Local News

A round up of Local News in Redcar and Cleveland for 18th November 2015.

More heavy rain is forecast for our area this week as Teesside remains on alert for possible flooding. The Met Office has yellow warnings of rain in place for the North East and North Yorkshire and these will bring back memories of when our area was badly affected just over two years ago, including major flooding affecting businesses on the seafront at Saltburn and residential properties in Redcar.

It is reported that water levels in rivers and streams around Redcar and Cleveland are considerably higher than normal. Met office advice during a yellow warning is to plan ahead thinking about possible travel delays, or the disruption of your day to day activities.

Cleveland’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Barry Coppinger, has opened the first of a series of three teacher training events focusing on tackling racism within Cleveland schools. The training sessions, which have been funded by the Commissioner through his Community Safety Initiatives Fund, are being led by North East charity Show Racism the Red Card – which is well known for offering successful programmes across the country.

The sessions are aimed at teachers and youth workers, and focus on equipping those who deal with young people with the skills needed to help them challenge any racist attitudes or stereotypes within the classroom. Over the course of the three sessions over 60 different schools and organisations will receive training.

Mr Coppinger said: “It is important to stress that we are not saying that Cleveland has a specific issue with racism. I have found through talking to communities, that generally Cleveland is an accepting and tolerant place to live, with a history of welcoming new arrivals. However, we know that hate crime exists, and we know that it is under reported, both locally and nationally. Current events internationally also make this a particularly topical subject and organisations like Show Racism the Red Card enable us to face these issues head on, through honest and frank debate which challenges us all to look at our own internal prejudices and how these affect our view of the world and those around us.

This week will be the last chance to see two exhibitions at Kirkleatham Museum showcasing style, design, imagination and originality, celebrating British holidaymaking. The combined exhibitions of Beauty and the Beach and The Inaugural British Life Photography Awards will be on display at the Kirkleatham museum until November 22, 2015.

The Inaugural British Life Photography Awards showcases contemporary and imaginative images which capture the essence and spirit of British life. Established in 2014, these awards recognise the talents of both amateur and professional photographers, whilst simultaneously reviving a greater awareness of documentary photography. There are ten categories in total including rural life, street life, portraiture and a special award for the best documentary feature, but all offer a poignant, provoking, illuminating or humorous portrayal of British life.

The other exhibition, Beauty and the Beach, is a collection of beach style throughout the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Ranging from bikinis to vintage one-pieces, this exhibition explores the style, design and inspiration of women’s swimwear from yesteryear.