Talk of the Town April 2020

EDITION 226

CIRCULATION 4,600

APRIL 2020

SALTBURN’S FREE MONTHLY MAGAZINE 1

2

SALTBURN’S TOWN TALK Letter from the Editor

This month’s magazine is definitely the ‘coronavirus edition’ wonderful to see the community pulling together and all of us with it being mentioned many times. Some advertisers have looking after each other. There’s help available for those pulled out their adverts while others have converted them into totally in isolation: see the big yellow advert on page 27. I felt offering different services, such as take-aways instead of sit- really moved when I first saw it and resolved to get it in the down meals. Others are sending messages of love and hope magazine. Take care! Stay happy and healthy! We will get while announcing their temporary closure. If any events through this and things will return to normal. Love, Ian remain advertised here, they might not be happening, so Send letters, adverts and contributions for the next issue (by check if you can. The virus is a dreadful and serious threat to Friday, 17th April 2020) to: The Editor, Talk of the Town our health but the government advice does seem to be c/o Jackie’s Saverstore, 8 Station Buildings, Saltburn, sensible: avoid social contact and crowds of people, don’t Cleveland, TS12 1AQ. Telephone: 01287 623903 (or email: travel, stay at home but don’t avoid going outside completely talkofthetownsaltburn@gmail.com). because dogs still need to be walked, the essential shopping Talk of the Town can be found on a new Facebook has to be done and you don’t catch the virus from simply address at www.facebook.com/talkofthetownsaltburn. ‘being outside’ but from contact with others, from being too close to them. Keep your distance! Don’t shake hands but Saltburn Golf Club Ladies Section: We would like to give a bump elbows instead! It’s affectionate and respectful. It’s warm welcome to ladies of any age who would like to learn to play golf. We are offering, eight ladies at a time, a weekly one Saltburn Farmers’ Market: How about a Fabulous Box of hour taster session for a total of six weeks conducted by our Farmers’ Market Goodies ready to collect or be delivered on professional who will provide all the necessary equipment. The Easter Saturday? That’s what we are aiming at! Call or text sessions will take place on a Thursday evening (5-6pm) or on a Lorna on 07515 858277 to arrange yours! There will not be Saturday morning (9-10am). The cost will be about £35 but this a normal farmers’ market in April but if this arrangement is will include refreshments while the social facilities of the club successful we could do it again in May. are being explained by some of the other lady members. Do Saltburn Studios and Gallery: Due to the current situation come with friends and enjoy a new keep fit experience! We our Gallery will remain closed and Open Studios events are were hoping to start this in April but obviously with the cancelled. We’re planning on producing some exciting coronavirus restrictions it will have to be later in the year. window displays for our Gallery and we’ll be posting updates Please contact the secretary or the professional at Saltburn Golf on artwork our artists are creating in their studios on our Club on 01287 624653 and we will let you know when you can Instagram and Facebook pages. start! (Or see the website www.saltburngolfclub.co.uk). It will Craft Club Busy Fingers: We have cancelled our normal be something to look forward to when things return to normal. sessions on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month, in the Coffee Room, Saltburn Community Centre until further WI Report: For their March meeting the ladies of Saltburn WI were treated to a talk one of(Embroiderers’ our members. Guild) Julia spoke Random Stitchers of from Cleveland are notice. about her career, from training as a nursery nurse after leaving in Saltburn Library this month on 12th June at 2.00pm.

See Saltburn Traditional Music Workshops: Unfortunately we school and how this initial training had led her into a lifelong are cancelled until further notice but we hope to resume again Library article on page 10 for further details. career as a midwife. She told her story with a good deal of as soon as we can. humour, but the thing that came over more than anything was Random Stitchers of Cleveland: Random Stitchers of her passion for giving her best to all the new mothers and their Cleveland (Embroiderers' Guild) are cancelling all meetings babies. It was obvious to everyone listening that her career had with immediate effect. These meetings usually take place in been far more than a job. Thank you Julia for stepping in at the Sunnyfield House at Guisborough. Members will be kept up last moment and giving us a first class talk. to date with any changes as they arise. Any further info from We have many activities coming up before our next Gill on 01642 480 344. meeting including a shopping trip to Colne which is always Emmanuel Church Hall Table Top and Collectors’ Sale: popular. We will also have our regular monthly activities: book Oh what a carry on! We cancelled the sale in March and told club, craft, knit and natter and supper club as well as weekly everyone that we won’t be doing the next two table tops for walks. safety reasons, and we only had one person question it, but Our next meeting should be on Thursday, April 9th but before this magazine went to press we have changed things we might have to cancel it as a precaution against the spread of again and are doing a twelve week shutdown. We will notify the virus. We would be planning to have a quiz that night. We everyone when we are back. There’s about 75 percent of our meet at 7.00pm in the Saltburn Learning centre. Visitors are customers who are elderly and their safety is important to us. always welcome so if you would like to come along you can be There’s also a lot of customers who come and buy our food sure of a warm and friendly welcome. If you want to find out and freeze it to last till our next sale. I have managed to cater more about us please visit our web page for a few of them that I had their phone numbers, but if any of www.saltburnbytheseawi.wordpress.com or visit our Facebook you need to contact me for anything please ring Denise page where you find accounts and photos of all our activities.

Marshall on 07929 589538.

Diane Falla Cover Photograph: The Glider 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.)

3

Saltburn-by-the-Sea Cliff Tramway The Cliff Tramway has been in the news lately with a negative suggestion. Sharing these photographs, we hope will reinforce our believe that the Oldest Water Balanced Cliff Railway in the country should continue to operate well into the future.

The original vertical hoist designed and built by John Anderson, resident engineer to the Saltburn Improvement Company. The hoist provided an easy access between the upper and lower promenades to ensure visitors continued to patronise the new town. Of timber construction, it lasted and gave reliable service for 13 years before being declared unsafe. A rapid decision was made to commission and build the water balanced tramway.

Present day car complete with stained glass windows.

The Cliff Tramway in the landscape.

Maintenance has to be carried out daily. Safety access has now been installed since this photograph was taken.

The water tanks and the automatic water release valve, shown clearly on the left-hand chassis.

4

Cross section drawing of the brakeman’s house and equipment.

Over the years there have been various designs of the cars.

The replacement wheel in position.

Cath and Tony Lynn

Looking for that special gift and card?

Choose from our vast range of products including:

ALIVE At the time of printing, the Methodist Church was closed as a precaution but will reopen soon

Woodwick scented candles, Jellycat soft toys, Thomas Kent clocks, Arran Aromatics toiletries, Emma Bridgewater & Cath Kidston pottery & much more.

Now also available online.

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

HE IS

ALIVE

5

Saltburn Evangelical Church (Leven Street Mission) Following Jesus - the Bible our guide

Here for you: WELCOME! Sundays 10.30am & 6.00pm www.saltburnevangelicalchurch.org.uk

MILES, HUTCHINSON & LITHGOW SOLICITORS Conveyancing (Domestic and Commercial) (Free written quotation on request) Property Leases Probate and Wills Divorce and related Property and Financial Issues Children Disputes

Immigration, including Visas, Leave to Remain Naturalisation, Passport applications and EEA Applications Powers of Attorney Deputyships Civil and Criminal Litigation

For a friendly efficient service on all legal matters Tel:

01287 623049

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

Also at 68/70 Borough Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 2JH Tel: 01642 242698. e-mail mileshutch@aol.com for enquiries at both offices.

Help! Your local Playgroup needs you!

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

01287 624575

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

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

No Job Too Small

Call 07773 091727 Email: simpsonc999@gmail.com 6

Real Meals Purveyors of Fine Foods

At the time of going to press our deli is open and we are offering free home delivery of any of our stock items including fresh fruit and vegetables.

Our sit-in cafe is closed so we are running a delivery service with ready meals/soups/sandwiches/cakes etc If you’re a Facebook person check out our page for live cookery feeds - starting with bread making and moving onto ‘how to use those chickpeas I bought!’

We are trying to get through this with a sense of humour and purpose and without loosing any staff, as we all know our staff ARE our business!

01287 622266 25 Milton Street, Saltburn. Open 7 Days a Week

New email address: realmeals.uk@gmail.com

Councillors’ Column Working from home used to have a bad image. Why do you not have a proper office? How times have changed.

Practically every normal mode of life is changing and the end is not yet in sight.

We are reminded of the opening lines of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ and cannot be more succinct in evaluating where we stand, as we experience ‘the best of times and the worst of times’.

Coming together now means working together as a community, being of one body, without actually being physically in touch.

Traditional local organisations are reaching out.

Churches together is needed more than ever to give spiritual and practical support for residents, particularly those who find themselves isolated. Isolation is nothing new as many in society are already physically, mentally or financially unable to voluntarily play a normal part in the community.

When self-isolation is strongly encouraged such distancing within communities can be even more depressing.

Alongside longstanding community organisations, groups have sprung up in responsive activity to communicate with residents living on their own or who are in households that need communicating with and support.

The Covid-19 Volunteers are a clear example of this.

We may not know everyone who lives in our immediate vicinity but now might be a good time to find out and in so doing provide support where it is found to be needed in the short term and to set foundations for a stronger future.

One recent not so welcome communication has been the ubiquitous Council Tax letter. For those experiencing cash flow challenges this Rate Demand can be paid in instalments over twelve months and not just over ten. If this would help, telephone 01642 774774 and request the spreading of your payments. Council Tax Support is also available for eligible residents who are on a low income. Information can be gleaned from the same number.

The Council IT systems are steadily being recovered and will be sorely needed in the weeks ahead as communication is going to be ever more important. Most public services having closed their buildings and any council employee who can work from home is doing so. It will be among the worst of times for getting quick responses. We will have to be patient and understanding and have faith.

