Seventeen-year-old TeenStar winner Luke Friend, from Teignmouth in Devon, has hit the headlines again - this time for opening the tenth series of ITV’s The X Factor with resounding success! The judging panel praised the star, including Sharon Osbourne who has returned from exile, saying “Luke I am crazy about you! You are quite fabulous.” Luke opened the show and was the first to be invited to the live Arena Auditions. He sailed through the Arena Auditions with a standing ovation from all four of the judges and is now on his way to Boot Camp!
An Exeter primary school and its head teacher have been appointed to help improve schools facing challenging circumstances.
Head teacher Tracy Hannon has been named a National Leader of Education and Wynstream Primary designated a National Support School in the first of such appointments from Exeter schools.
The roles will see Ms Hannon and staff from Wynstream Primary work with schools in challenging circumstances to help them improve with support from their experience and expertise.
The Ofsted report on Wynstream Primary said pupils displayed exemplary attitudes...
Exeter City Council will decide whether or not to change the way they charge developers next week. Exeter City Council will reach a decision on introducing the ‘Community Infrastructure Levy’, which will set a fixed charge on new developments in the city. If introduced the Levy would only apply to housing, student accommodation and out of city centre retailing developments. Previously the Council has set charges on a case by case basis but the process, which can be costly and time consuming, is being scaled back by Government. If introduced, the Levy will provide extra funding for new...
The Devon Chilli Fiesta will be held at RHS Garden Rosemoor on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 May 2014. This is a debut for the chilli fiesta in Devon, but will be held in an amazing setting in 65 acres of wonderful gardens, lakes and woodlands. We hope to offer a great day out for chilli enthusiasts, gardeners, food lovers and families alike.
The theme for the fiesta will be "Growing Chillies". We will have commercial chilli growers and experts in attendance from up and down the country!
RHS Garden Rosemoor will have a chilli theme over the weekend with our...
MPs of all three main political parties met Westcountry Ambulance Service bosses at Westminster today.
We had asked them to come to see us because of concerns they are planning to abandon national pay agreements for their staff and introduce regional pay to the ambulance service.
We were very sympathetic to the financial pressures they are under because of the Government’s cuts and the recent loss of the contract for Hospital Transport Services to private companies. The changes the Government has introduced that have allowed private companies to cherry pick services, have...
The government has lent its support to encourage people to leave money to charity in their wills.
As part of this week’s Remember A Charity in your Will campaign the Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd will call on UK solicitors to raise the topic with clients.
The joint letter from the minister and Remember A Charity will accompany a nationwide poster campaign and social media campaign to raise public awareness.
Already supporting the campaign are the Co-operative Legal Services which will be promoting charitable bequests to customers in the process of writing...
Two council workers who discovered £62,460 of cash in envelopes while clearing a house have been praised for their honesty and integrity.
Exeter City Council workers Steve Yeo and Chris Lawrence came across the cash whilst clearing the carpet and any perishable items from a council house in the Alphington area of Exeter, whose tenant had recently died.
They immediately returned it back to the office where it has been placed in a safe whilst the Council attempts to trace the next of kin.
Council Leader Pete Edwards, said: "Steve and Chris have acted with great...
Veteran journalist and newsreader, Angela Rippon, will be joining The Wildlife Trusts in support of this year’s Remember A Charity Week (Mon 9 – Sun 15 Sept 2013).
As one of 140 charities taking part in a series of events around the UK, The Wildlife Trusts are urging people making a Will to take a moment to consider including a gift to charity.
Devon Wildlife Trust is asking supporters to think about leaving a gift in their Will to help wildlife. The Trust’s Penny Mason said:
“Gifts in Wills are so important in allowing us to continue to protect our natural world...
Student rents in Exeter are the 4th highest in the UK behind only London, Oxford and Cambridge, a new report states. Students in Exeter pay an average rent of £385pcm despite most students only willing to pay up to £300 in rental costs. The rise has been attributed to a national rise in applications to Universities in turn seeing a rise in demand for student rental properties in the city. Exeter University has seen a 34% rise in applications for university places this year well above the national average of 2.5% seeing a particular demand on rental costs. The report by easyroommate.co.uk...
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park is marking the role South Devon played in the career of the man regarded around the world as the father of modern tree surgery.
John Davey served a six-year apprenticeship in horticulture and landscape gardening in Torquay. He moved to the US and became a leading tree expert, publishing his first book, 'The Tree Doctor', in 1901.
Now, Paignton Zoo is planting a tree to commemorate his Devon connection. Catherine Mortimer, Paignton Zoo Head Gardener, explained: “John Davey is almost unknown in this country, but in the US he is...
