Devon

Warrens Bakery raise over £2,000 for Wooden Spoon charity

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 01/18/2024 - 11:15pm

Warrens Bakery, the oldest Cornish Pasty maker in the world, is thrilled to announce they have raised over £2,000 for the rugby charity Wooden Spoon, as part of their Christmas campaign, ‘ Naughty or Nice’ .

The campaign, which ran throughout the whole of December, saw the ultimate battle of the pasties with customers being asked to choose between the Traditional Cornish ‘Nice’ Pasty or the Festive Turkey and Cranberry ‘Naughty’ Pasty, with 10p from all the Festive Pasty purchases donated to the children’s rugby charity Wooden Spoon.

Over 10,000 Festive Turkey and...

Pioneering start-up enlists public as citizen scientists  to help in attempt to save Britain’s ash trees 

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 01/18/2024 - 10:58pm

The UK’s leading biochar start-up, Earthly Biochar , has announced the launch of its government-funded pioneering project to try and save Britain’s ash trees. There are 125 million1 ash trees in England, Scotland, and Wales, and it is estimated that we could lose up to 80%2 of these to the disease, ash dieback.  

First identified officially in the UK in 20123, ash dieback is a highly destructive disease caused by a fungal pathogen, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. Originating in Asia before spreading to Europe, the fungus has already destroyed more than 80%4 of young ash trees in Norway...

New head for major local developer

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 01/18/2024 - 10:03pm

A leading employer in the local housebuilding industry has just appointed a new managing director.

Andy Hill was appointed to head Persimmon Homes Cornwall & West Devon at the beginning of the new year, taking the reins following a period as Acting MD.

He had joined Persimmon as the Regional Production Director for Wales and the South West in 2022 after joining from Tilia Homes where he was a regional construction and SHEA director.

As managing director of the Cornwall & West Devon business, Andy will be overseeing operations across the region, including...

Talented Exeter musician wins prestigious London Symphony Orchestra sponsorship

A talented violin player from Tedburn St Mary, who used to busk to pay for his music lessons, has been awarded a highly prestigious scholarship from the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO). Joel Munday, 24, is one of just 10 musicians from across the world to have been awarded the new LSO Conservatoire Scholarship.

The ground-breaking initiative has been created to ensure that musicians from all backgrounds have access to conservatoire training and to help reduce the financial barriers of those wanting to enter the profession.

Joel will receive £15,000 to help him focus...

Housebuilder supports Exeter Starlites Cheerleading ahead of competition in Paris

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 01/17/2024 - 10:31pm

Taylor Wimpey has helped Exeter Starlites Cheerleading achieve success after donating £500 to the group ahead of its international competition in Paris last year.

The housebuilder launched a Community Chest competition and invited residents local to their Cranbrook development, situated on the outskirts of Exeter, to nominate local, worthy recipients for the donation. After considering all of the entries, the team proudly selected Exeter Starlites Cheerleading, a unique athletic club that welcomes all ages and abilities to compete and train in Exeter and Cranbrook.

The...

What to do when a vulnerable person goes missing

What can you do when a vulnerable person goes missing?

“Over the past decade, I have heard so many stories of vulnerable people going missing, particularly those living with dementia. Many people have been found, but for some the consequences were tragic.

"Last week Eric went to collect a chinese takeaway for himself and Margaret his wife, who was in the car right outside. Two minutes later on his return, Margaret had vanished and was nowhere to be seen. A panicked search, some community support and a 999 call to the police eventually found Margaret who had made her way...

Legal warning over Exeter traffic scheme U-turn

Campaign groups backing a controversial Exeter traffic trial have warned that cancelling it early could leave Devon County Council open to legal challenge.

The Heavitree and Whipton Active Streets Trial began last August with the aim of increasing walking, scooting or cycling instead of driving for short journeys.

It also aimed to reduce rat-running through the residential area and was planned to run for 18 months.

However, it was revealed yesterday that the council could consider suspending the trial early because it isn’t meeting many of its targets. More...

Powerful Ukrainian war poetry finds voice in English translations

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 01/17/2024 - 7:03am

Poets, broadcasters, translators and academics from Exeter have joined forces to give voice to Ukrainian war poetry written in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of the country.

The poems, some of which have been written by artists fighting on the frontline, have been translated into English, recorded and made available to the public on YouTube .

They include the work of Liza Zharikova, a poet and musician, who was recently injured while on service in Donbas; and radio host Olena Huseinova, whose work covering the evacuation of Mariupol has found new expression in her...

Walking and cycling improvement plans backed by councillors

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 01/11/2024 - 9:27pm

Councillors have approved plans which set out priorities for developing cycling and walking improvements in a number of areas of the county.

Devon County Council’s Cabinet yesterday (Wednesday 10 January) backed the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) which outline cycling and walking improvements for Exeter, Teignbridge, and Barnstaple, Bideford and Northam over the next 10 to 20 years.

LCWIPs put the County Council in the strongest possible position for bidding for Government funding for walking and cycle schemes, as well as leveraging external...

Phase one of conservation work on Killerton’s Grade I listed chapel completed

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 01/11/2024 - 12:11am

The first phase of conservation work on National Trust Killerton’s historic Grade I listed chapel is now complete.

The restoration of the chapel has seen repairs to different elements of the building. The iconic rose window, which was showing signs of decay, has been removed, re-leaded and reinstated. Broken panes in some of the other stained-glass windows have been repaired and cleaned. Tom Coombe, Collections and House Manager at Killerton, talks excitedly, “I was delighted to see the rose window return to Killerton after being cleaned and conserved. The nineteenth century...

Pages