All Council meetings have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. Councillors have also been directed to withdraw from public exposure. Communication channels will still be open and residents can get in touch with any, or all, Saltburn Councillors either by telephone or email and can expect appropriate service. Contact details are listed in the Surgery Advert on page 16.

A challenge awaits us all in this worst of times.

Reaching out is not something that is innate in everyone but once experienced defies understanding as to why it was not done previously.

Perhaps we could turn this to an opportunity and reflect on that closing sentence from Sydney Carton: ‘It is a far, far better thing…’.

Philip Thomson 7

Saltburn Athletic FC The under 9s and 11s continued their season gaining some good playing time and continuing to learn from both losses and victories whilst the older age groups had mixed fortunes with the under 12s Sharks losing one and drawing another versus Hartlepool Pools Youth and Hartlepool Reds.

The under 12s Seahawks gaining an emphatic victory against Shildon 8-1 then losing 2-0 against Prissick City Rovers.

The u13s continued their excellent season winning both games 3-1 and 2-0 versus Fishburn and Seaton Carew Lions and are top of the league.

The under 15s Falcons winning 5-4 against the Linthorpe Accies Blue whilst the Dolphins lost 3-1 to Darlington TSC. The season has now been suspended because of the Coronavirus until early April but it is likely that this period will be extended and the likelihood that the season may be a write off.

Our annual Gala day has been put back from June until the first weekend in September whilst the presentation day has also been pushed back from May to June. We remain hopeful that things can change and we will get some more game time.

Wishing you all good health in this troubled time.

Andy Croll SAFC Club Sec 8

Saltburn Rotary News

In common with many other organisations, The Rotary Club of Saltburn has followed Government advice relating to Coronavirus and suspended its weekly meetings until further notice. It’s only the second time this has happened, the other being during WW2. Arrangements are in place however, for members to keep in regular contact, electronically and to support our community in any way we possibly can, practically.

Sadly, a notable casualty in our events dairy, is the Afternoon Tea in aid of Polio Eradication, which has became a feature of late April/early May. If it is at all possible, maybe we could hold it later in the year but if not it will return in 2021.

Our last function before our enforced break, was our annual Race night at Saltburn Cricket, Bowls & Tennis Club and a fantastic total of £1244 was raised, which will be distributed to charitable causes home and abroad. Thanks go to Dave Hodgson for providing the Race Night, our club members, including Rotakids and the fantastic support from our local businesses, who sponsored many of the races.

January and February also saw the launch of the 2020 Howzat Music Festival, which this year will take place on Sunday, 20th September between 1.30pm and 10.30pm at the indoor nets building at Saltburn Cricket, Bowls & Tennis Club. Seven fantastic acts will be performing and the funds raised this year will be divided equally between the Butterwick Children’s Hospice and Zoë’s place.

Finally, we hope that you keep healthy and keep safe through these difficult times. We will resume normal service when this thing is over.

Dave Sadler

Saltburn Photographic Society All meetings suspended until further notice due to precautions against the spread of Coronavirus.

What’s on at Marske Hall Unfortunately, due to the current situation, Marske Hall has had to take steps to protect its residents and staff and so has cancelled events until further notice. We are asking people to keep an eye on our Facebook page for news as and when the situation changes for the better.

9

Saltburn Scouts News This term has been full of new things for Beaver Scouts including the new Digital Maker badge! They learned that computers are a bit thick and need a human to tell them what to do! They used a computer programming app, Scratch (with thanks to St Peters Primary school for loaning their iPads) and found out about how many different types of computer are in their own homes. Thanks to Cherry Cummins for her support with this badge and also for donating iPads to the Group! Beavers are looking forward to being outdoors now the nights are getting lighter, and are planning and looking forward to a noisy weekend away!

Cub Scouts have been working towards their My Skills Challenge Award by teaching a fellow Cub a skill that they have. There were many impressive, diverse skills on show from how to do keepyups to making paper aeroplanes.

Cubs also enjoyed making fircones filled with lard and seed, to make bird feeders and walked down to the Community Garden to hang them up.

Scouts have been learning about media and marketing and how to promote Scouts. Leaders chose the presentation from the Patrol they thought best reflected Scouting: Do you want a fun engaging opportunity to make friends and be free from today’s society?

We play fun games to entertain you. Why not give it a try?

We learn key life skills to use if in a hard situation!

Your child will be given the chance of a lifetime. If 10

they are aged between 10½ - 14 they can participate in Scouts located in your local town or constituency.

There is a range of badges that your child could partake in earning including model making, cooking and fitness. They will also get a chance to go on incredible energy quenching camps where youngsters’ thoughts about the wilderness will be answered, along with joining in many fun activities and after a long day they will be rewarded with a hearty meal and many badges.

I hope you give Scouts a go …. You won’t regret it. By Peewit Patrol.

Huge thanks to Matthew for representing 1st Saltburn Scouts at the District quiz, ably assisted by Ryan and coming a commendable 3rd.

To contact 1st Saltburn Scout Group, please email saltburnscouts@hotmail.com for any possible news about cancellations due to the Coronavirus.

Saltburn Cricket, Bowls and Tennis Club On the day of writing this piece, the country is continuing its preparations, to change our life styles, in order to cope with the Coronavirus.

We are in unprecedented times and in order to save lives many of our activities will cease for the time being.

The planning of events for the sporting season ahead, has been put on hold for now. We would like to wish our Saltburn Community, all our members, users of the Nets building, the club house and the sports areas, a safe, careful Springtime at home.

We all look forward to better times ahead. Take care of each other and follow the advice given.

T: 01287 201876

M: 07737 654772

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

Website: www.flintoffs.co.uk

Best wishes, The Committee SCBTC 11

Keeping It Clean At Saltburn Many thanks to the 55 adults and children, who came along to the March Beach Clean. You all helped to make a huge difference by removing lots of litter from our beach. Unusual finds included a car number plate and a large plastic tool carry case, as well as the usual suspects such as single use plastics, bottles and cans. Pictured are the two Jos who led this month’s beach clean, with the haul. We recycle what we can.

Our next beach clean is planned for Saturday April 4th.

It’s also our Great British Spring Clean event, to support the annual event organised by Keep Britain Tidy.

We meet on the lower promenade, 11am until 12 noon, next to Marshall’s Beach Huts and the Mini Golf. We provide pickers, collection buckets and gloves for adults and children.

Whilst we want you to have fun on our organised beach cleans, we are also mindful of the potential risks currently posed by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

To this end, we ask that if you have your own equipment (gloves, pickers, etc) please use them. Also, we advise that you wash your hands before and after the beach clean; this is following the current government guidelines.

There are hand washing facilities in the public conveniences near the Cliff Lift.

P lease chec k on our Faceboo k page, www.facebook.com/kicasaltburn nearer to the event date, as we may need to alter our plans at short notice.

But remember, we can all do our own rubbish walks and beach cleans whenever we are out and about. Share your pictures on our FB Page.

Together we can KICAS!

12

Saltburn in Bloom Whoever thought this would happen? But Saltburners, as ever, met the crisis with a positive response. Yes, we are all in this together and if there’s any “Saltburn in Bloomy” need we can help with, do email or send a message on Facebook.

I hope it filtered down to anyone with an interest that we postponed our AGM which was due to be held on 31st March. We have suggested a new date in line with Charity Law, of 30th June at 6.30pm in the ECHO building. If it looks as though we will be able to go ahead with that, we will promote this more widely. There may be a few Saltburn charities in the same boat as us with AGMs due. After the first year of operation, a charity must have an AGM no more than 15 months after the previous one. If there’s any possibility of not meeting this requirement, a charity should inform the Charity Commission. If that’s you, good luck as they will be inundated. (Sorry that wasn’t very “bloomy” but needs must.)

As I write, the Tour de Yorkshire has been cancelled and so has spring judging. I don’t know yet, what will happen about bikes, knitting, blue and yellow planting etc.

If any of it happened it would send a positive message about Saltburn not giving up, we will see. Summer judging and national judging (July and August respectively) are still on the cards and I hope that coronavirus will have run its course by then (as I’m sure we all hope).

On a brighter note, we know that whether or not any judges visit us, we care about our town and Saltburn in Bloom gardeners and others will do all they can to keep the town looking florally great. One good news story is that Friday Friends agreed to take on the two sloped beds at Emmanuel Church, either side of the path up to church from Windsor Road. One of the beds is completely clear and the other is “on its way”. On the day this happened, two of the guerrilla gardeners helped, collected shrubs and bulbs and relocated them to below Marine Parade, in the vicinity of Jack’s Castle. The area has been very thoroughly weeded and is now being planted up and looks as though there will be a lovely show of bulbs very soon. Since all this activity, groups have stopped meeting but, if it’s possible, the church beds will be finished off and planted with colourful bedding.

Some Saltburn in Bloom gardeners are soldiering on.

Ten met last week at the Cliff Lift area and are being mindful of keeping reasonable distances between each other and they bring their own drinks rather than sharing, which goes against the grain. The gardening group is an ageing one and so quite a few people are in the “vulnerable” bracket identified by the government, even if not by themselves. If there are any of you reading this with forced leisure time who feel healthy and would like some fresh air, please email and I’ll get back to you.

Keep safe, Sue NB After writing the above I found out that Britain in Bloom 2020 has now been cancelled and I expect Northumbria in Bloom summer judging will have been cancelled too by the time you read this.

Holly Blue We have a large range of Quality Greetings Cards, Wrap, Bags, Balloons, Books, Stationery, Jigsaws, Orchard Toys, Calendars, Diaries and much more. Book Ordering Service, Quarterly Prize Draw & Loyalty Card System 45 Milton Street (Opposite Sainsbury’s Car Park)

Tel: 01287 624283

Andy Pollard

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

13

or email: simon.robson1@ntlworld.com

14

LK Electrical Electrical contractor based in Saltburn.

