Local News

HRH The Duke of York meets Met Office apprentices

HRH The Duke of York met with some of the current Met Office apprentices on Monday (18 February), while visiting Exeter to hold a Pitch@Palace On Tour event, an initiative founded by The Duke in 2014.

The Met Office’s apprenticeship programmes are run with training from a number of providers including Exeter College and the University of Exeter, and are aimed at developing the next generation of data engineers, scientists and technology experts, as well as other business skills needed in the Met Office and industry as a whole.

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Network Rail announces Exeter and Torquay drop-in events to update on South West rail resilience progress

Network Rail has announced community drop-in sessions in Exeter and Torquay to update local communities on ongoing work to improve resilience of the stretch of railway that connects the South West with the rest of the country.

The community drop-in events follow on from Transport Secretary Chris Grayling’s recent announcement that £80m will be made available to increase the height of the sea wall at Dawlish to protect this vital rail artery for the region.

Events will be held in Exeter and Torquay on:

Devon pet sanctuary warns of damage caused to unsocialised dogs

A Devon animal charity is taking in an alarming number of dogs that have never set foot outside a garden.

Some of the dogs rescued by Woodside Animal Welfare Sanctuary at Elfordleigh in the South Hams have not seen a lead, let alone walked to a park or the woods.

By the time they are brought to the sanctuary, some of these dogs will display defensive or aggressive traits towards animals or people, while others will be extremely nervous.

Sir Hugo Swire MP and The Donkey Sanctuary CEO Mike Baker

East Devon MP visits The Donkey Sanctuary

The Donkey Sanctuary welcomed the Rt Hon Sir Hugo Swire to its international headquarters in Sidmouth last week, where he met the charity’s chief executive officer Mike Baker and was given a tour of the sanctuary.

The Member of Parliament for East Devon was given a brief history of the organisation and how it plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. Mr Swire heard how The Donkey Sanctuary contributes exponentially to the local economy by being one of the largest employers in East Devon and a leading regional tourist attraction.

Grayling announces new Dawlish sea wall as part of £2 billion investment in SW

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has today (15 February 2019) announced further funding of up to £80 million in the south-west to deliver a new sea wall at Dawlish, providing better protection for the railway and homes behind it.

Upgrades to the sea wall will increase its height by 2.5 metres and include wave returns to reduce the impact of waves and the likelihood of the line being closed during adverse weather. This will help ensure the serious damage and disruption seen during storms in 2014 is not repeated.

Exeter wins significant cash boost to explore ways of regenerating land around St David's Station

A vision to regenerate land around Exeter’s St David’s Station has won a significant boost today with the government injecting thousands of pounds into the initiative. The news comes a week after the area was featured in the Council's bold new vision to create 12,000 homes in the city over the next 20 years.

A new gateway to the city, including plans to create new homes, offices and retail in St David’s, is part of £505,000 coming to the south west for projects in Devon and Torbay.

Pete's Dragons CEO Alison Jordan (centre) with fellow suicide liaison officers Nicky Creek and Dave Lacey.

Charity helping suicide bereaved families in Devon to expand after police and county council back Crowdfunder bid

A charity helping suicide bereaved families can reach even more people in Devon after a successful Crowdfunder campaign was supported by police and the county council.

Pete’s Dragons has smashed a £3,000 target as it bids to extend into Plymouth and South Devon – where its much-needed specialist services do not exist.

The funding will also aid the cause, which currently has a caseload of around 300 people, in continuing its work in East, Mid and North Devon.

Dartmoor’s famous Clydesdales in race for a new home

A fundraising campaign to secure the long-term future for Dartmoor’s hugely popular Clydesdales has been launched.

Adventures Clydesdale, founded by Tim Ancrum and Aileen Ware, has for the past six years worked within the existing set-up at Brimpts Farm near Dartmeet in the middle of Dartmoor.

Their 12 horses have a world-wide reputation for providing exhilarating horse-back riding experiences on Dartmoor, and also for raising thousands of pounds for charity through their racing exploits at Exeter Racecourse and Flete Park.

Tom Jones, Robin Hogg and Dr Phil Bratby at CPRE Devon's recent housing seminar in Tavistock

CPRE Devon announces ministerial visit to address growing concerns over new housing developments in the county

The Devon branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England has announced that the Minister for Housing and Planning, Kit Malthouse MP, will be coming to Exeter next month to address growing concerns amongst local people about the scale and appropriateness of new homes developments across the county.

Eighth annual ‘Breaking into News’ competition launches

ITV News and Media Trust have launched 'Breaking Into News', a nationwide initiative, to discover the next up and coming ITV broadcast journalist and promote diversity in broadcast journalism. Now in its eighth year, ‘Breaking into News’ will once again be fronted by ITV’s award-winning news broadcaster Charlene White along with Alex Beresford for ITV West Country.

Wild Flower project set to bloom again in Exeter

Wild flowers are set to bloom across Exeter again this summer as the City Council confirmed its commitment to the Wild City project, working alongside Devon Wildlife Trust to keep our roadside verges and roundabouts looking pretty and helping save our threatened insect population.

Wild flower seeds will be sown across Exeter in March with colourful blooms expected around July.

In previous years, the blooms have been popular amongst residents and visitors alike and help provide valuable habitat for insects and other wildlife.