Early-bird shoppers are in for a treble treat when Saltburn Farmer’s Market celebrates National Honey Week on Sat. 12 May.

Every mouthful of food we eat is dependant on crop pollination by bees, so we need a thriving bee population. Yet, colony numbers have been declining since 2007 across the world. With this worrying statistic, whatever the cause – pesticides? mobile phones? parasites? – we wanted to share with you some of the fascinating facts about bees and beekeeping so have a honey pot of treats in store at this months farmers market.

• A Bizzy Bees Family Treasure Hunt and Quiz,gets underway from 9am on the morning, with honeypot clues dotted around all 25 stalls, before a special Farmers’ Market Childrens’ Hamper is presented to the winner at 11am.
• The town’s Allotment Association will be on hand to sow attractive flower seeds at their stall – everyone taking part can then take their new plants home with them
• And, weather permitting, shoppers will be able to see bees at work as popular stallholder and beekeeper Allan Stonehouse, from Beez Neez Apiary, will bring along a demonstration hive, with all bees safely behind glass to ensure no stings at the stall.

Read more about Allan and his honey along with other great products coming into the market this Saturday to include:a Honey Wine from Skinningrove Wines; honey and seed flapjack and gingerbread bees from The Gingerbread House; locally made beauty products from beehive in Brotton;  and out for tasters and feedback  – some new honey cheeses from Yorkshiredale Cheese company including Cranberry and honey, Strawberry and honey, Cherry and honey

All in all its going to be a great market for everyone that comes along nice and early.
As always please forward this email to friends and colleagues to make sure no one misses the buzzy market!
Also please vote for Real Meals Deli – Deli of the year competition at www.delioftheyear.co.uk/search-by-region/Realmeals/ and check out further market stories on Saltburn Farmers Market Facebook Page

• Saltburn Farmers’ Market: Saturday 12 May. Over 25 stalls include a mix of fresh seasonal locally produced fruit & veg, meat & game, cheese and wine, jams and chutneys, bread and butter, plants & herbs, cakes and fudge, pottery, wool and artworks. Just outside Sainsbury’s, near Saltburn Railway Station, starts at 9am.

• Further Market’s take place on the second Saturday of the month; June 9, July 14, September 8, October 13, November 10 and December 8.

RESIDENTS are being encouraged to try their hand at a variety of sports over the coming weeks – as a new spring programme of activities begins.

Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council’s sports development team is hosting taster courses in tennis, golf, badminton and sailing, in partnership with local clubs.

The hour-long sessions – funded by the Community Investment Fund – are part of an on-going drive to boost numbers of people taking part in sports and physical activity.

Courses will last six weeks and are delivered by qualified coaches, with all equipment provided.

Tennis lessons are taking place on Thursdays at Guisborough Tennis Club, starting at 1.30pm on April 26. A Saturday course begins on April 28, at 10am. Cost is £2 per session.

Cleveland Golf Club hosts golf sessions at 11am on Saturdays, starting April 28, and 6pm on Tuesdays, starting May 1. Cost £3 per session.

The DeBrus Centre in Skelton is the venue for badminton sessions on Fridays, from 10am to 11am, starting on May 4. Cost £2 per session.

Sailing lessons begin on Sunday, April 22, from 9.30am to 12.30pm, at Scaling Dam Sailing Dam. Cost £8 per session.

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FORMER steelworker of 30 years and Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, Cllr George Dunning is celebrating the announcement by SSI UK to re-light the Redcar blast furnace.

Steel bosses at SSI in Redcar made the announcement that the blast furnace will finally be re-lit this weekend with the first iron suitable for conversion into steel to be produced later next week.

Council Leader and campaigner for the return of steelmaking to the area, Cllr George Dunning said:

“This is fantastic news for Redcar, Teesside and the region as a whole.

I would like to take the opportunity to say a big thank-you to all those involved in the return of steelmaking to Redcar including the SSI team, the trade unions, former MP Ashok Kumar as well as the Regional Development Agency, One North East.

A special thank-you and tribute should also go to Geoff Waterfield who truly embodied the passion and determination for steel here in Teesside.

The faith shown in the areas world class workforce and steel-making tradition by SSI has to be congratulated and I have no doubt it will be rewarded.

The revival of the steel industry is something we as a Council have campaigned passionately for following the mothballing of the plant back in 2009.

And this latest announcement will provide a real boost for the local economy and our proud steel-making tradition.”

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AN inspirational charity campaigner, who has raised more than £100,000 for research into Motor Neurone Disease, is set to be awarded the highest accolade his home community can bestow.

Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council will hand the Freedom of the Borough to Mike Findley MBE in a special ceremony to celebrate his remarkable achievements on Wednesday, March 28, at Bellamy Pavilion, Kirkleatham Museum.

Mike, who moved to the North-East in 1978, is a well-known and popular local figure after raising the staggering amount through his MND Fund since being diagnosed with the disease seven years ago.

From club nights and concerts to walks and fun days, he has arranged events which have inspired local communities to get behind the worthy cause, raising thousands for much-needed research in the process.

A former Longbeck ward councillor, Mike was elected Mayor of redcar & Cleveland in 2008.

He will receive the Freedom of the Borough honour from the current Mayor, Councillor Olwyn Peters.

The ceremony will see Mike presented with a framed Freedom Scroll “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the community, both as a supporter and fund-raiser of charitable causes, especially in the field of Motor Neurone Disease, and as an expression of the admiration and esteem in which he is held by the residents of ledcar & Cleveland”.

Council Leader George Dunning said: “It is great to see Mike receive this prestigious and thoroughly-deserved accolade. He has worked tirelessly for many charities he feels so passionately about and has raised an incredible amount of money in the process.”

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WARRENBY household waste centre near Redcar will close on 15 April 2012 as part of a number of efficiency savings proposed by Redcar & Cleveland Council.

From Monday 16 April residents can still take their waste and recycling to the Dunsdale site which is centrally located within the borough and within easy access from the B1269 Yearby to Guisborough Road.

Leader of the Council, Councillor George Dunning said:

“The Council is facing unprecedented financial challenges following central government cutbacks imposed on local authorities and difficult decisions need to be made to balance the books.

The closure of the Warrenby site will save the Council in the region of £250,000 per year and provide the opportunity to focus resources on the Dunsdale site to ensure we continue to meet the needs of our residents.”

The Dunsdale site will extend its opening hours as a result of the Warrenby closure.

Summer opening times from 16 April – 30 September will be 8.00am 7.00pm everyday.

Winter opening from 1 October 31 March 2013 will be 8.00am 5.00pm everyday.

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THIS YEAR we have a jam packed programme of Folk Nights taking place at the wonderful Kirkleatham Museum, following last year’s successful run.

This year’s Folk Nights are:

• 7th April – Kieran Halpin & Jim Smith, Judy Dinning & Kenny Spears
• 9th June – Colum Sands, Tom McConville Band
• 29th September – Other Roads, Bernard Wrigley
• 10th November – Vin Garbutt

Tickets for all of the Folk Nights are £12 each with doors opening at 6.30pm and refreshments available at all performances.

Tickets are available from, Kirkleatham Museum 01642 479500, Redcar Tourist Information Centre 01642 471921 and Guisborough Tourist Information Centre 01287 633801.

You can also get more information from our Facebook page facebook.com/redcarandclevelandtourism or Twitter @visit_redcar

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A QUIET seaside town is bracing itself for the devastating impact of a tsunami hitting its shoreline – but residents and day-trippers have nothing to fear.

For the natural disaster set to hit Saltburn next week will only be a simulation as part of a stunning new Sky TV and National Geographic Channel series showcasing the darker side of Mother Nature.