Apprentice trained, fully qualified including BS2391, 29 years experience.

Industrial, commercial and domestic electrical work undertaken, including: Fire Alarms Emergency Lighting Alarms/CCTV Home Automation Re-wires Free no obligation quotes, fair prices

Contact Lee Kelley lkelectrical1036@gmail.com

07760 349770 Loftus Bluebells Walk If it is not cancelled as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus, then come on a guided walk on Saturday, 2nd May to spot bluebells and other Spring flowers in bloom.

Starting outside Loftus Town Hall at 10.30am, this walk takes you through local woods. Many trees were felled for harvesting last year but replanting with native species has already started. We may also see new flora from seeds resetting after a long dormancy due to lack of sunlight for over a century! You need a good level of fitness for this circular walk of about six miles that includes stiles, descents and climbs. There’s a lunchtime stop at Liverton Village Hall where vegetable soup, roll, tea and healthy fruit desert can be purchased for £5. There’s free parking at South View off North Road, Loftus TS13 4JL; the town is served by Arriva X4 and 5 buses. This walk is organised by Loftus ACCORD Walking Group. No booking is needed; for more information phone 01287 641000 (or email office@loftustc.co.uk).

Saltburn Station Gallery The Gallery would like to announce the arrival of new artist Lucy Dowey with her lovely Pyrography works of art, the free handed art of decorating wood or other materials. We are also now stocked up with lots of new exciting products just in time for spring and what was to be the much anticipated bike races in April, Klondike and the Tour De Yorkshire. Both unfortunately now cancelled.

Look out for more artists arriving.

15

Workshop Space and Gallery Arts based workshops and artwork by local artists for sale.

Workshop space available to hire articentriccic@gmail.com 07910 682695 1 Dundas Street West, Saltburn TS12 1BL

Articentric Community Interest Company

Workshop Space and Gallery Articentric is a new community interest, not for profit, company in Saltburn. We have workshop space to hold a variety of arts based classes and will be selling artwork by local artists.

Why not call in and see what we have on offer?

Open Monday to Saturday 10am – 4pm at 1 Dundas Street West, Saltburn TS12 1BL. Workshop space is available to hire at very reasonable prices and we have some gallery space left for artists to display work for sale. Articentric is committed to providing services for artists, enabling them to connect with each other and those interested in coming along to workshops and viewing artwork.

For more details emai l articentriccic@gmail.com, drop in or call 07910 682695.

Saltburn Councillors’ Surgeries

Redcar & Cleveland Council has cancelled all its meetings in the short term and requested that Councillors suspend surgeries until further notice. Accordingly Saltburn Councillors are withdrawing from holding surgeries but can still be contacted as follows.

Cllr. Craig Hannaway 07561 467168 craig.hannaway@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk Cllr. Stuart Smith 07557 540628 stuart.smith@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk Cllr. Philip Thomson 07747 044858 philip.thomson@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk 16

Kay Brown

Kay Brown, née Connelly, lived in Saltburn for many years.

She was born and brought up in Teesside. She was known for her role as swimming teacher, special needs teacher, tennis player and for a short while she served on the parish council. Before she retired she worked at Sandgate, a special school in Kendal. She was dedicated to her pupils and organised exciting activities for them.

Kay was the first Chairperson of Saltburn Forward as the group prepared to gain charitable status. The company, all volunteers, went on to complete the play area on the top promenade and later the fossil garden and environs adjacent to the cliff lift.

Kay had been involved in other voluntary roles during her time in Saltburn and always approached things with a gentle manner. She helped with the Beach litter picks when they first started and was involved with other fundraising activities including Christmas lights and Saltburn in Bloom.

Kay passed away peacefully at home in Cumbria, surrounded by her loving family on January 7th. She had shown such fortitude whilst undergoing multiple treatments for cancer over a period of several years.

Kay was the kindest person, always generous with her time and demonstrated a calm competence. She was a good listener and dear friend to many people in the town. She kept up her friendships and ties in Saltburn, and she will be greatly missed.

Miranda

Saltburn 500 Club

Congratulations go to the following Saltburn 500 Club draw winners for March: £100 T Herbert, £50 H Thomson, £25 D Citron and £15 K Busby. You won’t win it if you’re not in it!

We would love to hear from anybody who is willing to offer up some time to help at the Summer 2020 Bandstand performances. Don’t worry, you don’t have to play an instrument but we would love to have more people helping to put out the seats and return them after the performance. If you can help, please contact myself or Councillor Philip Thomson. The 2020 season will be starting in May, as usual, and we are hoping that the weather is favourable to us! At least that is our intention.

Watch out for any announcements next month about this awful Coronavirus which may make us change our plans.

In 2005, I was wanting to find out if any plans to improve the state of the mortuary were being considered.

I approached a lady sat at a table in the portico archway and asked her the question. Those of you who knew her will know I am referring to Jackie Taylor MBE and also, you will know I didn’t get away lightly! I was recruited as a member of Saltburn 500 Club and became Chairman of the Friends of Saltburn Mortuary. The rest, as they say, is history as I am now heavily involved in fund-raising efforts for various projects/events around the town. A big hammer blow landed in 2019 when we were informed that we would need to raise £13,500 instead of the usual £5,500 required to have Christmas illuminations in the town. Given that raising £5,500 is getting more difficult as each year passes, there was no way I could see us raising a further £8,000. What happened as a result of this was that I witnessed the strongest community spirit I have ever seen in Saltburn! We had people, groups and businesses giving it their best shot to raise the funding.

Later this month (March), I am to receive the Jackie Taylor Memorial Shield ‘in recognition of the work and fundraising you do in Saltburn, not only with the Christmas lights but for all the other groups and events that happen’. I will be delighted to accept this award; however, without wanting to sound ungrateful, I will be accepting it for everybody out there who helped during the course of the year. Thank you to all of you for what we made happen.

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

17

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 Email: liz.ingledew@btinternet.com Website: www.liziesdecorating.co.uk 18

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

Gisborough Priory open for 2020 On Sunday, 1st March 2020 Gisborough Priory opened its doors to visitors for 2020.

For the sixth year running, volunteer custodians from Gisborough Priory Project will be on hand to welcome everyone to explore the ancient priory ruins and beautiful woodland gardens, where snowdrops and other signs of spring are currently emerging. A new attraction this year is the special 900th anniversary mosaic that has recently been installed.

The visitor centre houses some displays of medieval floor tiles and other finds from the priory together with a range of information about the medieval priory and the gardens and house that the Chaloner family created after the dissolution. The official English Heritage guidebook is available to buy alongside a range of exclusive pottery.

The site will be open from Wednesday to Sunday each week, as well as Bank Holiday Mondays, until 1st November.

Opening times are 10am to 4pm. The visitor entrance is next to St Nicholas’ Church on Church Street in Guisborough.

There is no charge for entry but donations towards the costs of running the site are most welcome. Note that all children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Dogs must be kept on a lead.

The site is managed through a partnership between

Gisborough Priory Project and English Heritage, now in its sixth year. Over the last five years more than 90,000 people from all over the world have visited.

Gisborough Priory Project volunteer custodian, Judith Arber, said, “We are looking forward to welcoming more visitors and finding more volunteers to help. Come along and find out what’s happening.”

In addition to welcoming visitors, volunteers lead guided tours, keep the flower borders and woodland gardens looking good, and organise special events. More volunteers are always needed to help with all these activities. More information can be found on the website at www.gisboroughprioryproject.org.uk where you can also find out if there are to be any visitor restrictions due to the coronavirus.

19

Podology - The Coronavirus a Saltburn business owner’s perspective It’s very difficult to even know where to start writing this article! I think we are all in a bit of shock. I started Podology as a podiatry clinic when I was 25 and when we moved premises in 2010 we added a professional beauty offering. This year we celebrate 15 years in business and I will celebrate my 40th birthday probably while in lockdown due to the coronavirus.

This past week has been a rollercoaster for us as small business owners but the sense of community in Saltburn is overwhelming. We’ve seen local businesses put measures in place to support those who are most vulnerable and have gone into self-isolation. Each morning as usual I’ve called into Gosnay’s for our milk and watched Mike, Rachael and team, working fast and quiet filling shelves and preparing food for us all. On my way home last night Debbie was filling her car with deliveries for those unable to get out. They all look tired out but remained jovial.

At Podology we have also worked at putting measures in place to keep everyone safe. We have temperature checks and Clinisept hand cleanses in place for everyone. We’ve peeled back doors to reduce contact points and podiatrists and beauty therapists open and close the door to your treatment room and guide you to your treatment area. We are lucky in the fact - that as a medical clinic we already have stringent hygiene measures in place for you and our staff’s safety, using antibacterial and antiviral cleaning solutions and an

autoclave to sterilise our instruments. We are confident in these systems.

The mood in Podology has been good. The clients that have been coming in, are happy to be getting their treatment done and generally rebooking as usual - but saying ‘put it in and we’ll see’ and ‘Don’t you disappear’.

The truth is we don’t intend to go, we are trying hard to survive this period and then get back to normal operations.

We will be updating our website and social media platforms regularly to keep you informed.

In this time of uncertainty we just have to roll with it! I had a lovely lady in to see me the other day - she was 94! ‘Good luck Laura, it will be okay - see you soon’ and with a cheeky grin she took herself back to isolation. And to all of you reading this while in isolation I say we listened to her message. Please take care and we can’t wait to see you soon.

