A thousand acres of wildflowers – on Dartmoor and beyond
Donna Cox in wet meadow on her land near Buckfastleigh A community wildflower conservation group started on Dartmoor in 2015 is celebrating its 1,000th acre of new or restored wildflower meadow. Inspired by the enthusiastic response of landowners and gardeners on and around Dartmoor, similar groups of meadow-makers elsewhere in Devon are now being encouraged. Moor Meadows was co-founded by Donna Cox of Buckfastleigh along with a small...
Children’s Hospice South West celebrates
30 years of creating memories to cherish
Children’s hospice South West (CHSW) is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021 …and everyone is welcome to join the party! CHSW delivers a range of services including short breaks, specialist play, music therapy, activities for siblings, palliative and emergency care, end of life care, bereavement support and specialist medical care – all available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The services are free for families. During the...
Get ready for the Big Garden Birdwatch
The RSPB’s annual event, the Big Garden Birdwatch, is once again taking place between 29th and 31st January. The summer lockdown last year saw many people take more notice of the wildlife in their gardens and parks, and it is hoped that the increase in interest will motivate more people to take part. It’s easy to join in – register on the RSPB website and receive a free guide plus help with identifying the birds you might see, then...
Farmers welcome Brexit deal
Rendells Cattle Sale, Chagford. Senior figures in the farming industry have cautiously welcomed news of the Brexit trade deal between the UK and the European Union, as some warn ‘the devil is in the detail’. Fears of a No-deal Brexit were averted at the eleventh hour. The prospect of No-deal would have seen tariffs imposed on British produce exported to Europe, making them less price-competitive compared to European producers. As it...
Teignbridge in lockdown despite lowest national infection rate
The Government has been criticised for ‘lumping’ all of Devon into a Tier 2 lockdown as Teignbridge had the lowest infection rate of COVID-19 in the country in the week before the restrictions eased. Newton Abbot MP, Anne Marie Morris, who voted against the Government’s tiered system last week, called the restrictions as ‘cruelly misjudged’. She said: “Since the first lockdown, I have ardently lobbied against further strict...
