Visitors to the Hill Street Centre, in Middlesbrough, dug deep in their pockets in the nine days between December 15 and Christmas Eve, to raise almost £4,000 for the Zoe's Place Trust.

The money was raised by parents and grandparents as they took their children to see Father Christmas in his grotto at the centre. The funds will be used towards opening a baby hospice in a former convent at Normanby, Middlesbrough.

VIP VISIT: Sports Minister Richard Caborn is visiting the University of Teesside in Middlesbrough today to see how work is progressing on an Olympic Centre for Sport, under construction on the campus.

COMMEMORATIVE WORK: A book has been written on Middlesbrough General Hospital, North Riding Infirmary and the neuro-rehabilitation ward at West Lane Hospital which are to close in May, when clinical services are all transferred to the James Cook University Hospital site. The book is available at the hospitals.

CHARITY SUPPER: Members of the Guisborough and Great Ayton Rotary Club have organised a Burns supper at Gisborough Hall, Guisborough, on January 30. Money raised will go to the movement's international foundation which provides funds for disaster relief.

HEALTH TALK: Acklam Townswomen's Guild will hear a talk on the work of the Diabetic Society, at today's meeting being held in the Friends' Meeting House on Cambridge Road, Middlesbrough, at 2pm.

NATURE PICTURES: Young photographers are invited to enter a photographic exhibition at the Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park Activity Centre. They are being set a choice of snapping signs of spring or something "weird and wonderful". Entries must be submitted by March 28.

THANK YOU: Middlesbrough Teesside Lions Club has raised more than £2,000 for charities through various events over the past few weeks, and wants to thank readers for their donations.

BREATHING SPACE: The Teesside Asthma Group is running a display in Redcar Library, Coatham Road, Redcar, this week, with information about asthma and the group. A member of the group will attend on Friday when there will also be a craft stall.

IMPROVED LIGHTING: More than 20 streets in the New Deal for Communities area of Hartlepool are to benefit from improved street lighting. Work to install columns and lights has begun and is expected to be finished in March. It is part of a three-year programme of improvements costing £400,000.

HEALTH TEAM: A team has been formed in Hartlepool to help the battle against heart disease. Hartlepool Primary Care Trust (PCT) has developed a coronary heart disease nursing team, which is working with GP practices to develop clinics. The clinics are aimed at patients with a heart attack history, angina, heart failure, strokes or circulation problems. They aim to reduce the risk of further heart-related problems.