Exeter

Community celebrates start of Seaton Jurassic

One of the longest serving campaigners for a visitor centre in Seaton, Donald Campbell, joined with nine-year-old Seaton Primary School pupils, Aimee Kenworthy and Taylor Lee to ‘break the ground’ for Seaton Jurassic today (Friday 26 September).

They were joined by representatives from all the funding partners, local community campaigners, volunteers and schoolchildren to celebrate the official start on site for the building of £4 million visitor centre.

Earlier in the day pupils from the school helped the contractors move plants to make way for the construction to take...

Alien life may be out there!

A pioneering new study has shown that water found on Earth predates the formation of the Sun – raising hopes that life could exist on exoplanets, the planets orbiting other stars in our galaxy.

The ground-breaking research set out to discover the origin of the water that was deposited on the Earth as it formed.

It found that a significant fraction of water found on Earth, and across our solar system, predates the formation of the Sun. By showing that water is ‘inherited’ from the environment when a star is born, the international team of scientists believe other...

EDDC leader welcomes healthy approach to education

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Fri, 09/26/2014 - 1:55pm

East Devon District Council’s Leader has welcomed the offer of a woodland at Cranbrook for use by students at the new education campus where building work is about to begin as “an excellent example of promoting health and wellbeing”.

Councillor Paul Diviani gave a short address to a members’ briefing at Knowle on Wednesday, called so councillors could hear about the latest proposals from the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group that covers Eastern Devon.*

As a County Council ward member for Honiton St Paul’s, Councillor Diviani also has an interest in Devon County Council’s...

Boost for rare Dartmoor bird

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Fri, 09/26/2014 - 12:43pm

A new bird study on Dartmoor reveals dunlin numbers have increased in response to efforts to restore the moor's famous mires.

The dunlin is a small wading bird. They breed across northern Europe, Russia and North America, but globally their most southerly breeding location is on Dartmoor. In the UK their population numbers 9,600 pairs and they are completely reliant on good quality blanket bog for breeding.

The Dartmoor Mires Project is a pilot scheme exploring the feasibility and effects of restoring degraded blanket bog on Dartmoor, and is being co­ordinated by Dartmoor...

Summer a hit says Devon Hotels Association

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Fri, 09/26/2014 - 12:30pm

Devon Hotels & Restaurants Association has reported a ‘perfect summer’ with bookings for many establishments seeing a healthy rise on last year’s figures thanks to the combination of two months of glorious sunshine, a renewed optimism in the economy encouraging spend and an increase in the corporate market.

All this with the careful planning and future forecasting of local hoteliers and restaurant owners has combined to safeguard the region’s highly respected tourism industry.

Mike Coombes, chair of Devon Hotels and MD of luxurious Mill End Hotel on Dartmoor commented...

Green Energy Awards shortlist announced

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Fri, 09/26/2014 - 11:49am

Cutting edge technology and innovation is at the heart of an impressive 2014 shortlist for the prestigious annual Green Energy Awards, organised by Regen SW.

The shortlist was compiled from a record flood of over 100 nominations for inspiring companies, projects and people pioneering the development of sustainable energy in the south west of England. The winners will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony and dinner attended by over 300 industry leadings that is held in Bath Assembly Room on 25 November.

The shortlisted nominees (listed below) will now go through to...

Smokers urged to try to quit for Stoptober

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Fri, 09/26/2014 - 11:26am

The Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust and Devon County Council are urging smokers to try to give up the habit by taking on the national Stoptober challenge.

Stoptober, run by Public Health England, aims to encourage as many smokers as possible to attempt to give up the habit for 28 days through October.

The Trust is supporting people to quit through its weekly stop smoking clinics across the county, led by specialist advisers in its Health Promotion Devon team.

The advisers form part of the Devon Stop Smoking Service, which is based at the Culm Valley Integrated...

Crediton Link Road soon to open

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Fri, 09/26/2014 - 10:49am

A special ceremony will be held at Crediton’s new £8.5 million link road next Wednesday (1 October) ahead of its opening.

Devon County Council Chairman Councillor George Gribble will unveil a ceremonial plaque at the new road, known as Wellparks Hill, at 10.30am. Although the opening of the road is due to follow soon after, the exact timing of when it will open to the public will depend on completion of minor work.

Construction of the 760 metre single carriageway started in July 2013. The completed road now provides a new direct route to the Lords Meadow Industrial Estate...

Police Partnership honours volunteers

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Fri, 09/26/2014 - 10:34am

Volunteers who support the work of Devon and Cornwall Police in the communities it serves will be honoured at an awards ceremony tonight (Friday). The Devon and Cornwall Police Partnership Community Volunteer Awards will be held at Sandy Park, home of Exeter Chiefs rugby team. Awards will be presented by Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer, Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg and by Julie Dowton, Chair of Devon and Cornwall Community Watch Association (DaCCWA). In previous years DaCCWA held an annual awards ceremony to acknowledge and celebrate the activities of watch schemes and their...

Gidleigh Park retains its two Michelin stars

Gidleigh Park is delighted to have retained its two Michelin stars following the release of the Michelin Guide 2015. Executive Chef Michael Caines MBE, who celebrates 20 years at Gidleigh Park this year, was awarded two Michelin stars for the first time in 1999 and today’s announcement marks sixteen continuous years for the hotel to hold the award. Michael Caines commented: “The Michelin guide is arguably the most revered restaurant guide amongst chefs, restaurant critics and guests alike and we’re honoured to retain our stars for the sixteenth year running.

"Our team here at...

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