The four-part Storm City series, which will air in the summer, has been filmed on locations throughout the world and sets in Canada and the UK.

And Saltburn’s dramatic coastline will be the venue for a tsunami recreation on Monday, March 19, and Tuesday, March 20.

Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council today confirmed that the town’s historic pier will be closed to the public throughout Monday and during the day on Tuesday to allow the filming to take place.

Presenter Ben Fogle will be in Saltburn on Tuesday as the Pioneer Productions team uses advanced engineering technology and science to recreate the impact of natural forces.

A giant water tank on the pier will demonstrate how a tsunami is created, while a car on the beach will be washed away to reveal the ferocious impact of the natural phenomenon when it hits land.

A crane, bowser and location vehicles will be on the promenade, while a safe footpath has been created to allow pedestrians’ access to watch the filming take place.

Councillor George Dunning, Leader of the Council, said: “Our fantastic coastline makes for a great setting and we have many requests for filming along it.

“This is one of the biggest and most ambitious projects we have accommodated and we look forward to seeing the finished film.”

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A COUNCIL is aiming to save millions of pounds by moving away from an outdated town hall base in need of major repairs.

Eston Town Hall has been one of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council’s main administrative buildings, but the venue is set to be pulled down and the 3.4-acre site put up for sale.

Council employees who previously worked from the Fabian Road base have already been transferred to other offices.

The building had a £2.4m backlog of repairs needed to bring it up to scratch and, with the authority facing significant financial challenges, the disposal of the town hall is viewed as the best option for the future.

With the neighbouring James Finegan Hall already closed down, the overall site will be marketed as a prime development opportunity.

The move is part of the Council’s drive to generate cash by disposing of buildings and land that are surplus to requirements.

Civic facilities are being relocated, with full council and other larger political meetings taking place at Eston’s City Learning Centre, on Normanby Road.

The Leader and Deputy Leader’s office, together with offices for political groups, have temporarily moved to the City Learning Centre until new facilities are available within the £31m Redcar Leisure & Community Heart scheme.

The Mayor’s office has been temporarily relocated to Kirkleatham Museum, before also switching to Redcar in 2013.

The town hall closure also provides an environmental boost as it is the authority’s worst-performing building for carbon dioxide emissions.

Councillor Norman Pickthall, Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources, said: “Given the reduction in council staff over the last two years, it makes sense to vacate the town hall and utilise our other buildings more effectively.”

Councillor George Dunning, Leader of the Council, said: “The town hall has served us well over the years, but it is time to move on and the Council will still be retaining a strong presence in the Greater Eston area.

“Customer services previously provided at the town hall are now based at the £17m Low Grange Health Village, where the new Library@South Bank and one-stop shop have proved extremely popular.”

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Skelton and Brotton residents will now have a much greater say in planning their community after Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council in partnership with Skelton and Brotton Parish Council were successfully appointed by the Government to be a Neighbourhood Planning Front Runner allowing them to develop a Neighbourhood Development Plan for the area before the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations are finalised.

Cllr Helen McLuckie Redcar & Cleveland Borough Councils portfolio holder for Transport, Highways and Planning said: We are absolutely delighted to be working with Skelton and Brotton Parish Council and the community on this exciting project.

“Communities have always had the opportunity to be involved in planning, preparing a neighbourhood development plan for the area takes this one step further, and gives the communities in Skelton and Brotton a real voice in deciding the look and feel of new development in their area”

Cllr Brian Briggs the chair of Skelton and Brotton Parish Council added Being part of this neighbourhood planning initiative will ensure that residents and businesses in Skelton and Brotton have a much greater say in how their area will develop and grow in the future.

“In the next few months we will be holding a series of consultation events to decide how the plan should develop and what its priorities should be.”

Anyone interested in being involved with the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan should contact the Parish Council by calling 01287 653848 or e-mailing skelbrot_parishcouncil@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk