PUBLISHING SCAM: Businesses in Teesside are being warned not to fall victim to a publishing scam.

Stockton Council’s Trading Standards warned about a scam which sees businesses contacted by telephone and offered advertising space in a publication which is allegedly linked with the emergency services.

In some cases a glossy copy of the magazine was sent to the business which had placed the advert, but Trading Standard’s officers have found that these magazines either have a very low circulation or are not even distributed at all. In some instances businesses then received debt recovery letters for adverts they had not agreed to place.

Anyone who may have been a victim of the scam is advised to call the national consumer helpline on 0845-40-40-506.

SEAT CHECKS: Parents of young children can check their car seats are fitted correctly at a series of roadshows at Teesside Park this Easter.

Stockton Council’s road safety officers will be carrying out free checks outside the shopping park’s Mothercare store between 1 and 3pm from Tuesday, April 9 to Thursday, April 11.

Previous events have shown that only about half of car seats were correctly fitted.

FAMILY EVENT: People in Hartlepool are invited to a family event to spread the word about a new scheme to ensure more young people, children and families have a say in decision making in the town.

The fun day, from midday to 4pm on Tuesday April 9 at Rossmere Youth Club in Rossmere Way, includes an Easter egg trail, sports activities, information stands about the work of local organisations and a buffet lunch.

The event is to launch the Hartlepool Participation Strategy which aims to make decisions in the town more inclusive, and runs until 2015.

More than 50 organisations have already signed up to the strategy including the Council, the Police and the health service, and other organisations are encouraged to join in.

RECYCLING AWARD: A project to recycle waste cooking oil and turn it into green electricity has been hailed a success in Hartlepool.

The oil is collected at the town’s recycling centre in Burn Road before being taken away and refined into biofuel which powers specially-designed engines which, in turn, supply clean and renewable energy to the National Grid.

Living Fuels, the company that provides the collection tank, has now presented Hartlepool Borough Council with a certificate to mark the collection of 500 litres of used cooking oil during 2012 and the subsequent generation of 1,875 kWh of green electricity.

GROWERS NEEDED: A pioneering environmental project is on the look-out for local growers, producers and retailers to get involved in sustainable food schemes.

One Planet Middlesbrough aims to raise awareness of local food and strengthen the town’s resilience to climate change, and sets up projects including a local food steering group.

The initiative is now wanting local producers and growers to help spread the message about local food and is inviting them to get on board as well as residents who would love to buy more locally.

For more information contact Catherine at One Planet Middlesbrough on (01642) 243183.

CLUB MEETING: The next meeting of Guisborough Floral Art Club will be at 7.30pm on Wednesday April 10 in St Nicholas’ Parish Hall, Guisborough. Ann Codd is the demonstrator and her title is “Hello Spring”.

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