Local charity Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau today publishes its annual advice trend statistics, which show that it helped 3,244 people directly with advice on 15,349 problems in the financial year ending 31 March 2013.
The charity helped clients with a debt burden of £6.1m, up by 27.5% or £1.3m from the previous year.
There was an 11% increase in enquiries about welfare benefits and tax credits; such as employment and support allowance, disability living allowance and problems with housing benefit and council tax benefit. On average, each client receiving specialist advice...
A major new awards ceremony is to be held next month to celebrate people in Devon who go the extra mile to help others in the community or who are doing extraordinary things without getting the recognition that they deserve.
Coinciding with the Devon County Show, and being held at Westpoint on the Friday evening of show week, the Guildhall Shopping Exeter Pride of Devon Awards is organised by 107.3FM Radio Exe. Members of the public can nominate people they know who qualify for one or more of the following categories:
• Grandparent of the Year Award • Teacher of the Year...
Three consultants, all experts in their fields, have joined the Exeter office of leading environmental firm, SLR Consulting. The move helps to extend the company’s capabilities to clients across the South West – especially on flood-related environmental issues – an area that has seen significant increase following last year’s floods.
Chartered Civil Engineer Ian Walton has joined the hydrology and hydrogeology team as a Technical Director. Ian has over 30 years’ experience and is tasked with further developing the company’s hydrology service offering.
At least three people were reportedly killed, dozens of others were injured and about six firefighters were missing after a massive blast and huge fireball tore through a Fertiliser facility in West Texas, about 20 miles north of Waco.
A huge plume of smoke - laden with toxic anhydrous ammonia - was visible for miles and was being pushed by winds blowing from the south, officials said.
Eyewitness reports say up to four blocks of houses have been destroyed . The Texas Department of Public Safety says between 50 and 75 houses have been damaged. Witnesses also reported heavy...
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is today (18 April) launching a study into the 'quick house sale' market and is calling for people who have used, or considered using, these businesses to contact the OFT about their experiences.
Quick house sale providers offer to buy a house or find a third party buyer very quickly, usually at a discount from the full market value. While providers may offer a valuable service, the OFT is concerned that some practices might lead to homeowners receiving much less for their property than it is worth. Any losses could be very high.
Jay Passmore, a former foster child/child-in-care, is now a Support Worker with Fostering Services. Jay has been working towards his Duke of Edinburgh Award for some time, and was recently rewarded with a Gold Award.
Accompanied by Shaun Blair, his Support Worker and mentor, Jay received his Gold Award certificate at St James’ Palace.
He started his day seeing London from the London Eye, then walked to the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, explored Horse Guards, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Chinatown and Buckingham Palace, before ending up at St James’...
With more people deciding to improve rather than move as a result of the stagnant property market and the costs involved, interior designer, writer and television presenter Naomi Cleaver has added two brand new courses to her popular interior design masterclasses to help people make the most of their homes.
Entitled ‘Clever Kitchens & Beautiful Bathrooms’ and ‘Cracking Colour & Fabulous Fabrics’, the new half-day courses will be held at Combe House Hotel in Gittisham, East Devon, on Saturday 11 May and Saturday 6 July respectively and will complement Naomi’s existing ‘Be...
Naomi Cleaver, interior designer, writer and television presenter, is launching a new series of design workshops - great news for the 45% of homeowners that will spend a long weekend tackling DIY jobs* (and that means everything from a splash of paint on the walls to more strenuous renovations such as replacing the bathroom, kitchen or landscaping the garden).
And, with the amount we borrow to pay for our home improvement projects going up, rising 21% over the past five years from £7,932 to £9,570, Naomi’s courses focus on how to avoid costly mistakes and getting the best out of...
Naomi Cleaver, interior designer, writer and television presenter, is launching a new series of design workshops - great news for the 45% of homeowners that will spend a long weekend tackling DIY jobs* (and that means everything from a splash of paint on the walls to more strenuous renovations such as replacing the bathroom, kitchen or landscaping the garden).
And, with the amount we borrow to pay for our home improvement projects going up, rising 21% over the past five years from £7,932 to £9,570, Naomi’s courses focus on how to avoid costly mistakes and getting the best out of...
Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables from Devon and Cornwall, Avon and Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire have reinforced their determination to develop a powerful group to ensure that the region stays amongst the safest in the country, despite government cutbacks. It’ll also be a powerful voice in lobbying for resources.
The President of the Association of Chief Police Officers, Sir Hugh Orde, was a guest at their latest regional meeting. It was hosted in Exeter by Devon and Cornwall PCC Tony Hogg, alongside Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer.
