Devon

Jannes Kirsten. Picture: Exeter Rugby Club/JMP UK

Kirsten joins the Chiefs

Authored by Mark Stevens
Posted: Wed, 07/31/2019 - 12:55pm

Exeter Chiefs newcomer Jannes Kirsten says he can’t wait to get to grips with English rugby after completing his move to the Gallagher Premiership club.

The 25-year-old, who is equally adept at lock or in the back-row, joins on a one-year deal from South African Super Rugby side, the Blue Bulls.

Brought in to help bolster options in the back five of the scrum – particularly with Jonny Hill, Tom Price and Will Witty all currently recovering from summer surgery – the arrival of the Johannesburg-born forward is timely for Chiefs’ Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter.

“I’m...

Zoo's UK climate change first

Zoo's UK climate change first

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Mon, 07/29/2019 - 11:55am

A Devon educator has become the first accredited UN climate change teacher in a UK zoo.

Steve Nash, Head of Education for Wild Planet Trust, the charity that runs Paignton Zoo, Living Coasts in Torquay and Newquay Zoo in Cornwall, has become a UN Accredited Climate Change teacher.

“The modules are based on the most recent evidence regarding climate change science and its impacts on everyday life around the world. It is now widely acknowledged that we are facing a climate emergency – and a changing climate poses challenges for wildlife, for wild places, and for us as a...

Ranger Rob shortlisted for environmental award

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 07/29/2019 - 7:41am

A Ranger from Stover Country Park near Newton Abbot has been shortlisted for a top environmental award.

Rob Ballard is one of seven finalists in the running for the BIG Biodiversity Champion Award 2019.

The awards are organised by the independent, not-for-profit body CIRIA (the Construction Industry Research and Information Association).

Rob was nominated for his work on the sustainable reed-bed drainage system, which has been developed at Stover Country Park in recent months by Highways England, SWH, working with Devon County Council as the landowner, and supported...

Help prevent moorland fires this summer

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Sun, 07/28/2019 - 10:59am

Visitors to Dartmoor are being urged to help prevent wildfires as the dry weather continues.

Of particular concern are discarded cigarettes, Chinese lanterns and disposable barbecues.

Broken glass, camping stoves matches and lighters are also highlighted as potential dangers.

The call for vigilance has come from the Dartmoor Wild Fire Liaison Group, a body representing land owners, the Dartmoor Commoners’ Council and Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA).

The wider partnership also involves Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, Devon and Cornwall...

Baby is not a howler yet

Baby is not a howler yet

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Fri, 07/26/2019 - 9:43am

It’s summer on the English Riviera, the weather is gorgeous – and the baby is asleep… Life is good.

The new baby black howler monkey at Paignton Zoo is unnamed and the sex is unknown – keepers are just letting mum Bonita get on with it. The early days and weeks of an animal’s life are always perilous, but she’s an experienced mum and the weather is good, which will help.

The photo shows Bonita, the new-born and last year’s baby, Pablo, all asleep together. Bonita, enjoy the tranquility while you can...!

Black howler monkeys live in troops and shout to defend their...

River Cottage’s Steven Lamb to compere top class cookery demonstrations

Honiton's Gate to Plate event, celebrating East Devon’s finest food and craft producers, returns

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Wed, 07/24/2019 - 11:11am

Honiton’s Gate to Plate event is making a welcome return to the town on Saturday 10 August.

Featuring around 50 fine food, drink and craft producers, there will also be cookery demonstrations by some of the area's top chefs and food experts who will be presenting their work in an on-street show kitchen.

The free event will continue the town’s wonderful and long established market tradition, which dates back to the 13th Century when Honiton was granted a Royal Charter to hold a market.

Organised by East Devon District Council and supported by Honiton Town Council, it...

How Krispies in Exmouth became the best fish & chips shop in the UK

Authored by HarryWild
Posted: Sat, 07/20/2019 - 8:40am

Winners of Britain’s prestigious National Fish and Chip Shop Awards 2019, it’s no secret that Krispies in Exmouth is a destination fish and chip shop, attracting customers well beyond a fish and chips shop’s usual radius. Run by husband and wife duo and a cherished crew, Tim and Kelly Barnes have worked frier by frier for nearly 19 years, honing down their skill in cooking the nation’s favourite takeaway dish to perfection.

Running a business with a model that specialises in serving one type of vegetable cooked in one way is a bold move and needs utter self-confidence and...

A private data centre can ease your journey into the cloud

The universal adoption of the term ‘cloud’ still bemuses many people. Rather than being a storage system in the sky, the reality is that photos, documents, contacts, etc. are securely stored on a server in large data centre made from bricks and mortar not wisps of water-filled air.

A data centre is like a massive filing cabinet, but rather than opening it with a key, an internet connection, passwords and encryption protection are the way in and businesses are using these to store their data and run their IT applications, such as telephony, security, CRMs, etc.

The beauty of...

Business Promotion Grant awarded to a record number of companies

A record number of Devon companies have received funding from the latest Business Promotion Grants awarded by Devon County Council.

It’s the fifth time the County Council has awarded the Business Promotion Grant – handing out funding to 16 Devon companies on this occasion - to help them gain valuable exposure at tradeshows and exhibitions across the country.

The initiative helps local firms to cover exhibiting costs at high profile trade shows or events – with the aim of promoting their goods and services to new audiences to help the development of their business and...

New awards celebrate the South West’s ‘best of tech’

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 07/18/2019 - 7:45am

Tech South West has launched new awards to celebrate and showcase the best of the region’s technology sector.

The Tech South West Awards 2019 cover the whole Tech South West region of Bath, Bristol, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, recognising and celebrating talent, creativity, business success, education, leadership, diversity and more across the whole technology sector.

The groundbreaking event will comprise 23 award categories covering South West’s fastest growing sector, honouring the profusion of innovative...

Pages