Devon

Beavers win top BBC Countryfile award

The remarkable story of Devon’s wild beavers goes on with the announcement that the Westcountry rodents have now won a top national award.

Readers of BBC Countryfile Magazine have selected the River Otter Beaver Trial based in East Devon, along with the Scottish Beaver Trial, as their ‘Wildlife Success Story of the Year’ for 2017. The public poll attracted 56,000 votes across its 12 award categories.

The accolade is recognition of the work being done with the East Devon beavers by the charity Devon Wildlife Trust. The beavers are the first wild population of the animals to...

National survey reveals top marks for Exeter care home

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 03/15/2017 - 3:39pm

RMBI care home Cadogan Court in Exeter has received top marks in a nationwide survey of care home residents. The results showed that 96% of residents polled said that they were happy overall living at the Home, compared to the national average of 92%. Amongst the findings, all residents surveyed said that staff treat them with kindness, dignity and respect. 100% also said that they can take part in activities and hobbies at the care home if they wanted to. The care home organises regular activities and events, and works closely with local community groups, to support residents’ health and...

River Cottage Spring Food Fair

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 03/15/2017 - 3:06pm

River Cottage's Spring Food Fair is a real family occasion and is packed full of activities and family fun – from chef demos, artisan food stalls, kids’ workshops, talks and live music to garden and foraging tours from River Cottage foraging guru John Wright.

There is an exciting line-up of chefs confirmed who will be taking to the main stage and sharing their culinary tips, including Gill Meller, Signe Johansen, Tom Hunt, Mark Hix, Naomi Devlin and Rachel De Thample to name a few.

New for 2017: the Garden Stage will feature experts on a huge variety of topics related to...

River Cottage Spring Food Fair

Event Date: 
27/05/2017 - 3:00pm to 29/05/2017 - 3:00pm

A weekend of cooking, growing, relaxing and (most importantly) eating.

With cookery demos, hands-on cooking masterclasses, wild food forays and growing tips.

There will be plenty of entertainment for the kids with falconry displays, donkey rides, bubble workshops and more.

£17.50 per adult, children go free.

Details: 01297 630300 events@rivercottage.net

https://www.rivercottage.net/dining-and-events/spring-food-fair-2017

Exeter Foundation launches £20,000 grant

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 03/15/2017 - 2:25pm

The Exeter Foundation is launching its first Devon Sporting Legacy Project Grant to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Devon Sports Awards.

The Foundation, which is the official charity of the Exeter Chiefs, is making £20,000 available to match fund an existing organisation’s project fund to assist them with the achievement and completion of their sporting legacy project.

The funds will be available for a Devon-based project, which will help enhance the local area and community.

Chairman of the Exeter Foundation, Tony Rowe OBE, said: “We have generated this...

Exeter College welcomes record numbers to apprenticeship event

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 03/15/2017 - 1:38pm

Last week the South West Apprenticeship Ambassador Network and Exeter College hosted the Apprenticeship Expo 2017 for a successful third year.

The Apprenticeship Expo is the largest event of its kind in the South West during National Apprenticeship Week. The college’s Sports Hall was transformed into a 1,000 square metre exhibition space resulting in a record number of attendees.

National Apprenticeship Week, which is co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, is designed to celebrate Apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and...

UK construction industry could lose 8% of workforce post-Brexit, new RICS figures reveal

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 03/15/2017 - 11:13am

The UK construction industry could lose almost 200,000 EU workers post-Brexit should Britain lose access to the single market, putting some of the country’s biggest infrastructure and construction projects under threat, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has revealed.

RICS has cautioned that for Brexit to succeed, it is essential to secure continued access to the EU Single Market or to put alternative plans in place to safeguard the future of the property and construction sectors in the UK.

Latest RICS figures show that eight per cent of the UK’s...

Kestrels' homes gets a spring-clean at Seaton Wetlands

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 03/15/2017 - 10:03am

Volunteers and Countryside rangers welcome nesting kestrels to Seaton's local nature reserve

In the spirit of spring cleaning, the East Devon District Council Countryside team, with the support of three volunteers, has replaced a kestrel box at Seaton Wetlands. Seaton Wetlands is a popular breeding ground for kestrels and has several boxes located across the reserve. These boxes are mounted high on poles and are therefore challenging to check, clean and repair. Site Manager for Seaton Wetlands, James Chubb said: "Each year checking the kestrel boxes is a tough task, so I set out to...

Vienna Festival Ballet bring Cinderella to life in Exeter

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 03/14/2017 - 10:39pm

Cinderella, one of the best-known rags-to-riches fairy tales of all time will be brought to life by the Vienna Festival Ballet when they return to Exeter Corn Exchange this month.

A mistreated young girl, a glass slipper, two comical ugly step-sisters and a handsome prince combine to make the perfect piece of story-telling.

Based on the traditional story, this ballet will surely touch and reach out to everyone’s heart, with its combination of pure classical dancing and a touch of pantomime.

The music contains a collection of Rossini’s most famous operatic...

Devon County Show’s poppy appeal reaches target

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 03/14/2017 - 5:54pm

Devon County Show’s appeal for hand-made poppies has reached its 11,000 target more than two months early thanks to the support of creative, local people.

The appeal was launched in October with a target of collecting the red poppies in time for this year’s Show on May 18-20 at Westpoint, Exeter.

‘Devon Remembers’ will be a tribute staged at the Show to the men and women from the county who lost their lives in the First World War.

The hand-crafted poppies will be put together to form a poignant memorial in the crafts and gardens pavilion.

“We are bowled over...

Pages