East Devon Radio

The national charity says 110 staff are in consultation about possible redundancies after the coronavirus pandemic hit finances. The charity’s work in Devon includes rehoming centres in Tiverton and Torquay, where jobs are understood to be at risk. The Torquay base opened in 1988 and has a cattery with 50 places at Maidencombe.

Residents across East Devon have been left split over how development should take place and the number and location of new homes to be built in the district. Earlier this year, the council went out to consultation on its draft Local Plan Issues and Options report, giving residents the chance to comment on a series of topic based sections around how future development across East Devon should be planned.

Devon and Somerset residents are being asked for their help in shaping the future of the fire service to best respond and manage risk. The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is undertaking its regular strategic review of the risks that the two counties might face in the future and what the future landscape might look like in terms of infrastructure as well as societal trends.

On Friday numerous Emergency services were called to Sandy Bay Holiday Park, following reports of someone in difficulty on the cliffs. Tragically it has been confirmed that a 13yr old girl had fallen down the cliffs and was sadly pronounced deceased.

Police are appealing for information about a fire at an address on Eden Way, Church Road, Colaton Raleigh, near Sidmouth, on Sunday 11 April. Police were called to the property at around 1am having been alerted to a garden shed being on fire.

Two appliances from Danes Castle and one from Middlemoor attended a property where smoke was issuing from the ground floor flat in the early hours of this morning (Monday 19th April). It was unknown whether there were persons inside.

Two further deaths have been confirmed in connection with an outbreak of COVID-19 at a Sidmouth care home. Eleven deaths have now been reported at Holmesley Care Home in Sidford since February 25, which are all believed to be related to the outbreak.

Households in Exmouth will receive their own map of the town that showcases the best of the outdoors. The maps will be delivered by Royal Mail by 24th April. Wild Exmouth, a three year community nature project, has produced a wonderful map to highlight trails and cycle paths along with parks, nature reserves, play areas and community orchards.

Construction work on the new railway station at Marsh Barton in Exeter – which should be open by the end of 2022 – has begun. The proposed station will have two platforms, with the eastern and western platforms served by trains to Newton Abbot and Exeter, respectively.

At 11.38am today Thursday 15 April 2021 Exmouth RNLI inshore lifeboat D-805 George Bearman II was launched having been tasked by H.M. Coastguard to a report of a kitesurfer struggling and apparently in difficulty. He was sighted between Sandy Bay and Budleigh Beach.

An Exmouth charity champion has taken on a further year of extreme challenges to raise funds for the Honiton-based Devon Freewheelers

Jessi Little, owner at BJS Engineering, in Offwell, East Devon, for the last four years has waived his MOT fee for the Honiton-based charity’s motorbikes.  And when other Devon garages closed during the first Covid-19 lockdown, Jessi stayed open for the Devon Freewheelers and took on the charity’s servicing, mechanics and MOTs from other areas of the county. 

Volunteers are the heart of the RNLI and make up 95% of our people. They are ordinary people who do extraordinary things and without them we couldn’t save lives at sea. And it’s not all about volunteering on our lifeboats or at our stations; there are so many other ways you can give a little (or a lot) of your time to support the RNLI and make a lifesaving difference.

Hospiscare’s Twilight Walk is back with a twist and you’re invited! This summer, grab your chance to get glammed up and outshine the stars themselves for the 15th anniversary Twilight Walk – Twilight with a Twist. Everyone is invited to join the fun and raise much-needed money to shine a light for local patients and families facing terminal illness.

The variety of different roles you can undertake while working at the fire service has helped me develop and progress in my career while looking after my two sons. I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of different roles, some people may not know all the different specialisms you can go into.

The School Association ran a project to raise money to buy all the staff an Easter Egg as a thank you for looking after out children and keeping them safe and educated.

