Local News

Watermeadow Grange hosted inspiring public sessions with endurance adventurer Louis Alexander

Watermeadow Grange opened its doors to the local Topsham community for two packed public sessions showcasing the power of mindset and elite mental resilience.

The event, titled ‘An Audience with Louis Alexander, ’ featured the 26-year-old endurance adventurer and three-time world record holder sharing the extraordinary stories behind his global feats.

The talk comes right ahead of his newly announced world-first attempt this July to kayak seven of the deadliest ocean crossings on Earth. This perilous 300-mile journey marks the final chapter of his ‘Trilogy of the Seven...

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Ironbridge Runner Events: Exeter Half Marathon

Ironbridge Runner owner Pete Ferlie and his team are well known for promoting fun and innovative running events, with the latest promotion being their very popular annual Exeter Half Marathon on Sunday 16 February 2014 and which sold out its 350 available places weeks beforehand.

Flooding permitting (an alternative course is ready to be used if necessary) the race is held over a great 3 lap traffic free and pancake flat half course on footpaths and cycle tracks around the River Exe and Exeter Canal. The event is suitable for people chasing personal bests as well as for novice...

Campaign urges the South West to talk more

The number of us taking the time to sit and chat with someone close is dwindling, according to new research from the mental health anti-stigma programme Time to Change, which shows that nearly two thirds of people (59%) in the South West admit they should talk to family and friends more often than they currently do.

The findings were released on the first ever national Time to Talk Day (6 February) which aimed to spark one million conversations about mental health.

Exploring how often we’re having conversations, the poll reveals only around a third (31%) of people ask their...

MP backs ivory crush ahead of London summit on illegal wildlife trade

Neil Parish, MP for Tiverton and Honiton, joined the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) on Monday 10 February as the charity crushed hundreds of items of unwanted ivory to help protect elephants from the deadly ivory trade.

IFAW destroyed around 100kgs of ivory items ranging from whole elephant tusks to carvings and jewellery in spectacular fashion in London to raise awareness of the ivory trade and show support for elephant protection ahead of a major international summit on the issue.

Alarmingly, an elephant is killed every 15 minutes for its ivory. It is...

Hidden crop pest threat to poorer nations revealed

The abundance of crop pests in developing countries may be greatly underestimated, posing a significant threat to some of the world’s most important food producing nations, according to research led by the University of Exeter.

Data on the known distributions of almost 2,000 crop-destroying organisms in 195 countries were analysed in the first global assessment of the factors determining the distribution of crop pests.

Dr Dan Bebber and Professor Sarah Gurr, of Biosciences at the University of Exeter, found that if all countries had levels of scientific and technical...

David Cameron visits Dawlish repairworks

Prime Minister, David Cameron, has today visited the destroyed track near Dawlish as part of his tour of the storm damage in the South West. Mr Cameron met with the repair force from Network Rail and thanked railway staff for their work to retain service via replacement bus and alternative travel schemes. At meeting with Rail operators First Great Western Mr Cameron tweeted “Hearing how @FGW are keeping the SW #openforbusiness. We will look at possible alternatives to the Dawlish rail route.” The Prime Minister later met with local volunteers accompanied by Anne Marie Morris MP for Newton...

Severe gales and risk of floods remain

Gale force winds are forecast for the rest of this week as the relentless storms continue to batter the South West.

The Met Office’s chief forecaster said: “With ongoing flooding in some places, any further rain will only add to the problems. Very gusty winds may be an added hazard in places.”

The Met Office forecast for the next five days is as follows:

Today:

A wet and windy start with some heavy downpours. The rain will clear eastwards during the morning, leaving the rest of the day bright and breezy, with a few showers, some of which will be heavy,...

Rising assaults against ambulance drivers

The rising number of assaults against frontline staff has seen the Ambulance service re-commit to a zero tolerance approach to abuse. The South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) reports that there were 104 reports of physical abuse against frontline staff in the last 12 months. 73 of the reported assaults were referred to the police with 22 incidents leading to the abusive patients to be arrested. There are a number of more serious cases awaiting a court date as a result of these reports. Anne Payne, Health, Safety and Security Manager with SWASFT, said: “All reports of...

A la Ronde are appealing for books

Volunteers at A la Ronde, the National Trust property near Exmouth, are busy sorting books of all shapes, sizes, titles and themes ready for the forthcoming season.

The second-hand book sale area in the house is in its fifth year and is hugely popular. We raised over £9,000 last year. So we are asking our supporters to sort out their book shelves and donate any surplus books. The funds raised go towards conservation of the unique and quirky collection in the house.

We are able to collect books if needed. Jigsaws are really popular too, so any complete jigsaws in good...

South West Water are freezing prices and investing in services

South West Water plans to invest almost £160million in improving its services in 2014-15, and freeze standard tariffs and standing charges for all its household and business customers until April 2015.

A total of £430,000 per day will be spent on improving the region's vital water and sewerage infrastructure in 2014-15.

The year's investment is part of a £700million programme between 2010 and 2015 which supports 4,000 jobs in the wider regional economy.

Exeter is one particular area that will benefit from South West Water’s new improvements. £4.4million is being...

PCC Hogg endorses National Rural Crime Network

A new National Rural Crime Network, endorsed by eighteen (18) of the UK’s Police and Crime Commissioners, including Devon and Cornwall’s Tony Hogg, has been set-up to help tackle rural crime more effectively in England and Wales. A further 8 Commissioners are considering joining the group which could bring the total to around two thirds of PCCs across the two countries. Once established the Network will provide an online resource for police, community safety practitioners and others to interact, to share information, training development, access to case studies and link up with other...

Local News

Watermeadow Grange hosted inspiring public sessions with endurance adventurer Louis Alexander

Ironbridge Runner Events: Exeter Half Marathon

Campaign urges the South West to talk more

MP backs ivory crush ahead of London summit on illegal wildlife trade

Hidden crop pest threat to poorer nations revealed

David Cameron visits Dawlish repairworks

Severe gales and risk of floods remain

Rising assaults against ambulance drivers

A la Ronde are appealing for books

South West Water are freezing prices and investing in services

PCC Hogg endorses National Rural Crime Network

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