Also - please note - we have postponed our Endymed launch as advertised in last month’s Talk of The Town for obvious reasons. However, I was saying to the staff just yesterday, when all this is over - we will all need a non surgical facelift! As soon as we’re safe to operate normally we will launch this fabulous new medical grade treatment.

Laura J Dicken www.podology.info 01287 622280 Podology, 37 Milton Street, Saltburn, Cleveland, TS12 1DN

Marske Fishermen’s Choir

As the final event to mark their 50th Anniversary celebrations and fundraising Marske Fishermen’s Choir hosted a presentation night in The Ship Inn, Marske, on the 15th of February.

Cheques for £2,500 each were presented by Bill Porritt, the choir’s Musical Director, pictured with representatives of the Mike Findley MND Fund, received

by Judith Findley and her daughter Rachel along with members of the support group, Amy and Elisse from Marske Brass Band and Sue Sotheran of Marske Guide Centre (the choir use the Guide Headquarters every Sunday night for practice) in recognition of the valuable 20

contributions they make locally.

Being a part of the community was the cornerstone on which the late Jim Madden, the choir’s founder, based a fledgling group of singers and musicians in 1968. Over 50 years later, after many changes, to be still going strong is a testament to the dedication, hard work and commitment of choir members past and present.

Philip Chisholm of Marske Brass Band said “Thank you to the members of Marske Fishermen’s Choir for their generous donation. Indeed, tonight’s concert proves they have never been in finer voice!”

21

SALTBURN BLUES CLUB

Saltburn Library News All the Redcar and Cleveland libraries are closed during April as a precaution against the spread of the Coronavirus. We hope to be open again soon but at the moment we do not know when.

It’ll be no surprise to you all to hear that our March, April and May gigs have been cancelled due to government advice on social gatherings. I can say that Saltburn Blues Club was continuing to attract the best of the current Blues bands and solo acts with record numbers attending. Like everything else, we’ve come to an abrupt halt but the last gig on February 29th with Paul Cowley as support and The Milkmen as the main act was absolutely top class. What a memory to hold on to.

If the Covid-19 pandemic abates in the coming months and social events are reinstated, we have two very exciting events back to back in September. On the 19th, SBC will be hosting The UK Blues Challenge, a very prestigious event and the first Blues Club in the North East to have this exceptional honour. More information will be released in the coming months and if all goes ahead, tickets can be purchased from Milo’s Café, Yorkshire Ticket Shop and 07960 935263 (£18 or £15 if purchased with Howzat tickets).

On the 20th September, the Howzat Festival returns with Saltburn’s Blues, Rotary and Cricket, Tennis and Bowls Clubs combining to present an afternoon and evening of Blues, Rock, R & B and Soul Music. The indoor nets hall at the Cricket Club converts to a superb festival venue and 7 acts will entertain us. Once again we have the best of the UK Blues coming to Saltburn and money raised will be donated to two children’s charities this year - Butterwick Hospice and Zoë’s Place. It’s £25 for Earlybird tickets or £30 on the door.

Then on the 26th September at our new venue (back to where we started 9 years ago) Saltburn Community Hall we will have our normal monthly gig with The Head Hunters Band supported by local Band The Little Criminals.

As for now, I sincerely hope you all take care and stay well.

Harry 07960 935263

Tribal Marsquers

Hewitt’s Property Services Affordable, Friendly and Reliable, Serving the Local Community Covering Saltburn, Brotton, Loftus, Skelton, Guisborough and Surrounding Areas Joinery, Plumbing, Bathroom Refits Damp Proofing, Wall Cladding, Supply and Fit, Laminate Wood Flooring, Loft Ladders and Loft Flooring Fitted, And Any Small Jobs, Pressure Washing and Long-Reach Pure Water Window Cleaning Service Now Available, Call Steve for a Free No-Obligation Quote on

07966 152553 Email: steve217@hotmail.co.uk Est. 18 years 22

Tribal Marsquers were dancing at Parkville Care Home, Middlesbrough, in February. The audience were really appreciative and our photo shows us with Jan the organiser.

In March we had been planning to be at Saltburn Golf Club dancing for a ladies group, and at more venues later in the year, but we have had to suspend our activities as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus. We hope to soon be back to our normal practise at The Earthbeat Centre on Sunday mornings and if you’d like to try this fun and glamorous style of dance please let us know by ringing or texting Val on 07908 005850.

Hello everyone, I will be temporarily closing the bookshop and concentrating on postal orders and local delivery. This was a difficult decision to make, but I feel it's the best thing to do under the circumstances.

I'm taking orders by phone: 01287 348010.

While I'm closed, you can still support the bookshop by placing orders via email. I intend to have this up and running on Monday, and you’ll be able to pay via Paypal.

I'll be offering a free home delivery service in Saltburn. If you’re further afield, I can post books out via my wholesalers for a small fee.

Please email any orders to me here: jenna@bookcornershop.co.uk Thank you so much for all your wonderful support so far, Jenna 23

Cleveland Diving Club If not already done, our club members will be dusting off their wintered equipment in preparation to go diving again. Firstly and crucially this includes a safety check dive in shallow water to ensure that all is in good working order. Notably, particular attention is given to life-saving equipment such as breathing regulators, dive computers and compasses as very cold water can impact on the efficiency and accuracy of their performance. However, a small number of intrepid divers set themselves a winter project and have courageously braved a number of cold, icy winter days to see their plan through.

Their mission was to draw a navigational map of the underwater features of Ellerton Lake which is near Scorton in Richmond. Ellerton Park is a popular caravan and fresh water sports centre and its calm, safe and relatively shallow waters are regularly used by divers, particularly for equipment checks, training and practice (photo 1).

Essential to the success of their plan was of course the performance of their compasses and the accuracy of their readings.

Historically, many nations such as Arabia, China and a range of European countries have contributed, over the years, to the development of what was known as a ‘dry’ compass. However, the arrival of the ‘liquid-filled’ magnetic compass in 1933 by three brothers Björn, Alvar and Arvid Kjellström was revolutionary, and is the type of compass used by divers.

The popularity of this spring feed lake though presents some challenges to divers due to it having a rather soft and silty bottom, clouds of which billow upwards thus quickly reducing visibility.

Although there are guide ropes that link the different underwater features such as wrecked cars (photo 2) it is fun to go off-piste, so to say, and explore other regions of the lake to see what you might find, such as this magnificent and rather infamous pike (photo 3). Fun can also be had taking photos of other divers amongst the wreck and underwater foliage (photo 4).

Happily the project is coming to a close and our three amigos have, as well as celebrating their successes, a number of calamity tales which could well cast doubt on the accuracy of their compass readings. Nevertheless, our club members are eagerly looking forward to a planned treasure hunt using the map’s compass bearings as a compass navigation training and practice exercise. The number of divers taking part will undoubtedly make for poor viz, the winner proving their worth as an underwater navigator. As the saying goes, ‘Accuracy lies within a little and certain compass, but error is immense.’

Cleveland Divers can be contacted via Facebook, ‘The Diving Club-Cleveland’ or on 07960 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 24

Churches Together in Saltburn

At this time of year, we usually invite you to join our Easter Worship.

However, owing to the coronavirus disease, the three churches have suspended all public worship until further notice. It is unlikely that the services will have resumed by Easter.

We send you all our blessings and hope that you have a safe and healthy Easter.

It is possible that the churches may be open at various times for prayer and reflection. Please check with the individual churches for the exact arrangements.

Church Locations and Contacts Parish Church of Emmanuel

Windsor Road

01287 622007

Parish Church Office

Upleatham Street 01287 622251

Methodist Church

Milton Street

01287 632770

Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church

Milton Street

01287 623619

Easter Message 2020 A month ago I suspect my Easter message would have been quite different. But the coronavirus and its impact dominate our lives at the moment. As I write, pubs, cafes and restaurants have been instructed to close, and panic buying empties the shelves within hours. Only a few days have passed since the instruction came for all public worship services to be suspended, and the churches in Saltburn stand quiet.

So, what can I write?

Well, this is an Easter message, and the Easter story speaks into all circumstances and situations.

Indeed, not only the Easter story but the whole biblical story. It’s a story that starts at the beginning with the creation of the universe and our planet, and ends with a new and more perfect creation. In between is the story of divine love and human rebellion, where a good creation falls into brokenness and longs for rescue. Sin infects the human heart and spreads its destructive effects through all aspects of life affecting all of creation – pride, greed, vanity, deviancy, immorality, murder, adultery, lies – the list goes on ending only with – death. Where is hope and help to be found? It cannot be from within the human family (or the wider creation), because we are too broken, the good image too shattered. Our hope and help has to come from outside ourselves, from somewhere uncorrupted, from someone pure and holy and untainted.

So, God the Father, the source of life, sends his Son Jesus to be our life, our hope and our help.

He lives life as it should always have been lived, and He died a death He should not have died. But that cruciform death was needed, it was the reason He came and lived among us. And in that death He made the greatest exchange the world has ever seen: He was punished, that we might be forgiven; He was wounded, that we might be healed; He was made sin with our sinfulness, that we might be made righteous with His righteousness; He died our death, that we might receive His life; He endured our poverty, that we might share His abundance; He bore our shame, that we might share His glory; He endured our rejection, that we might have His acceptance with the Father; and He was made a curse, that we might possess His blessing.

Yes, we are right to be afraid in this life and in a world this broken, corrupted and sick - the coronavirus and its effects are very real. BUT we should not let ourselves be overcome by fear, for the Easter message is one of hope and help and life.

Between the first creation and the new creation our lives and the world will be shaken in many different ways. By holding fast to Jesus, God has given us a hope that is unshakeable and eternal. And in Jesus, God has given us a vision of a life lived sacrificially, generously and lovingly, which, in the time and situation we find ourselves in, we would do well to imitate.

May the blessing, mercy and peace of God be with you this Easter.

Rev Adam Reed 25

Health, Happiness and the virus So I had an article written following on from last month’s where I admitted feeling unusually down recently. This month’s column was about recognising that underneath that sense of being down and disappointed I came to see that there was a feeling of something really positive. What I recognised was a powerful desire, a real sense of awe at being alive in this incredible world, how unlikely it is that the earth exists at exactly the right distance from our sun and with the correct oxygen levels and gravity and much more to allow us to survive and even thrive and all the opportunities there are to experience. I could see that the disappointment I felt was the gap I experienced when I looked at all I could see was possible to feel and to do and the distance between that and what I hadn’t yet achieved.

I could see that the solution to not feeling down any more was to be more conscious about where my focus of attention was going. Not to focus on my disappointment but instead to focus on what I looked forward to creating in the future. That change of focus changed everything.

Well, that was the article I had written. Yet then the new normal of virus-life came charging in. Wow it has been quick!

So I mention what I was going to write because I think it’s relevant here. It reminds us that our emotional state and how happy we are is effected by our thinking and our thinking is effected by what we choose to look at. So in a time when we can find our attention pulled to the chaos being reported in the news it’s worth remembering that we are in control of what we focus on and how positive we choose to be.

I see something very positive coming out of this situation, particularly once it has passed through. I see that we may well start to value our health and our happiness much higher than we’ve done previously.

We are being given one massive wake up call. Your immune system is what matters now and that’s the culmination of your physical and mental health and your body is keeping score. This is and always has been a question of ignorance over intelligence. Not an intelligence you need any qualifications for but an intelligence of noticing what you do to yourself. Are you aware of the ingredients of the food and drink you put into your body and what it does to you? You can turn a blind eye and try to live in ignorance but you cannot lie to your body, it’s keeping score.

You may be spending a lot of time at home now but how aware are you being? Are you letting yourself regularly over-sleep or under-sleep? Both have serious health consequences and reduce your life expectancy. Get informed, do your own research, be intelligent.

Don’t let the TV win out over doing exercise and don’t let more calories go into your body than you burn off. Your body will struggle to carry around your excess weight and it will become harder to fight off illnesses. Don’t be lazy, your body is keeping score. It may literally in some cases be a question of life and death.

Smoking, obesity and diabetes make this virus even harder to fight off. But get up, show that you care about yourself, show that you want to live long. This is the meaning of self love, this is how you gauge your self-esteem.

26

How lazy are you about your health? Go for a run, if you can’t then go for a walk, if you don’t think you can then do sit-ups, or arm rotations or shadow box, do anything you can. Build a sweat, strain your muscles, get out of breath.

And do it regularly, practise daily not just once in a while. I believe having a daily practice is literally life saving. Don’t stay on the sofa eating rubbish, be intelligent. You can’t kid yourself, your body is keeping score. This may be literally the survival of the fittest.

If you are really intent on making your immune system as strong as possible don’t drink alcohol regularly, it’s often an attempt to numb yourself, but your body is keeping score. If you really want to build your immune system even stronger, practise breathing techniques and take daily cold showers, look up Wim Hof, do your research.

And if you are not healthy, well you can start today.

Improve a quarter of a percent every day, soon you will have improved your health by a hundred percent. This is how it works. You build momentum either towards health or away. You can turn almost any aspect of your health around. And you can learn the techniques to keep your focus on what is positive and what supports your mental health too. And the mental and the physical are intertwined.

Look online for past versions of this magazine to find articles on health and if you would like any support with either your physical or mental health my contact is at the bottom of this page.

I envisage a world after this virus has passed where people upgrade their health and their happiness to be their highest priorities. A world where we understand that what we focus on and feel we create more of. A world where people really get the concept that you are me and I am you and that we are all one. When really grasped we will all rearrange our values to put people above money and put spending time with others ahead of spending time connected to a screen. This will be a time where we understand the harm of criticism and the health of appreciation. A new world of more kindness and more awareness and more consciousness about the incredible gift we have been given, to be here on this planet. This will be a type of spiritual awakening, with a new respect for being alive, a new respect for each other and a heightened appreciation for the all of everything that we are magically part of.

It’s possible this could be the last issue of this magazine, as advertisers are pulling out and everything is uncertain, but our editor insists that it won’t be, and he will carry on for as long as he can. So let’s use the end of the article in this wonderful magazine to repeat the sensible, simple and easy to understand advice that most health professionals are giving on helping to protect ourselves against the virus: stay at home and only venture out for essential things like shopping, exercising and walking the dog, stay away from other people by some distance, a few metres is suggested, avoid travel and wash your hands!

Kendal Aitken Happy Balance Training. Individuals and groups.

Contact: kwayextra@googlemail.com or 07944 883961

27

28

Safety First at the Cons Club Welcome to the monthly article from Saltburn Conservative Club.

This is the second article I have had to write for this issue of Talk of the Town as the situation has changed regarding the Coronavirus and my first article has had to be changed and updated accordingly.

The important information that I have to inform you of is that FOLLOWING CLOSING ON SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 21ST, THE CONSERVATIVE CLUB WILL HAVE CLOSED UNTIL THE THREAT FROM CORONAVIRUS HAS PASSED. Throughout the last few weeks we have been monitoring the situation, plus receiving almost daily advice from the Conservative Association. It had become necessary to follow this advice which led to our decision to close. Social distancing is now a factor in the fight to overcome this virus and the Officers and Committee felt it was totally irresponsible to continue opening the club and putting the members at risk.

Although it was not a decision we had wanted to make we felt it was the correct thing to do and I know that when this dreadful virus has passed and the world returns to normality we will have the full support of our fantastic members who have always supported us. We will come back stronger and closer and will continue to go from strength to strength. We will re-open when the situation allows and you can keep up to date with any future developments on the club Facebook page at: Saltburn Conservative and Unionist Club.

Regarding events that were planned to take place in the club I have to report that in March the ‘Blues Night’ on the 15th, the ‘Open Mic Night’ on the 20th and the private birthday party on Saturday 28th were all cancelled. Future events planned for April, which were the Quiz, Bingo & Buffet Supper Night on April 1st, the club AGM scheduled for Monday 6th, the monthly SLUG meeting on Tuesday 7th, the club trip to Harrogate on 10th April (Good Friday) and the Clairvoyant night on Sunday 26th have all been cancelled and will be re-arranged as early as the current situation allows. Tickets already purchased for these events will be valid for the new dates when arranged.

With regard to the club’s Annual General Meeting the directive from Head Office at the Association of Conservative Clubs is as follows: ‘In the event of the club’s AGM being postponed the current committee will remain in office until such time as the AGM is rescheduled. Members who have or are intending to put themselves up for election would also have to wait for the AGM to be rescheduled for the elections to take place.’ A new date will be arranged for the AGM as early as the current health situation allows.

Events that did go ahead in March before the Covid-19 outbreak started having an impact were the

SLUG (Saltburn Line Users Group) meeting on Tuesday 3rd where we were very pleased to have the Mayor of the Tees Valley, Ben Houchen as the guest speaker. A good attendance heard Ben give his yearly update on the achievements and progress he has made over the past year, touching on the airport, SIS sight progress, Teesport, bus routes and finally the railway infrastructure and the plans for Darlington and Middlesbrough stations, which members of SLUG, naturally, had a great interest in. Ben answered all questions put to him, stating facts and figures, and everybody left the meeting much wiser with the information they had been given. Ben is a brilliant speaker and the knowledge and information he has, and the way he knows every fact on each subject, and in such great detail, is incredible. Ben is doing a brilliant job for our region and is fully supported at the Cons Club. I have only just heard, as I write the article early for publication reasons, that all local elections have been postponed for a year so Ben will have another year in office unopposed, giving him more time to continue the fantastic work he is doing.

The plans for alterations in the downstairs gents toilet to incorporate a ladies toilet have been drawn up and submitted to the Council’s relevant departments and we are now awaiting an answer regarding planning permission been granted. Unfortunately this may well be held up by the current Coronavirus outbreak causing departmental closures within the Council.

Renewal of membership for 2020 has been excellent and all people who have not yet renewed are no longer members of the club. These people have been replaced by people on a waiting list and we will, once again later in the year, be approaching a number that could mean us having to close the membership again.

The popularity of the club is stronger than ever and the support the members give us is amazing.

Unfortunately this might be my last article for Talk of the Town until we overcome the desperate situation we are currently in but I will be back and we will get through this and, for the majority, things will get better.

It is so important that you follow all advice you receive from the government, keep in touch with relatives, friends and neighbours in the safe way you have been informed of by the medical experts and look after yourself. This will not beat us.

With all my best wishes, see you all ASAP. Keep safe, David.

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

29

Redcar and Cleveland’s Inspiring Women recognised on project’s fifth birthday Inspiring women from across Redcar and Cleveland have received well-deserved recognition at a special ceremony.

Nearly 100 people attended the annual Inspiring Women Awards at the Wilton Centre in Redcar, as the ceremony celebrated its fifth birthday.

Taking home the Mo Mowlam Award, the main prize of the night, was Tina Jackson, who also won the Women in Leadership Award, sponsored by SABIC. Tina founded The Link project in 2010 to raise the profile of children’s mental health and its effects on families, relationships, education and communities.

The Link has since become an incorporated Community Interest Company and has helped more than 500 children and young people who require emotional and mental health support.

“I was absolutely overwhelmed to win the Mo Mowlam Award,” explained Tina, “Mo Mowlam was a brilliant figure, so I’m incredibly proud and happy to receive this honour.

“It was such a great event, everybody was grinning at the ceremony, but I really didn’t expect to win anything, so it was a big shock.”

