Hundreds of handmade poppies created by people across the Crewkerne area will form a special Remembrance display at Crewkerne railway station, honouring those who have lost their lives in conflicts.

The project, organised by the Friends of Crewkerne Station, has attracted an enthusiastic response from the local community, with contributions from the Henhayes Centre, village Knit and Natter groups, U3A, the British Legion and numerous individuals.

Volunteers have attached the poppies to netting ready for display at two locations around the station.

Following consultation with the station manager, one display will be installed on the back railings of the up platform, with a larger arrangement on the sloping bank beside the car park.

A larger silhouette of a soldier, made and supplied by ARK of Egwood, will form the centrepiece of the display.

The volunteers also plan to include an area of white poppies, symbolising the wish for peace in a troubled world.

Many of those involved in the project belong to the baby boomer generation, with parents who served in the Second World War and grandparents who fought in the First World War.

The Friends of Crewkerne Station will officially open the display with a short presentation and the playing of the Last Post at 11am on Thursday, 29th October.

The poppies will remain on display for the fortnight leading up to Remembrance Day.

On Wednesday, 11th November, a further gathering will take place on the platform, featuring a reading of a war poem followed by two minutes’ silence.

People from Crewkerne and surrounding communities served by the Blackmore Vale Community Rail Partnership are invited to visit the station, view the display and take a few moments to remember those who sacrificed their lives in conflicts.

( Photo: Friends of Crewkerne Station 📸 )

The Diocese of Exeter is welcoming £2.3 million in funding for eight Devon churches to carry out essential repairs, safeguard historic buildings and keep them serving their local communities.

The grants have been awarded through Historic England’s Places of Worship Renewal Fund, launched in May following the closure of the long-running Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. More than £13 million has been awarded to Church of England churches through the new fund.

The successful churches in the Diocese of Exeter are St Mary’s, Brixham; Holy Trinity, Milton Damerel; St John’s, Paignton; St Matthias, Plymouth; St Stephen’s, Putford; St Swithun’s, Pyworthy; St Mary’s, Tamerton Foliot; and All Saints, Torre.

The funding will support essential building repairs and conservation work, including roof repairs, stonework restoration and measures to address water ingress.

Louise Brown, Church Buildings Support Officer for the Diocese of Exeter, said the awards recognised the dedication of local congregations and volunteers working to preserve their churches.

“This is fantastic news for these eight churches and their communities.

“This money is a real lifeline, enabling essential repairs to take place.

“At a parish level, volunteers work tirelessly to look after their church buildings, and the people in these parishes put significant effort into their grant applications.

“Their success is a recognition that these buildings are at the very heart of our communities.”

Plymouth church secures £692,000

Among the largest awards is £692,077 for St Matthias Church in Plymouth, which has a particular focus on serving students and young adults.

The grant will enable essential repairs to the roof and stonework of its Victorian building. The church recently celebrated its 10th anniversary as a Church of England Resource Church.

Two churches in the Bradworthy Mission Community, St Stephen’s in Putford and Holy Trinity in Milton Damerel, have secured grants totalling £712,735.

The money will fund roof repairs and the restoration of interior plasterwork, helping protect the buildings and ensure they remain available to their communities.

Rev’d Mark James, Team Rector of Bradworthy Mission Community, said the churches offered a place of belonging beyond regular Sunday worship.

“The Church is its people, and these buildings shelter our shared life, giving us somewhere to gather before God with all that we are and all that we carry.

“Many who enter may never join a Sunday congregation, yet their connection to this place can be deeply meaningful, rooted in family memories or in the simple reassurance of knowing there is somewhere they can come.

“As custodians, ours is to care for what has been entrusted to us while asking where God is guiding and calling us next, ensuring that these places are structurally sound and ready to receive those who will need them in an ever more volatile world. We cannot know the stories they will bring, but we can prepare a place for them, just as others prepared a place for us.”

Paignton church to tackle persistent leaks

St John’s Church in Paignton will receive £175,186 towards essential repairs to its Grade I listed building, which has been a place of worship for around 900 years.

The award comes alongside separate funding secured from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Rev’d Laura McAdam, the church’s Team Vicar, said the latest grant would help protect the building while supporting plans to expand its community use.

“This generous grant allows us to secure the future of our Grade I listed building, a site that has held 900 years of worship.

“The community of Paignton fully deserves this investment in its heritage and finally fixing persistent leaks and water ingress allows us to take the first step in safeguarding the building, as part of a wider vision of community use particularly by SEND families and groups who support our most vulnerable parishioners.”

The work will address long-standing problems with leaks and water entering the building. St John’s already hosts events for families with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and the repairs will support its wider ambitions to welcome and serve more people.

Diocese continues to support parishes

The other successful churches are St Mary’s in Brixham, St Swithun’s in Pyworthy, St Mary’s in Tamerton Foliot and All Saints in Torre.

The awards will help the eight parishes meet the substantial costs of maintaining historic places of worship, which often provide much more than a venue for Sunday services. They can also host community activities, family gatherings and local events, while preserving buildings that form an important part of Devon’s heritage.

However, the Diocese of Exeter has acknowledged that many other churches across the county still face significant repair bills. The closure of the previous VAT reclaim grant scheme has added to the financial pressures on parishes maintaining historic buildings.

The Diocese says it will continue to help churches identify funding opportunities, access grants and prepare applications, while working with colleagues nationally to campaign for better support.

Ms Brown said: “While this is a positive story for these eight churches, we acknowledge that there are many more churches in need of funding for repairs – and that every one of Devon’s churches has been impacted by the loss of the VAT reclaim grant scheme.

“We continue to work with parishes to support them in carrying out repairs and accessing grant funding, and to work with colleagues across the country to campaign for better access to funding for our historic churches,” she said.

