city news

Charity marks fifth year of ‘Operation Santa’ in south west

Charity marks fifth year of ‘Operation Santa’ in south west

A charity is marking the fifth year of its 'Operation Santa' as it delivers gifts and hampers to help ease the Christmas burden for disadvantaged families.Plymouth-based charity Children's Wishes raises money to buy presents for children in Devon and Cornwall.The charity said the families who would receive presents could have experienced poverty, terminal illness within the family, or domestic abuse. It has raised more than £20,000 which it said would help more than 600 children this Christmas.Caroline Wilson,…

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Plymouth Jewish Community CIC begins with Hanukkah event

Plymouth Jewish Community CIC begins with Hanukkah event

BBCCandles were lit to mark the four nights of Hanukkah which have passed since the holiday beganThe lighting of a giant menorah has taken place in Plymouth to coincide with the launch of a community interest company (CIC) by and for Jewish people.The Plymouth Jewish Community CIC was founded to become the home of Jewish culture and conversation in the city, organisers said. At the event, candles were lit by Rabbi Mendy Singer to mark the four nights…

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Plymouth RNLI crew rescued after waves capsize boat

Plymouth RNLI crew rescued after waves capsize boat

A pair of RNLI crewmates were rescued after large waves caused the boat they were in to capsize during poor weather.The RNLI said its Plymouth volunteers were assisting with a shoreline search for a missing person on Monday when its small Y-boat was launched to get a closer view of the coast near Wembury.It said during the search, a "larger than normal set of waves" engulfed the vessel and caused it to capsize.A spokesperson said both volunteers were…

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How cultural traditions like Christmas makes eating meat more acceptable to children

Cultural traditions such as Christmas influence the moral judgments of children about eating animals. That’s according to new research from the University of Exeter, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, which found childhood is a pivotal period for negotiating complex values around the cultural acceptability of eating meat. Research shows young children generally display greater moral concern for animals than adults and often think it’s not acceptable to eat them and struggle with the idea of eating…

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Exeter Chiefs: Rob Baxter’s side take on Saracens this weekend

Exeter Chiefs: Rob Baxter’s side take on Saracens this weekend

Rob Baxter is relishing taking on the most potent attack in the country when his Exeter Chiefs travel to face Saracens on Saturday.No team has conceded fewer points than Baxter's resurgent Chiefs so far this season as they continue to put last season's horror show behind them.Yet none have scored more than Maro Itoje's Sarries which suggests something has to give at the StoneX Stadium when the two big guns line up against each other.'We are currently the…

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Fiddler crabs found to hoover up and break down microplastic particles

New research has found that Fiddler crabs are playing an unheralded role when it comes to hoovering up microplastics found in the world’s mangrove forests and salt marshes. Scientists studying a thriving population of Fiddler crabs in a polluted mangrove forest in Colombia have found that they can ingest and break down large quantities of small plastic particles in the sediment. The ability to mobilise large amounts of sediment for feeding and sheltering, and the creature’s specialised digestive…

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Exeter College And Petroc Merger To Go Ahead In January – Exeter Observer

Exeter College And Petroc Merger To Go Ahead In January – Exeter Observer
Exeter College And Petroc Merger To Go Ahead In January – Exeter Observer

Exeter College and Petroc will merge in the new year to create what they say will be the largest college group in the South West with more than 16,000 students, nearly 2,000 staff and an annual turnover of £100 million. Following approval by each college’s board of governors, the new organisation – Exeter and North

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Exeter College and Petroc merger to go ahead in January

Exeter College and Petroc merger to go ahead in January

Exeter College and Petroc will merge in the new year to create what they say will be the largest college group in the South West with more than 16,000 students, nearly 2,000 staff and an annual turnover of £100 million.Following approval by each college’s board of governors, the new organisation – Exeter and North Devon Colleges Group – will begin operations on 5 January.Exeter College will keep its name and continue to provide sixth form education at its…

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Jockey graduates in neuroscience at Exeter after switching careers following injury

A jockey who switched careers to focus on neuroscience research following injury was among those celebrating at the University of Exeter’s winter graduation. Tommy Eyston, 25, completed a Masters in Neuroscience at Exeter and received a distinction while also riding as an amateur jockey. Having also ridden as an amateur before her studies, Tommy decided to go professional as a conditional jockey after completing an undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Bristol in 2022. As a…

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£760m scheme to ‘dramatically reduce’ sewage spills in south west

£760m scheme to ‘dramatically reduce’ sewage spills in south west

Kirk EnglandSouth West environment and tourism correspondent, DawlishBBCGraham Murphy, director of engineering at SWW said the project in Dawlish will make a "massive difference" to the number of sewage spillsA £760m project is aiming to "dramatically reduce" sewage spills at beaches in Devon and Cornwall, South West Water (SWW) has said.Construction is under way at locations including Dawlish and Falmouth for the scheme which the company said would cut discharges at key bathing water and shellfish sites over…

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‘Good’ rating for Plymouth’s adult social care service

‘Good’ rating for Plymouth’s adult social care service

Alison StephensonLocal Democracy Reporting Service, PlymouthAlison Stephenson/LDRSPlymouth City Council said it is working to improve the areas highlighted by the CQCA council's adult social care service still needs improvements despite having a "good" rating, inspectors said.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) gave Plymouth City Council's service, which accounts for more than a quarter of its budget, a 67% rating overall.It said the council provided an "exceptional standard" in ensuring everyone, regardless of background, receives fair and personalised support, achieving…

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Barnstaple ‘hero’ honoured at Christmas tree festival

Barnstaple ‘hero’ honoured at Christmas tree festival

BBCLisa Wilson said she is so proud of her son's legacy A "hero" who saved nine lives through donating his organs has been honoured at a Christmas tree festival with a special display.To mark the ten-year anniversary since Tom Wilson's death, his mother Lisa Wilson has made baubles featuring his face to hang in his hometown's church.Tom, from Barnstaple in Devon, died after being hit on the back of the head with a hockey stick during a training…

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