Alesha Dixon to join Boyzone for Devon show

Newton Abbot Racecourse can reveal that singer and television presenter Alesha Dixon will be Boyzone’s Special Guest at their headline show at Newton Abbot Racecourse on Sunday June 28.

The concert, which is confirmed to be Boyzone’s only South West tour date, will take place on Sunday June 28.

2015 is shaping up to be another great year for Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon. She is presently a TV judge on Britain’s Got Talent which is in its ninth series, now airing.

'The Boy Does Nothing' singer is also confirmed to be bringing out a new record in...

National Mills Weekend sees special Exeter event

Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) is running its popular annual National Mills Weekend event this Sunday (10 May). Cricklepit Mill, DWT’s headquarters and visitor centre on Exeter’s Quay is the last working watermill in the city. Visitors will be given the chance to see the historic mill in action and hear traditional mill songs from Exeter’s folk choir. The wildlife garden will be open and the flour that is milled will be available to buy. The free event will take place on Sunday 10 May from 10am until 2pm and is part of National Mills Weekend, the annual festival of the UK’s milling heritage....

Arson Awareness Week focuses on children

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Wed, 05/06/2015 - 12:30pm

Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service are supporting Arson Awareness Week (May 3-9) by focusing on their Firesetter Intervention Programme aimed at young children who are drawn to lighting fires.

Our Firesetter Intervention Programme helps children and young people understand and control the feelings and circumstances that lead them to set fires.

Most children show a natural interest and curiosity in fire, even if they do not display any firesetting behaviour. Children may be fascinated by the glow from a real flame from when they blow out their birthday candles,...

Thumbs up to road safety campaign

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Wed, 05/06/2015 - 12:22pm

A road safety campaign which was launched in Devon last year has been so successful, it's to have its own national awareness day.

The My Red Thumb campaign, hit the headlines last May as a multi-agency road safety campaign designed to raise awareness of the risks of distraction specifically associated with using a mobile phone while driving.

The aim of the campaign was to reach as many road users as possible through the use of social media and to use behavioural change techniques to encourage people to change their habits.

National My Red Thumb day will take place...

HSL brings comfort to Exeter

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Wed, 05/06/2015 - 12:02pm

HSL, the UK’s leading comfort furniture specialist, is arriving in Exeter this week, with a brand new store set to open in Duns Business Centre on Trusham Road in Marsh Barton tomorrow, Thursday 7 May.

Manufacturing high quality, handmade back-care furniture for more than 40 years, the new Orpington store is the fourteenth HSL outlet to open in the last 12 months, cementing the company’s commitment to offering outstanding customer service and a wide selection of excellent quality products, in a huge choice of styles and fabrics, that provide value for money.

The store will...

Exeter deaf students lead awareness event

Exeter Deaf Academy students will be out in force in Exeter City Centre tomorrow (Thursday 7 May) as part of National Deaf Awareness Week (4–10 May).

This year’s theme is ‘Connect and Communicate’ and the Deaf Academy’s students would love to meet more of the local community to help raise awareness of deafness and the Deaf Academy.

From 9.30am-12.30pm a group of Deaf Academy’s School students will be ready and waiting in Bedford Square to deliver Deaf Awareness sessions and also on hand to teach members of the public how to sign their names in British Sign Language (BSL...

Garden Festival a whizzing success

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Wed, 05/06/2015 - 11:27am

Toby Buckland’s Garden Festival at Powderham Castle on 1st and 2nd May was a "whizzing success" in it’s second year.

The two days opened with explosive "daytime fireworks", whooshing coloured smoke, and showering sparks in the clouds for opening ceremony with Toby and the Countess of Devon cutting the ribbon on Friday and (Lady Courtenay on Saturday) to start the day with live music, the festival Tuk Tuk and lots of local school children all ready to get gardening in the dedicated children’s marquee.

“I was thrilled with the turnout to my second Garden Festival at Powderham...

X Factor auditions come to Exeter

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Wed, 05/06/2015 - 11:00am

The X Factor auditions are back on the road in search of the best and freshest vocal talent as it looks to uncover the nation’s next big singing star.

The UK’s favourite singing show will be visiting Exeter on Friday 22 May with auditions taking place in Princesshay. Auditions will take place from 9am – 6pm.

This is part of the shows biggest ever audition tour, which will visit an unprecedented 50 towns and cities across the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland, as this year we are bringing the auditions directly to you!

If you have ever thought about...

Candidates disappoint Samaritans

The director of the local branch of Samaritans says she is disappointed by the lack of responses from parliamentary candidates to her letter outlining what they and a future government could do to reduce suicide.

The charity wrote to candidates in the Exeter, Mid Devon and Central Devon constituencies, setting out four key policies on how suicide risks could be minimised.

This could be achieved through improved mental health information and diagnosis, creation a local suicide prevention plan, tackling alcohol misuse and understanding its link to suicide, and making the...

Untapped value of student possessions revealed

New research by online marketplace eBay shows that the average UK university student has over £6,045 worth of sellable possessions including 36 pieces of tech, 61 items of clothing and 35 household items. With education fees on the political manifesto again, students are becoming more money savvy, but as the summer term ends and students prepare to decamp back home, eBay’s research shows that three quarters are not taking advantage of the untapped value of their unwanted items – across the UK that’s £8.46 billion worth of sellable goods, or 3,000 pints for every undergraduate. Only two...

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