My Father’s War Part 2 My father never chomped a cigar in his life. He was a gentle Lancastrian man who loved a silver service dinner at The Queens Hotel on his infrequent visits to Saltburn in the late Sixties and Seventies.

But digging deeper into a book which describes Private John Holbert’s time behind the wheel of a British Army staff car in the Second World War chasing battles with the Germans for Reuters war correspondent Doon Campbell, they had their silver-screen style moments.

On May 3rd 1944 they led a small convoy of two Honey tanks - affectionately named because ‘She Shoots and Scoots’, three scout jeeps and an office truck in a triumphal procession to the town hall in Hamburg three hours before Germany officially surrendered to the first British troops.

It was my father’s and Campbell’s second incursion into Hamburg that day.

The 1970 film Kelly’s Heroes with Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland and Telly Savalas showed how the cigarchomping, wise-cracking American GI tank crew left their mark on history, but Doon Campbell who carried the war correspondent’s rank of Captain, was more reserved in his book Magic Mistress about his 30 years with Reuters.

After four hours with the Hamburg Burgomaster and the German military and police and no signs of the British troops “We felt it was time to go home”.

My father drove three miles into the suburbs before they ran into the spearhead British battalion and stopped them waving a white handkerchief - tissues weren’t invented and probably wouldn’t have been so bulletproof 30

in case of mistakes.

Doon writes that they then turned around and led their small convoy of tanks and jeeps back to the bombed-out town hall in the city where more than 50,000 men were killed in RAF bombing raids in July 1943.

They finally got back to the 2nd Army Press camp just as the briefing officer was looking at his watch and telling correspondents “In five minutes time leading units will be entering Hamburg”.

Doon interrupted: “Excuse me. I’ve just come back from the centre of Hamburg ....”

Doon’s scoop led some of the correspondents not to file reports that night. Alex Clifford of the Daily Mail told his desk in London that they should use Reuter.

Two days later my father drove Doon to Reichssender Hamburg, the main radio station from which the British Nazi William Joyce, calling himself Lord Haw Haw, broadcast his nightly propaganda in a mock aristocratic accent always sounding like “Jairmany calling, Jairmany calling..”

Joyce had fled by car in a convoy heading for Denmark but he was captured and later executed for high treason.

After Germany’s declaration of unconditional surrender my father moved on to a staff job in Brussels while Campbell flew to record the dirtiest, muddiest war in Burma with the Japanese.

My father died from lung cancer in 1977 at the age of 64. His wife, my mother, died aged just 24 in 1941 from consumption when he was away at war in the Army, and I was just 11 months old.

Peter Holbert

“The Great Little Shop that Sells Everything!�

Offering Cheaper Prices on all our products, including Toiletries, Cleaning Products, Homeware Products, Greetings Cards and Much, Much More!

Pop in and check us out.

You will be amazed at what we stock!

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

Saltburn Cards and Calendars on sale now!

Open 9.00am till 4.30pm, Monday to Saturday 31

Saltburn Businesses support Tees Valley Wildlife

Deb at Tees Valley Wildlife Trust has been asking local businesses to help with corporate sponsorship for this local non profit charity.

Our nature reserves are open free of charge to the public. Our volunteers do sterling work to keep these green spaces maintained for animals and people.

Huge thanks go to Janet, owner at Milo’s cafe/bar (the best dog friendly cafe for miles!) and Mo and Mike at Saltburn Pharmacy.

If your company is interested in sponsorship, please call Deb Atkinson on: 07850 336958.

Freemasons in the Community Members of Huntcliff Lodge at Saltburn, Ted Law and Alex Williams presented a cheque for £500 to the Staithes and Runswick lifeboat crew which will be used to support the training costs of the new station trainees. The money was raised by Brother Ted Law on the Northern Producer oil production platform by holding sports evenings offshore, and Alex is an active member of the lifeboat crew.

Alex explained that the RNLI depends solely on donations to enable them to maintain their life saving activities, but quite often it is forgotten that they also require “Investment in People” to ensure that their crews are constantly manned as well as supported by skilled and competent personnel. This donation will go a long way to support these new crew members through their training programs which will ensure that lifesaving at sea will be available in our area for years to come.

(Photo courtesy: John Rees) 32

G . Bishop - Decorator *Interiors and Exteriors

*Free Estimates

*All Aspects of Decorating Undertaken *Realistic Prices

Time Served Telephone 01287 624016

*Reliable Service Assured

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.

33

FRIDAY FRIENDS Hi Friends far and wide. As you will realise, Friday Friends is closed for the foreseeable future.

In this present crisis we are all coming to terms with a degree of isolation and the ways in which this diminishes our lives. At Friday Friends we know how much more difficult that can be for those whose impairments, whether physical, mental, intellectual or emotional, can lead to even more isolation. This is not just for individuals themselves but also for those who care for them.

The present situation is highlighting the importance of support mechanisms and the essential nature of the communication links which help us to know that we are not alone in our sense of helplessness. As we seek to care for ourselves and loved ones please spare a thought for those whose personal inabilities make it even harder to cope. Anxiety will be much worse for those whose lack of capacity makes them anxious in the best of times, for them the love and understanding (and practical help where possible) of those more able can make a world of difference.

Wishing you all safety and reassurance, Graham Pacey (Chair of Trustees).

TIME SERVED

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 34

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 dear humans! We are Zebo, Misty and Sergio, and we hope you are all safe and well. We’d love for you to be able to visit us, but unfortunately SARA is closed to human visitors and volunteers until further notice, due to the Corona 19 virus. But we will be extra glad to see you when it’s safe and life returns to normal.

Zebo is a very beautiful brindle greyhound. He is around 4 years old. Zebo is very friendly and well mannered. His favourite things are zooming around in the pen, lazing in the sun and going for walks with our other dogs in rescue. Zebo cannot be homed with cats, other small furries or young children. We do

feel Zebo could live with another dog of similar size and temperament and in a home where he would be able to get plenty of exercise.

Misty and Sergio are a beautiful pair of girlies, who are both 12 years old, Sergio is the black cat, and Misty is tricoloured. These cats are very closely bonded and love spending lots of time snuggled in their bed together. They also are very fond of humans too! And they are also very affectionate and are always keen for a fuss with the staff and volunteers. Misty and Sergio are looking for a quiet home where they will be the only pets.

Love, wuffs and purrs from Zebo, Misty and Sergio.

SARA fundraising events during May Monthly meetings for S.A.R.A. supporters and the general public are held in the Cleveland Bay, Ings Road Redcar on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm. Bar Open, friendly atmosphere, everyone is welcome, dogs too.

Please join us when we can resume normal meetings, for a pleasant evening and hear all the recent news about the animals and the charity’s progress.

Future SARA Events April’s Easter events have been cancelled due to the Coronavirus but we mention two events planned for May here in the hope that they might happen but these might also have to be cancelled.

Spring Stroll – Monday 4th May 11am – 1pm – a 2 hour stroll along Redcar Stray to Marske for fun. Bring your own dogs along and receive a doggy goodie bag. All supporters receive a treat. Please meet at The Stray Café on the stray to begin the walk.

Spring Bargain Sale – Saturday 9th May 10am – 1pm at Foxrush Farm. Clothes, bric-a-brac, kitchenware, household items, pet stock are all on offer. Come along and bag a bargain. Light refreshments available.

Joy and Mandy Volunteers at SARA 35

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

07825 678757

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.

36

Prayers during the time of the coronavirus The following prayers, from the Church of England website, can help us all to stand in a place of faith rather than fear, and help us move from selfish thoughts and actions to those of kindness and service.

God of compassion, be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation.

In their loneliness, be their consolation; in their anxiety, be their hope; in their darkness, be their light; through him who suffered alone on the cross, but reigns with you in glory, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Merciful God, we entrust to your tender care those who are ill or in pain, knowing that whenever danger threatens your everlasting arms are there to hold them safe.

Comfort and heal them, and restore them to health and strength; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gracious God, give skill, sympathy and resilience to all who are caring for the sick, and your wisdom to those searching for a cure.

Strengthen them with your Spirit, that through their work many will be restored to health; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/coronavirus-liturgy-and -prayer-resources

Emmanuel Church will be open for private prayer on Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays from 10am to 11am until further notice

There are NO church services taking place until further notice.

We hope to keep the parish office open as much as possible.

The parish office answerphone will be checked regularly.

Contact Details tel 01287 622251

email emmanuelsaltburn@hotmail.co.uk

web www.emmanuelsaltburn.co.uk

At all times, please observe the government’s guidance for social distancing: Please remain 2 metres apart, and do not visit if you show any symptoms of Covid 19 37

The TEES Charity: Changing people’s lives through food, clothing and toiletries “Many local charities do amazing work individually. So they can achieve more, our TEES charity (together – engage – encourage – support) approaches them, engages with them and encourages them to share resources, data, information and even funding,” says veteran community organiser, Tonia Nixon.

Tonia began fundraising at the age of six. Supported by her mother, she collected and organised jumble sales on the old Lakes Estate, Redcar, in aid of the Marske Cheshire Home. Later, she worked as a licensee for twenty-seven years and helped set up Pubwatch in Loftus in 1989. In 2000, with J D Wetherspoon’s, she did a degree in marketing and developed a passion for it. She puts her fifty years’ experience to good effect with the TEES charity.

Operating as a not for profit charity incorporated organisation (CIO), its aim is to help relieve some of the problems associated with both social and economic poverty on Teesside. Having recognised a huge increase in the use of food and clothing banks and homelessness in the UK in recent years, it is putting together several different projects and initiatives. These are intended to help alleviate some of the issues created by deprivation and poverty that affect local people, who often struggle in low-paid, unreliable jobs.

