The Regent Cinema's greatest night ever

Redcar's Regent Cinema hosted the regional premier of Atonement tonight. Glynis and I were first to walk down the red carpet with the cameras flashing. What a fabulous night for Redcar and for the Regent Cinema!

The red carpet or is it pink?

The champagne reception but no, that is not Charles Kennedy.

Glynis with Dave Fitzpatrick and his girlfriend.

Neil Bates who runs the Regent Cinema.

Joe Wright, Director of Atonement, finds a spare minute from
his hectic schedule today to organise his next blockbuster.

Brotton Library relocation - a real success story

Redcar and Cleveland Council's Libraries Service has a real success story to tell with the relocation of Brotton Library to Freebrough Specialist Engineering College at Brotton.

Book borrowing is up by 23%, with 2,762 issues in February, compared with 2,229 last year, and, encouragingly, junior issues have jumped by 68%, with 1,061 in February, compared to 706 for the same period last year.

The number of active borrowers has also increased, up 16% in the two months since the move from Brotton High Street in December, with 1,729 borrowers, compared to 1,496 borrowers.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: "I am absolutely delighted with the public's response, especially younger readers."

Librarian Diane Lonsdale said: "We've had marvellous feedback since the move and are doing all we can to increase interest in the new building even more."

Attractions include a new Saturday morning club, the War Hammer Fantasy Fun Club, from 10am-noon, a children's reading group on Thursday afternoons, from 4.30pm-5.30pm, aimed at five-12 year olds and a Friday afternoon homework club, from 3.45pm-4.45pm.

Plans will restore Coatham Boating Lake

Redcar and Cleveland Council is starting work on restoring Coatham boating lake to its former glory, including the creation of a shingle beach to an island for wading birds.

The project, a separate but complementary initiative to the proposed Coatham Links development, will install new seating, new footpaths, a new perimeter wall, improved planting scheme and night-time lighting.

The designs for the work, which do not need planning permission, have been drawn up after consultations with Natural England, to ensure the value of the lake for birds can be maintained and enhanced.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: "We believe this scheme is another example of how we are bucking the national trend by improving our seaside resorts, rather than see them go into decline.

"The overall aim of this work is to improve the quality of the public realm areas surrounding the lake, to increase public use of the space and restore the area to its former glory as a public space."

Material at the edges of the lake and island will provide wading birds with the habitat they require, while the beach will add interest to the island and provide opportunities for wading birds.

Councillor Fitzpatrick added: "We're delighted with the scheme and the addition of lighting to the area will ensure night-time interest and safety within the area."

*Council engineers are investigating the state of the boating lake's footbridge, with a view to organising repairs.

Coalition Council plans to restore Marske Valley Gardens

Hundreds of residents in Marske are getting the chance to have their say in restoring the town's Valley Gardens to their former glories in a £200,000 investment scheme.

Groundwork South Tees, working in partnership with Redcar and Cleveland Council, begin door-to-door interviews at over 400 homes from the end of this month.

The Gardens, originally created to form a link between the beach and the town centre, were constructed in the 1930s, and now one of the main jobs will be to repair the 'vicar's trod' the main path originally used by the vicar and the monks to cross the Valley to St Germain's churchyard.

Other works are set to include improvements to the footpaths and boundaries as well as the reinstatement of some of the Gardens' original features.

The Friends of the Marske Valley Gardens, formed in August last year, are delighted at the initiative. Chairman Susannah Henderson said: "We are a new group who want to see the Valley Gardens restored and we are sure the people of Marske would like the chance to be involved."

Ian Moran, a community project officer for Groundwork South Tees, explained: "We are committed to a wide-ranging public consultation, starting with a blank canvas.

"We are aiming to have sketch proposals drawn up by May and then we will return to the homes to see if they're in agreement. Work is programmed to start in November and take two months."

The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: "We would be delighted to hear the views of local people. It's a wonderful opportunity for the public to get what they want - and can only open access to the Gardens and encourage tourism."

Locke Park ready for £300,000 facelift

Redcar's Locke Park is ready for a £300,000 investment to include a new pavilion and better footpath links as part of a Borough-wide environmental improvement programme.

The facelift also includes refurbishment of perimeter fencing and two park shelters and the installation of new front gates along with de-silting the lake and work to improve the surface of the tennis courts.

Redcar and Cleveland Council and the Friends of Locke Park is using funding from the Government's Neighbourhood Renewal Fund allocation to deliver recommendations from the park's Conservation and Management Plan.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: "The investment in the park is part of a much bigger commitment to ensuring we provide good facilities to create safer, strong communities across the Borough.

"We also want to encourage greater numbers of our residents and visitors to Redcar to use our green spaces to support a healthy lifestyle for themselves

"There will be other improvements to sites across the Borough, including the Valley Gardens at both Saltburn and Marske, the Coronation Park at Loftus and the Eston Recreation Ground."

For the Friends of Locke Park, the investment will be compensation for the failed bid for Heritage Lottery funding in 2005. Friends chairman Ann Best said: "We were so disappointed when we didn't get the Lottery funding, but we're over the moon now, it's absolutely super.

"The work on the paths will certainly make it a lot safer and we're already planning to see if we can get more funding to add some new children's play equipment."

The new pavilion will be for community use, including a meeting room for the Friends, disabled toilets, storeroom and a kitchen, replacing the tennis pavilion, the victim of an arson attack last year.

The perimeter path around the lake and the three main entrance paths that point the way to the Coatham Parish Church spire will be restored to their original red colour.

The Friends are now planning for their annual Gala Day in the park on Saturday, July 14, from 11am-4pm and would welcome new members. Anyone interested can contact Friends secretary Carolyn Farrance on 01642 484487 or attend the group's annual meeting on Thursday, May 17 in the Redcar Station Business Centre at 5.30pm.

New chapter for Brotton Library

Redcar and Cleveland Council has started a new chapter for Brotton Library, opening the doors to its new home in the new Freebrough Specialist Engineering College.

The College, which opens tomorrow (Tuesday, January 9) for its first day, incorporates the library as a shared school and community facility, with a separate entrance for public access.

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: “We are confident that the library users will be delighted with their fantastic new library. We hope people will come along and see for themselves what a tremendous improvement it is.”

Over £8,000 has been spent on new adult and junior books including an additional 526 non-fiction books and 842 fiction books to join the libraries existing stock.

The new site offers an improved layout with easier access for people with mobility difficulties, a disabled toilet and baby change facilities.

The new library has something for everyone – books for both adults and children, including large print and talking books, DVDs and music CDs, plus a reference collection with resources for both local and family history.

There are 12 computers providing free public access to the internet, word processing and other software whilst a Viewpoint web-cam is available to provide confidential access to council services.

Library staff are available to help students from the College as well as members of the public with everything from locating books to printing to homework.

The library has increased opening hours from 30 to 37.5 per week with the library open Tuesday mornings and through lunch during term time.

New opening hours - Term Time: Monday 9.30am-7pm, Tuesday 9.30am-5pm, Wednesday noon-2pm, Thursday 9.30am-7pm, Friday 9.30am-5pm, Saturday 9.30am-12.30pm.

School holidays: Monday 9.30am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-7pm, Tuesday 9.30am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-5pm, Wednesday Closed, Thursday 9.30am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-5pm, Friday 9.30am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-5pm, Saturday 9.30pm-12.30pm.

Council officers are now looking into future potential uses of the old library site on the High Street, which was closed on December 16.

Library on the move

Brotton library will be turning over a new leaf when the brand new facility opens within the new Freebrough Specialist Engineering College in the New Year.

There may be a few tears when the existing library in Brotton High Street closes for the last time on Saturday, December 16 but it will be cheers all the way when the new library opens its doors on the first school day at Freebrough on Monday, January 8.

There will be longer opening hours at the new library, and, in an innovative move, the library service will be providing services to pupils as well as the public.

Redcar & Cleveland Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: "We are very confident that library users will be delighted with their fantastic new library.

"Not only will it be providing better facilities for local people but it will also be open for longer. We hope that people will come along and see for themselves what a tremendous improvement it is."

The staff, too, are looking forward to the move. Librarian Diane Lonsdale said: "We're all really excited at the prospect and can't wait to open the new library.

"We're looking forward to the opportunities to get move involved with the young people in Brotton, but we have also been working hard to encourage our existing users to come and have a look - we're sure they will be as impressed as we are with it."

The 3,000 leaflets informing borrowers of the imminent move also explain that bus services X3 and X4 stop close to the new library entrance.

Advice is also given for Brotton borrowers for the gap between the old library closing and the new library opening, with the chance of taking out extra books, while renewals can be made by phoning any Borough library or going on to the libraries web page, through www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/libraries.

Children put the focus on long lasting homes

Residents, who have lived for decades in prefabricated bungalows, originally built to last ten years, have been the focus for budding photographers in a fascinating exhibition that traces the homes' history.

