Devon

Taylor Wimpey, Exeter Foodbank

Taylor Wimpey helps vulnerable people in Devon this Christmas

Authored by David Banks
Posted: Wed, 12/23/2020 - 8:57pm

Taylor Wimpey Exeter has helped to feed and house vulnerable people across Devon this Christmas by pledging £3,000 worth of support to three county charities.

Staff chose to give £1,000 each to foodbanks in Exeter and Plymouth, as well as to St Petrock’s, Exeter's charity for people who are homeless or vulnerably housed.

Members of the charity committee also created food collection points at their head office in Exeter and the Cranbrook and Sherford developments, on the outskirts of Exeter and Plymouth. Thanks to kind donations from staff, suppliers and customers, vital...

New contractors to roll out fibre broadband across region

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 12/23/2020 - 3:07pm

Three companies have been selected to roll-out full fibre broadband networks on behalf of the Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) programme, backed by Government funding. Airband, Truespeed and Wessex Internet will be installing full fibre broadband across Devon and Somerset to more than 56,000 rural homes and businesses over the next four years. The combined public and private sector investment of around £80million will be in the vanguard of the Government’s ambitions to build a Gigabit capable network across the UK. The three companies all have experience of working in the region and,...

Legal & General

Love thy neighbour: Over 50s take the lead in caring for their communities during UK lockdowns

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Tue, 12/22/2020 - 11:19pm

During what has been a year we won’t forget, local communities have been forced to come together and help each other through some of the toughest times many people have ever faced. However, throughout it all, one age group in particular has really stepped up to care for their local communities: the over 50s.

Neighbourhood spirit might seem a thing of the past, but the over 50s have done more favours for their neighbours during lockdown periods than any other age group, with 29% proudly admitting to doing so, compared to only 15% of people aged 20 and under.

The over 50s...

Growth Support Programme launches initiative to support economic recovery

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 12/22/2020 - 11:17pm

The Heart of the South West Growth Support Programme (GSP) is launching its new “Adapt + Revive” initiative which aims to equip businesses in the region with vital digital skills to help support economic recovery. Businesses across Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay will be offered support and training focusing on digital marketing, e-commerce and website management through the scheme. A number of training webinars are also being aimed specifically at businesses operating in the tourism, food and drink and retail sectors. Since the Heart of the South West Growth Support Programme...

Berry Recruitment

High number of returns this Christmas means new year jobs for temp workers

Authored by David Banks
Posted: Mon, 12/21/2020 - 9:53pm

Temporary workers will remain in demand throughout January due to the number of people returning Christmas presents, a leading recruiter has said.

Typically around 25-30 percent of items bought online are sent back, and this is likely to rise in the new year.

Berry Recruitment, which works from nearly 40 branches across England and Wales and has a branch in Exeter, said various roles are required to deal with returns.

It also means the predicted drop in employment rates expected in January could be delayed.

Lee Gamble, managing director of Berry...

Tesco

Tesco stores donate much-needed food for Exeter families this Christmas

Exeter’s Tesco stores have joined a city-wide effort to contribute food and gifts to children and families in critical need of support this festive season.

It is estimated that more than 700 families in the city may go hungry this Christmas. Tesco has responded by donating to a local Christmas Hamper campaign to provide the vital support families need.

Ian Dyer, Store Manager at Tesco Exeter Vale, said: “In what has already been a challenging year, it’s important that we do whatever we can to make sure children and their families do not go hungry this Christmas. We are...

Devon, Weather

Highways teams prepared as more heavy rain forecast

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 12/21/2020 - 3:08pm

Devon County Council’s highways teams are bracing themselves for the possibility of further issues on the county’s roads later this week, with another spell of heavy rain forecast.

Rain and strong winds on Friday and Saturday made it a busy weekend for the County Council, and there is more to come with a Yellow Weather Warning for rain issued by the Met Office for the whole region from 6am on Wednesday until 6am on Christmas Eve.

On Friday and over the weekend, flooding was reported on the A390 Gulworthy, A381 Abbotskerswell, A377 Umberleigh to Bishops Tawton, and A39...

Home-Start

Home-Start help from the Freemasons

Across Exeter, East & Mid Devon Home-Start volunteers visit families in their homes each week, with services extending as far as Axminster and Crediton, including Exmouth, Sidmouth and Honiton. They are supporting parents in situations as diverse as isolation, bereavement, multiple births, illness, disability or who are just finding parenting a struggle. They provide non-judgemental practical and emotional support and help build the family’s confidence and ability to cope.

All kinds of families can find it hard to cope for all sorts of reasons, maybe because of the illness or...

building, National Association of Building Contractors

NABC unveils growth plans and recruitment drive for 2021

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Fri, 12/18/2020 - 5:23pm

Following a successful year and partnerships with companies such as HBXL, Trade Direct Insurance and BuildSafe Escrow Services – NABC – one of The UKs fastest growing construction trade associations unveils its ambitious growth plans and recruitment drive for 2021, as it heads towards new milestone.

James Hopkins, CEO, NABC, comments: “The demand for our service is increasing rapidly, especially post Brexit and the residential construction industry is under extreme pressure to reduce the number of rogue builders.

"We have recently had agrowing number of calls for us to...

Listening Ear - woman on phone

New mental wellbeing service for Devon businesses launching in January

A Devon charity is launching a pilot ‘Listening Ear’ service to provide a safe space for Devon business owners to chat about the challenges of running a business during a pandemic.

Listening Ear has been developed by a partnership of independent charity Devon Communities Together and Devon County Council, as a response to a need for business owners to have somebody to talk to about their general stresses and concerns, especially if they would rather not talk to their family and friends about these issues. This need has been identified by Heart of the South West Growth Hub and other...

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