Trading Standards is again warning people not to be tempted by ‘loan sharks’ this Christmas.
And they advise if you do find yourself ensnared to contact the confidential 24-hour Stop Loan Sharks 24/7 Helpline (0300 555 2222) for advice.
Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service’s latest concerns follow the publication of new figures by the England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT).
They say that nearly one in ten people turned to loan sharks to cover the costs of Christmas last year.
And more than half (52 %) of victims turned to illegal money...
A Heart of the South West (HotSW) Careers Hub * programme has been launched across 14 schools in Devon to help raise the confidence and aspirations of 500 young women.
The No Label No Limit programme is a personal development programme, inspiring and empowering young women in year nine and 10 to reach their potential.
Funded by The Careers & Enterprise Company , No Label No Limit will explore whether tailored personal development and careers support significantly improves self-belief, social and emotional capabilities, attendance, application to learning, behaviour...
A HR Tech company, which helps organisations design and structure jobs that improve diversity and skills-based hiring, has raised £1.75m in a funding round led by Mercia, and including existing backer Qantx and private investors.
The funding will enable Exeter-based RoleMapper to further develop its AI-powered platform and continue to grow its client base in the UK and US.
Designed for large organisations, the RoleMapper platform helps HR leaders redesign and simplify organisational job structures in readiness for new and future ways of working. This includes skills-based...
Dogs Trust , the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, is asking people to consider the canine companions of people experiencing homelessness when writing their letters to Santa this year.
Every Christmas, through its Hope Project, Dogs Trust brings festive cheer to the dogs of people experiencing homelessness by distributing canine hampers of collars, leads, coats, treats and toys to dogs and their owners. Dogs Trust has been running the unique Hope Project for over 17 years and as well as Christmas gifts, provides free veterinary treatment to dogs whose owners are experiencing...
MORE than 390 IKEA co-workers in Exeter are set to receive a pay increase as part of the retailer’s £12 million investment to support its people through the cost-of-living crisis.
Co-workers at the Exeter store will further benefit as the retailer also introduces a broad range of support measures across the UK & Ireland.
As one of the few major retailers to match the new Living Wage Foundation rate, hourly paid co-workers will receive a boost in earnings – at £10.90 – as part of IKEA’s continued pledge to pay the Real Living Wage.
Expanding Wistman’s Ltd announces Julia Kendell, best known for her TV appearances on BBC’s DIY SOS since 2008, has teamed up with the independent company as their specialist design consultant.
Well-known for her Grand Designs award-winning property design and working alongside DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles, and endearing Devon boys, Chris Frediani, and Julian Perryman, Julia created the interior design for the wedding venue of Nick and his wife in 2012.
A specialist in designing kitchens, bespoke cabinetry, and lighting design, Julia regularly writes for leading interior...
The Heart of the South West LEP has announced further funding to support the Heart of the South West Growth Hub in providing support to local businesses across Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay.
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.
The Heart of the South West LEP has awarded £208,000 to the Growth Hub, to ensure its services continue from March 2023, providing certainty to local...
Aldi is supporting local charities, foodbanks, and community groups in Devon through its Emergency Winter Foodbank Fund this Christmas.
The supermarket’s Emergency Winter Foodbank Fund will see it donate £250,000 to help organisations as they prepare to face heightened demand on their services.
The fund builds on Aldi’s successful partnership with community engagement platform Neighbourly which enables all of Aldi’s 980 UK stores to donate surplus food seven days a week, all year round.
Aldi will also be introducing new signage in stores this Christmas to help...
The officer’s report recommending approval next week for a major solar farm application at Marsh Green, near Exeter, is biased and inaccurate, according to the Devon branch of the countryside charity. Members of East Devon District Council’s planning committee will determine the fate of the application (22/0990/MFUL) next Tuesday, 29 November.
The Marsh Green scheme is for a 30MW solar farm of 60,000 solar panels on 218 acres of farmland.
The report states that there is an "absence of technical objections" to the development, a statement refuted by Devon CPRE. The...
Thousands of people are expected to head into the city centre for the long-awaited return of Exeter Carnival on Saturday.
The official charity of Exeter Carnival is Young Lives vs Cancer, who will be part of the parade collecting on the night.
Organisers are reminding people not to throw coins for safety reasons. Anyone would like to donate to the charity should do so by dropping spare change directly into collecting buckets.
Young Lives vs Cancer help families find the strength to face everything cancer throws at them. Last year in Devon they supported 49...
