‘If just one person smiles because they’ve seen my picture, I’m happy!’ – winners of the Cleethorpes photo competition announced

The winners of the Cleethorpes photo competition have been decided, and what a fantastic selection there was to choose from!

The standard was high as a judging panel at North East Lincolnshire Council sieved through the mass of entries.

Budding photographers from across the borough and further afield submitted images of the beach, animals, parks, rainbows, water sports and more.

It was a tough decision, but the judges managed to whittle it down to 18 winners:

• Bruce Martin
• Cath Dobbs
• Steve Field
• Emily Robinson
• Steve Dixey
• Ashley Atkinson
• Zoë Atkinson
• Phil Frejiszyn
• Ethan Downs
• Stewart Mcleod
• Theresa Rice
• Daniel Rudland
• Bill Tinsley
• Alan Bristow
• Stuart Ward
• Jonathan Byrne
• Gemma Miller
• Paul Bell

Here’s what some of them had to say…

Ethan Downs was the youngest winner of the competition. At just 12 years old, he was over the moon to have his photo chosen. With a big smile on his face, he said: “It feels good.”

Daniel Rudland: “Winning this competition and having my picture published has put a lot into perspective. I’m a self-taught photographer starting only this year in February 2023 and this is a huge accomplishment to say the least.”

Bill Tinsley: “Entering the competition was an exciting time, wondering whether or not it was good enough to send to North East Lincolnshire Council, with there being so many good photographers in Cleethorpes. Being picked was a great surprise to me. I would just like to say a big thank you for choosing my entry.”

Phil Frejiszyn: “Cleethorpes, the jewel on our doorstep. Everything from golden sands, wildlife, parks, and sunrises and sunsets that can and do take your breath away!”

Bruce Martin: “I have an overwhelming sense of pride in having one of my photographs chosen. I am not a professional photographer, I just love Cleethorpes. The reason I take my pictures is to make people smile and if just one person smiles because they have seen my picture of the donkeys on a hoarding, then I’m happy.”

Emily Robinson: “Photography is one of my favourite hobbies, so I am really pleased that my photograph has been chosen as one of the winners in the Cleethorpes photo competition. I look forward to seeing my photograph displayed for everyone to see during the exciting regeneration projects in the area.”

Alan Bristow: “There are many highly talented amateur photographers in Cleethorpes, so I was thrilled to be informed that one of my images was chosen by the judges! I will be extremely proud to see a picture of mine being used as part of a collection which helps promote our lovely old seaside town as part of the Levelling Up improvements.”

Ashley Atkinson: “Thank you very much. It’s an honour to have my photo chosen.”

Cath Dobbs: “Photography teaches us to look at all the beauty around us, which we take for granted living near the sea. It’s so beautiful, nature changes all the time, so it’s a wonderful treat for us all to see. I hope the photo inspires people to follow their dreams.”

Steve Dixey: “Winning this has given me the opportunity to show the overlooked and hidden away features of our beaches and show the familiar in a different way.”

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Winners will have their photographs showcased in the resort in the coming months as the council moves closer to the regeneration of Pier Gardens, a multi-use, tourism-focused landmark building on Sea Road, and the reintroduction of the historic Market Place. These projects have been made possible from £18.4m of Levelling Up Funding (LUF) from Government.

The vision is to regenerate three key areas of the resort:

• Rejuvenate the historic Market Place for social interaction, reconnecting our busy seafront and town centre, creating jobs and boosting the economy. This scheme proposes major improvements to the square and the reintroduction of a functioning historic marketplace. 
• Redevelop the Sea Road site opposite the Pier to provide a tourism destination. It will include new public amenities and a changing places facility, as well as commercially lettable space across all floors of the building, which may include different providers in retail and hospitality. 
• Regenerate Pier Gardens (an existing linear park stretching from Sea Road to the Memorial Gate), retaining the Victorian heritage and feel, but incorporating various new activities. In the Masterplan consultation, people wanted to see more made of the gardens, with additional seating, planting to increase biodiversity, and improved areas for children’s play, events and performances, and spaces for reflection and contemplation.

The winning photographs will be displayed in the main resort (specific locations to be confirmed) once works get underway at the sites.

Take a look at the winning photos below: