Devon

Flybe cuts 116 jobs in Exeter

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Sat, 11/16/2013 - 11:17am

116 jobs will be lost from Flybe’s Exeter headquarters the largest portion of the 500 redundancies announced earlier this week.

The redundancies were announced on Monday as part of the companies’ drive to find £85million in savings.

Chief executive Saad Hammad said: "I know that these proposals are creating great personal uncertainty, but they are necessary to secure a long-term future for Flybe and I am grateful to the various union and staff representatives for the very constructive manner in which we have been able to commence the consultation process."

Hammad...

City schools support BBC Children in Need

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 7:57pm

School Children in Exeter have been helping to raise money for BBC Children in Need.

At schools in the city children dressed up in spotty clothing to match this year's theme.

The money they raised has gone to Exeter and Localities Grief Support for Children, Young People and Their Families and Community Equality Disability Action (CEDA)

Grief support helps children and young people who have suffered the loss of a relative or friend. Providing 1-1 support, Memory Daysand a Youth Forum. To help the Children become happier, more confident,and better able to communicate...

Theatre group seeks WW1 families

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 4:44pm

A theatre group in Devon is calling on local families to try and trace living relatives of soldiers who died in the First World War.

Six names are inscribed on Silverton’s war memorial and the Mid Devon village’s dramatic group are focusing on them for their next production.

This will be performed in February 2014 to mark the centenary of The Great War.

Silverton's Drama Group, The Luvvies, has been busy researching what village life was like during World War One as the basis to their play, which will be performed in the village’s Community Hall.

Director...

New NFU chairman for Devon

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 3:40pm

A new county Chairman has been appointed for Devon’s branch of the NFU. David Verney a mixed farmer and egg producer from Bishop’s Nympton takes up family tradition by following his father and uncle into the position. “I think of it as a challenge and I wouldn’t be able to do it without having my two boys at home and a very understanding wife.

"My wife and I were adamant that they go off and get their qualifications.

"They’ve gone off and experienced another side of life and they’ve come back to farming afterwards. “My daughter is also really involved and helps out with the...

Every £1 spent on Broadband gives £20 to the UK economy

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 3:28pm

A new report has shown that every £1 invested into Broadband, brings £20 back to the UK economy.

The report commissioned for the government also reveals that the impact of superfast internet also has a huge impact on the way we live making it easier to work from home or stream online TV.

Earlier this year the first rural communities in Devon began to benefit from a rollout of superfast broadband to smaller communities.

The improvements are part of a £94 million investment in Devon and Somerset which will see 15,000 premises in the two counties’ benefit.

...

Plymouth woman forgot she knew photo-taking 'burglar'

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:02pm

A Plymouth woman who reported a burglar had taken a picture of himself on her phone has said that she knows the man in the photo.

The woman found a picture on her mobile of an unknown man sitting in her home

The woman contacted Devon and Cornwall Police believing that a burglar had left a chilling calling card.

However, in what the police have called a “genuine lapse in memory” the unnamed woman forgot that the man had been in her house and was known to her.

The woman also reported that crisps and other food had gone missing from her house around the...

Special services this weekend for the Philippines

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 11:56am

Special prayers and collections will be held at churches across Devon this Sunday as congregations respond to the call to help those affected by the devastating Philippines typhoon.

The typhoon, one of the strongest storms to ever hit land, has torn apart the lives of more than 11 million people in the Philippines who are now in urgent need of food, water and emergency shelter.

Within the first 24 hours of The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launching an appeal on Tuesday - including TV appeals fronted by presenters Myleene Klass and Kirsty Young - the total reached £13...

East Devon hotel awarded tourism accolade

The Deer Park is celebrating after being awarded Silver in the Devon Tourism Awards, held in association with Visit Devon.

The country house hotel in Weston, near Honiton was awarded Silver in the Business and Venue Tourism Category, sponsored by Exeter International Airport.

The awards were announced at a lavish ceremony at the Grand Hotel in Torquay.

Managing Director at Deer Park, Mark Godfrey commented: “We are utterly ecstatic to have been crowed Silver at the Devon Tourism Awards. We’ve heavily invested in the Deer Park over the last 12 months and it shows our...

Councils could gain powers to ban peaceful protest in public areas

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 11:27am

Councils could gain powers to ban peaceful protests on the grounds that it might annoy nearby residents through a bill currently going through Parliament.

The Home Office proposed Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill is currently being read in the House of Lords having already passed through Commons.

One section of the bill proposes giving councils the power to issue Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) to prevent activities that have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality and are of a continuing or persistent nature.

PSPOs...

Hunt for drugs fugitive with links to Devon

Crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers’ latest campaign to locate 13 wanted fugitives, believed to be hiding in Spain, includes an appeal for a man wanted for a series of drug offences, with links to Devon.

Stephen Blundell, 35, is wanted for the conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, and was convicted for being principal organiser of his own heroin supply chain.

He regularly arranged for heroin to be supplied from Liverpool to Devon, and is now believed to be hiding in Spain after skipping his hearing to be sentenced.

The Liverpudlian joins 12 other new wanted...

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