What did FRED do in 2014 and what's next?

By Coastal View and Moor News

Over the past 12 months FRED have run a competition in Redcar's primary schools to determine "Who is FRED?" in order to create a mascot for this growing and well respected community group. But over the months FRED have proven to be more than the beach litter pick group we all thought it was. Probing the question "What is FRED"?

We asked Carl Quartermain, FRED Chairman to explain.

 "When I first thought about FRED with Natalie King in July 2013 there was a number of driving factors. Initially it kicked off because I personally wanted to call Balfour Beatty, the contractor of the sea defences, to task over the two unauthorised landfills they left on our beach. I was livid that this was how little they respected our residents. This anger developed into why Redcar fails as a seaside resort, why we lack overnight holiday visitors and why business in the town was disappearing long before Marks and Spencers called it a day.

"The idea to start up a media campaign grew also because of our concerns over the Redcar Regent Cinema, having not received any redevelopment while 30 million pounds was ploughed into the sea walls and infrastructure. It seemed at the time that it's neglect was part of a planned strategy for its imminent demise, particularly when there was the whisper of a multiplex development happening.  We were both determined to ensure the safety of the building and to protect this part of Redcar's heritage before even more of it disappeared.

"We'd discussed how badly the retail sector in Redcar was doing and the reasons why, Kirkleatham stables and walled garden and then there was Locke Park also being so neglected, that the council had at that time requested volunteers to develop a 'friends' group. Once we understood our potential to be multifaceted we called a meeting in the RNLI Zetland lifeboat museum and Friends of Redcar was born.

"I must admit I had never before been involved with much community work, never had any dealings with gazebos and to my shame had never heard of the numerous community groups in Redcar or knew of the wonderful work being done by volunteers and not the council. So part of our early intention was to become a resource for other groups and being a digital marketer I was keen to offer online advertising and promotion to give these groups a louder voice.

"We had a rocky start. The ideas were good and well intended but far too ambitious, so our focus has to focus on the beach campaign and to clear the beach of rubble. If tourism was going to come to Redcar it would start there. Even our Treasurer kept calling us 'Friends of Redcar Beach' and there was a push within the committee to rename us as such - which I resisted."

Both Natalie and Carl received Coastal View Community Awards in 2014. Natalie had peeled away from Friends of Redcar and went on to create the "Save the Regent" campaign which saw the Regent receive funding and a much needed facelift along with a trust committee to look after the longer term view.

After ten months of campaigning and rubble collections, FRED managed to get acceptance from the Environment Agency and they, together with Balfour Beatty and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, brought teams of workers, JCBs and trucks to clear up the beach. FRED to date have cleared up over 100 tonnes of masonry from their sessions and the EA have promised to come back in February 2015.

So where did FRED come from and what have you been up to? 

"FRED was an endearing acronym of Friends of Redcar, created during one of our group meetings by one of our regular volunteers, Jean Fines. She said it and it stuck immediately. She also came up with the name of our effort to hold a joint community group event and donkey derby in June. 'Friends Together' events will continue to be part of our intended direction.

"What many people don't realise about us is the amount of letter writing we do. Personally I get as much pleasure from resolving issues this way as I do from organising the litter picks. Behind the scenes we are involved on all six wards. We have successfully challenged many issues both structural and strategical. One of our most used document is the council's complaint form. I've even complained about the complaint form because you can't add pictures! (Which I'm assured is set to change - will have to chase it up!)

"We were the architects to getting the awful compound pulled down, that had stood for four years, at Wykeham Close just a week after we complained. We've had some success at the old cliffe garage site, which has been there for 8 years and became a tipping ground for mattresses and the like. We had overgrown neglected fields and derelict sites cut down. We had a children's play park made safe. And we even got the 'O' put back up at Tesco. On top of that we are working to standardise and promote council ward meetings so more residents are able to participate and we have inspired other groups to form such as Zetland Pride and Friends of Dormanstown. We also have involvement in the newly formed Friends of Kirkleatham grounds and Museum which is the jewel in Redcar's crown in my eyes."

"We also assisted stewarding with the British Landsailing event and hope to again in July 2015. But I'm mostly so proud of our litter picks. It really moves me that from a humble beginning we are now encouraging between 30 and 40 residents every time. And some have come from as far away as Sunderland. Others come along regularly every month. We've had mothers with babies, toddlers, businesses, families and pensioners all litter picking together and getting to know each other. It truly is fabulous. We have seen well beyond 200 volunteers on that beach.

So who is FRED and what is the future?

"FRED the mascot will be a seahorse. The winner from 200 entries was Aleesha Cox of Coatham
school and chosen by our 4000 strong social media following. The mascot will be designed and created for May 2015 when we're hosting our first major event on the seafront called FREDs 'Kick Off the Summer'. Wish us luck with that and we still hope to unveil a mural on the back of the cinema too. We have ideas and are working hard to deliver them.

