FORMER EastEnder Leslie Grantham (Dirty Den) and former Brookside star Sandra Maitland (Mandy Jordash) will attend a celebrity lunch organised by the Hartlepool and District Hospice Committee. The event, to be held at the Sir William Gray Suite at the town's Historic Quay on Tuesday, May 28, starting at noon, aims to raise funds towards a new hospice in the town. Tickets cost £13.50, which includes a two-course lunch with tea and coffee. For tickets, contact Kevin Kidd on (01429) 288335.

BADGER TALK: Cleveland Badger Group will meet at Flatts Lane Woodland Country Park, in Normanby, on Tuesday, from 7pm until 9pm. Admission is £1.50, to be donated to the group. Places must be booked by calling (01642) 459629.

MENCAP MEETING: The Cleveland branch of Mencap holds its next meeting in the Grenfell Club, Ridley Street, Redcar, on Saturday, from 10am until noon.

CHARITY CONCERT: Brass band soloist Stuart Shields will perform a concert to raise funds for Christian Aid on Thursday, May 16. The event, at St John's Church, South Bank, begins at 7.30pm. Admission is £2. For tickets, call (01642) 286455.

DIGITAL SHOW: An exhibition of digital cameras will take place at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium on Sunday, May 26, from 10am to 4pm. Admission to the event, organised by Camera Marts, is £2.

CHURCH CONCERT: Songs'R'Us will be in concert at St. George's United Reformed Church, York Road, Hartlepool, on Saturday, May 18, at 7.30pm. Proceeds will go to the Christian Aid Week Appeal. Tickets, which include cheese and wine, can be obtained from Chris Eddowes on (01429) 269412.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: A group from Stockton Millennium Volunteers will abseil from the Transporter Bridge, Middlesbrough, for charity on Sunday, July 21. Anyone aged 16 to 24 who would like to become a Millennium Volunteer and get involved in their community through various activities is asked to contact (01642) 355292.

LADIES' NIGHT: A ladies' night with free facials and makeovers takes place next Tuesday, at 7.30pm at the Yellow Rose pub, Roman Road, Middlesbrough. The event, in aid of Butterwick Children's Hospice in Stockton, is provided by Virgin Vie Cosmetics.

Memory lane: Maureen Anderson, editor of Aspects of Teesside, will talk about her work in the main lecture hall of Stockton Central Library at 10am next Wednesday.

Fundraising night: The Take Heart support group is holding a fundraising event on Tuesday in Great Ayton Workingmen's Club. Tickets cost £5 and are available from the Take Heart Office, in the High Street, Marske. The event starts at 7.30pm