“This is all yours” Campaign Launch

7 Jul 2008

Organised by The Redcar & Cleveland Enterprise Team, the event, held at Redcar Station Business Centre, highlighted the purpose of the campaign which has been designed to celebrate the pride and passion across Redcar & Cleveland and to ensure everyone knows and can benefit from the opportunities available in the borough.

Kath Taylor, LEGI chair, officially launched the campaign and introduced the enterprise team which has been set up to provide support, advice and funding to local enterprise, schools and community groups.

A photo exhibition of local images was also unveiled by Kath as part of the launch celebrations. Over the past two months, the enterprise team has been appealing for local residents to ‘put yourself in the picture’ and send in snaps of their favourite parts of the borough – they were particularly interested in finding images that depict day-to-day life and instil pride in the area. Around 500 images were submitted and the finalists, selected by a panel of judges, were unveiled at the event, and will be on display at locations across the borough over the next few months. In addition, one winner from the competition finalists was chosen.

'Put yourself in the picture' competition winner Dave Frost from Marske, was named the winner for his picture ‘Blazing a trail’ which shows a surfer in the sea at Saltburn beach. Dave was awarded a FZ18 Panasonic Camera and will spend a day workshadowing the photography department of the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette.

Commenting on his win, Dave said: “I am amazed to have won – I really didn’t think my picture was worthy as I went through the website with my wife and there were so many excellent shots on there. I am very surprised and pleased.” Local enterprising residents who have already benefited from the support of the enterprise team were on hand to support the campaign.

Business partners Andy Crawford and Dan Taylor of Giraffe Sales, attended the event. Andy said: "The launch was a fantastic evening and a great opportunity to network with a variety of business people based in the borough.

"Since receiving LEGI support and funding, our business has gone from strength-to-strength. The funding from LEGI has given us the ability to get round the table with some of the World’s biggest companies and secure lucrative national contracts with a base in the Redcar and Cleveland area.

“We have recently taken on 16 new staff with plans to take on an additional 50-60 over the next year. We wanted to show our support for the campaign and the wonderful work they have achieved already."

Discussing the long term objectives of the campaign, Councillor Mark Hannon, Cabinet Member for Regeneration at Redcar and Cleveland Council, added: “The long-term aim is to bring more visitors to the borough and to create a more vibrant and diverse economy by inspiring local people to start new businesses or expand existing ones. We are confident that with the framework we have in place, the expertise of the enterprise team and the passion and pride of local people that ‘This is all yours’ will bring about change and meet these objectives.”