Family Life

Play for free in Princesshay this summer

Princesshay has unveiled its line-up of summer activities, including PrincessPlay; a free playground, alongside the return of its Independent Market, street food traders and live music for visitors to enjoy in the heart of Exeter.

The start of the school holidays will see the main square transformed into PrincessPlay an all age playground and pitstop with grass and seating to create a place where people can stop, relax and spend time together while enjoying a range of free activities including table tennis, mini golf, giant chess, hopscotch, snakes and ladders and climbing...

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Crealy welcomes tortoises and reptiles this Half Term

Devon’s Crealy Great Adventure Park welcomes 21 new animals in two new areas set to open at the start of May half term. From Saturday 28th May guests to Crealy will be able to see, learn about and handle some of the new animal inhabitants of Tortoise Town and Snake Pit.

In recent weeks, Crealy has taken in three Corn Snakes, one Royal Python, one Milk Snake, one Boa Constrictor, six Bearded Dragons, four Crested Geckos, one Berber Skink, two Carpet Pythons and two Sulcata Tortoises. The animals will be housed in brand new, purpose built enclosures providing the animals with exactly...

The beginner’s guide to wedding flowers

Wedding flowers can be tricky. You might find yourself pinning stunning designs on Pinterest, presenting them to a florist and discovering it will cost ten times the price you had in your head. Or, every flower you want is unavailable at that time of year – good luck getting Peonies in winter for a reasonable price.

If you’re a newbie to wedding flowers, like most brides and grooms, here’s a quick guide on what to look out for and perhaps how to save a little money:

Stick to seasonal plants Not only will you get stunning, fresh blooms that don’t need to travel too far to...

Discover the world of farming

Visiting a farm on Open Farm Sunday, Sunday 5th June, is a wonderful way to discover the world of farming.

Modern farming is incredibly diverse and impacts on all of us - from the food we eat, to clothing, medicine, fuel and manufacturing. Agriculture is vital to our future too – so come along and find out more!

Hundreds of farms across Britain will be opening their gates for LEAF’s (Linking Environment And Farming) Open Farm Sunday. It is a great day out for the whole family and a unique opportunity to discover what farmers do and the vital role they have in protecting and...

Families contribute to mental health information portal

For Julia Ogden, raising her beloved autistic son can be like bridging the gap to an alien world, one that can be difficult to navigate and interpret.

She has had to work hard over a number of years to identify and access networks for information and support for parents and carers. Now, Julia has worked with academics at the University of Exeter Medical School, to contribute to the MindEd consortium creating an “invaluable” online portal to help families with children affected by mental health issues.

Launched on Thursday 21 April, MindEd for Families , funded by the...

Outdoor Explorer Club launches at Killerton

The National Trust is launching an Outdoor Explorer Club for kids at the Killerton estate near Exeter. The club is all about adventures and exploring – with no parents allowed.

The importance of outdoor experiences in childhood is part of the National Trust’s strategy to engage young people with nature as part of its Land, Outdoors and Nature programme. One of the goals the Trust has set itself is to re-connect children with nature, which benefits physical and mental wellbeing.

Rebuilding the connections between children and nature is also vital to ensuring we can continue...

Parents: Get real nappies for free

Parents across Devon have the chance to try out real nappies free for a month as part of the 20th annual Real Nappy Week 2016 next week. The Devon Real Nappy Project is supporting the Real Nappy Week, which runs between 18-24 April, by holding a number of events.

This national event, organised by Go Real, is designed to raise awareness, promote the benefits and show parents how easy modern real nappies are to use.

Parents are invited to get hands on and ask questions about choosing and using real nappies.

For parents who want to try before they buy, the Devon Real...

Life beneath the Keel to be revealed at Plymouth event

A leading nature charity is planning to reveal the secrets of the South West’s wonderful marine wildlife at a special event being organised for recreational boat owners and the wider public.

The event, entitled ‘Life Beneath the Keel’, is being staged by Devon Wildlife Trust at the Mount Batten Centre, Plymouth, between 10am and 2.30pm on Saturday 16 April.

Life Beneath the Keel is free to attend and open to everyone but has a focus on the boat owning community. Mike Elsey, Devon Wildlife Trust’s Corporate Relations Officer, explained the charity’s thinking. Mike said:...

Help available as radio soap highlights domestic abuse

A family law specialist has spoken out about domestic abuse after the recent media storm surrounding The Archers.

Imran Khodabocus of The Family Law Company says that the long-running Rob and Helen storyline in The Archers, which culminated in a violent act, has been a timely reminder that victims of abuse need to know that there is help available to them.

“Too often victims of domestic abuse will put up with their situation until they can’t take anymore,” explained Imran.

“If you are continually being bullied and controlled, and have fears for your children, then a...

Easter fun at The Donkey Sanctuary

Spring is just around the corner and there’s plenty of fun and adventure to keep the whole family entertained at The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth this Easter.

Open from 9am to dusk every day, an array of family-friendly activities will be on offer, including donkey grooming and craft activities.

As the sun returns this Spring grab the kids and enjoy the outdoors, wander around the heart of the Sanctuary, explore the Maze, or take a walk through the beautiful woods and amazing scenery.

Chris Phillips of The Donkey Sanctuary says: “This Easter at The Donkey Sanctuary...

Is a live-in relationship good or bad for your lifestyle?

Change is inevitable or so the saying goes and those who do not accept change die. A few years ago, live in arrangements before issues were formalized between families was something of the past and unheard of. However, today, this is a common sight where new couples after a few weeks or months together tend to move into another’s residence, and this tends to be the start of a long relationship where a person tends to take up the designation of husband or wife depending on their position. In simple terms, a live-in relationship thus refers to when an unmarried couple decides to live...

Family Life

Play for free in Princesshay this summer

Crealy welcomes tortoises and reptiles this Half Term

The beginner’s guide to wedding flowers

Discover the world of farming

Families contribute to mental health information portal

Outdoor Explorer Club launches at Killerton

Parents: Get real nappies for free

Life beneath the Keel to be revealed at Plymouth event

Help available as radio soap highlights domestic abuse

Easter fun at The Donkey Sanctuary

Is a live-in relationship good or bad for your lifestyle?

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