Optometrist Kieran Loft, from the Royal Devon and Exeter’s West of England Eye Unit (WEEU), is on the lookout for your old spectacles.
In January 2015, Kieran will be going on an aid mission with local charity the Plymouth-Bissary Aid Project to perform eye tests and distribute glasses to people in a remote part of the Gambia.
Kieran is asking for old or unneeded glasses to be donated at the reception desk of West of England Eye Unit, just near the main entrance to the Wonford hospital, before they are shipped out to West Africa in November.
Local charity Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau today publishes its latest advice trend statistics which shows that at the end of July 2014 it helped 2090 people directly with advice and information in the first four months of the financial year.
The amount of advice that the charity has been able to provide has increased in the following areas compared to the same period last year:
Welfare benefit enquires • 59.4% increase about local support for council tax • 34.7% increase about tax credits • 30.7% increase about attendance allowance • 27.2% increase about housing benefit...
There are hundreds of user-worked crossings on farmland in Britain, which see a marked increase in traffic during the harvest season. Figures collated over the past ten years reveal that the number of collisions and near misses at these types of crossings also sharply increases over the harvest months.*. Since the beginning of June, Network Rail has recorded dozens of incidents of level crossing misuse on farm crossings. Fortunately none of these have resulted in collisions or serious harm but they have caused over ten hours of delays to rail services.
Police in Newton Abbot have issued images of two suspects they wish to identify following a spate of high value shoplifting offences. The two suspects are believed to be responsible for a series of high value shoplifting offences that have occurred in Newton Abbot, Plymouth and East Devon. On each occasion they act together, with the woman initially entering the store, selecting high value cosmetics and electrical items which she places in a basket.
Her male accomplice then enters the store a short time later pushing an empty push chair. The items are then placed in the push chair...
If you’re looking for a wet and wild fun-filled day out then Splashdown Quaywest in Paignton is, without a doubt, the place to head for.
I took my son Sam and his friend Charlie, both 10, for the day recently, and they had had an absolutely fantastic time.
The park offers eight flume rides including the Devil’s Drop - a heart-stopping ride for thrill seekers, the Wild Kamikaze, Tumbling Tyres and The Screamer. For younger children there’s the Submarine Splash and Tiddler fun pool.
Sam and Charlie’s favourite ride of all was the Tumbling Tyres.
Devon will be beamed live to a worldwide TV audience when the Friends Life Tour of Britain races through the county on Thursday 11 September.
The race will again be broadcast live on ITV4, with ITV showing the opening Stage One from Liverpool.
The Devon Stage, hosted by Devon County Council and sponsored by South West Highways, will be Stage Five of this year’s Tour, covering 110miles (177km) of the county.
It will start in Exmouth and finish in Exeter. The route includes three Skoda King of the Mountains climbs at Mamhead, Haytor, on Dartmoor, and Stoke Woods/...
Gregory Distribution Limited (GDL) has announced a huge recruitment drive in the wake of recent growth and strategic acquisitions.
The warehouse and logistics group, which includes Kay Transport and Hayton Coulthard Transport, currently employs nearly 1,500 people over 22 sites nationwide, but estimates it could require in excess of 100 new recruits over the next 12 months.
Chief Executive John Gregory said: “We have grown by 30% over the last three years. We have now identified further areas of the business that require new recruits, including drivers and support staff....
Exeter City Council is working with the University of Exeter to look at housing for the future in the city.
Cllr Rob Hannaford, Lead Councillor for Housing and Customer Access, said: “We’re really keen to hear from people who are not currently registered for social housing. We already know quite a lot about housing need in Exeter because there are over 4,000 households registered on Devon Home Choice, now we want to hear from those not on the list.”
The Council is keen to hear about the housing circumstances of as many people as possible to ensure a fair cross-section of...
A rowing club project that will increase search and rescue efforts is one of 214 South West projects to share £1,748,596 from the Big Lottery fund in the latest round of Awards for All grants.
East Devon based Exmouth Rowing Club will use £9,935 National Lottery funding to purchase a new rescue boat. The club members are currently refurbishing their new premises at Exmouth’s old Lifeboat station. The money will help the community by increasing the groups search and rescue efforts and the effectiveness of beach safety.
Graham Hurley, Chair, Exmouth Rowing Club said: “Getting...
Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner, Tony Hogg reflects on the first half of his first term of office for Police and Crime Commmissioners.
As I reach the halfway point in the first term of office for Police and Crime Commissioners, it seems appropriate to reflect on how the role is developing and why it will prove crucial in sustaining and building effective policing for the longer term. I am responsible for the efficiency and effectiveness of policing and the justice system. Having one clearly visible, democratically elected and locally focused individual who the...