“Particularly, we’ve recognised the feelings of isolation experienced in East Cleveland and are working to pull everything together,” explains Tonia. “We have good contacts in other charities, such as Footprints in the Community, AddAction and all nine Food Banks. We also signpost people to where they can get help.” She is proud of the way TEES works, not vetting clients or asking them intrusive financial questions, but putting the onus on the referrer to confirm need.

Tonia has been volunteering with the homeless for over ten years and was with the Teesside Socialist Clothing Bank for seven months. This runs from a container for an hour a week in the Hope Building Car Park in Middlesbrough. Clients, including those recently released from prison, can collect free clothing, toiletries and a sleeping bag, if they’re likely to be sleeping rough. “This is a valuable service, but it’s not felt to be a safe place for everyone in need of food, clothing and toiletries and more outlets are essential,” she says.

Tonia knew that TEES needed to be put on a firm financial footing, with a bank account and a charity number.

She was aware it would take at least a year, so she decided to fund her volunteering herself. She used her pension money and life savings to pay for her fuel, marketing, donation bins, computer and website (www.teescommunity.co.uk). Now TEES has charity status, it has a Board of Trustees, consisting of Billy Wells - the current Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Mark Thacker, Ian Wolstenecraft and Tonia as Chair. She is grateful too to the volunteers, Ron Moran – the manager of the Clothing Bank, Claire Smith, Anita Whitney, Michelle Todd, Kath Cornes - the Mayor of Loftus and Sheryl Calvert, the poppy appeal organiser. “I also appreciate the efforts of Karen McGarrity of the RCVDA, who guided us through the process of getting charity status.”

Since 2018, Tonia has been involved in alleviating period poverty. She researched other national organisations working on this and chose to team up with Tina Leslie of Freedom4Girls (www.freedom4girls.co.uk). Tina has worked 38

in Kenya and the UK in a very ethical way. Tonia wanted to provide free sanitary products for girls and women living in poverty, so she contacted fifty different possible donation/ collection sites, including businesses, doctors’ surgeries and charities. “In Saltburn, we now have donation points in Sainsbury’s and Saltburn Pharmacy,” says Tonia. “The Pharmacy has been very proactive, displaying our poster and encouraging customers and reps to donate products. I make sure the donations are distributed close to where they are given, for example to Saltburn Food Bank in the town.”

She has become a partner of the Scottish charity, Hey Girls, (www.heygirls.co.uk) and receives 35% of the sanitary products she donates from it. “As well, Hey Girls has helped TEES with our marketing campaign and with health education information,” explains Tonia. “I’ve used the latter to talk to Saltburn Brownies and Guides.”

Hey Girls and TEES are asking the Government to stop industry putting plastics in sanitary products and to encourage more ethical manufacturing processes. In February, Hey Girls paid for a hundred copies of the Big Issue to be delivered to Tonia to use as TEES wishes. “The edition contained a six page supplement, featuring the partnership of our two charities,” she adds proudly.

Between January and December 2019, over £60,000 worth of products were given away in Redcar and Cleveland and seven hundred women and girls are being supported with free items, available in over seventy locations. “It’s life-saving for a lot of people,” says Tonia, as is the TEES Clothing Bank, which supplies Women’s Refuges and the AddAction charity, amongst others.

TEES is looking forward to applying for big grants to fulfil Tonia’s plan to house the homeless. In five years’ time, she hopes the charity will be housing twenty to thirty vulnerable people. In view of Tonia’s outstanding achievement record, it would be a brave person who would doubt that she will do it!

Rosemary Nicholls

The World Wags On

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

Kitchens Bathrooms Bedrooms Doors Windows Flooring Skirting

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

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

01287 623099 07900 492439

I have no way of knowing what the state of play will be regarding the dreaded coronavirus by the time you read this article because things seem to be changing with every passing hour. I know how much it has people worried but I suppose we ought to look back to other situations to see how very much worse things can be – in particular to the influenza epidemic of 1918, which after all is only a century ago. Believe it or not this particular epidemic is thought to have killed in excess of 50 million people worldwide! The First World War, which had only just finished as the influenza epidemic struck had been responsible for a staggering 16 million deaths but we can see immediately that the natural disaster that was the epidemic killed two and a half times as many people and it literally was a worldwide epidemic.

It is suggested that part of the reason for what happened was the fact that so many people, especially in Europe, were at a very low ebb physically. Food had not been in good supply for quite some time and although nobody in Britain starved during the First World War, the same was not true in many other countries. The other main reason for what happened stems from the fact that few if any people actually die from the flu itself but from complications caused by it or aggravated by its presence.

Many if not most of the people in the epidemic would have succumbed to pneumonia or septicaemia. Antibiotics did not appear until around the end of the Second World War and we tend to forget that without them people are very vulnerable when infection strikes.

How very odd it seems to me that although the First World War was absolutely horrific, something that happened just after it and which was much more deadly and horrible is more or less totally forgotten. How many families were ripped apart and how many people had struggled through the terrors and danger of trench warfare only to die from one of the smallest agents in existence. It’s almost as if the world was saying “Your puny efforts are nothing compared with what can happen without your intervention and all on account of one virus that by absolute chance mutated into something with which the human body could not cope”.

There were other epidemics during the 20th century but none so bad as the 1918 example. However, this is paled into virtual insignificance by the visit of Bubonic Plague that took place around 1348. That too was caused by a virus and thinking now is that it may have been an Ebola-Like virus that caused the most unbelievable devastation. It is estimated that as many as 200 million people were killed by what must surely be one of the most horrific visitations that humanity ever survived. People at the time had no idea what was causing the plague and though history has blamed the fleas on rats for carrying the virus and passing it onto humans, we still do not know for sure what the plague really was.

As tragic as coronavirus has been for a significant number of people, we can at least put it into proportion and thank our lucky stars that many lives have been saved by our advances in medical know how and our commitment to stemming its worst possible consequences. Thank goodness our knowledge has moved on massively in a very short period of time.

Alan Butler 39

Saltburn, Redcar & Cleveland Philatelic Society

THE GREAT AIR RACE With Australian Prime Minister William ‘Billy’ Hughes keen to bolster civil aviation in Australia, in early 1919 his government announced what became known as the ‘Great Air Race’ with an offer of £10,000 for the first successful flight from England to Australia, completed within 30 days and before midnight on 31 December 1920. Just before 09.00 am on 12 November 1919, the highly decorated World War One pilot Captain Ross Smith, his brother Lieutenant Keith Smith, navigator and assistant pilot, and aircraft mechanic Sergeants Walter ‘Wally’ Shiers and James Bennett, departed in their twin-engine VICKERS VIMY from snow-covered Hounslow Aerodrome, London.

Despite variable weather conditions Ross Smith and crew landed at Fannie Bay airfield, Darwin, on 19 December 1919, as race victors.

They had flown an incredible distance of almost 17,800 kilometres (11,060 miles) in just under 28 days, in an aircraft constructed of fabric, wire, and wood, and aided by basic maps. No sat-navs and air control in those days, just a compass and visual geography! It is said that Ross Smith joked that the Vimy’s lettering ‘G-EAOU’ stood for ‘God Elp All Of Us’.

In 1969 Great Britain issued a 1/9d blue & yellow stamp along with an FDC, displayed. Other countries along the route also issued a 50th Anniversary stamp and cover. Iraq, Italy, Pakistan, Singapore, and Australia to name but a few. More recently Australia has, in 2019, issued a large range of philatelic items marking the 100th Anniversary of this momentous event.

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus situation, all future meetings for the rest of the season have been suspended until further notice.

Saltburn Line User Group Next Meetings are cancelled until further notice 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.

We normally meet at Redcar East Community Centre, Durham Rd, Redcar TS10 3SB, on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday each month.

Visitors welcome..... FREE advice buying or selling your stamp collection.

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

RITSON Tree Care QUALIFIED ARBORISTS

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

MEMBER

Local Authority Approved

undertaken

 All Debris Removed  All Areas Covered

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

Member International Society of Arboriculture

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LINE

(01287) 625457

40

ALL WORK TO BS3998 STANDARD.

N.P.T.C. Certified & Fully Insured Environmentally Friendly

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.

The Saltburn Profile Victoria Sky ‘Unified by a love for the Earth and the people who live in it’ says yoga teacher Victoria Sky’s website (www.treelivingyoga.com). She started practising when she was six and now runs five classes a week in Saltburn’s Community Centre Hall. A member of the Yoga Alliance, she’s a senior teacher and teacher trainer.

Always interested in travel, Victoria’s first job was cabin crew with Virgin Atlantic, flying to America and the Caribbean. Initially she loved it, but after two years she wanted to see more of other countries and left Virgin to Interrail round Europe. On her return home, she worked for Kelly’s, the recruitment consultant, matching teachers to schools and she became manager of the Southampton Branch.

After six/seven years at Kelly’s, the company allowed her three months off to travel to India. She created work for herself selling items, such as jewellery and pashminas, on the Internet and when she came home, she took them to Ascot and polo events. “While I was in India, I looked for yoga classes too and these reawakened my love for it,” she remembers. For the next year, Victoria split her time between England and India and then travelled to southeast Asia: Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. “I fell in love with Vietnam,” she says, “and stayed there for a year, teaching English to children and adults.” She also started teaching yoga to kitesurfers and having really enjoyed it, found a course in Bali to give her a qualification.

Victoria returned to Vietnam, before flying to Costa Rica to continue teaching yoga and English. After nine months, she left to teach English in Spain, mainly to children. Their parents were really keen to do yoga, so in ‘Spanglish’ she taught them it in a gym. “I loved being there,” she says. “The outdoor living is wonderful.”

