By no means of the imagination can we say that we have had a good spring - here we are in May and there are still heavy rainstorms across the South West and although there are no reports of snow in Exeter, there have been snow showers on Dartmoor! - however nature is doing its utmost to shine despite the inclement weather.
Here are a few signs of nature doing what it does best in and around the city. Keep your eyes open for signs of botanical bravery against all the odds.
Top musician Chaz Thorogood is to headline Lobster on the Lawn at The Magdalen Chapter on Bank Holiday Monday.
Chapter Hotels, in association with Quba & Co, are delighted to be playing host to this iconic Devon singer songwriter on Monday 27 May.
Live music and bank holidays at The Magdalen Chapter go hand in hand. The Quba & Co Stage, nestled in the manicured gardens of the hotel, promises to provide the very best music while guests can sit back and enjoy the culinary delights cooked up by head chef Ben Bulger.
There were 35,000 fewer jobs in the South West at the end of last year than before the recession, according to the latest workforce Jobs figures published by the Office for National Statistics. The workforce jobs figures show that September 2007 and September 2012, the number of jobs in the South West fell by 35,000. Across the UK only three regions – London, the South East and Wales – experienced any net growth in jobs. The TUC, whose leader Frances O’Grady visits the region today (Wednesday), says job creation in key industries across the South West has not been strong enough to replace...
More than 70 volunteers from seven different churches and six other faith and belief traditions have now been trained to be able to respond in the event of a major emergency in Devon, Plymouth or Torbay. The Devon Faiths Response Team (DFRT) recently held a further training workshop at County Hall, Exeter at which participants heard from South Devon Coroner Ian Arrow and trauma specialist Liz Deane. Other speakers provided contributions from the Hindu, Jewish, Pagan, Muslim and Christian perspectives. If a serious accident, natural disaster or attack were to happen in Devon, the members of...
Devon County Council’s Library Service scooped the prestigious ‘Library of the Year’ title at the ‘Bookseller Industry Awards’ in London on Monday night.
The service, which was one of only seven from across the UK to be shortlisted, shares the coveted accolade with Dundee Library Service.
Judges praised Devon Libraries for the huge range of services they offered beyond books, describing it as a "well run, well backed service" and a "real community service with a strategic county wide approach." They were also impressed that despite a tough couple of years with significant...
EAT Theatre brings you three short plays that explore the darker side of the human condition. Two are by a true forgotten hero of British Grand Guignol, Frederick Witney. The naturalistic viciousness that Witney injected into his writing resulted in Coals of Fire being banned outright when submitted for a licence for the 1920s London Grand Guignol. A blind woman warms herself by a fire whilst as a younger woman confesses that she is having an affair with her husband, with dire consequences!
The Last Kiss is Witney's darker, and altogether nastier, adaptation of a Maurice Level...
An innovative scheme developed by Devon County Council to support residents affected by the government welfare reforms is being extended.
Delivered by the Council’s Library Service, the pioneering ‘Free Fridays’ scheme has been piloted in three towns across Devon and has proved so successful it is now being expanded to include a further eight.
The sessions, which offer those seeking work or claiming benefits up to two hours free computer and internet access each Friday, will be available in Bideford, Barnstaple, Tavistock, Okehampton, Honiton, Exmouth, Dawlish and...
The Isca College Radio Crew are celebrating once again, having won an unprecedented third Sony Radio Award.
Following victories in 2010 and 2011, last year saw Isca Radio awarded a unique Arqiva prize in recognition of the sustained quality of their radio output. This year, their news feature ‘Why are we here’ was judged by the Sony panel to be of winning quality once again.
The feature saw students interviewing a careers advisor, the Isca school nurse, and even Devon’s new Police and Crime Commissioner, all in an attempt to explore the meaning of life through their radio...
Offices across Exeter celebrated with a riot of colourful outfits in support of Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education’s first Wear It Loud Day. The Academy encouraged its supporters to ‘wear the brightest clothes you dare’ in return for a donation of £2 to the charity as part of Deaf Awareness Week which ran from 6 - 12 May.
The national awareness campaign organised by the UK Council on Deafness for 2013 is 'Get involved / Get aware!’. As well as dressing for the occasion, fundraising activities included holding a brightly decorated cake sale and challenging family and friends to...
CEDA is a charity based in Exeter that works with adults and young people with disabilities, looking to provide social opportunities and experiences to those that at times can be isolated from the community due to their additional support needs.
BIS-net is a newly launched branch of CEDA, funded by the National Lottery Reaching Communities fund. It stands for Behaviour Interventions Support Network and will look to increase provision in the local area for those families supporting and individual with their behaviour.
This summer will see the launch of services available to...
