Saltburn in bloom - a community affair
What's the blooming point?
Britain in Bloom is an all-inclusive campaign, organised by the RHS, that encourages communities of all sizes to make positive and lasting improvements to their local areas for the benefit of local people. The campaign is the largest of its kind in Europe and incorporates floral features, permanent planting, wildflower meadows, planting for nature, fruit and vegetable gardening and much, much more. Other elements include cleanliness and tackling issues of litter, graffiti, vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
The RHS encourages all communities to get involved to help create safer, cleaner and greener local environments.
Saltburn’s efforts are organised by the Saltburn '500 Club in association with town businesses, organisations and local councils, and sponsored by the Parish Council.
2010 - Northumbria in Bloom
Judging day for Northumbria in Bloom is Tuesday, 13th July, starting at 10.00am. On Saturday 10th July there will be a big town tidy up, between 10.00am and 12 noon. Please help keep our town tidy, not just for judging day but all year round. New Amberol planters have been installed and planted on Marine Parade, not only with shrubs and salad but also with small salad items, lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, etc. Would anyone be willing to look after just one or two of them and reap the harvest? This could be your own mini garden. Carol and Graham Gaunt kindly look after the first three tubs, so the tubs after lamp post 3 are available to be adopted. Thank you to Bill Johnson who constantly litter picks and keeps the area along Marine Parade clean and tidy. Gardening water parties take place on Wednesdays between 10.00am and 12. Look on the town notice board or ring 01287 624046. To place a notice on this board please contact using this number.
2009 - Northumbria in Bloom Golden award.
The results of the 2009 Northumbria in Bloom competition were announced and presentations made at a ceremony in the Freeman's Quay Leisure Centre in Durham City on 14th September. Over eighty entries reached gold standard in their class this year with judges looking for much more than pretty flowerbeds in spring and summer. These days floral excellence is vital but not enough and permanent, sustainable planting involving trees and shrubs, conservation projects, cleanliness and year round community effort are all included in the final marks.
This year Saltburn was awarded the gold medal and Amberol Trophy for the Best Seaside Resort. Best conservation project and Gold Medal was awarded to Saltburn Valley Gardens. Best railway, bus or metro station: Saltburn Railway Station. Saltburn Golf Club was awarded a Gold Medal as one of the best kept sports premises. An RHS Neighbourhood award was given to Laurel Road.
Locally, Stanghow received Gold for the Best Small Village and Eston was awarded the Best Urban Community Award with Lingale being recognised as the most improved entry. Both Stanghow and Eston have been selected to represent the North East in the prestigious 'Britain in Bloom' national competition.
2008
Children from Salburn Primary School planted new bulbs at the Police Station in November 2007 in preparation for the 2008 season.
Teacher Lucy Turnock and her teaching assistant Julie Crowe are pictured with some of the children, PC Stuart Smith and Ray Hensby, the deputy chairman of Saltburn, Marske and New Marske Parish Council.
The hard work payed off as the police station was judged to be the best garden worked by volunteers in the annual town garden competition.
The town was awarded the Amberol Trophy after winning a silver gilt award in the coastal resort section of this years Northumbria in Bloom. Judges commented that Saltburn's public awareness campaign was "first class and faultless". They said the "absence of litter was amazing. The town looked clean and sparkling throughout and the beach area was spotless despite many visitors."
Suggestions for improvements included expanded daffodil planting on large grassed areas, more floral displays on Marine Parade, more perennial planting, as at the community centre and police station, and schools to introduce some wildflowers and ponds.
2007 was a very good year.
2007 was the 20th Anniversary of Saltburn’s first entry in the Northumbria in Bloom Competition and the 7th year of entry in the Britain in Bloom finals. Saltburn was as winner of the Silver-Gilt award in the Best Coastal Resort section of Northumbria in Bloom and also received a Silver award in the Britain in Bloom Competition.
Of the 68 finalists that had been selected from the 18 UK regions to compete in the UK finals 14 finalists received Gold, 26 received Silver-Gilt, 24 received Silver and 4 received Bronze awards. Saltburn was competing as a finalist in the Coastal Resort category alongside Bognor Regis, Cleethorpes, Criccieth, Great Yarmouth, Lytham, North Berwick, Sidmouth, St Helier, Westbourne, Whitby and Whitehead. Cleethorpes was announced as the category winner. The gala ceremony took place on 26 September at the Coventry Cathedral, hosted by Coventry in Bloom. The Awards were presented by actress Susan Hampshire.
The picnic area on Marine Parade, funded by Impetus Environmental Trust, was opened by the Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland on Thursday 20th September. A ship’s anchor has also been placed on land at the top of Saltburn Bank as part of 2007's planned improvements to the towns floral displays.
Anchors Away!
In 2005 PC Robin Butler, who at the time was the Community Officer for Marske, and Saltburn PC Stuart Smith, approached PD Teesport, Middlesbrough on the River Tees regarding the obtaining of an anchor for each of the towns. They were able to supply two anchors which had been dredged up from the River Tees having been lost on the river bed by shipping. Marske were the first to install their anchor on the roundabout in the High Street.. The Saltburn anchor was kept until funding was available and decisions were made as to where it should be sited. In June 2007 with the help of funding from the Local Environmental Committee, Saltburn In Bloom were able to go ahead with plans for bringing the anchor to the town. It was first taken to Castle Engineering in Marske where it was shot blasted and painted. Alfred McAlpine then installed the anchor on the garden at the top of Cart Bank. It was decided to place the anchor here because of its close proximity to the sea. In 2008 the Anchor will be illuminated at night and the garden bed in which it is situated will be re-developed with a sea-side theme. Included in this are two metal lobster pots which have been made by inmates at the metal workshops at Kirkleavington Prison.
