charity

Ready, Set... Bake Off for Take Off!

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Sat, 08/10/2024 - 10:19am

Devon Air Ambulance (DAA) is encouraging supporters to host a baking event to support the charity this summer. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a kitchen novice, the charity wants you to organise a delicious fundraiser that makes a difference and indulge in some sweet treats to help save lives.

The charity is calling upon the people of Devon to gather friends, family, and colleagues to organise their very own Bake Off for Take off event . Be it a coffee morning, a bake sale at a workplace, hosting an afternoon tea – or any cake event you can cook up – the support to raise vital...

Office team celebrating 25 years

25 volunteer days up for grabs as Optix celebrates milestone anniversary

Authored by Sue Cade
Posted: Mon, 07/08/2024 - 11:55am

Exeter digital marketing specialist Optix Solutions is marking its 25th anniversary with a very special pledge.

Each member of staff will be given a day over the next 12 months to use for volunteering with a local charity or CIC.

Optix MD Rob Stevens explained: “The idea struck us as an especially positive way to mark this really important milestone - and fittingly, we have 25 members of staff!

“At the heart of our business is a genuine commitment to social responsibility; we’re currently supporting a local charity pro bono with rebranding and website work and...

Charity helps put carers on the map during Carers Week

Devon Carers is ‘Putting Carers on the Map’ this week as part of an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise their invaluable contribution to society - estimated to save the Devon economy over £2 billion a year!

Devon Carers, a free service by Westbank Community Health and Care, is putting on a host of events to celebrate Carers Week (10th – 16th June). The service is also planning several events as part of its milestone anniversary to mark 25 years of supporting unpaid carers across the county. Over the last two and...

Health and wellbeing charity shares volunteers’ stories to recruit more helpers

Throughout Volunteers’ Week (3 - 9 June), Westbank Community Health and Care is celebrating the army of volunteers who are the beating heart of the Devon-wide charity and sharing volunteers’ stories to inspire more people to help make a difference.

Volunteers’ Week - now in its 40th year - is a week when charities across the South West celebrate those who give up their time to help others and say thank you to them for the contribution they make. The week also raises awareness about the many benefits of becoming a volunteer and the diverse volunteering roles available.

Pip...

Exeter Pre-Prep pupils run over 100 miles to raise money for local charity

Pupils at Exeter Pre-Prep School in Exminster have recently run the equivalent of four marathons as part of a sponsored fun run to raise money for Westbank Community Health and Care, a local charity that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people across Devon.

With 72 children under the age of seven, the school hoped that pupils and staff would be able to run a collective marathon (26 miles) throughout the day, with each class taking turns to run laps around the school grounds. However, they managed to clock up a combined total of 112 miles, the equivalent of more than four...

Devon domestic abuse charity secures materials prize

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 05/20/2024 - 9:34am

A Devon charity that seeks to empower survivors of domestic abuse is planning renovation works after winning building materials in a nationwide competition.

SAFE Foundation, based in Exeter, has been named as one of the first winners in Selco Builders Warehouse’s Community Heroes 2024 campaign.

The Community Heroes campaign by Selco, one of the UK’s leading builders merchants, gives community groups and good causes the chance to secure materials to use on a project.

The charity has secured £500 of building materials to improve its facilities – and will also be a...

Local homebuilder steps up for mental health in Devon with £1,500 donation to Step One Charity

Step One, a charity dedicated to supporting individuals facing mental health and wellbeing challenges, has received a generous donation of £1,500 from local homebuilder Barratt David Wilson Homes Exeter. The donation will contribute towards initiatives such as the BeWell@StepOne programme, which provides peer-to-peer support to tackle social isolation and promote mental wellbeing across Devon.

The history of Exeter-based Step One Charity dates to its founding in 1937 as St Loye's College to provide support for people with disabilities to develop skills and achieve their potential...

City homelessness charity launches ‘myth-busting’ survey

An Exeter based homelessness charity launches a survey today aimed at raising awareness of the causes of homelessness, while also giving an insight into the life of people sleeping on the streets.

It’s believed to be the first opinion gathering poll of its kind in the city and St Petrock’s staff hope it will provide valuable information about people’s attitudes and knowledge about rough sleepers and the causes of homelessness, which will help inform the charity’s communications and fundraising plans.

Visits to St Petrock’s are soaring

There are currently between...

Let there be light! Exeter Scientists urging us to Race for Life

This group of researchers from Devon are leading the way in transforming how cancers are detected and treated by harnessing the power of light.

The team, who receive funding through Cancer Research UK, are encouraging people to take part in Race for Life this summer and help fund more life-saving research.

Their innovative use of Raman Spectroscopy, which is based upon the interaction of light with the chemical bonds within a material, is forging a better understanding of treating cancers earlier.

Some of their work centres on patients with oesophageal cancer. A...

“Big Night Out” raises over £4,500 for Exeter homelessness charity

On Friday 12th April, 18 intrepid people slept out to raise over £4,500 for St Petrock’s, Exeter’s local homelessness charity, as part of the charity’s first ever #BigNightOut.

The event, in which people were invited to “sleep rough” in their gardens, sheds, on sofas or in the countryside, aimed both to raise awareness of homelessness and the challenges faced by rough sleepers in Exeter, and to encourage people to give financially towards the cost of running the vital services St Petrock’s provides to help rough sleepers survive and find a way off the streets.

Rowan...

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