BORO-BASED UKRAINIANS SUPPORTED ON VITAL AID APPEAL

Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston has urged residents to support local Ukrainian families with collections of items for their compatriots.

Middlesbrough Council has agreed to assist the group by raising awareness and providing a number of places for donations to be delivered and sorted.

The group has links with others across the region to ensure there is no duplication and the right items are requested at the right time.

BEATING HEART IN PERMANENT RETURN TO BORO SKYLINE.

A striking artwork is once again lighting up the Middlesbrough night skyline. 

Local artist Stuart Langley's 35-metre Beating Heart has returned as a permanent feature on Church House, one of the tallest buildings in the town centre.

The tower block's windows have been transformed by an animated LED matrix programmed to make a beating heart sequence every evening after dusk.

MIDDLESBROUGH FLIES THE FLAG SOLIDARITY WITH UKRAINE

Mayor Andy Preston has arranged for Ukraine's colours to fly above Middlesbrough Town Hall in a show of support following the invasion by President Putin's Russian military.

Middlesbrough plans to fly Ukraine's flag above the Town Hall by the end of today (Friday), and the town's prominent buildings will be lit in the blue and yellow of Ukraine's flag.

MILLION POUND BOOST TO HELP TACKLE TOWN'S EMPTY HOMES

A £1 million cash injection is being used to put Middlesbrough's empty homes back to use.

They'll be the focus of targeted activity in National Empty Homes Week 2022 which runs from Monday (February 28) to Sunday, March 6.

Middlesbrough Council and its real estate company Middlesbrough Development Company (MDC), will be working with partners to use innovative ways to bring run-down and dilapidated homes back to use.