The 30 photographs and a collage to celebrate the longevity of the 36 bungalows in East Meadows, Marske, which were built in 1947, will be unveiled at Marske Library on Wednesday, December 6.

Coast & Country Housing, working in partnership with Redcar and Cleveland Council's Library Service, created the project which involved young people from the library's Reading Group and nearby Errington Primary School.

Photographer Tony Griffiths hosted two workshops with the young photographers, while professional artists Kathryn Wren and Margaret Hayden worked with another group to produce the collage, thanks to £2,000 funding from the Museums Libraries and Archives Council North East.

The Council's museums curator Alan Pearce, who will present certificates to all the children involved, will accept a DVD of a permanent photographic record of the East Meadow homes to be stored at Kirkleatham Museum.

Coast & Country Housing's Director of Regeneration and Development Anna Gibson said: “The bungalows have served a close-knit community of residents for several decades longer than intended since they were erected to provide emergency housing after the Second World War.

"However, they can no longer be brought up to modern-day standards economically and the residents have worked very closely with us to design a replacement development that we are sure will become as cherished and popular as the prefabs.

“I congratulate the children and artists involved in the collage and photographic exhibition, ensuring that this important era of social housing has been recorded so creatively for the reference of generations to come.”

Resident Mrs Thelma Peacock said: "The children have worked very hard and we were thrilled to talk to them and show them round our bungalow. It’s exciting for us to be part of the history being recorded and we are looking forward to viewing the exhibition.

"At first I was concerned about the proposals but Coast & Country Housing have consulted with us and have kept us involved in the process. I realise that the new homes will be much better than at present and I am looking forward to moving."

The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: "The young people have done a terrific job and I'm sure they've also learnt a great deal about the homes."

A dramatic close to Titanic exhibition

One of the most successful exhibitions in the 25-year life of Redcar's Kirkleatham Museum, Titanic: Honour and Glory, completes its six month stay with a dramatic final weekend on Saturday and Sunday, December 9 and 10.

Redcar and Cleveland Council's Museums Service has been delighted at the response to the highly popular and successful national touring exhibition, which has seen over 32,000 visitors come to view the emotional story since its opening on July 1.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: "It has been a fantastic success and I'm delighted we can provide a fitting finale for its final weekend."

The true love story of Henry Samuel Morley and Kate Louise Philips, that inspired the blockbuster movie, will be told in a unique illustrated talk, entitled Love of the Sea, throughout the weekend, from 10.30am-5.30pm.

Visitors can also "Be Kate For The Day", with a rare opportunity to have their photograph taken wearing the 'Heart Of The Ocean Necklace', worn by actress Kate Winslet in the movie. There is a £3 fee for the photo.

There will also be a prize raffle, offering a replica of the necklace, with the lucky winner drawn before the close of the exhibition on Sunday. Tickets are £1.

Coalition ensures safe journeys to school

Redcar and Cleveland Council has reassessed the walk to school for some children attending Freebrough Specialist Engineering College and they will now have transport provided when their new school opens in the New Year.

The decision means that children from Carlin How and Skinningrove will benefit from home to school transport to Freebrough Specialist Engineering College when the doors of its new building open to students at Brotton on the first day of the new term in January.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Education Councillor Steve Kay said: "We are now in a position to inform parents that we can offer free home to school transport for more children going to Freebrough in January."

The decision follows a review of the walking route to school after the Council had ruled children living in Carlin How and Skinningrove could not claim free school travel.

Councillor Kay explained: "I have had representations from Brotton ward councillors Val Miller and Kay Walker and Loftus ward councillor Dave Fitzpatrick, who all asked for the walking route to be reviewed on safety grounds.

"Following our reassessment we can make home to school transport available to the children concerned. We are now in the process of writing to parents to explain the decision and hope that pupils can all look forward to the excitement of attending the new school in a few weeks."

Council calls for urgent talks with Racecourse Board of Directors

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick, has put forward a Council motion to call for the Board of Directors of Redcar Racecourse to enter into urgent private discussions with representatives of the Council to ensure that racing in Redcar continues.

The request has been made in response to recent media reports which suggest that the future of Redcar Racecourse may be under threat.

Cllr Dave Fitzpatrick, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, said: “As a Council, we have not received any direct communication from the Racecourse regarding any future plans.

