Agenda item

A Representative from Middlesbrough Erimus Rotary Club will be in attendance to share their plans for Middlesbrough’s Bicentenary. 

The District Environment Lead from Erimus Rotary Club was in attendance and began his presentation by advising the Panel that the club was currently planning a project of three dimensions which incorporated the past, present and future and offered positive answers to all three of these elements. In terms of Middlesbrough’s past, the town was built on ironmaking and dominated global steel production.

The Rotary Club had plans for a heritage trail and was undertaking a project whereby they produced replicas of Tees-built bridges and buildings along the River Tees which had united people, cities and continents such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Tyne Bridge and many more. The Club worked with local colleges to manage costs and Members heard that there were training schemes where students produced the metal structures. They planned to place seated areas along the trail with scannable QR codes that would play a video and tell local stories but needed support to deliver this.

The Panel heard that the existing Tees Heritage Walk, organised in collaboration with local colleges, had raised significant funds for charity since its first year. However the need for improved security measures was highlighted as there had unfortunately been some criminal damage which local donors had supported the Club in repairing back to standard.

Future plans included more hedgerow planting incorporating more trees scheduled for this autumn courtesy of the Tees Community Forest initiative and wildflowers would be planted through a partnership with Middlesbrough Council and Cllr Peter Gavigan. These small steps would transform the riverscape over time. The club has already sown wildflower borders and planted Buddleias within five local primary schools and one Academy this spring.

As mentioned, the Rotary Club would benefit from increased CCTV in partnership with local riverside-based companies for mutual benefit. The result would be a ‘Secure Greenway’ joining two major conurbations bringing health and wellbeing benefits to all of its users. A Member queried where funding for the CCTV would come from and it was confirmed that Erimus did not have easy answers at this stage but it needed to be safe with constant monitoring.

Erimus Rotary was now an active member of TUNN (Tees Urban Nature Network), participant in GCNE (Green Corridors North East) and were working toward a linkage with National Trust at Ormesby Hall and Yatton House.

Erimus was a founding member of a group seeking to develop a Passport to Culture across the Tees Valley. This type of initiative would encourage local museums and attractions to collaborate and persuade local people to visit the culture that is on their doorstep. It could also play a positive part in the Bicentenary plans and City of Culture ambitions.

The rapidly growing Teesside technology scene was referenced and the challenges that Middlesbrough faced in regards to reputation and image were highlighted as a barrier to growth. Many exciting and positive things were happening in the town and Middlesbrough had a rich and unique heritage; it was important that we collectively championed and promoted this.

AGREED that:

1.     The information provided was received and noted.

2.     Ideas discussed in the presentation would be taken away and considered as part of the developing Bicentenary celebrations.