone request for a job before being praised (9) 6 Final demand is mutual, Tim sorted (9) 9 Most countries have a national one hiding scant hemisphere (6) 12 They go up at this time of year when road section is dissected (11) 14 Where baby Jesus was placed (2, 1, 6) 16 Where baby Jesus was born (9) 17 Correct plural word for where spectators watch football (6) 20 Saltburn vegetarian café found when we wash an IT backwards! (6) 23 They are not quite round when back in Slavonia (5) 24 How to spell the letter H after dropping it! (5)

Solution to Crossword no 221

The winner of last month‘s crossword was Lorna Atkinson of The Avenue, Brotton.

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.

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Send your completed crossword to: Saltburn Crossword no 222, c/o Jackie‘s Saverstore, 8 Station Buildings, Saltburn, TS12 1AQ

by Friday, 13th December 2019. First correct solution out of the bag wins a £10 voucher kindly donated by Tim and Sheila of Real Meals.

Valerie Holmes: Saltburn Author ―Willoughby stared up at the majestic cliff; he guessed it could be a three hundred feet drop. His chest tightened as he thought of his beloved father being thrown off it. But by whom? How would he ever find out?

As they entered Ebton, watched by wary eyes, it was obvious that visitors were still rare despite the town‘s recent growth. They passed by a small inn. It looked as though it had been built onto the beach itself…‖ To Love, Honour and Obey by Valerie Holmes.

Recognise the place? Yes, this is the nineteenth century town of Ebton based on our very own Saltburn.

Ebton is one of the main fictitious towns created by local born author Valerie Holmes. In both the Yorkshire Saga series (Sapere Books) and The North Riding Novellas (eBooks and FA Thorpe Publishing) much of the action is based around our region‘s York, Whitby, Ebton and the market town of Gorebeck (a typical market town such as Guisborough), the moors, bay towns and forestry surrounding them.

Valerie has always been drawn to the history that abounds in our area. However, although she loves to visit the region‘s stately homes it is the social history, which affected the everyday people, that really draws her. Her characters are lovingly portrayed as they challenge the social strata and survive each day.

The smuggling links that existed in Saltburn are woven into the story of To Love, Honour and Obey with the evil Oberon Spratt. The hero‘s father is thrown to his death from Stangcliffe - our Saltburn‘s Huntcliff - and a quest ensues!

Valerie writes fast-paced adventures in the early nineteenth century; a time of dramatic social change at home as the wars dragged on in France. Set in the Regency era her stories are regional, not venturing to the constraints of the London Ton. These romantic mysteries include smuggling, espionage, Luddites and the effects of the industrial revolution as well as the role of women in society at the time. The result - stories packed with high drama that each hero and heroine has to face as they challenge the society norm of the day. ―His daughter, his only child, was walking briskly across the gardens behind the old village where a stream cut into the woodland making a beautiful, sheltered, but dangerous and deep ravine…‖ from To Have and To Hold.

Valerie sees love as a timeless essential of life in all its many forms, both positive and negative: romance, nurturing, caring, needy, manipulate and possessive.

Emotions drive characters as they seek their own satisfaction and fulfilment, through love or hate: for good or evil. These aspects of life are constant throughout time and so fuel any good plot.

Her breakthrough into print came when she won Writing Magazine‘s Annual Ghost Story Competition back in 2002. This was shortly followed by her first novella. Over forty novellas later she is currently writing The Yorkshire Saga Series. To Love, Honour and Obey recently achieved best-seller #1 banners in Kindle categories in both Australia and Canada.

Although, for family reasons, she had to move away from our beautiful area she often returns to research it and explains that this is the key to writing convincing historical fiction. The region is steeped in fascinating features from the ancient trods that cross the moors to the history of the various halls and abbeys. The settings, costumes, culture and knowledge affecting or limiting a character‘s thinking are governed by how life and learning influenced them at the time. Although based on fact the characters and places in her books are fictionalised.

Writing convincing historical dialogue is always challenging as it has to be accessible to the modern person, as does their thinking, therefore, this can never be truly accurate, but she explains a writer can give a flavour of an accent and the limitations of a characters‘ understanding.

Superstition, religion, tradition, travel, folklore and a person‘s role/place in society were more limited.

Valerie also works as an experienced creative writing tutor/mentor, loving the challenge of supporting and encouraging unpublished students move toward attaining their writing goals, as well as developing the skills of established writers.

Valerie can be contacted via her website www.ValerieHolmesAuthor.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

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