“This Council is concerned at press reports that there may be a threat to the continuation of racing at Redcar. This Councils calls on the Board of Directors of the racecourse to enter into urgent private discussions with representatives of the Council to ensure that racing in Redcar continues.

“Racing is so important to Redcar; the Racecourse has been a leading attraction to Redcar since 1875 - it is part of our town, our history, our identity, and we feel, an essential part of our future - and we will do everything in our power to ensure that this important attraction and the opportunities it represents for the future of Redcar are not threatened.”

The Mayor has called a special Council meeting of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council on Thursday 2 November at 2pm at the Town Hall, Eston, to approve the motion and discuss the future of Redcar Racecourse before the Extraordinary General Meeting of Redcar Racecourse shareholders on 3 November.

Cool fun on Redcar High Street for half term

Cool fun will arrive at Redcar High Street this half term with Borough’s first ice rink thanks to Redcar and Cleveland Council.

Opening tomorrow, (Wednesday, October 25) the all-weather synthetic polished surface will be open to skaters 10am-9pm daily until Sunday, 29 October with a £3.50 fee per session.

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick, said: “The whole town is really excited about the arrival of this ice rink.

“I’m not a very good skater but I will definitely have a go, it’s a fun way to keep fit and spend time with the family”

The rink will hold up to 90 skaters at a time and organisers have a store of 144 pairs of boots with sizes ranging from suitable for those aged three year olds, up to adult size 13.

Construction of the 12 metres by 18 metres rink started on Monday, October 23.

Leaflets with 50p off coupons have distributed across the borough, each coupon is valid for up to four people.

No pool closures in foreseeable future

A leading Coalition Councillor today insisted that there are no plans to close any of East Cleveland's three swimming pools at Loftus, Saltburn and Guisborough.

Fears that the pools could be under threat have surfaced amid negotiations by the Council to choose one of three companies who tendered for the contract to manage the Borough's leisure centres.

Concerned users and user groups have wrongly linked the suggestion in one of the tendering documents that an Olympic 'super pool' could be built in East Cleveland to imminent closure of existing swimming facilities.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: "I can categorically state that this Council has no intention of closing any pools for the foreseeable future.

"We will still continue to subsidise the leisure facillities by around £1 million a year and are looking to increase this investment in the future."

He explained: "I can also confirm that there has been a suggestion from one of the organisations tendering for the contract to manage our leisure facilities that they should build an Olympic 'super pool' in East Cleveland and lose the swimming element at the sports centres in Loftus, Saltburn and Guisborough.

"As this is an official tendering document, we are legally bound to consider all its contents and that is why we are also keen to take on board the views of users and user groups. I'm more than happy to talk to all interested parties."

Councillor Fitzpatrick added: "People are jumping to conclusions, but nothing has been decided. What we need to be doing is finding and analysing as many opinions as possible from all areas of Redcar and Cleveland.

"And we need to broaden people's minds - this isn't about the future of swimming in the Borough, it's about all our leisure provision and there is absolutely no suggestion that that will be reduced."

Ice Rink brings cool fun to the High Street

Redcar and Cleveland Council is bringing cool fun to Redcar High Street this half term with the Borough's first ice skating rink.

The rink, an all-weather synthetic polished surface, opens Wednesday, October 25 till Sunday, October 29, open 10am-9pm daily with a £3.50 fee per session.

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: “We are pleased to welcome the ice rink to the Borough.

"This will be a great temporary addition to the High Street which will hopefully draw visitors to the town. If the rink is a success this half term we may look to bring it back on a regular basis.”

The rink, which measures 12 metres by 18 metres, will be sited in front of the Town Clock and be big enough to hold up to 70 skaters at a time. Organisers have a store of 144 pairs of boots with sizes ranging from suitable for three to four year olds and up to adult size 13.

The rink, hired by the Cheshire-based company, Ice Magic, will be lit by existing street lights and halogen lights with a barrier around the perimeter. Work on erecting the rink starts on Monday, October 23.

Scaffolding currently surrounded the clock tower as part of the £260,000 restorations, close to where the rink will be situated, will be removed next week in advance of the rink's construction.

Schools, offices and shops have already been targeted with the distribution of 50,000 leaflets by the Council's Events Team, each with a 50p off coupon, with each coupon valid for up to four people.

Penguins back after 'Atonement'

Redcar's seafront penguins have been safely returned to their Esplanade patch as the town returns to normal life after the summer excitement of becoming 'Hollywood by the Sea.'

