Devon Air Ambulance Trust has secured funding for potentially life-saving journeys over the next 12 months – thanks to a renewed charity partnership with Thomson Airways. Staff at Thomson Airways’ Exeter Airport base have donated almost £13,000 since the partnership began in September 2015, and the airline has confirmed donations will continue for a further year. Money is raised in a variety of ways by Thomson pilots, cabin crew and ground staff based at the airport – from bake-offs to bungee jumps – and complements contributions made by passengers on the airline’s Exeter-bound flights....

Businesses from across the South West took to the water on Saturday 10 September to raise £1,200 for Plymouth-based children's charity, Horizons.

Now in its third year of running, the ‘Sailing Challenge Trophy' - a sailing race held in and around Plymouth Sound, was hosted by top 40 accountants Bishop Fleming.

The Challenge Trophy was contested by 10 boats and was won for the second year running by Ocean Group BMW. The Small fleet category, contested by 4 boats, was won by The Redstart Learning Partnership with Horizons.

With the exception of the skippers, most of...

This year’s Self Build & Design Show at Westpoint in Exeter was dubbed a huge success by Devon’s independent lighting expert, Amos Lighting.

Around 90 exhibitors, local and national, were available at the show, to provide ideas, inspiration and information for visitors, many of whom are undertaking self build projects or renovations.

Ashton Hargreaves, manager of the new Amos showroom at Topsham opening in November, said: “The stand was very busy throughout the weekend, and we enjoyed talking to all our visitors.

“Some have already started their new build or...

The figures are now in from the Late Summer Fete, held on Saturday 17th September at Magdalen Court School and Kinderkare Nursery. This unique community event, spearheaded by Southernhay-based estate agents Naomi J Ryan , has raised an incredible £1,295.49 for bereavement support charity, Balloons .

Based at Basepoint Business Centre in Marsh Barton, Balloons provide much needed support for children, young people and their families before and after the death of someone significant in their lives. Speaking about the success of the day, Naomi of Naomi J Ryan said “Balloons is a...

A serious collision closed the M5 North and Southbound at junction 28, Cullompton, and junction 29, Exeter.

Police were called just after 9am today (Wednesday 21 September) to the incident on the M5 at Cullompton.

A lorry, which was travelling on the M5 Northbound, has collided with the central reservation.

Two other vehicles have been involved.

An air ambulance was called and landed on the carriageway to assist with casualties.

A man has been seriously injured and has been taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, along with two other...

The Chappell family, from Exmouth, have raised over £15,000 to help patients on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital in memory of mum Jacquie.

Jacquie, 55, spent several months being cared for on the ICU at Exeter before sadly passing away from heart failure in December 2014.

In honour of her memory and as a way of saying thank you to the staff who cared for her, Jacquie’s daughters Victoria and Laura, and husband Roger organised a charity ball in April 2016. The glittering black tie event, held at Woodbury Park in April, saw 220 guests enjoy...

Keep Britain Tidy's BeachCare programme has collected broken body boards left on three Westcountry beaches, highlighting the problem of the cheap polystyrene boards and the amount of waste they create.

BeachCare will be using the boards for an educational challenge project for South Devon’s University Technical College (UTC) before sending the boards onto a play scheme in Bristol for recycling.

With the help of South West Water, Cornwall Council, Cory Environmental and the beach ranger team at Croyde, these cheap, poorly constructed boards have been collected after being...

The busy restaurant at Otter Nurseries in Ottery St Mary has been awarded the highest rating by the Food Standards Agency in its most recent inspection.

With over 280 covers, the restaurant serves hundreds of hungry customers every day using fresh ingredients from approved local suppliers.

Restaurant Manager Anthony Adams, said: “In a big kitchen like ours there is a lot to keep on top of in terms of hygiene.

“We work extremely hard to achieve the highest of standards, including staff training. It applies to me too - I recently attended a four-day course in Exeter...