Devon

A fun-packed free day for all the family is promised to celebrate the launch of The Donkey Sanctuary’s new attractions for 2018 with a great programme of events including donkey grooming, trailer rides, live music from the Adam Moran Jazz Trio, Devon cream teas plus free ice creams for the children.

John Crouch, visitor engagement manager at The Donkey Sanctuary says: “Tea in the Paddock is our big celebration of everything that’s new at The Donkey Sanctuary. There will be lots of activities, the chance to meet our wonderful donkeys, cream teas, and most importantly; free ice...

Eminent NHS physician and policy advisor, Professor Sir Muir Gray, who helped develop Britain's screening programmes and NHS Choices, is coming to the South West to discuss the launch of innovative exercise and health initiatives. Sir Muir Gray, who advocates the power of activity in healthcare, is meeting the head of the South West Academic Health Science Network (SW AHSN) on Friday 23 March to discuss how exercise can improve the physical and mental health of residents in the South West, particularly older people and people with one or more long term conditions – groups which overlap...

Vulnerable and fuel poor residents across Devon are being encouraged to apply for expert help to help them keep warm and reduce their energy bills by up to £300 a year.

Cosy Devon and the Local Energy Advice Programme (LEAP) is a free advice service supported by Devon County Council and funded by energy suppliers that helps households with energy saving measures. Once the application is accepted, one of LEAP’s expert advisors will visit and look at your current heating and warmth levels in your home. They can install a range of simple measures, provide energy efficiency advice and...

Home furnishings retailer, IKEA, today announces a revised opening date for its new Exeter store. Following extreme weather conditions in the region, IKEA Exeter will now open on Thursday 10th May, 2018. As a values-driven organisation, IKEA always prioritises the safety and wellbeing of its co-workers and contractors. Due to adverse weather conditions over the last three weeks and temperatures reaching sub-zero with snow and ice, IKEA made the decision twice to halt construction of its upcoming Exeter store to ensure the safety of its team. Nick Earle, IKEA Exeter Store Manager, said: “At...

The behaviour of birds on and around the River Exe Estuary is to be monitored for the next three years to understand the effects of people and their activities on this important wildlife habitat.

Monitoring of birds will help measure the effect of new Wildlife Refuges at Exmouth and Dawlish Warren, which will come into force in September 2018.

The Wildlife Refuges were agreed by the South East Devon Habitat Regulations Executive Committee (SEDHREC) in October 2017 , following a 9 month public consultation.

Chair of SEDHREC, and Chair of Exeter City Council’s...

According to a recent UK travel survey collated by Great Western Railway (GWR), the residents of Exeter are some of the most spontaneous travellers in the UK with 81% revealing that their ideal weekend would involve a trip away. Residents of Exeter are also keen explorers of the UK having visited 11 UK cities on average compared to the UK average of 10. 44% of Exeter residents treat the weekend as opportunity of discovery and adventure with 77% having taken a spontaneous, unplanned trip in the last 6 months. Residents of Exeter are also willing to spend over 3hrs travelling for a...

The Government has granted permission for the University of Exeter Medical School to train an additional 88 Medicine students each year, in a major boost to the South West.

The additional numbers will mean more trainee doctors working in the region, and will bolster opportunities for Westcountry students to train in Medicine close to home. It will also mean an economic boost for Exeter and Truro, where the Medical School has campuses.

The announcement follows on from a consultation and competitive bid process for the allocation of 1,000 new medical training places across...

The Devon branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England is inviting church communities and primary school children from across the county to enter competitions to celebrate some of the things that make Devon so special.

CPRE Devon has launched three separate competitions this spring and hopes to be inundated with entries.

Devon’s Best Churchyard Competition 2018

Historic churches are central to life in Devon’s rural communities and form a unique part of our cherished landscape. In some parishes they are the only places to remain unchanged since Saxon times. This...

Newton Abbot’s 2018 summer jumps racing season gets off to a flying start this Easter on Saturday 31 March, when the racecourse reopens with its first fixture in an extended series of nineteen.

Always a firm favourite with families, the Easter Saturday fixture is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting programme of racing and special events at the only summer jumps racecourse in the South West.

To celebrate the opening fixture and get in the holiday spirit, the racecourse will be giving away a free Easter egg to the first 200 children through the gates. An...