Business Daily

A new chapter for Exeter based Sparx Learning: Chair Simon Lebus CBE steps down as Sir Charlie Mayfield appointed

Sparx Learning , the Exeter-based education technology company, has announced that Sir Charlie Mayfield will become Chair in October 2025. He will succeed Simon Lebus CBE who is stepping down after six years of transformative leadership.

Since becoming Chair in 2019, Simon Lebus has overseen a period of remarkable growth and strategic progress at Sparx. At the start of his tenure, the company served just 14 schools in Devon. Today, Sparx’s platforms support over 2.4 million students in 2,600 schools, including almost 50 in Devon, across mathematics, literacy and science.

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Making Exeter safer and clamping down on anti-social behaviour

The streets of Exeter are set to become safer following the introduction of a new scheme aimed at reducing antisocial behaviour (ASB).

The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) - approved by the City Council last year, will help the police deal with nuisances or problems detrimental to people’s quality of life. Any money raised through fines will be used to help fund community schemes.

Signs are now in place across the city explaining how the PSPO works and what areas it covers.

The PSPO covers the city centre, parts of St Thomas, and includes Bury Meadow, Bull...

Exeter Chiefs legend Gareth Steenson and polar explorer Ann Daniels kick off Astley Media’s Inspired series

Exeter Chiefs’ Gareth Steenson and polar explorer Ann Daniels are set to inspire the region's business community when they speak at a ‘Road to Resilience’ event on 5 October.

The one-day event in Exeter will also see appearances from business leaders including Robert Camp, Managing Partner of UK Law Firm of the Year* Stephens Scown.

Exeter Chiefs' record league points scorer Gareth Steenson will be talking about developing a resilient mindset and the lessons he has taken from a lifetime in rugby. Ann Daniels, one of the only women on the planet to trek to the North and...

Police praise public resposnse to knife amnesty

Over 400 knives were handed in to police during a knife amnesty last week (I7 – 23 July, 19 – 26 in Plymouth)

This is twice as many as were surrendered during the last week-long police knife amnesty, held in November of last year.

All of these knives are out of circulation and no longer at risk of falling into the wrong hands. All of the knives and bladed items will be destroyed.

Figures from Cornwall, where knives could be handed in at police enquiry offices in Camborne, Bodmin, St Austell and Truro, show that 68 items were handed in.

140 items were...

PKF Francis Clark achieves Gold Standard rating for Cyber Security

New data protection regulations have post-Brexit trade implications

In anticipation of the introduction of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations), an EU-wide stricter version of the current Data Protection Act which come into force in May 2018, PKF Francis Clark have got ahead of the game by achieving a Gold Standard IASME accreditation for cyber security the highest of the four levels of accreditation available.

IASME (Information Assurance for Small and Medium sized Enterprises) is one of the 5 accreditation bodies set up by the UK Government to roll out the Cyber...

Ryan Brunt signs for Exeter City

Striker Ryan Brunt has put pen to paper on a permanent contract at Exeter City. Brunt, 24, has been training with the Grecians during pre-season and has impressed manager Paul Tisdale enough to earn a contract at the club. Brunt, who started his career off at Stoke City, has not played a competitive match for 16 months having suffered a serious knee injury playing for Plymouth Argyle in a match against Barnet in March 2016. However, Tis admits he has been impressed by Brunt’s performances in training and pre-season matches. He has yet to play a full 90 minutes for the Grecians but has...

Three quarters of South West SMEs have no plan to deal with business disruption

• Disruption a universal fear for South West business owners – 98% express concern • Yet just 7% have a plan in place to address disruption • Uncertainty over government policy and regulation tops the worry list with almost half (49%) of South West business owners concerned.

A staggering 93% of South West SME business owners have no plan to help them cope with disruption, according to a new study by top 15 UK chartered accountants Haines Watts.

Yet while worries around disruption are almost universal (98% express fears), just 7% of leaders have a plan. Over half are not...

Think Sink! campaign aims to keep your pipes clear

South West Water is launching a new campaign encouraging customers to dispose of cooking fat, oil and grease in the kitchen bin.

Every year, tens of thousands of litres of waste fat, cooking oil and grease are poured down sinks by people who don’t realise the problems this could cause.

South West Water’s Head of Community Relations, Alan Hyde, explained: “When hot fat, oil and grease cools it forms a solid mass which can build up inside your pipes.

“At best you might notice that your sink or dishwasher isn’t draining as quickly, but blocked pipes can also cause...

Former Royal Marine jailed for terror offences

A former Royal Marine has been jailed for stockpiling and manufacturing large amounts of explosives, weapons and ammunition in hides across Northern Ireland and Devon which he admitted would have been used to assist others to commit terrorist acts had they not been discovered.

The case was brought to the attention of police thanks to members of the public who noticed suspicious items buried in woodland in Northern Ireland, and reported it to police.

Ciaran Maxwell, 31, of Exminster, was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment at the Old Bailey on Monday, 31 July.

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Citizens Advice Exeter raises £700 for justice for all

A team of walkers from leading local advice charity, Citizens Advice Exeter, raised £725 when they took part in the Exeter Legal Walk on the 6th June.

The Exeter Legal Walk celebrates the continued work of the legal profession and advice sector in protecting people’s rights and promoting equal access to justice for all. The Legal Walk is one of many similar events which run across England and Wales raising funds for free local legal advice charities.

The event was run by the South West Legal Support Trust, part of a nationwide group of regional Legal Support Trusts set up...

Wing walking wife raises £1,200 for RD&E Intensive Care Unit

The wife of a patient who was cared for on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital has raised over £1,200 for the unit as a thank you for saving her husband’s life.

Caroline Burns, aged 70 from Exmouth, successfully completed a sponsored wing walk experience at Chiltern Park Aerodrome in Oxford in May.

Caroline decided to undertake the challenge after her husband Bob spent six weeks in hospital last autumn following surgery for bladder cancer. Due to complications from the procedure Bob needed further surgery, a lengthy stay in ITU and spent...

Business Daily

A new chapter for Exeter based Sparx Learning: Chair Simon Lebus CBE steps down as Sir Charlie Mayfield appointed

Making Exeter safer and clamping down on anti-social behaviour

Exeter Chiefs legend Gareth Steenson and polar explorer Ann Daniels kick off Astley Media’s Inspired series

Police praise public resposnse to knife amnesty

PKF Francis Clark achieves Gold Standard rating for Cyber Security

Ryan Brunt signs for Exeter City

Three quarters of South West SMEs have no plan to deal with business disruption

Think Sink! campaign aims to keep your pipes clear

Former Royal Marine jailed for terror offences

Citizens Advice Exeter raises £700 for justice for all

Wing walking wife raises £1,200 for RD&E Intensive Care Unit

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