Family Life

The Government has announced plans to double free childcare for hard working families – which will benefit up to 50,000 parents in the South West to the tune of £5,000 per year.

The offer of 30 hours of free childcare per week during term time means parents will be able to get on while bringing up a family.

All three- and four-year-olds in working families will be eligible for 1,140 hours of free childcare per year - twice the current entitlement.

The £5,000 extra in savings is on top of the £2,500 they can already save from existing free childcare offers. The new...

River Dart Country Park is kicking off the summer season in blazing fashion with the return of the park’s fun-filled annual event, Picnic at the Park, this Sunday (31 May).

The line-up boasts an array of family activities and spectacles, including dance displays, a dog show and a birds of prey show by South Hams Hawks and Owls.

Picnic at the Park is incredibly popular with the local community and this year looks to be no different, with organisers making a few changes to the format to make it an even better occasion for all. This year, it’s a ticket only event with 4,000...

It’s official: Getting out into the natural world is good fun and great for our health

This May half term (23 – 31 May) sees the launch of the first ever Devon Naturally Healthy Week to encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the vast range of outdoor opportunities the county has to offer.

Co-ordinated by Devon’s Local Nature Partnership – an umbrella body which brings together everyone with an interest in securing the benefits of our natural environment, activity ideas range from bird watching to sea kayaking; and locations from the local park or urban canal side, to Devon...

Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service and the Boat Safety Scheme are encouraging all boat owners to ensure they make their vital safety checks and learn more about fire and carbon monoxide risks, to stay safe this summer when on the water. In the past 20 years thirty boaters were killed in boat fires and another thirty lost their lives to the ‘silent killer’ carbon monoxide. With the boating season just getting under way, the fire service is keen that owners understand the risks, and make regular basic checks, by following their engine and appliance operating guidelines they will...