Charities

It's that time of year again when Father Christmas and his team of elves step up their toy workshop operations to ensure their production targets are met before Christmas Eve.

With the world's population increasing, Father Christmas needs more and more space to store the toys and gifts produced at his North Pole headquarters before the big delivery date.

Like many businesses, Father Christmas makes use of his local Dainton Elf Storage to meet peak demand and now the successful storage company is offering members of the public a similar service to the one used by Father...

A year -long programme of film screenings at the XCentre in Exeter is kicking-off with a fun-filled sing-a-long version of the family classic, The Sound of Music on Saturday 15th November. The event is being organised to raise money for Headway Devon, the local brain injury charity, and all proceeds will be used to support local people with disabilities. Headway Fundraising Manager, Holly Keatings, says: “We can’t wait for the sing-a-long- Sound of Music event. Taking place in mid-November, this event is perfectly timed to help you get into the Christmas spirit with this heart-warming...

Local charities have won a clutch of awards – mainly for environmental work.

Paignton Zoo Environmental Park was recognised for its environmental sustainability in both the Palm 105.5fm Local Heroes awards and the Herald Express South Devon Tourism & Hospitality Awards. In addition, Living Coasts won the silver award in the Most Effective Marketing category of the Herald Express awards.

Paignton Zoo has also been shortlisted in the Devon Environmental Business Initiative - DEBI – awards in the Sustainable Food, Retail, Hospitality and Leisure category. The winners will...

Zoo keepers in South Devon have created Halloween versions of the animals for which they care. Staff at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park carved pumpkins with faces inspired by some of the animals at the Zoo.

Nearby Riverford Organic Farms donated several huge pumpkins to the Zoo – a registered charity – so that the keepers could unleash their inner artists.

Mammal keeper Cindy Burton was among the Zoo staff who tackled the vegetables, carving an elephant and a red river hog. Bird keepers Paul Jaques and Chas Barr carved an owl on one of the Riverford pumpkins.

The...