exeter

Battle goes on over reopening of closed Dryden Road in Exeter

A highly controversial road closure will be the subject of a public consultation, it has been decided.Dryden Road in Exeter was closed to motorists temporarily in June 2020 and then permanently in 2022, to try to reduce traffic and create a safer cycling route.Campaigners against the closure said the move had increased congestion and pollution for people living nearby but cyclist groups said safety was paramount and the road should remain closed to cars.The Exeter Highways and Traffic…

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A woman’s place was not in the home: New book challenges assumptions about women’s work in early modern history

A woman’s place was not in the home: New book challenges assumptions about women’s work in early modern history

New research has revealed that women played a fundamental role in the development of England’s national economy before 1700. Far from being the unpaid homemakers and housewives of traditional historical record, women contributed to all the most important areas of the economy, such as agriculture, commerce, and care. More than half of the work done by women in the period between the 16th and 18th centuries took place outside of the home, and around half of all housework…

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Devon museums get share in government cash to stay open

Three museums in the region have been given government funding to help them remain open.The South West Heritage Trust (SWHT), which runs the North Devon Record Office and Devon Heritage Centre, was given £503,131 from the £20m Museum Renewal Fund.The Box in Plymouth was awarded £184,215, while Exeter City Council received £114,202.SWHT chief executive Sam Astill said the funding would help the team carry out a development programme to strengthen the resilience of its museums.Victoria Pomery, chief executive…

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Research Quality powers Exeter rise in global league table

The quality of research conducted by the University of Exeter has helped to consolidate its position among the best in the world in the latest global league table. The University climbed two places in the 2026 THE World University Rankings to 170th out of almost 2,200 assessed internationally, inside the top eight per cent. Among the drivers for this improvement was in Research Quality, in which the University was ranked 52nd. It also scored highly for International Outlook…

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Sir Sajid Javid to lead Exeter’s largest ever fundraising campaign

The University of Exeter is delighted to announce alumnus the Rt Hon Sir Sajid Javid as chair of its new fundraising campaign, which will launch in 2026. Sir Sajid (Economics and Politics, 1991, Hon LLD 2025) will lead Exeter’s ambition to secure £150 million in philanthropic donations, and secure 150,000 volunteering hours by the end of the decade, in support of the University’s ‘2030 Strategy’ to create a Greener, Healthier and Fairer future. Full details of the campaign…

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Woman found on Devon road died from chest injuries, inquest hears

A woman who was found dead on a road outside a property died from chest and abdominal injuries, an inquest has heard.Aimee Pike, 22, died on the A379 Embankment Road at New Bridge, Kingsbridge, Devon, in the early hours of 23 April 2025, the inquest in Exeter heard.Rowan Sutton, 30, of West Charleton Court, Kingsbridge, denied her murder and is due to stand trial next summer at Plymouth Crown Court.Coroner Deborah Archer said Ms Pike's cause of death…

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Researchers discover of a new type of diabetes in babies

Advanced DNA sequencing technologies and a new model of stem cell research has enabled an international team to discover a new type of diabetes in babies. The University of Exeter Medical School worked with Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) in Belgium and other partners to establish that mutations in the TMEM167A gene are responsible for a rare form of neonatal diabetes. Some babies develop diabetes before the age of six months. In over 85 per cent of cases this is due genetic…

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Cranbrook to get £3m community centre for families to ‘thrive’

A new town in Devon will receive £3m to create a community space with facilities for families and young people.Devon County Council's cabinet has agreed to allocate the money from housing developer contributions for the project in Cranbrook, near Exeter.The new facility will provide health services for young people "who are at risk of poor outcomes" as part of a larger leisure centre scheme that is being worked on.The council said Cranbrook had a much younger population than…

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Discussions open over £7m libraries budget for Devon

Discussions open over £7m libraries budget for Devon

Miles DavisDevon political reporterLibraries UnlimitedAlex Kittow, of Libraries Unlimited, said people were using libraries differently nowLibraries are now "community hubs" rather than just places to borrow books, according to the boss of the library service in Devon.Libraries Unlimited chief executive Alex Kittow has welcomed the prospect of a consultation on the future of the county's libraries and urged the public to have their say.It comes as Devon County Council looks at ways of reducing its annual payment of…

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Acclaimed Ukrainian soldier poet invited to the UK for Being Human festival

A Ukrainian poet renowned for composing her verse on the frontline of her country’s defence against Russia’s illegal war is to visit Devon and London to share her experiences and perspectives. Yaryna Chornohuz has been helping to defend her country from Russian aggression since 2019. She is currently a drone operator and previously took part in fierce battles as a member of the 140th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the Ukrainian Marine Corps at the time of the full-scale…

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Student entrepreneurs spark electric vehicle revolution for education sector

Two Exeter students are making inroads in business by supplying colleges and universities with electric vehicle chargers. Ruairi Duignan, who studies Business and Environment, and Ammar El Beik, a Law with Business student, started a startup called Turbo Zone in their first year of studies at Exeter’s Penryn campus. They initially planned to manufacture their own EV chargers but were steered towards a different business model after consultation and mentoring from University experts. Turbo Zone emerged as a value-added reseller of…

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New partnership set to strengthen regional education for the South West.

Andy Berry, CBE of UCS College Group and Professor Lisa Roberts, President and Vice Chancellor, University of Exeter signed of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking a significant step towards strengthening regional education, research, and skills development across the South West. The collaboration aims to explore joint initiatives in several key areas, including improving education outcomes, fostering social mobility, developing innovative healthcare solutions, and enhancing employer-led training. The partnership will also seek to make collaborative bids for regional…

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