Local News

Over a third of working families in the South West could not afford to pay their rent or mortgage for more than a month if they lost their job, new figures from Shelter reveal today.

With little or no personal savings to fall back on, the Shelter and YouGov study found that this means a staggering 318,000 working families in the region could be just one paycheque away from losing their home.

Even more shockingly, the research also revealed that nearly a quarter of working parents in the South West face the nightmare prospect of being immediately unable to make their next...

Sixty children enjoyed Isca Church’s Sports Academy Holiday Club held at Willowbrook Primary School in Beacon Heath.

The action packed week included team challenges, craft, games, quizzes, action songs, telling the Bible story of David and of course lots of pie throwing!

Jane Tricker, Isca Church children’s worker said: “It was great to see so many children from the local community having fun and exploring what it means to be loved and valued for who they are, and how important it is that they each have different talents and abilities.”

Many of the children...

BBC Radio Devon presenter and local personality David ‘Fitz’ FitzGerald revealed all at the local headquarters of the charity Samaritans - or at least, he revealed two new signs urging people in distress to ‘Talk To Us.’

Fitz was at the central Exeter base of the Exeter, Mid and East Devon Samaritans to unveil the vivid green signs. They help identify the building for people who want to have a face-to-face discussion instead of the more traditional telephone calls, emails and texts answered by the 100 volunteers who run the local branch of the service.

“Almost everyone...

A vital first step towards Exeter’s homeless charity, St Petrock’s, providing faster access to emergency accommodation was made with the recent grant of £100,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation.

Mel Hartley, project manager at St Petrock’s, explains “We’re extremely grateful to the Garfield Weston Foundation for this donation which will help us purchase a property, allowing us to support clients quickly off the streets and into temporary accommodation.

“We know that early intervention is crucial in helping prevent those people new to homelessness from becoming...