Children join Packham rewilding during half-term
The children in Devon spend a day planting willow, alder, and aspen trees along a river bank. Source link
Torbay Health hub is hoping to relieve NHS pressures
BBCThe team at the health hub can help with everything from blood pressure tests to financial adviceHelp is at hand in Paignton for people wanting basic health checks, seeking support to stop smoking, needing assistance filling out a form, or even housing advice.It is part of the NHS in Torbay's bid to catch social and well-being issues early.Dr Kevin Dixon, chair of Healthwatch said: "We can support people in reducing their weight, having happier and healthier lifestyles and…
Group mapping graves in Devon for future generations
Amateur historians have taken it upon themselves to map and document the locations of the graves in a churchyard.Holy Trinity Church in Buckfastleigh, Devon, burnt down in 1992, taking parish records with it and now members of the Holy Trinity Graveyard Project said they wanted to re-record where people were buried so families and genealogists could find them.Group member Jac Denley-Jones said: "There's hundreds of graves up there and people often come here from Australia, Canada, looking for…
Former land girl, 98, cycles 25 miles for Devon charity
BBCDorrie Pack completed the challenge at her local gymA 98-year-old former land girl has cycled 25 miles in a month for charity. Dorrie Pack, who joined the Land Army when she was 16 years old, set herself the goal at the beginning of November but completed the distance before the end of the month. She said she wanted to raise funds for the charity Hospicecare but could not decide what challenge to take on before settling on an…
Police patrols at Exeter and Torquay shops with highest crime
Hattie McCann,in Exeter and Alex Green,South WestBBCPolice are working with various partners to target shoplifters in ExeterPolice are carrying out extra patrols of the shops in Devon with the highest rates of crime.As part of Safer Business Action Week, officers from Devon and Cornwall Police have been walking around shops in Exeter to "increase community confidence", as well as offering safety advice to members of staff.There have also been patrols at shops in Torquay by the town's local…
Learning ‘made fun’ at Plymouth library of 1,000 board games
BBCThe walls of Character Creation are filled from floor to ceiling A library of more than 1,000 board games has been set up to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (Send).The walls of Character Creation in Plymouth are covered from floor to ceiling with popular titles, offering people a "safe space in which to be themselves".Based in Stoke, the project aimed to be a fun way of picking up new skills, with maths,…
Rafa the labrador helping boost Devon children’s reading skills
A waggy-tailed mentor is helping children take their reading to the next level as part of a library scheme.Okehampton Library has been hosting "Read to Rafa" sessions for three years, giving young people the chance to read books to an eight-year-old labrador called Rafa on Tuesdays.Staff at the library said the aim was to boost literacy skills and development and since starting up the project they had seen "huge progress".Mel Thompson, Rafa's owner, said she thought her pet…
New Devon and Cornwall Police boat to help combat offshore crime
Police have launched a new £350,000 patrol boat to combat criminals behind drug smuggling, illegal immigration and other maritime crime in Devon and Cornwall.Neptune replaces older inflatable boats allowing officers to operate in harsher conditions and for longer, said the Devon and Cornwall force.The 36ft (11m) vessel, which was paid for by the Home Office, is equipped with a long-range infrared camera and an underwater drone.The vessel will also be used to deter illegal diving around historic wrecks…
All-female tuna fishing crew aim to inspire others
The first all-female Atlantic Bluefin tuna fishing crew to launch from Salcombe has set sail. The crew, comprised of women from marine charities, female skippers, and even a member of Team England Angling had the goal of inspiring other women to join the industry.Hannah Rudd, head of marine at the Angling Trust said: "There are so many different career options for so many different interests, whether you want to go into policy, be a scientist, work in recreational…