Exeter

Boost for Devon rail commuters

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Tue, 12/16/2014 - 11:14am

Rail Minister Claire Perry has welcomed the first major redesign of First Great Western’s mainline timetable in Devon and Cornwall for seven years by waving off the first new 0706 retimed service.

The changes launched yesterday (15 December) see an improved service for the South West, providing an earlier morning direct service from London to Plymouth and Cornwall and shaving over 30 minutes off the current quickest journey time.

Key improvements include:

  • The 0706 Paddington-Paignton service will now also call at Plymouth, and retimed to arrive 40 minutes
  • ...

DCBC asks why not international trade?

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Tue, 12/16/2014 - 10:58am

On Friday 5 December, Devon & Cornwall Business Council (DCBC) welcomed speakers from the CBI, Santander, Devon International Trade Forum, UKTI, Business West, Yeo Valley and PWC to discuss, debate, share experience and best practice related to boosting international trade by businesses across Devon & Cornwall. Taking place at Duchy College, near Callington, the event saw more than 60 senior business figures gather for the panel debate and Q&A session.

The event aimed to tackle the Chancellor’s recognition in the Autumn Statement that the UK has not performed at the...

Playgroup celebrates successful Ofsted report

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Tue, 12/16/2014 - 10:57am

An long-standing Exeter play group is celebrating another successful inspection report as it prepares to welcome even more children.

Park Play Group has operated in Exeter for more than 30 years and is now based at Redhills Primary School.

The play group is currently building an extension which means it will be able to welcome two-year-olds next month along with the three and four-year-olds it currently accepts.

Inspectors from Ofsted visited the play group last month and have rated every aspect of its operation as good.

Lead inspector Sharon Peel says Park...

MP takes the first step towards becoming a Sea Change Champion

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Tue, 12/16/2014 - 10:54am

Neil Parish, MP for Tiverton and Honiton, wore Healthy Seas socks made partly from recycled fishing nets this week in order to show support for World Animal Protections’ Sea Change campaign.

Aiming to reduce the amount of lost and discarded fishing gear that harms and entangles millions of animals, the charity asked MPs to support their move to achieve safer, cleaner oceans by raising awareness of innovative solutions such as socks from recycled fishing gear on social media.

The charity has come across many other projects that mare making products from recycled fishing gear...

Major scheme to prevent sewer flooding in Exmouth

A £736,000 scheme to prevent sewer flooding in Exmouth gets under way next month.

South West Water will be constructing new surface water sewers to remove surface water from the sewerage network and making other improvements to prevent internal and external sewer flooding in the town and reduce the risk of pollution to the Exe Estuary.

Work starts on Monday 5 January and will be completed by Friday 3 April 2015.

The work is centred at two locations:

Camperdown Terrace: Construction of new surface water sewers, undertaking surface water separation at 20...

Formula 1 world champion comes to Exeter

Damon Hill OBE will be visiting Sandy Park, Exeter on 6 February 2015 to host an exclusive event on behalf of the Down’s Syndrome Association and Down Syndrome International.

Following a champagne reception and dinner, Damon will give an intimate insight into the driving forces in his private life that led to his successful motor racing career and ultimately to him becoming Formula One world Champion in 1996.

During this unique evening, there will be opportunities for the audience to ask Damon questions and to bid for exclusive Formula One experiences and memorabilia....

An evening with Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill

Event Date: 
06/02/2015 - 7:30pm
Venue: 
Sandy Park Conference & Banqueting Centre, Exeter

Damon Hill OBE will be visiting Sandy Park, Exeter on 6 February 2015 to host an exclusive event on behalf of the Down’s Syndrome Association and Down Syndrome International.

Following a champagne reception and dinner, Damon will give an intimate insight into the driving forces in his private life that led to his successful motor racing career and ultimately to him becoming Formula One world Champion in 1996.

During this unique evening, there will be opportunities for the audience to ask Damon questions and to bid for exclusive Formula One experiences and memorabilia....

Police appeal after car damaged in Honiton

Police are appealing for information after a parked car was extensively damaged in Honiton.

Abusive words were scratched into the paintwork of a black Ford Ka sometime between 8pm on Friday 12 December and 7.51am on Saturday 13 December.

The rear window of the Ka was also smashed during the incident on the St Pauls estate.

PC Steve Lee, based at Honiton police station, said: “We are keen to speak to anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area at the time.”

Anyone with information is asked to call PC Lee on 101 quoting crime number CR/129742/14, or...

Rescued ducklings restored to nature reserve

Two young Shelduck were recently released back into the wild at Axe Estuary Wetlands after being nursed back to health at the RSPCA Wildlife Centre at West Hatch in Somerset.

Jo Schmidt, RSPCA wildlife assistant, said: “The ducklings were brought to us in September, as they had lost their mother and had problems with their feet and feathers. We kept them outside and monitored them until we were satisfied their essential feathers were waterproof again, and that their feet had healed.”

Steve Edmonds, East Devon District Council Countryside Team Leader said: “Axe Estuary...

Two seriously hurt in Exeter collision

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a serious collision in Exeter over the weekend.

On Saturday 13th December just before 6pm the emergency services were called to a two vehicle collision at the junction of Rydon Lane and Pynes Hill.

The collision involved a white Ford KA and a silver coloured Audi A3.

The occupants of the KA, a 67 year-old male driver and a 68 year-old female passenger, suffered life threatening injuries and remain in hospital.

The driver of the A3 was uninjured.

The road was closed for several hours while...

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