community

Westbank Xmas lunch at the Royal Oak in Exminster, 2024

Exminster's Royal Oak pub lays on a festive feast for Westbank's service users

Up to fifty older people who are regularly supported by the Exminster-based health and wellbeing charity Westbank Community Health and Care have enjoyed a sociable Christmas lunch laid on by The Royal Oak pub in Exminster.

The pub has been an ardent supporter of the charity for several years and once again provided a fabulous 3-course meal to spread some festive cheer. The Year 6 choir from Exminster Primary School provided the entertainment, singing Christmas carols to the lunchgoers.

100-year-old Ruth Coren from Exminster, a former nurse who turns 101 in the New Year, has...

Local community network secures £1m to address ‘the issues that matter most’ to Isles of Scilly communities 

The Isles of Scilly Community Research Network has secured £1m to research the topics that matter most to Iocal communities.

The money has been awarded through phase two (the implementation phase) of the Community Research Networks programme, which has been funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and will be delivered by The Young Foundation, a non-profit organisation that specialises in community research and social innovation.

In phase one of the programme (the expression of interest phase), the group received £25k. It used the money to engage a diverse cross-section...

TerraCycle® Brings Joy to Exeter Community By Donating Bench Planters Made From Recycled Materials

Authored by Alice Newlyn
Posted: Tue, 11/19/2024 - 11:36am

TerraCycle, the global leader in recycling hard-to-recycle materials, has unveiled Sylvania Community Stores and Café in Exeter, Devon, as the winner of two bench planters made entirely from recycled materials.

The bench planters are made using recycled waste collected via TerraCycle’s various recycling solutions including TerraCycle's Zero Waste Bags. These bags allow consumers to recycle 14 different types of waste streams that are not typically recycled kerbside, including crisp wrappers, medicine blister packs, and office supplies. The bench planters are now available for the...

Volunteers Contribute 150 Hours to Revitalising Exeter

InExeter is proud to celebrate the rejuvenation of three key areas in the city, thanks to the dedicated efforts of volunteers from the business community and local residents.

Neighbourhood Action Days , a community-driven initiative launched earlier this year by InExeter, the Business Improvement District (BID) for Exeter, aims to connect communities and instil civic pride. Led by Projects Manager Mattie Richardson, these days of action have already made a lasting impact on Exeter’s streets and public spaces.

So far, Neighbourhood Action Days have:

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Devon community groups receive funding boost

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 02/15/2024 - 3:48pm

Three community groups across Devon* have received over £2,700 from The Co-operative Bank in the latest round of grants from its Customer Donation Fund.

Among the recipients was Exeter-based Sweetpea Smallholdings, a community interest company (CIC) that aims to reduce social isolation by bringing people from a variety of backgrounds together to grow fruit, vegetables and herbs.

Made up of mostly disabled volunteers, the CIC grows produce at sites across Exeter all year round, which is delivered to those in the community who are most in need. As well as growing produce,...

Volunteers thanked for their work to build safer communities

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 02/13/2024 - 11:20pm

Volunteers who give up their time to tackle crime in their communities and ensure police custody suites are up to standard have been thanked by Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner and Acting Chief Constable.

There was a record turn-out for the Police and Crime Commissioner’s volunteer thank-you event, held at Andy Hocking House at Middlemoor police headquarters on Monday, February 12.

In attendance were members of the Commissioner’s councillor advocate scheme, who work with neighbourhood policing teams to tackle issues in cities, towns and villages around...

Walk and Talk: Is there a place you feel unsafe?

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 02/01/2024 - 4:28pm

Walk and Talk is a new initiative in Devon and Cornwall asking women aged 18 and over: “Is there a place you feel unsafe? Take us there”.

Devon & Cornwall Police will be linking up with women in person to understand more about what our region looks like and feels like, seeking to understand more through first-hand experience about the places and spaces where women feel unsafe.

The Walk and Talk initiative will be trialled for three months, starting this February, in selected locations across the force area. Anyone wishing to take part can apply using the email at the...

photo of man and woman holding a fundraising cheque in front of a pub bar

Pub partnership provides £2.5k of support for Devon health & wellbeing charity

Exminster-based Westbank Community Health and Care has reached more people in the local community thanks to a year of fantastic support from a village pub.

Staff at The Royal Oak in Exminster partnered with Westbank throughout 2023, providing hospitality and donations totalling an incredible £2,525. In December 2022 and 2023, publicans Mel Bowden and Scott Reddin kindly hosted 3-course festive lunches to the value of £1,100 for 50 of the charity’s clients. They also organised several fundraising activities, including a raffle, a donation bucket and the sale of star decorations on...

5 laides sitting in church pews

Heavitree residents offered a warm space this winter

A community library in Exeter is opening its doors to residents as a warm hub after being awarded a grant to tackle fuel poverty.

The £2,000 grant for Heavitree PCC has come from National Grid Electricity Distribution’s £5 million Community Matters Fund which is supporting hundreds of groups across the South West, Midlands and South Wales.

Heavitree Friendly Library meets twice per month at St Michael's church in Heavitree, offering a free library service for the community as well as a social space for people to meet. Each session includes a story time for parents and...

Westbank’s community Christmas celebrations

Authored by Sharon Goble
Posted: Thu, 12/21/2023 - 11:44pm

The run-up to Christmas has been busy for local health and wellbeing charity Westbank Community Health and Care, with a full calendar of events for members of its community and its team.

The festive celebrations got off to a heartwarming start when Year 2 children from Exeter Pre-Prep School visited Westbank’s Day Centre at Exminster to sing a melody of Christmas songs for regular clients.

The following day, the Royal Oak in Exminster kindly hosted a 3-course meal for fifty of Westbank’s clients to mark the end of a year of fantastic support from the pub.

Westbank’s...

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