The penguins had been carefully lifted from their habitat and kept in protective storage while the area was totally transformed into 1940s Dunkirk for filming scenes for the eagerly-awaited adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel, Atonement.

Redcar and Cleveland Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick reflected on an amazing few months for the town and said: "The penguins must be the only members of our community who haven't been enthralled by what's gone on!

"Of course, it's difficult to work out just how much interest and income the filming has generated for the Borough, but the publicity and marketing value must run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. Now we've got to see if we can repeat it."

Redcar's Town Centre Manager John Partridge said: "The effect of the filming on the town centre was incredible - visitors came to see the set being built, to watch the filming itself and then to look at the set before it was dismantled."

The town's Tourist Information Centre on the Esplanade enjoyed probably its busiest-ever week, coping with 350 visitors in the week before filming, then an incredible 750 during the filming. Callers included people from all over the United Kingdom, many to watch family members among the 1,000 extras.

Mr Partridge explained: "The town certainly enjoyed one of its busiest Augusts for many years as people wanted to see the transformation of the seafront into 1940s Dunkirk and then came into town for food and drink and other shopping.

"All kinds of businesses benefited from the film as they provided the film makers with everything from car valeting and hairdressing to food and vehicle fuel.

"Town centre shops reported higher than average sales, car parks were full and Redcar became the place to visit for a glimpse of 'Hollywood by the sea'."

The Regent Cinema, used for a fight scene and adapted as a French bar, has two souvenirs - the mirrored bar itself and two illuminated art deco fan-shaped facades.

And manager Neil Bates is looking forward to next year, too, with the prospect of a regional premiere. "I'm sure there'll be a Leicester Square premiere, but I'm also pretty certain we'll get one of the regional premieres. I'm confident enough to be ordering the red carpet."

Titanic Exhibition becomes Redcar's added attraction

Redcar's Kirkleatham Museum is offering another look back in time with its hugely-popular exhibition on the doomed ocean liner, Titanic, attracting over 2,000 visitors a week.

The publicity which has put the town in the national spotlight with the transformation of the Esplanade into 1940s Dunkirk for the filming of the hoped-for blockbuster, Atonement, is also having a marvellous spin-off for the Museum.

As total visitor numbers approach 20,000 since the exhibition opened nine weeks ago, staff have this week welcomed coach parties from Birmingham, Bradford and Durham en route to the seafront.

Redcar and Cleveland Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: "We waited a long time to secure the Titanic exhibition, which was always going to be a really good attraction. Visitor numbers bear that out, and with the added interest from the film-making, it's become a fantastic time for the town.

"It proves if we have the right attractions we can get people into Redcar and adds more strength to our plants to regenerate the town."

The exhibition, which will be open on Bank Holiday Monday and runs right through to December, features over 200 exhibits and, thanks to two more visitors from the Torbay Maritime History Society, who are hoping to take Titanic: Honour and Glory to the south west, there are new additions.

They donated three books by W.T. Stead, the famous journalist and social reformer, who at 22 in 1871 was the youngest editor in the country, taking over Darlington’s Northern Echo newspaper. He lost his life on the Titanic on his way to speak at a conference on World Peace at New York’s Carnegie Hall.

Other fascinating exhibits include costumes and props from James Cameron's epic movie and artefacts from Titanic's sister ships.

*It was 11.40am on Sunday, April 14 when Titanic struck an iceberg off Newfoundland Grand Bank. Within two and a half hours, only 705 passengers on the 'unsinkable' liner had been saved from the 2,200 who set sail from Southampton.

Chance for closer view of Atonement

The public will be given a fascinating chance to get an even closer view of Redcar Esplanade's incredible transformation into 1940s Dunkirk when filming for the hoped-for blockbuster, Atonement, is completed.

The stretch of the Esplanade, from the Regent Cinema to the boating lake, has been out of bounds to the thousands of people who have flocked to see the action this week, involving 1,000 locally-recruited extras for director Joe Wright's adaptation of Ian McEwan's bestseller.

The road closure is expected to be lifted some time on Sunday when the tons of rubble, which have been strewn across the surface, will have been cleared, but there will be be plenty to see on Bank Holiday Monday and Tuesday before three days of work starts on Wednesday to dismantle the scenery.

Redcar and Cleveland Council will complete the final stage of work to return Redcar back to 2006, with the reinstatement of street lighting and street furniture, as well as restoring the stone penguins to their spot near the boating lake after that.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick, who has been given an inside tour of the action, said: "I was absolutely fascinated to see how they've altered the buildings, camouflaged them and turned the area into a film set.

