Charities

A Devon health and wellbeing charity is seeking ‘chatty’ volunteers to come on board once a week to provide friendly conversation, information and support to local people on the number 57 bus between Exmouth and Exeter. The Chatty Bus, organised by Westbank Community Health and Care, relaunched on Thursday, 28th July as part of an initiative to reduce loneliness and social isolation.

Westbank’s Chatty Bus route initially began in November 2019 but was put on hold because of Covid restrictions. The route is being relaunched with new funding from Devon County Council’s Connecting...

Participants across the country are being invited to sign up to the Leukaemia Care Step Out Challenge for Spot Leukaemia, which launches this September.

The aim is to move as far as you can between 1st and 30th September and raise as much as you can - there’s no minimum limit. To take part you can walk, run, cycle or run and set whatever distance you want to. Once signed up, all you need to do is ask friends and family to sponsor whatever they can.

Chief Executive of Leukaemia Care, Zack Pemberton-Whiteley, said: “The challenge is free to sign up to and people can raise...

A Devon charity providing round-the-clock care for vulnerable people with mental health issues has been awarded £1,000 by a local housebuilder to help adapt an ageing hospital building to support its clients.

Step One, which has its headquarters in New North Road, Exeter, contacted Persimmon Homes for a donation from its innovative Community Champions programme, in which the company provides financial backing for local charities and good causes.

Spokesperson Carey Mackenzie said: “We cater for people who have experienced mental health crises. As part of their...

A team of cyclists from National Highways have completed a gruelling 251-mile bike ride over 24 hours to raise funds for two mental health charities.

On June 23rd/24th, five members of the company’s South West team safely navigated the 251 miles on winding and hilly roads from Penzance in Cornwall, through Devon, Somerset and South Gloucestershire, to Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire.

The 24-hour fundraising effort, in aid of the Samaritans and the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity (Lighthouse Club), took the riders from Penzance along the A30 and up and across local...