Local News

A teacher of British Sign Language (BSL) at Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education has won a regional award from UK charity and leading awarding body in deaf communications, Signature.

Matt Jenkins, who is from South Wales but now teaches sign language in Exeter and Bristol, is the recipient of the South West Teacher of the Year Award at the 2014 Signature Annual Awards.

The awards honour individuals, organisations and community groups that are striving to break down the barriers of communication between deaf and hearing people.

Matt said: “I’m honoured to be the...

Many of the world’s most important crop-producing countries will be fully saturated with pests by the middle of the century if current trends continue, according to a new study led by the University of Exeter.

More than one-in-ten pest types can already be found in around half the countries that grow their host crops. If this spread advances at its current rate, scientists fear that a significant proportion of global crop-producing countries will be overwhelmed by pests within the next 30 years.

Crop pests include fungi, bacteria, viruses, insects, nematodes, viroids and...

Exeter restaurant and live entertainment venue, Casa Maroc will be raising funds for the International Citizen Service charity this autumn with two lively party functions on Friday 5th and Saturday 20th September.

It is hoped that the events will also raise awareness about the work of the ICS who send young volunteers from the UK and many other 1st world countries to give valuable, life changing advice and practical hands-on aid in the developing world, often in places rife with famine, poverty and civil war.

Entertainment will include a stand-up routine from local comedian...

It may be an excuse poked fun at by many a comedy sketch but leaves on the line is such a serious problem that the Met Office has developed a new, enhanced, low adhesion forecast system to help the rail industry plan for the problem.

Autumn leaves can cost the rail industry in excess of £100 million a year, as they contaminate the rail head and can lead to very low levels of adhesion especially when combined with slightly wetted rails. Poor adhesion prevents trains from accelerating and braking precisely, which can lead to delays and, more significantly, potential safety breaches...