AN 89-year-old community campaigner and former ironstone miner has been honoured by the Mayor.

Fred Ramage, from Lingdale, who worked to improve the environment right across his community, was rewarded by Redcar and Cleveland Mayor, Councillor Billy Wells.

A special Community Achievement Award ceremony took place at Lingdale’s Mining Heritage Park, the walls of which Fred recently redecorated. About 50 relatives and local people attended.

Redcar & Cleveland councillor, Steve Kay, who represents Lingdale, and nominated Mr Ramage for the award, introduced the proceedings.

He said: “Fred Ramage is an extremely modest gentleman. Despite all his successful projects, it’s taken me years to persuade him to accept some recognition for his achievements. Fred has tidied up and enhanced many sites in and around Lingdale, often using his signature rainbow colours which, what with the Covid pandemic, are now more meaningful than ever.

"To his great credit, Fred never asks for help, providing his labour freely and paying for his materials out of his own pocket.

“Fred is loved by all ages. The children of Lingdale Primary School adore hearing his stories and admiring his achievements. On rare occasions, his work has been vandalised but, ever determined, Fred has simply gone back and put it right.

“What’s happening here today is unique because, owing to the pandemic, Fred’s will be the only Community Achievement Award to be presented by the Mayor in 2020.”

Prior to presenting Fred’s framed certificate, the Mayor said: “The people of Lingdale have never forgotten the miners, especially the eight men who lost their lives in the Lingdale Mine disaster of 1953.

“Single-handedly, Fred created a memorial site on the summit of Great Charles Hill, within a mile of the former Lingdale and Kilton mines; and there are almost certainly mine workings directly under it. From Fred’s memorial pillar, cairn and seat there are marvellous views of East Cleveland and the North Sea. And, the site provides a quiet place where those who died, as the result of mining, can be remembered.

“Returning to Lingdale village and this Mining Heritage Park, recently repainted by Fred, we can certainly learn of some of the terrible conditions that existed in this extremely dangerous industry.”

Mr Ramage started working in mining aged 14 and served two years in the armed forces. Mr Ramage thanked the Mayor and said he was delighted that his family and friends had come along to the ceremony; adding that he would continue to work on for the benefit of Lingdale and its surroundings.