Supporters from across Exeter, Mid and East Devon turned their miles into money for a local charity walking event. On Saturday 20 March, 630 people took part in Men’s Walk – Your Way to raise vital funds for Hospiscare, the local hospice charity that cares for patients with a terminal illness and their families in the heart of Devon.

Jay King, our newest and youngest Exmouth RNLI Tour Guide, is doing a 25k run around Exmouth starting 0900 on Saturday 3rd April 2021 to raise much needed funds for the RNLI.

The number of patients in hospital in Cornwall following a positive Covid-19 test is at the lowest level for more than six months. As of Tuesday morning (April 13), there were just two patients across the county in hospital after a positive test, the lowest number since October 3. But there has been an increase of one in the number of patients in hospital in Devon, up to 15 as of Tuesday with 2 on ventilators at the RD&E.

Devon’s health chiefs and leaders are urging people to ‘be sensible’ as social contact and mixing increases as England moves out of lockdown. The nation moved into step 2 of the roadmap from Monday, which among others saw the opening of non-essential retail, personal care premises, gyms, as well as allowing pubs and restaurants to reopen outdoors.

Devon & Cornwall Police have launched a new website to provide members of the public with more information on policing and security planning ahead of the G7 Summit. 

Police investigating reports of a violent incident in the Buckland area of Newton Abbot at around 6.15pm on Sunday 14 March are appealing for information. Several people were injured in the incident, with one requiring hospital treatment and officers are investigating a number of reports of assault. Police are appealing to members of the public who were around the area at the time of the incident. 

Police investigating a serious assault in Regent Street, Teignmouth, at around 4.45pm, on Monday 5 April, are appealing for information. A 56-year-old man suffered a serious injury to his eye and it is not known whether he will recover his sight. Police are appealing to members of the public who were in Teignmouth town centre, close to WH Smith, at the time and may have seen anything, to come forward.

If you are looking for a new challenge?  Wanting to make a difference in your community?  then consider volunteering as a Special Constable? On Tuesday 13th April we are holding a virtual awareness event which is an opportunity to find out more about the role and hear from some of our serving Specials about what it is like to be a Special.

Two of Devon’s four hospitals currently have no patients who have been admitted following a positive Covid-19 test. As of Tuesday morning (April 6), there were 14 patients across the county in hospital after a positive test, down on the 19 as of the previous Tuesday – the lowest number since the start of October.

Devon’s public health chief is encouraging every adult in Devon to take a rapid, lateral flow test for coronavirus twice a week to try and keep the rates of coronavirus low. Infection rates in Devon are the second lowest of any upper tier authority in England – 11.2/100,000 in the seven days to April 3 – and the lowest that they have been in the county since mid-September and to just five per cent of the infection rates in early January. At a lower tier level, Torridge, South Hams and North Devon are in the bottom ten in England, with no area of Devon currently reporting more than three case

Extensive fire damage has been caused to the property and the building remains unsafe. The 89-year -old resident is still unaccounted for and in order to locate her, the house will be demolished in a systematic and controlled way over the next few days, with consideration to the family, the local residents and the safety of all.

A decision over controversial plans for what would be Devon’s largest solar farm – and bigger than the Vatican City – has been delayed so councillors can go on a site visit. The Langford Solar Farm Application Site would occupy approximately 61 hectares of agricultural land to the east and north-east of the village of Langford.

In local Devon and Exeter League football on Saturday...

In the local Devon and Exeter league football on Saturday Exmouth Rovers retained their  100 % record with a 3-1 victory at Dunkerswell Rovers in division one east,making it 3 wins from 3,while in the same league East Budleigh beat Lympstone Utd 1-0 . In division four Exmouth Towns third team were well beaten 3-0 by visitors Falcons behind closed doors at Southern Road.

Winger Laura Sheehan admitted that she was “buzzing” after marking her first start in Exeter Chiefs colours with a try, as her side held their nerve to secure a 17-12 victory over Loughborough Lightning in the Allianz Premier 15s.