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Army doctors join Exeter project to end ‘dementia tax’

Army doctors join Exeter project to end ‘dementia tax’

Two former army doctors have taken their campaign against what they call an "unfair dementia tax" to Westminster.Dr Michael Staunton and his wife, Dr Avril Staunton, from Bridgwater, Somerset, are calling for the scrapping of a VAT rule that adds 20% to the cost of dementia day care at Exeter-based social enterprise The Filo Project.Avril Staunton, who was diagnosed with posterior cortical atrophy at just 60, hand-delivered an open letter signed by 150 supporters. A government spokesperson said…

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Experts hail Cornwall as the ‘Engine Room’ of PM’s new Critical Minerals Strategy 

The UK’s new Critical Minerals Strategy must make domestic extraction, refining, and recycling pillars of sovereign capability, experts have urged. The plan should define critical minerals as key to a broader political-economic reset that can underpin jobs and local growth, a new report by the University of Exeter’s Critical Minerals Challenge Centre, says.  Members of the UKRI-funded research hub – based at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus in the critical minerals hotbed of Cornwall, a world-leading reserve…

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Dad on 36-hour ultra run in Plymouth for diabetes research

Dad on 36-hour ultra run in Plymouth for diabetes research

A Plymouth man is aiming to run for 36 hours straight to raise money for diabetes research. Mehdi Taheri is taking on a gruelling challenge called a Backyard Ultra, starting from his restaurant, Fuel, on Looe Street.The event will see Mr Taheri and 99 other runners complete 4.2 mile (6.8km) laps around Plymouth's Barbican, Hoe and Royal William Yard. They will keep going for as long as they can, with some aiming for up to 156 miles in…

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Brazil’s Bolsonaro arrested days before start of 27-year prison sentence | Jair Bolsonaro News

The former president is taken in the capital Brasilia days before starting his prison time for leading coup attempt.Published On 22 Nov 202522 Nov 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareBrazil’s federal police have arrested former President Jair Bolsonaro, days before he was set to begin his 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt, according to his lawyer and a close aide.Bolsonaro, who has been under house arrest since August, was transferred to detention on Saturday, his…

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Lost Gardens of Heligan night glow-up extends hours

Lost Gardens of Heligan night glow-up extends hours

The Lost Gardens of Heligan's Night Garden is back, and this year, visitors have more time to soak up the magic. The winter light trail is open with extended evening hours running on select dates until 3 January.The event transforms the Cornish gardens near St Austell into a glowing wonderland, featuring new installations like Dance of the Standing Stones and Submergence, alongside returning favourites such as animal lanterns and fire pits for marshmallow toasting. Visitors can also enjoy…

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‘I wish we could have Christmas together’

‘I wish we could have Christmas together’

George Thorpe,South West and John Henderson,CornwallBBCBecky Dustan said she wished she could have Christmas dinner with her brother Michael Riddiough-Allen againA campaigner whose brother was stabbed to death said she wishes "something could change" so they could have Christmas dinner together.Becky Dustan said she wanted everything to be different following the death of her brother Michael Riddiough-Allen, who was murdered in a knife attack outside Eclipse nightclub in Bodmin in April 2023.Jake Hill, who also injured four other…

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Las Vegas Grand Prix: Lando Norris eyes prize but weighs question of risk v reward

Las Vegas Grand Prix: Lando Norris eyes prize but weighs question of risk v reward

The conflict in Lando Norris' mind as he closes on his first world title was clear after he took pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.Norris expertly navigated the treacherous wet conditions on a track almost devoid of grip to take pole position from Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a margin of 0.323 seconds - a gap that could have been significantly larger had the Briton not had a major wobble through the chicane at the end…

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Epstein victims expect death threats to rise as US release of files nears | Human Trafficking News

Abuse survivors urge accountability and support ahead of the much-anticipated release of the files related to the late sex offender in the United States.Published On 22 Nov 202522 Nov 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareA group of survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s decades-long sexual abuse have said that they have been receiving death threats, which they expect to escalate, as the date nears for the release of files concerning the deceased convicted paedophile financier.In a statement titled “What…

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Book of Dorset women shelved as statue charity hit with £5k bill

Book of Dorset women shelved as statue charity hit with £5k bill

Campaigners working to install a statue of a Dorset novelist have shelved plans for a book to accompany the project after being hit with an unexpected £5,000 bill.Visible Women crowdfunded for the life-sized bronze of Sylvia Townsend Warner for Dorchester's South Street but had not factored in the cost of groundworks.It said the additional expense meant some side projects, including a book about Dorset's forgotten women, would be postponed or cancelled.Anya Pearson, who launched the project, said a…

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Plea to rehome unwanted ex-racing greyhounds at Plymouth shelter

Plea to rehome unwanted ex-racing greyhounds at Plymouth shelter

Nine ex-racing greyhounds have arrived at a dogs and cats home and staff say they urgently need help to rehome them.Gables Dogs & Cats Home in Plymouth takes in nearly 1,000 unwanted and abandoned dogs and cats every year.With 76 cat pens and 71 dog kennels to heat, it said rising energy costs pushed their winter bills to more than £15,000, so it asked for donations and potential pet owners to come forward. General manager Claire Sparkes said:…

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