Local News

Devon father one step closer to completing world-first swim to raise awareness of son’s brain condition

A father from North Devon is set to complete the final six lakes in his bid to become the first person to swim Switzerland’s ten largest lakes after his young son was diagnosed with a rare brain-attacking condition PANDAS, that caused sudden onset aggression, OCD and tics overnight.

...

Full story

Kickstart spring at Toby's Garden Festival

Now in its 9th year, Toby’s Garden Festival, hosted by BBC gardener Toby Buckland, is an unmissable two days for gardeners and foodies, with over 160 exhibitors, including award-winning Chelsea Flower Show plant nurseries, plus art and craft, garden furniture, outdoor kitchens and buildings. New for 2023 is the Food Drink Devon Market showcasing local producers, with talks and tastings on...

Tags:

Toby's Garden Festival

Exeter

Powderham Castle

Toby Buckland

gardening

gardens

NT Connections returns to Theatre Royal Plymouth

As one of the National Theatre Connections 25 Partner Theatres across the UK, Theatre Royal Plymouth is proud to be hosting this year’s NT Connections in The Drum for South West companies and school groups.

The festival runs from Tuesday 28 March – Saturday 1 April 2023.

Each year the National Theatre commissions ten new plays for young people to perform, bringing together...

Tags:

NT connections

Theatre Royal Plymouth

Plymouth textile experts launch sustainable dye garden

Academics and students from Arts University Plymouth partner with National Trust Saltram to better understand natural alternatives to synthetic dyes

Academics and students specialising in textile design at Arts University Plymouth have created a new plant garden for natural dye as part of their project ‘Of the Ground’. The project is developed in collaboration with National Trust Saltram, one...

Tags:

Arts University Plymouth

National Trust Saltram

natural synthetic dyes

Local Woman Aiming to Find One Extra Vote in Elections

Bere Ferrers resident Isabel Saxby, 21, is on a mission to secure just a single extra vote in the upcoming borough council election in Bere Ferrers ward.

Isabel is determined to win the Bere Ferrers ward seat in the upcoming West Devon Borough Council election after losing the 2021 by-election by just one vote. Saxby garnered more votes than both the Liberal Democrat replacement...

Tags:

Bere Ferrers

Isabel Saxby

Labour Party

West Devon Borough Council election

Councils to receive additional funds to help support households with rising food and energy costs

Devon County Council has secured additional funding to help households weather the rising costs of living, to help pay for food, energy and other essential items.

This is the fourth tranche of the government's Household Support Fund that the County Council has been able to secure.

The latest bid amounts to a little over £10 million, to cover the period from April 2023 until...

Tags:

Historic North Devon village set to get superfast broadband

A historic village is set to join the information superhighway thanks to a broadband provider that specialises in providing superfast connections to rural areas.

Picturesque Clovelly in North Devon is renowned as one of the UK’s only privately-owned villages. The village is home to a herd of donkeys, once beasts of burden, who now enjoy the cliff-side views from a stable at the top of...

Tags:

Planning consent approved to develop ‘later living’ affordable housing apartments at St Kilda’s in Brixham

Planning consent has been unanimously approved for the development of 23 ‘later living’ affordable housing apartments on the brownfield site at St Kilda’s, off Drew Street in Brixham.

The former care home which has been earmarked for Over 55 housing since its closure in 2016, will offer both one and two bed apartments.

The site will be transferred from Torbay Council to...

Tags:

GP practices in Devon rated best

Recent data shows that Devon’s GP practices have seen the biggest improvement in access since the start of the covid-19 pandemic and CQC inspectors rate Devon practices highly.

GP practices in Devon are seeing a dramatic increase in access to local services as part of their post-covid recovery.

Data from NHS Digital shows that in January 2023 there were more than 754,000...

Tags:

Transport and digital investments to improve connectivity across Devon

The Heart of the South West LEP is calling on Government to confirm its promises and deliver vital funding for transport and digital projects, to improve the region’s strategic connectivity and boost growth.

The South West is England’s most rural region, often falling behind other areas when it comes to being digital and physically connected. Delivering people and businesses with...

Tags:

Internet connectivity

broadband

rail

Government urged to support South West’s future skills

The Heart of the South West LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) is calling on Government to accelerate upskilling the region’s workforce with the skills of the future.

Companies in the Heart of the South West area (Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay) are struggling to recruit in growing areas including data science, cyber, robotics, machine learning and customer service. This ‘skills...

Tags: