children

Word play: New one-day literacy event for children in Exeter

InExeter are pleased to announce a one-day event for children celebrating storytelling and the beauty of the written word. ‘Word Play’ will be at Positive Lights Projects on Saturday July 2nd between 10am and 3pm.

This free, family friendly event, celebrates literacy in all its forms, inspiring young minds to engage with reading and writing outside school through a range of workshops and activities designed to encourage creative writing and drawing.

Tom McLaughlin, local author, and illustrator of The Cloudspotter (Bloomsbury) and illustrator of the Captain Boots series...

Care home residents help local families cook up a treat at Westbank

Local people of all ages have taken part in a community cookery event organised by the Devon-wide health and well-being charity Westbank Community Health and Care

Residents from Exeter care home Cumberland Grange joined local families in the kitchen at Westbank’s community hub in Exminster, where they prepared a healthy two-course meal together.

The idea behind the Ready, Steady, Cook-style event was to bring together people of different ages and backgrounds to share a fun experience and learn (or refresh) their skills in the kitchen. The three generations of cooks prepared...

Letter to the editor: Celebrating those who play a paternal role in children’s lives this Father’s Day

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Sun, 06/12/2022 - 10:38pm

This month, we celebrate Father’s Day: a joyous day for so many celebrating those who play a paternal role. However, Father’s Day can also be a painful reminder for people across Exeter who are not part of a ‘traditional family’, including children in care.

It can be difficult to comprehend that there is an increasing number of children coming into foster care, with over 80,850 children currently looked after away from home in England alone.

Yet despite seeing how quickly our country can rally to help those most in need, and with the media’s backing, many are unaware of...

Devon swim school launches new swim locations

Authored by Liv Butler
Posted: Mon, 06/06/2022 - 4:14pm

Local swim teacher and now franchise owner, Kristina Tyldesley-Holley celebrates her new Devon baby swim school franchise launch by opening new venues in Chudleigh and Totnes.

Kristina Tyldesley-Holley, who runs swim sessions in Exeter and Crediton, has opened new Baby Squids swimming lessons in neighbouring areas; Chudleigh and Totnes.

Baby Squids – is a well-established, highly successful swim school for 0-4-year olds focusing on building children’s confidence and their love of the

Water. Classes run across the South of England and have been running now since...

Over £1 million pledged to new Fund to transform children’s mental health support in Devon schools

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 05/16/2022 - 1:08pm

A new fund, launched in memory of Juliet Garmoyle, aims to transform children’s mental health support in Devon and the South West of England.

The Juliet Garmoyle Fund was launched in March at her memorial service held at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, attended by over 600 people. The Fund will enable leading children’s mental health charity Place2Be to extend its vital school-based support into the South West of England for the first time.

Hugh, Juliet’s husband, has already pledged £1 million to help establish the fund. An additional 136 donors have already...

Free holiday time activities and meals this Easter

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 04/11/2022 - 4:37pm

Hundreds of children across Devon aged 5 to 16, who are eligible for benefit-related free school meals, begin an action-packed Easter holiday this week, as part of Devon County Council's government-funded Holiday Activities and Food programme.

The programme is to provide free activities and healthy meals during school holidays, and the council has joined up with activity providers to arrange the activities across Devon.

And with a very wide range of activities on offer, organisers say that that young people are in for a treat this Easter.

Activities include a...

Boo to a Goose Theatre bring Shipwreck Sam to Devon libraries this Easter

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 04/11/2022 - 3:26pm

Exeter Living Award winners Boo To A Goose Theatre, start a tour of Devon libraries this Easter with their latest show: Shipwreck Sam - Return to Dead Ghost Island.

Expect pirates, puppetry, sea shanties and hornpipes as the audience are trained up as the ship’s crew. Bonny Betty, named after her grandma’s ship, takes on terrible naughty pirate, Big Bill Bucketbelly, in a race to recover her grandma’s buried treasure (with the children’s help of course).

This interactive adventure, full of of fun and participation, will be coming to a library or venue near you between...

Bondi Rescue’s Lifeguard Maxi brings Bondi to Bovey Tracey with water safety messages to keep kids safe

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Fri, 04/08/2022 - 2:35pm

Straight off the beach from protecting swimmers at Bondi, Trent Maxwell (better known as Lifeguard Maxi from hit TV show Bondi Rescue) will be visiting Bovey Tracey to educate our children about water safety ahead of summer.

Royal Lifesaving Society UK Honorary Vice President Ian Hutchings and his wife Sue are delighted and excited to host Lifeguard Maxi at their Bovey Tracey lifesaving club on Monday April 11th at Finlake Holiday Park in South Devon.

Open to children aged 8-14, there are two sessions available: 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm.

To book a place on the...

Get your child vaccinated this Easter

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 04/04/2022 - 10:07pm

All children aged five and over are eligible to have the COVID-19 vaccination from 5 April.

Bookings can be made online or by calling 119 from 2 April. The vaccination is not being given to this age group in school. Walk-in and pop-up clinics are advertised on NHS England’s site finder here , but please check that the clinic is offering vaccinations to this age group.

Having the COVID-19 vaccine reduces the likelihood of further disruption to their education, developing Long Covid and passing the infection onto vulnerable family members and friends.

For most...

South West receives more than £2.2 million investment from Bikeability Trust improve access to cycle training

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 03/22/2022 - 10:54pm

The South West will receive £2,236,741 to help more children learn to cycle with Bikeability.

The funding is part of a record £20 million investment for the Bikeability Trust from the Department of Transport. It will be used to deliver cycle training for children and families.

Bikeability has trained more than 3.6 million children since 2007. This funding has the potential to deliver half a million training places for children and their families across the UK, supporting even more people to introduce active travel into their everyday lives. The funding will ensure even...

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