Westbank Community Health and Care is marking Warm Welcome Week (20 - 26 January) with an upgraded warm space for members of the community in and around Exminster, seeking a welcoming, heated place during the daytime where they can share a cuppa and conversation this winter.
January can be a particularly challenging time of year, with Blue Monday a low point for many. To help combat the winter blues and ease cost-of-living pressures for those who are struggling to heat their home or feel isolated within their own four walls, Westbank has once again opened the doors of Warmwell...
People in Devon are being asked to help the county’s busy NHS by continuing to choose the right service for their needs and getting vaccinated against winter viruses.
A rise in cold weather illnesses, including flu, vomiting and diarrhoea bugs mean all of the county’s NHS services, including the main hospitals - in Plymouth, Exeter, Torbay and Barnstaple – are likely to remain under severe pressure all week.
The region’s ambulance service has also been experiencing significant and sustained demand across its 999 services.
Award-winning Exeter-based fit20 was opened at Phillip House six years ago by entrepreneur Duncan Attwood. Based on just one 20-minute workout per week, fit20 is scientifically proven to significantly improve muscle strength and overall health. It has been so successful Mr. Attwood has expanded by setting up a second studio in Torquay as part of his growing franchise.
Duncan Attwood says: "I am so excited to be opening my second fit20 franchise in Torquay and growing the business.” He explains: “My journey into fitness started when I was a child. I was overweight and had numerous...
The NHS in Devon is reminding everyone of the simple steps they can take to protect their health as they gear up for end of year festivities.
Get vaccinated
Winter illnesses, including flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), are circulating widely, with emergency department attendances on the rise. We strongly encourage everyone eligible, especially the elderly, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing health conditions, to come forward for their vaccinations for these infections. Vaccination will help reduce your risk of getting seriously ill this...
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...
A generous donation from the Exeter Chiefs Foundation has enabled Westbank Community Health and Care to kit out its accessible gym in Exminster with a fantastic new piece of equipment, offering the same functionality for both disabled and able-bodied users.
The compact Equalizer 6000 is one of the most effective multi-gyms in the world. Designed by a paraplegic and fully adaptive for wheelchair users, it allows people of all abilities to perform an extensive range of exercises, from rowing and bench presses to vertical butterflies and lat pulldowns.
More than 40 volunteers have attended a special celebration organised by Westbank Community Health and Care to thank them for their tireless hard work and dedication throughout the year.
The Exminster based charity relies on an army of volunteers to deliver its extensive range of health and wellbeing services across Devon. These include Devon Carers, which supports around 32,000 unpaid carers across the county; Westbank’s Neighbourhood Friends and Patient Transport services, which support vulnerable and isolated people in the community; the Community Cookery School; Exminster based...
I’ve been a qualified personal trainer since 2011 working in New Zealand and the UK. Throughout this time, I have specialised in training people at their homes and in public spaces with minimal equipment. You can achieve great results with bodyweight exercises – also known as calisthenics – but they do have some drawbacks. Read on to better understand the pros and cons of calisthenic training .
The benefits of calisthenic exercises
Anytime, anywhere! Calisthenic exercises require no equipment because they use an individual’s bodyweight for resistance. As a result,
Westbank Community Health and Care’s newest trustee, semi-retired health worker Pam Smith, has attended her first board meeting for the charity this month.
70-year-old Pam, from Alphington in Exeter, has worked in senior health service management roles for more than 20 years, including as a PCT Chief Executive. Since 2013 she has worked on a freelance basis supporting general practice, latterly mostly in Cornwall, working through a provider owned by all the GP practices in the county. Pam has previously chaired a small local dyslexia charity and is looking forward to supporting the...
Two volunteers for Devon charity Westbank Community Health and Care have been recognised at this year’s BBC Radio Devon Make A Difference awards, which celebrate people who genuinely make a difference in communities across the county.
Jane Taylor and Arthur Harman received their trophies from BBC Radio Devon presenters at a ceremony on Wednesday, held at Winslade Park in Clyst St Mary.
Jane Taylor, from Okehampton, is an ambassador for Westbank’s Devon Carers service and an unpaid carer for her husband, who has advanced MS. Jane won the Carer award, celebrating those who...
