An exciting new early years reading programme with stickers to collect has been launched in libraries across Devon and Torbay, aiming to inspire a lifelong love of reading.
Libro’s Friends is an extension of Libraries Unlimited’s hugely successful The Secret Book Quest, which was launched in 2021.
Both programmes have been created as part of Libraries Unlimited’s drive to boost the reading skills of children in the county.
The Secret Book Quest uses a free sticker collection book to set older children a 50-book goal and takes them on a journey through topics...
As the cost of living crisis continues to impact the prices of energy, fuel and commodities, local businesses across Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay are being urged to make the most of available support to boost their resilience.
The Heart of the South West Growth Hub offers free, impartial, expert business advice, and has a range of programmes and grants available to help support businesses with growth, resilience, trade, marketing, recruitment, and more.
Businesses are being encouraged to get in touch with the Growth Hub team, who offer signposting services and can...
The Heart of the South West LEP (HotSW LEP), Digital Skills Partnership, has launched ten free Digital and Technical bootcamps, providing people in Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay with the opportunity to access free training worth up to £3,000.
The Government-funded #Train4Tomorrow bootcamps will help adults develop digital and technical skills that lead to higher-paid roles within growth sectors, opening up opportunities to move into careers such as cyber security, data science, software development, digital marketing, IT, digital healthcare, welding, engineering and...
Living Coasts, in Torquay, famous for its penguins, has helped inspire a novelist to write a book featuring penguins – published by Penguin.
The novel, by Exmoor-based writer Hazel Prior, is called Away With The Penguins. Living Coasts' Senior Keeper, Jason Keller, helped Hazel with her research into hand-rearing baby penguins.
Away With The Penguins has been described as a life-affirming adventure featuring a cranky older lady and a lot of very engaging penguins. Living Coasts spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “We’re used to people carrying out research here – but it’s...
The world’s number one selling brand in home pregnancy and fertility tests has donated pregnancy kits – for orang utans.
The Clearblue brand helps over 20 million women every year – and now, a couple of broody female Bornean orang utans… Keepers at Paignton Zoo in Devon approached Clearblue because they hope their orang utans will breed this year.
Senior Head Keeper of Mammals Rob Rouse said: “We now have a male who is old enough to breed. As part of the European Endangered species Programme for Bornean orang utans, we’d like them to be trying for babies, but we need to...
The three South West zoos run by regional conservation charity Wild Planet Trust have a defiant message for coronavirus: “It’s business as usual”.
Staff and volunteers are prepared for the impact of coronavirus, but at this time the charity zoos remain open. Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “We’re monitoring the situation closely and will naturally continue to follow the advice of Public Health England and the Government. We will close if directed or if we no longer have the people to operate safely, but right now WE ARE OPEN!
Ingenious aquarists at Living Coasts, Torquay’s coastal zoo and aquarium, have trained strange fish to help clean their tank of a naturally-occurring pest.
Filefish, or leatherjackets, have been introduced into the charity zoo’s large stingray tank to help control an invasive anemone.
Aquarist Tom Fielding: “Aiptasia is a common temperate and tropical sea anemone. It comes in through our filtration system when seawater is drawn from the Bay. It’s regarded as a pest in saltwater aquariums because it can multiply rapidly and compete for food and space and occasionally even...
Keepers at Living Coasts, Torquay’s coastal zoo, had to do a double-take recently when they discovered that European common lobster Homer had moulted for the first time in two years.
Aquarist Sam Worthington was particularly pleased, as it was the first time he’d moulted in her time at the charity zoo: “This exoskeleton is almost perfect - right down to the antennae and the eyes. Lobsters moult their protective outer shells in order to grow. It’s hard work – some die of exhaustion in the process. It’s made of chitin, a natural polymer related to glucose, which plays a similar role...
Keepers at Paignton Zoo saved scores of animals after recent storms damaged a key building.
High winds ripped open a 36-metre-long air vent in the roof of Reptile Tropics at around 7.30 one morning, exposing vulnerable animals, plants and electrics. Staff rushed to save lizards, snakes, turtles, iguanas, chameleons and geckos as the temperature in the building dropped. Meanwhile, maintenance staff were able to carry out running repairs and prevent further damage.
In all, 65 reptiles and amphibians were saved, along with around 200 birds. It’s thought that no individuals...
People with a range of disability and accessibility needs have started the new decade on a happy note thanks to Paignton Zoo. The conservation charity has joined forces with the National Lottery and accessibility experts Closomat to provide a new Changing Places toilet.
Changing Places toilets have more room and more equipment than standard accessible toilets. The zoo’s new facility is attached to the main Island restaurant overlooking the lake. Paignton Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “We aim to give all our guests the best day out we can and that means accessible facilities...
