Devon

Pippa Funnel riding Billy Beware

International stars head to Bicton for end-of-season foray

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 10/15/2019 - 9:16am

Bicton Arena is readying itself for the conclusion to the 2019 eventing season, and with nearly 700 entries for its competition, which runs from October 24 to 27, it will be a superb finale for riders and spectators alike.Competing at the event is the 2014 Badminton Horse Trials winner Sam Griffiths, World Equestrian Games 2018 silver medallist Padraig McCarthy and multiple British team medallist William Fox-Pitt.

Among the official sponsors is feed supplement company Animalife, which is also providing boxes of its acclaimed Competition Survival Packs in the goody buckets for...

Flooring Superstore, Newton Abbot

Local charity to benefit from support of new store

Authored by NeilShaefer
Posted: Mon, 10/14/2019 - 7:52pm

A flooring retailer has marked the opening of its new £100,000 store in Newton Abbot by pledging its support for a local mental health support charity.

Flooring Superstore opened on the Kingsteignton Trading Estate, Pottery Road, in September.

The official opening was carried out by representatives of Step One Charity, which supports people to manage their mental health, achieve employment goals and live more independently.

Step One Charity is in the process of renovating an existing property in Newton Abbot which provides supported living services for people with...

Budleigh Salterton's new £150k skate park to be officially opened

Authored by Claire Small
Posted: Fri, 10/11/2019 - 10:18am

On 25 October 2019, from 12pm, East Devon District Council will be hosting the official opening of its new £150,000 concrete skate park in Lime Kiln car park in Budleigh Salterton.

The event will be managed by the council’s skate park designer and contractor, Maverick Industries Ltd. The council’s Chairman, Cllr Stuart Hughes, will open proceedings with a speech at 12pm followed by pro rider demonstrations from Rubicon Skateboards, Dominator Scooters and Scott Hamlin BMX.

There will be jam format competitions for scooter riders, followed by BMX riders and finally...

On the wing: in celebration of the feather

On the wing: in celebration of the feather

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Thu, 10/10/2019 - 3:58pm

Paignton Zoo bird keeper Lisa Jones freely admits that she has an interest that borders on obsession. She’s fascinated by feathers.

“During the summer months, lots of birds at Paignton Zoo start to moult… I think feathers are among the natural world’s most incredible adaptations. While I was cleaning out the Ural owls, who are moulting heavily now, I wondered if anyone else would be as interested in feathers as me!”

It turns out, yes. Feathers are the often overlooked wonders of nature. We might admire a bird, but do we stop to ask what feathers are, why they are like they...

Riverford hosts its first plastic-free Pumpkin Day

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Wed, 10/09/2019 - 10:26am

Pull on your wellies and join in at the farm for a family friendly pumpkin celebration

Organic veg box company Riverford has turned its legendary Pumpkin Day event plastic-free for the first time to reduce its impact on the environment as much as possible.

The annual family fun event will take place on 26 October at Riverford’s Wash Farm, Buckfastleigh, near Totnes.

Visitors can enjoy a range of activities, including pumpkin decorating, face painting, seed potting, live music and tasty food, as well as the chance for a farm walk.

“Because of the large number...

Timewade’s Jordan Westcott, Operations Director and Julian Wills, Managing Director.

Study of South West SMEs use of technology gets underway

Businesses across the South West are being encouraged to take part in a new study to find out how well companies are using technology to boost productivity.

The Technology for Success initiative will give organisations the chance to benchmark their use of technology to support and grow their business and compare it with similar businesses.

Launched by Exeter-based strategy and support technology company Timewade, in partnership with Tech South West, the first part of the study is a 10-minute online survey www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/techforsuccess for businesses to complete. A...

Exeter residents invited to become ‘Dementia Friends Champions’

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Tue, 10/08/2019 - 11:02am

People in Exeter, and the surrounding area, are being given the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of local people with dementia by becoming Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends Champions. People can book now to attend a touring induction day that is coming to the area on Friday 18 October.

The day-long session, that will take place at Exeter Community Centre, is part of Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends programme, which is the UK’s biggest ever initiative to change people’s perceptions of dementia. It aims to transform the way the nation thinks, acts and talks about...

Work to replace Alma Bridge progressing well

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 10/07/2019 - 11:07am

Work is progressing well on the scheme to develop a new footbridge to replace Alma Bridge in Sidmouth.

Contractor Mac Plant Construction Ltd has installed a temporary cofferdam in the River Sid. This has enabled work to get underway to stabilise and re-profile the cliff face to the eastern side of the river, ahead of the construction of the bridge abutment and wall.

The re-profiling is being undertaken in stages, with each section stabilised using nine-metre long rock anchors. While work is carried out, netting is being secured to the rock face to prevent any rock fragments...

Some of the litter collected by CPRE Devon at Sowton, Exeter

CPRE Devon leads the way on litter picking

Members of CPRE Devon have taken part in two litter picks in the county during which they collected almost thirty bags of discarded waste.

The Devon branch of the countryside charity CPRE led two litter picks in September - one in Exeter and one in Teignbridge - as part of a national CPRE Green Clean Month.

In Exeter, members of the local countryside charity joined forces with employees of Devon Norse. Together they collected 24 bags of litter in just one hour. Volunteers in Teignbridge did a litter pick around Hackney Marshes near Newton Abbot, collecting three bags of...

New vet scholarship aids wild orang utans

New vet scholarship aids wild orang utans

Authored by Paigntonzoo
Posted: Sun, 10/06/2019 - 7:36pm

Two vets from Indonesia are the first to benefit from a unique new scholarship programme run by a Cornish vet charity. OVAID – Orang utan Veterinary Aid – is run by Nigel and Sara Hicks, based in Launceston. They help hard-pressed orang utan rescue centres and sanctuaries with veterinary support and donations of equipment.

The new OVAID Bronwyn Scholarship meant that two South East Asian vets were able to make the 12,000 kilometre (7,500 mile) journey to the UK to exchange techniques and information on the care and welfare of orang utans.

During their stay they spent a week...

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