"The town has been packed all week and I'm sure we've seen an awful lot of investment come into the area. Now there's this marvellous chance to see close-up how much work has been done."

Location manager Adam Richards, who earmarked Redcar as the 'perfect' location in December last year, is still thrilled at the end product. "I've been doing this job for 20 years and I'm staggered by the scale of what we've achieved."

There will still be a few permanent reminders of the days Hollywood came to Redcar with 300 crew, the £50 a day extras and 40 assorted vehicles.

The Regent Cinema, which has been turned into a French bar for a fight scene, involving 25 stuntmen, is being given the scenery - and Universal Pictures are in discussions over the prospect of a Redcar premiere, when the film hits the big screen in September next year.

Now Atonement-mania hits our libraries

Redcar and Cleveland Council's libraries are coping with Atonement-mania as moviemakers move into Redcar to film author Ian McEwan's international bestseller.

The work on creating the set, transforming a stretch of the town's Esplanade into 1940s Dunkirk, has already attracted hundreds of people to the town.

When this week's hectic filming schedule is complete, involving 1,000 extras, a three-day localised daytime road closure on Newcomen Terrace, between Henry Street and Turner, next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - August 30, August 31 and September 1 - will allow the dismantling of scenery on top of the former Olympia Health Club.

That work can be viewed by the public throughout the three days - and there has already been great interest in a special 'Atonement' exhibition at Redcar Central Library.

The wartime story is certainly capturing readers' imagination with increased supplies of 13 ordinary copies, one spoken word and two large print versions, already out to borrowers and more on order to keep pace.

The exhibition, mounted in the library foyer, features a showcase with World War II helmets, shell casings and ammunition, as well as request forms for borrowers.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick said: "I think people are delighted with the fact that the film is here - it's creating a terrific amount of interest right across the Borough and beyond.

"And what a positive spin-off we've got with people wanting to read the book, too. It's a real win, win situation for everyone."

The story of Atonement, rated 'McEwan's best novel so far, his masterpiece', is:

“On the hottest day of the summer of 1935, 13-year-old Briony Tallis sees her sister Cecilia strip off her clothes and plunge into the fountain in the garden of their country house. Watching her is Robbie Turner, her childhood friend who, like Cecilia, has recently come down from Cambridge.

“By the end of the day, the lives of all three will have been changed for ever. Robbie and Cecilia will have crossed a boundary they had not even imagined at its start and will have become victims of the younger girl's imagination. Briony will have witnessed mysteries and committed a crime for which she will spend the rest of her life trying to atone.”

£558 raised for Redcar Lifeboat from sales of white roses

Posted by Chris: Yorkshire Day, this year (Tuesday 1st August), was spoiled by heavy showers but the efforts of Redcar Lifeboat Ladies helped to boost sales of white roses.

£558 was raised this year and every penny will go to the local lifeboat funds. It is always a thrill to see people queuing up to show their pride in Yorkshire on Yorkshire Day, by paying £1, for one of our white roses. Each Spring the Ridings Society holds a coffee morning in Marske. We use the money raised to buy the roses and then sell them for a local charity.

Attendances at the Readings of the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity were down this year, due to the heavy showers, but money raised from the roses is well up on last year.

Probably the best attendance was in Lingdale and it is a few years since we last did a reading in that village. We have now completed ten years doing the readings each Yorkshire Day and we are already planning a much bigger event next year.

Thanks must go to Stewart Macfarlane of Radio Cleveland, for once again leading the group around Eston, Redcar, Marske, Loftus, Lingdale, Saltburn and Guisborough and reading the declaration. Thanks also to Eric Howden who read the Latin and old English versions and Cllr Dave Fitzpatrick (pictured above), who did the old Norse version.

Following on from this Glynis, Charlotte and I went to a Yorkshire Day Garden Party in Cloughton, near Scarborough where we had a Yorkshire pudding supper, with onion gravy, in aid of St Mary's Church. Six year's old Charlotte had three.

There were about 100 people present and I was asked to speak about our activities and explain such things as the correct way to display the Yorkshire rose on flags. I also took a box of roses and sold 33, which raised £33 for the church funds.

A Viking reads the Yorkshire Declaration of Integrity in Old Norse

Left to right: Cllr Dave Fitzpatrick, Eric Howden,

Radio Cleveland's Stewart MacFarlane, Cllr Madge Moses,

Cllr Margaret Wilson, Cllr Glynis Abbott and Daniel.