New approach to recruiting foster carers in Devon showing early impact

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• Deaf Academy Students Win Regional Enterprise Award

  Business-minded students at the Deaf Academy in Exmouth have won a regional award for enterprise and praise from HRH The Princess Royal after publishing their own accessible comic book that includes British Sign Language (BSL).

• Are you an unpaid carer who would like to help The Royal Devon Healthcare Trust develop better support for carers?

  The Royal Devon Healthcare Trust know carers play a vital role in supporting patients across acute and community settings. As they develop their Family, Friends and Carers strategy, they are inviting carers to get involved in one of two ways;

• 500 Pothole Repair Milestone

  The Pothole Posse volunteers in Sidmouth have reached their 500th pothole repair. The honour of 500th repair went to the holes outside The Beacon Medical centre

• A new talking bin has been unveiled in a joint National Highways and East Devon District Council initiative

  A new talking compacting bin has been installed in a layby near Upottery, and will be monitored as a trial, with the aim of rolling out further bins in the future.

• Red Arrows team cut to seven for English Riviera Airshow

  The Red Arrows will swoop over Torbay at the weekend flying just seven of their trademark scarlet Hawk aircraft instead of the traditional ‘Diamond Nine’. The Royal Air Force’s elite aerobatic team will fly with fewer aircraft for almost all of their 2026 displays in an effort to preserve their ageing machinery.

• Community groups invited to apply for ward grants

  The grants offer up to £350 per project from a total citywide budget of £39,000. Each ward has £3,000 available to support local community initiatives until April 2027.

• Football Tournament Brings Exeter’s Communities Together Against Racism

  Footballers from across Exeter’s diverse range of communities will come together next month for an annual five-a-side tournament in support of ‘Kick Racism Out of Football’.

• UKHSA escalates heat-health alert to amber for South West, extended until Thursday

  The UK Health Security Agency has raised its South West heat-health alert from yellow to amber, warning high temperatures pose a greater risk to vulnerable people and urging health and social care services to prepare as conditions continue to heat up.

• Teignbridge adopts local plan

  The Teignbridge Local Plan 2020-2040 has been formally adopted by councillors at Teignbridge District Council’s annual meeting. The plan sets out planning policy and allocates land for development across Teignbridge, outside Dartmoor National Park.

• Eight arrested and 39 knives seized by police during week of intensification

  Last week, Devon & Cornwall Police supported national ‘Sceptre’ knife awareness campaign, engaging with knife retailers to check knives are not being sold illegally and with the public around the risks of carrying knives.

• New Lord Mayor of Exeter and Deputy Mayor appointed

  Cllr Gemma Rolstone has become Exeter’s new Lord Mayor, with Cllr Lucy Haigh appointed Deputy Lord Mayor. During her year in office, Cllr Rolstone will raise funds for Baby Bank Network Exeter, supporting families facing financial and emotional hardship

• 10th anniversary English Riviera Airshow - everything you need to know

  The English Riviera Airshow returns to Paignton seafront this weekend (Friday 29, Saturday 30 & Sunday 31 May), with tens of thousands of visitors expected to flock to Torbay for one of the region’s most spectacular weekends of the year.

• Chief Executive of Devon County Council Visits Isca Academy to Meet Students and Explore Partnership Opportunities

  Donna Manson, Chief Executive of Devon County Council, visited Isca Academy in Exeter to meet students and staff. Guided by student leaders, she toured the school and spoke with Year 11 pupils about their studies and exam preparations.

• Sidmouth College Student Council Meet MP Richard Foord

  Sidmouth College’s Student Council welcomed local MP Richard Foord for a Q&A session. The Liberal Democrat MP for Honiton and Sidmouth spent an hour discussing issues affecting young people and the wider community with council members attending during half term.

• Exwick Heights Pupil Raises £768 for Wildlife Trust with First Triathlon

  Year 6 pupil Polly from Exwick Heights Primary School raised £768 for Devon Wildlife Trust by completing her first triathlon. An Earth Councillor at the school, she took on a swim, cycle and run challenge, more than doubling her fundraising target.

• Ofsted report highlights progress in Devon children’s services

  “Ofsted says Devon County Council is making progress in improving children’s services. Inspectors praised major service changes and the appointment of more permanent leaders and managers, bringing greater workforce stability.”