Devon

Housing association LiveWest supports customers with their energy bills

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Sun, 12/11/2022 - 11:21pm

An Exeter woman is thrilled to have won a competition designed to help combat rising energy prices.

The largest housing provider in the South West, LiveWest, has given away 50 slow cookers to residents as part of its Slow Cook, Low Waste competition. Customers were asked to share their top tips on reducing food waste for a chance to win a slow cooker.

Katie Wright, 24, from Exeter, was excited to win a slow cooker so she could try and make different meals for her daughter who is nearly two years old. She says it will make a big difference to their lives and a chance to...

Local homebuilder makes larger donations available to community groups through charitable scheme 

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Sun, 12/11/2022 - 5:54pm

Local homebuilder, Persimmon Homes has announced exciting changes to Community Champions, the company’s generous charitable scheme which has given over £1.5m in the last two years alone to over 5,000 charities, sports clubs and local organisations in Britain.

Through the scheme, Persimmon Homes’ four regional businesses across the South West has previously provided grants of £1,000 to a range of worthy cause throughout the year.

The company has today announced that it will be providing grants of up to £6,000 to community groups and charities every three months, at least...

Music and magic at Castle Drogo this Christmas following completion of major restoration project

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Fri, 12/09/2022 - 9:33pm

On select dates throughout December, visitors to Castle Drogo on Dartmoor will get to experience a 1920s Christmas party inspired by the festive traditions of the former owner, Julius Drewe and his family.

Open every Friday to Sunday up to 18 Dec and then daily from 19 to 23 December, this is the first Christmas at the castle since the National Trust reached the end of a 9-year conservation project to make it watertight earlier this year.

   In the Entrance Hall, guests will be greeted by a 14ft tree, which reaches the top of the impressive Lutyens-designed ceilings. An...

More 20mph zones to be introduced in Devon

More 20mph zones are expected to be introduced in Devon next year after the county council secured a further £150,000 for them.

Lower speed limits were approved for the four ‘most in need’ Devon communities this year, part of a new way of considering 20mph requests.

The new ‘prioritisation system’ was introduced because of the high number of such requests to the council. It involved ‘expressions of interest’ from local communities for new areas, of which 105 were received.

Each scheme was assessed, taking into account average speeds at key locations and the...

December train strike action service levels

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 12/08/2022 - 5:40pm

South Western Railway (SWR) is urging customers to only travel if absolutely necessary from Tuesday 13 December to Sunday 18 December due to the planned national RMT industrial action.

Members of the RMT at Network Rail are set to take strike action on 13, 14, 16, and 17 December, significantly limiting the rail infrastructure available to run services. More than 2,100 SWR members of the union will join the strike action.

Customers should expect severe disruption on strike days. Significant parts of the SWR network will be closed entirely and those trains that are...

Snow garden

Ready steady snow!

Authored by Sue Cade
Posted: Thu, 12/08/2022 - 4:26pm

Sidmouth's illuminated trail Connaught@Christmas is getting ready for opening night on Friday December 9 – and snow has arrived right on time!

In fact, it’s not real snow but biodegradable, environmentally friendly snow that looks just like the real thing. And with temperatures set to be chilly for the next few days, it really does set the scene for the start of this festive event. This is where visitors will find Father Christmas, ready for a friendly chat.

The whole site is lit with just LED technology this year to help make the event as environmentally friendly as...

Granny Gothards and Newton Print are a match made in Devon!

Authored by Reporters
Posted: Thu, 12/08/2022 - 11:34am

AN AWARD-WINNING ice-cream company has revealed this month (December 2022) how it worked with a fellow Devon-based business to create carbon balanced packaging sleeves for its range.

Granny Gothards joined forces with Newton Abbot-based Newton Print to develop the packaging for its pots of luxury ice-cream going on sale in Waitrose.

Amanda Stansfield, Managing Director and Owner at Granny Gothards, said: “We have been producing our range of ice-cream for more than 10 years and were approached in 2021 to trial our products in 60 different Waitrose stores.

“We all buy...

Devon's gritters called into action ahead of cold snap

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Wed, 12/07/2022 - 4:37pm

Devon’s gritting teams have been called into action this morning in preparation for the cold spell which is forecast to sweep across the county from tonight.

Arctic air is expected to bring freezing temperatures which are likely to continue into next week. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning in the north of the county for the possibility of icy patches, particularly on untreated surfaces, and there is the risk of wintry showers on higher ground.

Gritters have been treating secondary salting routes this morning, with plans in place for a repeat treatment on...

Stagecoach SW confirm details of free travel weekends in Exeter

Stagecoach South West have confirmed details on the upcoming days of free bus travel within the Exeter Plus travel zone.

Following the recent decision of the Traffic Commissioner, bus journeys will be free over the weekends of Saturday the 10th and Sunday 11th of December and Saturday the 17th and Sunday 18th of December 2022. Customers will not require a ticket for travel in this area on these dates.

Stagecoach South West Managing Director Mike Watson said: ‘We deeply regret the level of service experienced by some of our passengers in recent months. Moving forward, our...

Mears Group supports community projects in Exeter

Residents at Southlands older persons complex in Exeter are able to get together in any weather, following the creation of a new community building in their garden.

Working with Exeter City Council, employees from Mears Group, the council’s repairs and maintenance provider, spent two weeks building the shelter for residents to socialise in and take part in activities together. As well as donating time to the project, materials were funded by the Mears Foundation, the company’s charitable arm, and Exeter City Council.

Mears’ contractors also supported the build, with...

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