Widespread freezing conditions could impact Devon’s roads on Christmas Day, while Boxing Day could see the county battered by gale force winds and heavy rain.
Devon County Council is warning that following the recent downpours, tonight’s cold snap could create icy patches tomorrow morning (25 December).
With road surface temperatures expected to drop below -3°C by tomorrow morning, gritting teams will be salting from this afternoon and overnight. Freezing roads are likely to be present in the county from 6pm this evening until 10am tomorrow morning, with any ice that...
Concerns about child abuse have soared since national lockdown measures were first introduced, the NSPCC has found – with the average monthly number of referrals from the charity’s helpline on the issue increasing by over 100% in the South West.
The NSPCC has analysed its data from April to November and has found that the level of concern about emotional abuse, neglect, and physical abuse remain well above the pre-pandemic average.
Since April, the helpline has received 31,359 contacts from adults across the UK anxious about child abuse or neglect, referring half (50%)...
Taylor Wimpey Exeter has helped to feed and house vulnerable people across Devon this Christmas by pledging £3,000 worth of support to three county charities.
Staff chose to give £1,000 each to foodbanks in Exeter and Plymouth, as well as to St Petrock’s, Exeter's charity for people who are homeless or vulnerably housed.
Members of the charity committee also created food collection points at their head office in Exeter and the Cranbrook and Sherford developments, on the outskirts of Exeter and Plymouth. Thanks to kind donations from staff, suppliers and customers, vital...
Three companies have been selected to roll-out full fibre broadband networks on behalf of the Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) programme, backed by Government funding. Airband, Truespeed and Wessex Internet will be installing full fibre broadband across Devon and Somerset to more than 56,000 rural homes and businesses over the next four years. The combined public and private sector investment of around £80million will be in the vanguard of the Government’s ambitions to build a Gigabit capable network across the UK. The three companies all have experience of working in the region and,...
During what has been a year we won’t forget, local communities have been forced to come together and help each other through some of the toughest times many people have ever faced. However, throughout it all, one age group in particular has really stepped up to care for their local communities: the over 50s.
Neighbourhood spirit might seem a thing of the past, but the over 50s have done more favours for their neighbours during lockdown periods than any other age group, with 29% proudly admitting to doing so, compared to only 15% of people aged 20 and under.
The Heart of the South West Growth Support Programme (GSP) is launching its new “Adapt + Revive” initiative which aims to equip businesses in the region with vital digital skills to help support economic recovery. Businesses across Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay will be offered support and training focusing on digital marketing, e-commerce and website management through the scheme. A number of training webinars are also being aimed specifically at businesses operating in the tourism, food and drink and retail sectors. Since the Heart of the South West Growth Support Programme...
Temporary workers will remain in demand throughout January due to the number of people returning Christmas presents, a leading recruiter has said.
Typically around 25-30 percent of items bought online are sent back, and this is likely to rise in the new year.
Berry Recruitment, which works from nearly 40 branches across England and Wales and has a branch in Exeter, said various roles are required to deal with returns.
It also means the predicted drop in employment rates expected in January could be delayed.
Exeter’s Tesco stores have joined a city-wide effort to contribute food and gifts to children and families in critical need of support this festive season.
It is estimated that more than 700 families in the city may go hungry this Christmas. Tesco has responded by donating to a local Christmas Hamper campaign to provide the vital support families need.
Ian Dyer, Store Manager at Tesco Exeter Vale, said: “In what has already been a challenging year, it’s important that we do whatever we can to make sure children and their families do not go hungry this Christmas. We are...
Devon County Council’s highways teams are bracing themselves for the possibility of further issues on the county’s roads later this week, with another spell of heavy rain forecast.
Rain and strong winds on Friday and Saturday made it a busy weekend for the County Council, and there is more to come with a Yellow Weather Warning for rain issued by the Met Office for the whole region from 6am on Wednesday until 6am on Christmas Eve.
On Friday and over the weekend, flooding was reported on the A390 Gulworthy, A381 Abbotskerswell, A377 Umberleigh to Bishops Tawton, and A39...
Across Exeter, East & Mid Devon Home-Start volunteers visit families in their homes each week, with services extending as far as Axminster and Crediton, including Exmouth, Sidmouth and Honiton. They are supporting parents in situations as diverse as isolation, bereavement, multiple births, illness, disability or who are just finding parenting a struggle. They provide non-judgemental practical and emotional support and help build the family’s confidence and ability to cope.
All kinds of families can find it hard to cope for all sorts of reasons, maybe because of the illness or...
