christmas

Driving home for Christmas? National Highways lifting and completing roadworks for festive getaway

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Sun, 12/19/2021 - 12:10pm
Roadworks will be lifted on motorways and major A-roads from Tuesday 21 December to help keep traffic flowing

National Highways will be working round the clock to remove more than 900 miles of roadworks ahead of the festive getaway.

This means nearly 98 per cent of motorways and major A roads will be roadworks-free in time for those travelling to see loved ones or making other journeys for Christmas.

National Highways travel-time data from the past couple of Christmases suggests next Thursday - the day before Christmas Eve - is likely to be one of the busier travel days...

12 ways to ensure your Christmas won’t cost the Earth

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Sat, 12/18/2021 - 10:01pm

As you start to plan your festivities and you purchase your Christmas food and gifts. There are some simple steps we can take to make Christmas more sustainable. At this time of year, we generate more waste than any other time. One example of this is the amount of cardboard packaging we produce which is approximately 300,000 tonnes, enough to wrap the London Eye 50,000 times according to Recycle Now. We also need to consider ways we can remove avoidable plastic from our festive preparations. Including Christmas cards, decorations and gifts. Around 12 million tonnes of plastic enters our...

Brits set to splash out £500 on Christmas gifts this year, yet half don't know if they are covered under home and contents insurance

Co-op Insurance is urging people in the South West to check their home and contents insurance policies as new YouGov data* reveals that half of people in the region (49%) who celebrate Christmas don’t know if pricey presents are covered under their current policy.

Despite the widespread confusion, research from the insurer reveals that a tenth (10%) of those who celebrate Christmas will spend over £500 on gifts in their household and one in every 25 (4%) will spend over a staggering £750.

Confusion comes as big ticket items may need to be listed separately with home...

GP practices to prioritise urgent care and COVID boosters

Following the Government’s call to accelerate the Covid-19 booster vaccination programme, Devon’s GP practices have, at very short notice, reallocated much of their workforce to delivering Covid-19 vaccines over the next two weeks.

This means that GP practices will focus on urgent clinical need and vaccines, and some non-urgent appointments may be postponed until the New Year.

The Prime Minister, together with the NHS, has launched an urgent national appeal calling for people to get jabbed. It comes as the UK Chief Medical Officers have increased the UK Covid Alert Level...

How to spot a fake this Christmas with scammers on a 30% rise

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 12/16/2021 - 8:39pm

Brits warned about Christmas scammers as fraudsters are expected to rise by 30%* this Christmas.

So far in 2021, more than half of the population* has been targeted by scammers, from counterfeit online deals, to bank transfer requests, fake delivery drivers and more.

The potential surge in cons over the festive period has prompted security retailers safe.co.uk to explain how to spot a fake, after new data has revealed that 67% of people wouldn’t know how to recognise a fraud, and 71% are worried about being a victim to theft this Christmas.

The five main fakes...

The perfect way to create Christmas memories with your loved ones

Experience the magic of Christmas with a special illuminated trail perfect for friends and family at Killerton, near Exeter.

What better way to walk off festive feasts than to enjoy an enchanting walk in the fresh air with loved ones?

Christmas at Killerton, which opened last month, creates timeless memories as visitors explore a beautiful world of lights and colour at the stunning National Trust property.

Matthew Findlay, Head of UK Trails for Raymond Gubbay, said: “As the festive holiday approaches, Christmas at Killerton is the perfect place to spend an...

Research finds careful Christmas is on the cards and shoppers are stocking up early

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 12/14/2021 - 12:49pm

A careful Christmas is on the cards for nearly half the UK as people worry about possible COVID rule changes and shortages in the shops, new research* from financial services insight experts Consumer Intelligence shows.

Its nationwide study found around one in three (31%) adults say they are still being cautious while another 14% are not planning too much in case COVID rules change again in the run-up to December 25th.

The careful approach extends to buying presents and provisions early this year with nearly two out of five (37%) saying they have already stocked up. Most...

Local community invited to Christmas memorial service at Exeter and Devon Crematorium

A special Christmas memorial service will be held at Exeter and Devon Crematorium and Cemetery on Topsham Road to commemorate loved ones who have passed away in the community in 2021.

Families supported by the crematorium over the past year are invited to attend the memorial service on Wednesday 15 December at 7pm in St Peters Chapel where they can dedicate a personalised star to their loved ones which can be placed on the crematorium’s memorial Christmas tree as a sign of remembrance. Refreshments including tea, coffee, mulled wine and mince pies will be served, a performance...

RGB Exeter is thinking of others this Christmas

After having to restrict visits to loved ones last Christmas, many families are planning big celebrations this festive period, but there are some who will be alone. RGB Building Supplies is encouraging people in the local area to be part of its ‘Keeping you in mind’ campaign.

Between Wednesday 1st and Wednesday 15th December, the builders merchant is inviting people to write a message on a postcard, or for younger residents, RGB has designed a Christmas colouring sheet. RGB’s branch team will then pass on the postcards to homeless shelters and the pictures to care homes, as well...

Golden Christmas Sofa Songs

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 12/01/2021 - 11:34pm

When Covid forced the closure of the 220 popular GOLDIES Sing and Smile daytime FUN singalongs across England and Wales in March 2020, the charity then turned to the internet and launched “sofa singing” via Facebook and YouTube with twice-weekly sessions featuring all those popular Goldies songs of the 70s and onwards.

GoldiesLIVE.com sessions go out on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week and are led by two of the charity’s popular session leaders, Rachel and Cheryl. Last Autumn an additional Welsh language session was added, led by Sian. GoldiesLIVE.com sessions reach out to...

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