Devon

Stagecoach donates £10,000 to Haiyan appeal

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Mon, 11/18/2013 - 10:48am

The Stagecoach transport group has donated £10,000 to help relief efforts in the Philippines.

The transport group has made the donation to the Philippines Typhoon Appeal run by the Disasters Emergency Committee.

Stagecoach has also agreed to match up to £40,000 of funding raised by its employees.

The group employs 35,000 bus and rail employees in both the UK and North America.

Stagecoach Group Chairman Sir Brian Souter said: “The scale of the human tragedy caused by this disaster has touched all of our hearts and everyone wants to respond to the tremendous...

Marchers show EDL "has no place in Exeter"

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Sun, 11/17/2013 - 5:34pm

Hundreds of people from Exeter Together marched in protest today against the English Defence League (EDL).

Exeter Together protesters marched from Belmont Park to Bedford Square from about 11am this morning.

The 700 strong marchers arrived in Bedford Square and joined together in a variety of music, poetry and speeches.

The EDL’s march ended with speeches in Northernhay Gardens which were closed to members of the public by Police.

EDL marchers came dressed in burkhas, balaclavas and masks with the St. George’s cross on their face.

Police estimate...

Volunteers needed for the British Red Cross

Authored by Newshound
Posted: Sat, 11/16/2013 - 8:02pm

Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service are supporting the British Red Cross plea for more volunteers. So far this year Red Cross volunteers have responded to 122 calls across Devon and Somerset and were on standby during the recent storm which lashed large parts of the South.

The fire and emergency support (FES) service is a rapid response service working in partnership with the fire service. The Red Cross is always there to help people to cope after a fire or other emergency, providing practical and emotional support. Volunteers use a specially-adapted vehicle equipped...

Flybe cuts 116 jobs in Exeter

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Sat, 11/16/2013 - 11:17am

116 jobs will be lost from Flybe’s Exeter headquarters the largest portion of the 500 redundancies announced earlier this week.

The redundancies were announced on Monday as part of the companies’ drive to find £85million in savings.

Chief executive Saad Hammad said: "I know that these proposals are creating great personal uncertainty, but they are necessary to secure a long-term future for Flybe and I am grateful to the various union and staff representatives for the very constructive manner in which we have been able to commence the consultation process."

Hammad...

City schools support BBC Children in Need

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 7:57pm

School Children in Exeter have been helping to raise money for BBC Children in Need.

At schools in the city children dressed up in spotty clothing to match this year's theme.

The money they raised has gone to Exeter and Localities Grief Support for Children, Young People and Their Families and Community Equality Disability Action (CEDA)

Grief support helps children and young people who have suffered the loss of a relative or friend. Providing 1-1 support, Memory Daysand a Youth Forum. To help the Children become happier, more confident,and better able to communicate...

Theatre group seeks WW1 families

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 4:44pm

A theatre group in Devon is calling on local families to try and trace living relatives of soldiers who died in the First World War.

Six names are inscribed on Silverton’s war memorial and the Mid Devon village’s dramatic group are focusing on them for their next production.

This will be performed in February 2014 to mark the centenary of The Great War.

Silverton's Drama Group, The Luvvies, has been busy researching what village life was like during World War One as the basis to their play, which will be performed in the village’s Community Hall.

Director...

New NFU chairman for Devon

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 3:40pm

A new county Chairman has been appointed for Devon’s branch of the NFU. David Verney a mixed farmer and egg producer from Bishop’s Nympton takes up family tradition by following his father and uncle into the position. “I think of it as a challenge and I wouldn’t be able to do it without having my two boys at home and a very understanding wife.

"My wife and I were adamant that they go off and get their qualifications.

"They’ve gone off and experienced another side of life and they’ve come back to farming afterwards. “My daughter is also really involved and helps out with the...

Every £1 spent on Broadband gives £20 to the UK economy

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 3:28pm

A new report has shown that every £1 invested into Broadband, brings £20 back to the UK economy.

The report commissioned for the government also reveals that the impact of superfast internet also has a huge impact on the way we live making it easier to work from home or stream online TV.

Earlier this year the first rural communities in Devon began to benefit from a rollout of superfast broadband to smaller communities.

The improvements are part of a £94 million investment in Devon and Somerset which will see 15,000 premises in the two counties’ benefit.

...

Plymouth woman forgot she knew photo-taking 'burglar'

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:02pm

A Plymouth woman who reported a burglar had taken a picture of himself on her phone has said that she knows the man in the photo.

The woman found a picture on her mobile of an unknown man sitting in her home

The woman contacted Devon and Cornwall Police believing that a burglar had left a chilling calling card.

However, in what the police have called a “genuine lapse in memory” the unnamed woman forgot that the man had been in her house and was known to her.

The woman also reported that crisps and other food had gone missing from her house around the...

Special services this weekend for the Philippines

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Fri, 11/15/2013 - 11:56am

Special prayers and collections will be held at churches across Devon this Sunday as congregations respond to the call to help those affected by the devastating Philippines typhoon.

The typhoon, one of the strongest storms to ever hit land, has torn apart the lives of more than 11 million people in the Philippines who are now in urgent need of food, water and emergency shelter.

Within the first 24 hours of The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launching an appeal on Tuesday - including TV appeals fronted by presenters Myleene Klass and Kirsty Young - the total reached £13...

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