"As I say we have the EA coming back in February and we'll continue to do monthly litter picks on the beach every first Sunday of each month at 10am alternatively from the Touchstone sculpture in Zetland and TunedIn in Coatham. We have ongoing complaints to pursue that include the Health and Safety Executive and Network Rail.

"FRED the committee are 15 activist, doers and thinkers. I've told them that it is no coincidence that they are together because they are some of the most active people in Redcar. It's a diverse bunch of experienced and positive people who are educators, planners, negotiators, diplomats, crusaders, conservationist, organisers, environmentalist, distributors, fund raisers and writers. I'm so proud of these guys and I think we're really going to come into our own in 2015.

 "I think you've really got to ask why? Why do any of these volunteers, FRED or otherwise do it? I think it's because we just want 'better' for our town. We've seen the potential Redcar has as a seaside tourism destination and we can see where it fails and where poor standards dog us. The various groups are doing wonders to look after our parks, cemetery, woodland and floral displays. We make sure our beach gets attention but it needs much more love from those with influence.


"The biggest asset in Redcar, in the whole Tees Valley, is our 10 miles of coastline from the Gare to Saltburn so we need to clean it up and invite people in. We need to raise our standards in Redcar. There are areas that have been derelict or sealed off from public use for coming on to ten years. There is much that can be done with retailers communicating and our highways need unblocking, redirecting and redeveloping. When we do this our town will pick up trade, our events will be better supported and we will become a festival town creating jobs in areas such as the service and hospitality sector, retail and construction.  FRED will be probing away positively but tenaciously behind the scenes and hopefully lifting this town to be vibrant, popular and just that, 'better' "

If you would like to be involved in FREDs litter picks contact friendsofredcar@gmail.com
You can also follow FRED on fb /friendsofredcar and /fredredcar
And on twitter @friendsofredcar
Visit their website at http://friendsofredcar.blogspot.co.uk/

Friends of Redcar August 2nd 2014 Litter Pick

FREDs next litter pick is from opposite the Park Hotel to the Stray. Please print off and display wherever applicable and share with your online community. Thank you


Friends of Redcar

*** Thank you to all those who volunteered and cleared 20 bags of rubbish. Well done everyone

FREDs Redcar Beach inspection 9th April 2014 - Complaint part 7

FRED have been back on Redcar beach examining the building debris with the Environment Agency (EA),  Birse (now Balfour Beatty) and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC). 

The rubble and materials left over along Coatham and Zetland from the Coastal Defence project is a real eyesore and a hindrance to Redcar's tourism, residents, businesses, visitors and event organisers. 

Coatham

Zetland

To progress the complaint, FRED met officials on the 9th April to find a way forward. Carl Quartermain and Angela Garbutt of FRED showed Alan Cadas and James Mead of the EA, Simon Kirtlan of Birse and Stuart Ainsley of RCBC the extent of the problem with a beach walk that stretched from the TunedIn building in Coatham to The Stray in Zetland.

Redcar Beach has so much potential. It's tough sand is ideal for numerous events. Long panoramic  shots look great but don't reveal areas unbecoming of a vibrant and forward thinking seaside town.

FRED believes there is a total lack of care and a 'degeneration' to the beach area that's been going on for years but incredibly has been exasperated following the 'regeneration' work.

 Carl Quartermain, FRED Chairman said, "The main point we wanted to demonstrate was that the problem isn't down to tidal drift or the consequences of years of development. Much of the rubble is left over from the breakup of the previous seafront as well as materials Birse used to build the new one. Many pieces are far too large to have just floated here in any case.

During preparation for the Atonement movie  there was a clear beach. Bottom Left  of this picture is a slipway that has subsequently been broken up. Many remnants of this, as well as the previous defence, seafront paving and brickwork from Coatham to Zetland remain on the beach.

"If what we are looking at is tidal drift or from decades of development then it shouldn't discriminate from distributing itself in the only section that is clear of this problem along the new defences - the commercial area along the Esplanade.

"Before the breakup of the previous defences and the Turner Street slipway, the East side of the Regent Cinema was rubble free. Today it resembles a building site.

"What we have is a stockpile of rubble, bricks, felt, building sand and building fabrics from the bandstand next to the boating lake all the way around the Regent and up to the Beacon. 

Redcar beach is dogged by this fabric which shows up at Coatham and Zetland and is often half buried and impossible to shift by hand

Redcar Beach when LEO's was where the Beacon stands today families would set up wind breakers and bathe around this point. Today unless they want to be sat amongst building rubble and fabrication they just wouldn't bother.

"When LEO's was where the Beacon stands today families would set up wind breakers and bathe there. Today, this isn't comfortably possible. 

"Before the work, families could typically bathe anywhere along the coastline right up to The Stray. Unless you don't mind sitting on the stepped defences in your shoes looking out on broken bricks and concrete, it'snow only possible at two points; Majuba (where incidentally no regeneration work took place) and of course the Esplanade, commercial area. 

Inexplicably clear of the rubble that is

found either side of this commercial area

"Remarkably the rubble inexplicably clears, to a CLEAN section of beach in front of the 'commercial area' where unsurprisingly no demolition took place and the new defence steps were built over the previous defences.

"This clear sand area remains until the Zetland museum area. Then another trail of building materials begins which continues onto The Stray where regeneration work also took place. The Zetland area can only be described as a landfill.

"During the inspection Birse vowed to provide a couple of workmen and spend a couple of days with FRED on the beach. However they have stated they will not bring mechanical diggers.

"We appreciate all the help we can get but made it quite clear that this wouldn't even scratch the surface." Carl said. 

Building felts are found all over along with buried concrete and bags of building sand

"Our own efforts have removed around 40 tonnes of material and we're nowhere near shifting it. We've determined that land clearance for the beach using heavy machinery would cost between £700 and £1000 per day and would be required on at least eight sections of beach and possible take up to two weeks.

"We have asked The RCBC, the EA and Birse to help us find a solid solution and suggested providing FRED the funding to order the clean up ourselves. 

"To be honest they all appear to be at a loss as to what to do, in relation to any real clean-up operation following the celebrated and extensive Flood Alleviation work they've done. 

"On the face of it both the RCBC and EA are seemingly allowing Birse who are advertised as a responsible contractor, to leave Redcar having buried all manner of building materials along the coastline from Coatham to Zetland. Why? 

"Because following the £30 million+ regeneration of the seafront, cleaning the beach afterwards and truly realising Redcar's potential as a tourism hotspot was overlooked, unplanned for and subsequently buried along with the masonry - to Redcar's detriment and shame."

We'll keep you posted. For the full transcript of our ongoing complaint, click on here. 

If you don't like this article please do like we do and follow this link. Cheers.

https://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/Forms.nsf/ComplaintForm_3?readform

Friends of Redcar Beach Action Group November 2013 at Zetland The Stray

What initially looked to be very blustery turned out to be a beautifully mild and clear morning and another very productive litter pick was carried out by Friends of Redcar (FRED) on The Stray on Redcar Beach.

Ten volunteers including an employee from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) turned up and concentrated their efforts on litter picking from the Zetland Roundabout slipway up to parallel with The Stray Café. This included the groynes and the sand dunes. 

The Stray from Zetland Slipway looking towards Saltburn

Amongst many items collected were ropes and netting from fishing vessels, bottle caps, a couple of left shoes(?), blue taprogge balls from Hartlepool Nuclear plant, cotton bud sticks and sanitary items that are flushed down the toilet and float back onto our beach.

Found on our beach, blue 'taprogge' balls courtesy of Hartlepool Nuclear Plant and Cotton Bud sticks

What is very noticeable in the Zetland area is that the large amounts of building material, left over by Birse Civil when the Coastal Defences were built, appears to have increased as more and more is becoming revealed by dissipating sand. 

Rubble that had been buried is being exposed all over Redcar beach. Polypropylene fibres reveal much of this is from the new build by Birse Civil.

Are you going to bring your children here for a picnic?

Building material found sporadically all over the sea defences and bags of building sand amongst the masonry at Zetland

"The litter pick was very successful and we'd like to thank those who took part and to Paul Reed of RCBCs Neighbourhood Team for providing us with bags and pickers", said Carl Quartermain, Chairman of FRED, "Unfortunately we had to turn a blind eye to the fact that the some parts of the beach up here, just as it is in Coatham, is virtually a landfill site thanks to Birse Civil and effectively unusable by residents and visitors. We plan to carry out rubble picks here in the future"

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council took over 30 bags of beach litter away to be disposed of properly.

FRED continually campaigns for the removal of masonry on Redcar beach and carries out events to remove litter all year round. If you would like to become involved contact friendsofredcar@gmail.com and search on facebook and twitter.

Friends of Redcar Beach Action Group November 2013

We love a fresh morning on Redcar beach! We're on The Stray removing litter Sunday morning at 10am - 12pm. Come and join us. Kids are welcome too. The more the merrier. 

Beach Action Group Masonry Litter Pick October 2013

THIS SUNDAY 10am 6TH OCTOBER - BEACH ACTION GROUP dates.

As it's getting colder we are scaling down the beach picks and only expect the hardy (some might say foolhardy - but not me!!)

The beach litter and masonry picks will therefore be less heavily advertised through the winter. The meeting location and dates will be 10am :-

6th October Regent cinema - masonry pick 
3rd November Zetland roundabout for The Stray 
1st December TunedIn for Majuba  

Everyone is welcome to join us however we DO NOT expect people to turn out in all weathers. If that means me on my "Jack Jones" on the beach getting pointed at then so be it - strange man! Gloves and bags provided as always :)

In the new year we plan to run some cool events to include interacting with the primary schools, competitions and general 'fun' litter awareness strategies and litter picks - all focussing the attention to the beach and sea front. Lots of planning and preparing so we need as many hands up in the air to help as possible. 

If it's bad it's off! Wrap up warm. I'll bring flasks of soup and coffee! Gloves and bags will be provided as always :)