Before long, a friend of Victoria’s was moving to Naples, so she went too and spent two years teaching there.

She met someone from Teesside and they came back together to set up home in Saltburn five years ago. “I found there wasn’t much yoga on Teesside and every gym I asked, said they could offer me work,” she says. “I’ve felt really welcomed here and it’s the longest time I’ve lived anywhere in my adult life. It’s lovely living by the sea and there are so many opportunities to meet like-minded people.

I like the Saltburn pace of life.”

Victoria teaches Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Hatha and Yin Yoga. As well as her five weekly classes, she offers Runner’s Yoga once a month and Healing Hatha Yoga once a week. She has recently been running her second Yoga Teacher Training qualification right here in Saltburn, which culminates with a week in Ibiza. “It’s a privilege to do so,” she explains. “So many people want to deepen their knowledge of yoga, especially when they feel the benefits themselves.”

Putting her philosophy into practice in Saltburn, Victoria supports Signals cafe and all the good vibes they share, particularly the Christmas Day gatherings, from which all proceeds are donated by Josh to charity. She took part in a run in aid of the Parkinson’s charity too. “A large group of locals ran fifty miles in fifty days. We ran individually, but altogether on the last day from the Leisure

by Rosemary Nicholls

Centre to the pier,” she says.

Also for donations to the Parkinson’s charity, Victoria runs Beach Yoga at the Spring/Autumn Equinoxes and Winter/Summer Solstices. The next one will probably be on Sunday, 28th June.

She enjoys reading fantasy adventures and novels set in particular geographical settings. “I adore anything set in India and Isobel Allende’s South American stories,” she explains. “I loved ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, so I sought out all her other novels.” With regard to music, Victoria likes acid jazz, house music and dance music.

She is a committed vegetarian and tries to make vegan choices; however, she is allergic to nuts and this cuts out many options. She buys vegan shampoo and refills rather than new plastic bottles. At Christmas, she cooked vegan mushroom and lentil pie for her bemused Dad! As befits a yoga teacher, Victoria travels to Bali two or three times a year. She goes to teach, so it’s a working holiday. On her last visit, she undertook an intensive two week training in Lomi Lomi massage, which was extremely challenging, but also rewarding. “I can now offer this on retreats,” she says. She’s also running yoga retreats in Scotland, the Peak District, Ibiza and Peru this year, immersing herself in each venue.

Victoria enjoys films, often at Teesside Park where the seats are comfy. She likes action movies, with gangsters. She rates Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie and this year, saw him in ‘The Gentlemen’.

Continuing her interest in selling attractive items, Victoria has designed a range of hoodies, T-shirts and three -quarter length yoga tops. All of these are mostly screen printed by hand in gold or copper ink, with a yogi phrase and pose on the back. They are ethically sourced and printed in Saltburn by Sophie of The Heyho Print Company. Victoria sells them through her classes and her website. She also welcomes people to contact her on 07739 446858.

41

The Saltburn Crossword no 226 set by Saxton

Name___________________________________ Address_________________________________ ________________________________________ Telephone_______________________________

Across 9 Spanish table wine initially red in old jars, anonymously (5) 10 Saltburn shop like a British butterfly (5, 4) 11 Mexican dish of a stuffed tortilla, hand lace I weave (9) 12 Healthy Mediterranean fruit she is! (5) 13 British cheese in the gorge! (7) 15 Stops by the Police? (7) 17 Stadium? Concealed by square nature reserve (5) 18 Unhappy in places advertised (3) 20 Saltburn café certainly has it! (5) 22 Covers and protects the soil. Mel, such posing! (7) 25 Caught with a rope. Does Sal reinvent it? (7) 26 Motionless in the air like a craft! (5) 27 Enemy sounding like bad reaction to Harry (9) 30 Rough material to make smooth (9) 31 Being untruthful while horizontal? (5) Down 1, 23 and 29 Down Healthy Saltburn therapy and Talk of the Town advertiser I greatly give no distractions (4, 6, 4) 2 Building material for a short prisoner on a long Greek island (8) 3 Cab I’m after the Inland Revenue? (4) 4 Plays are performed in them that seer shatters (8) 5 South American mammal found back in a maraca place (6) 6 We all are, but nobody likes them! To price shy of redistribution (10) 7 We need them when at war against a 27 Across (6) 8 Venerable northern saint sounds like he had jewellery (4) 13 Winning personality of each armour (5) 14 Fatal accident prone areas that drapes cover up (5, 5) 16 Too much to lead to 14 Down so drive more slowly! (5) 19 Parcel or post reaching destination of French care of horses (8) 21 Occasionally Dior caps confusion (8) 23 See 1 Down 24 Seafood puts everlasting number after swindle (6) 26 Snake sound of this sandwich (4) 28 Annoy after elixir reverses missing Roman nine (4) 29 See 1 Down

Solution to Crossword no 225

The winner of last month’s crossword was Ruth Goodwill of Upleatham Street, Saltburn.

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

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

42

Send your completed crossword to: Saltburn Crossword no 226, c/o Jackie’s Saverstore, 8 Station Buildings, Saltburn, TS12 1AQ

by Friday, 17th April 2020. First correct solution out of the bag wins a £10 voucher kindly donated by Real Meals.

Saltburn Allotments Association Spring is here and everything is growing! In these difficult times use your garden to reduce your stress levels and get outside! If you don’t already, plant a few seeds and who knows you may discover a new hobby or simply retain a little sanity while things are a bit crazy and of course your crops will be better for you even grown in pots!

When the ground is moist it’s a good time to cover the surface under established plants with a mulch of compost or something similar. I do this with Strawberries.

This keeps moisture in the soil and suppresses weeds.

This helped a lot when it was so dry last year. I could still find moist ground when I looked under the mulch and will help soil stay moist longer if we have little rain.

Keep on top of weeds, hoeing when small, as they are easy to remove then.

Depending how you wish to work, you can dig in organic matter to prepare for planting or apply a fertilizer if you prefer. I add my compost to the surface over as many beds as I have material for, mostly done during the autumn and winter (No Dig).

Keep an eye for frost and protect any tender or vulnerable plants either in the greenhouse or outside.

Make sure seedlings under cover are well watered too as they will quickly dry up on sunny days.

Prepare the areas you are going to plant peas and runner beans and add your supports.

I grow seeds in modules to be planted out. This works well in a no dig system or conventional and means you wont need to create seedbed conditions making less work. Cover young plants with fleece until well established to protect from frost and it will also retain warmth and give them a boost. It can be removed a few weeks later when the last frosts have gone.

Many seeds can be sown now: outside salad crops, caulis, cabbage, kale and broccoli, herbs of all kinds. You can continue to plant potatoes, second early now and by the end of the month, main crops, asparagus crowns, and runner beans, sweet corn, courgettes, marrows, squashes and melons. Some will need a heated propagator or additional warmth.

Make your own compost; it’s free garden feed!

Especially at this time of year there is a good range of available material. Mix up what goes in, take dead stems and leaves of plants or even quite woody material and chop it up, and add a layer to start your heap, then cover with a layer of grass cuttings or green material such as: weeds, trimmings off crops you harvest and veg waste from the kitchen. Build up layers and if there’s lots of dry material, add water.

Sadly, we will have had to cancel our AGM for the moment and there may be no farmers’ markets (we don’t know), but just like the plants and trees that regrow each spring, we will be back!

Julia

The Muses of Jim

You will be pleased to know that I am not displaying any of the symptoms that this new gift to mankind is bestowing on us but I am feeling very annoyed that my activities have been curtailed to such an extent. I feel I should be given an opportunity to be tested to prove my fitness and the fact that I am not at risk. The steps taken by the government will increase the problems of loneliness we have in this country, especially of the elderly who live alone who feel isolated enough without being forced into further isolation.

It is annoying that many people, even in Saltburn, appear to be panic buying, leaving empty shelves for the rest of us to pick over. When researching the history of Saltburn, when I was at university, 42 years ago, the Saltburn newspapers stated with pride that within minutes of the announcement of the start of World War One that the shops had sold out of supplies and that the proud people of Saltburn were doing their duty by stockpiling. It would be interesting if the supermarkets were forced to publish data from their loyalty cards showing who it was who had unnecessarily cleared the shelves. For the life of me I can’t see what psychological comfort people can get from stockpiling toilet rolls when this disease causes no issues in that area! Britain has a great tradition of toilet roll manufacturing, in fact Rostrons in Selby (a paper mill) employed all the young ladies of Selby, late of West Riding, now of North Yorkshire when I lived there as a young man. I understand that staff in chemists have been subjected to verbal abuse when following government instructions for people to keep a distance from the counter and each other which is only common sense.

I had a trip to London last week and visited Parliament to speak to several MPs in my role as Chairman of the Cleveland Association of Local Councillors. I saw Boris Johnson, who is much smaller in person than expected and he reminded me of the villain in Dangermouse! I didn’t meet him; he just walked past me in the ministerial section of Parliament. I also walked past the office of the Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition.

I had a good meeting with our MP, Simon Clarke who, as a minister, has published a paper supporting my sector of town and parish councils so we had an interesting discussion and he made some very nice remarks about me on his Facebook page!

Spud is taking all of this in his stride, as long as he can watch the world go by during the day and go out at night he is quite happy. He has developed a liking for being groomed and demands to be brushed at least three times a day.

Many of my neighbours have kindly offered their assistance if needed at any time, for which I am very grateful but as I said earlier I am fine at the moment. I am of course not daft and if necessary I will take them up on their offers and my children have been extra supportive especially my eldest grand-daughter Megan who is contacting me every day to check I am okay.

I hope you all stay well both physically and mentally during the next few weeks and I look forward to raising a pint in the club very soon.

Jim Wingham 43

£35.00

44