The latest awards provide a significant boost for the eight successful churches. The Diocese of Exeter’s continuing work with parishes will remain important in helping protect the county’s wider network of historic places of worship for future generations.

( Photos: Diocese of Exeter 📸 )

Free digital skills sessions are to be launched at four libraries in Devon to help people build confidence using technology and accessing essential online services.

The initiative, starting in late November, will offer practical, one-to-one support tailored to individual needs, covering everything from using smartphones and tablets to accessing the NHS app, applying for jobs and managing online banking.

The sessions will be held at libraries in Newton Abbot, Ilfracombe, Cullompton and Sidmouth.

The project is aimed particularly at people who face barriers to using digital technology, including older people, those living in rural or isolated communities, and people with disabilities, long-term health conditions or mental health challenges.

Support will also be available to people who are unemployed or not currently in education.

The programme uses the Devon Essential Digital Skills Framework, developed by a local digital inclusion group involving voluntary organisations and NHS partners. It covers a wide range of practical skills to help people make greater use of digital technology in everyday life.

Alex Kittow, chief executive of Libraries Unlimited, said: “Being able to access and use digital technology is increasingly important in everyday life, but not everyone has the same opportunities or confidence to do so.

“Libraries have an important role to play in helping to bridge that gap. By offering friendly, practical support in local libraries, we can help people develop the skills they need in a way that works for them.”

The project will also help library staff and volunteers improve their understanding of the digital skills framework, enabling them to continue supporting people beyond the dedicated sessions.

Libraries Unlimited is working with Wellmoor and Devon Communities Together to deliver the initiative.

Jonathan Blyth, project manager at Devon Communities Together, said: “At Devon Communities Together, we believe strong communities are built when people have the confidence, skills and support they need to participate fully in everyday life.

“Libraries already play a vital role in bringing people together, and we’re excited to work alongside Libraries Unlimited and Wellmoor to help more people develop their digital skills in these trusted community spaces.”

The sessions are expected to begin in late November, with dates and times still to be announced.

Anyone interested in taking part can book through their local participating library or contact Devon Communities Together on 01392 248919.

The project is supported by funding from Arts Council England.

( Photo: Libraries Unlimited 📸 )

Nine in 10 young women in the South West have experienced sexism in the past year, with almost a third saying it has harmed their mental health, according to new research.

The survey by charity Young Women’s Trust found that 91% of women aged 18 to 30 in the region had experienced sexism in the previous 12 months.

Three quarters (75%) said sexism and misogyny had negatively affected their lives, while 46% said it had affected how safe they felt in public and 42% reported a loss of confidence.

The findings suggest sexist attitudes are also influencing how young women behave in everyday life.

Nearly two fifths (39%) said they felt forced to change the way they dressed or behaved, while 21% said they avoided expressing their opinions at work.

Katharine Sacks-Jones, chief executive of Young Women’s Trust, said widespread sexism and misogyny were damaging young women’s mental health and confidence.

She said: ‘This goes far beyond harmful online content – sexism is not something they can log off from.’

She added that it was affecting how young women viewed themselves and their place in society.

Concerns about changing attitudes

The research found that 76% of young women in the South West believed sexist views were becoming more common in society.

Three quarters (75%) also agreed that sexist comments were becoming more acceptable among young men.

Nationally, 36% of young men surveyed believed society would be better off if men and women returned to more traditional roles. This compared with 14% of young women in the South West who shared that view.

The survey also found that 71% of young women were worried that women’s rights were going backwards, while only 18% expressed confidence that politicians were taking misogyny seriously.

Sexism in public and at work

Young women who had experienced threats or abusive behaviour because of their gender identified a range of sources, including strangers on the street, social media and public transport.

Strangers on the street were cited by 30% of respondents who reported such experiences, while 28% identified social media or online spaces. Public transport was cited by 17%.

The research also highlighted concerns about workplace behaviour.

Nearly half (49%) of human resources managers surveyed said they were aware of young women in their organisations who had experienced sexist or discriminatory behaviour in the previous year.

More than a third (37%) agreed that sexist behaviour still existed in their organisation.

Calls for action

Young Women’s Trust is calling on the government to introduce a national framework for preventing and tackling misogyny, with coordinated action across education, workplaces, online spaces and public life.

The charity is also urging ministers to establish clear principles for tackling everyday sexism at work and create more opportunities for young women and men to discuss gender issues and challenge harmful stereotypes together.

The findings come as the government launches a National Taskforce for Tackling Misogyny, intended to help prevent misogyny and protect women and girls from harmful attitudes.

The research was conducted by Yonder Data Solutions between 30 July and 17 August 2026.

It included 4,004 young women and non-binary people aged 18 to 30 across England and Wales, 1,005 young men in the same age group and 937 human resources managers.

Young Women’s Trust campaigns for greater equality in the workplace and supports young women on low or no pay through services including free coaching and job application advice.

( Photos: Unsplash 📸 )

More people are being diagnosed with ADHD and autism than ever before. Is society finally recognising conditions that went unnoticed for generations, or are modern pressures and changing diagnostic practices contributing to the rise?

The number of people seeking diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism has risen dramatically in recent years, leaving NHS services struggling to cope with demand.

The increase has prompted questions about whether more people are genuinely affected, whether previous generations were overlooked, and whether some everyday difficulties are now being interpreted as medical conditions.

There are also questions about the role of social media, the pressures of modern life and the possibility that a diagnosis can help people qualify for financial support.

A major independent review published by the Department of Health and Social Care on 9th October 2026 offers some of the clearest answe…

Read more

Somerset’s efforts to prepare communities for floods, wildfires and other emergencies will be the main focus at a resilience event this month, with a focus on how younger generations can help shape future emergency planning.

The Somerset Prepared Community Resilience Day takes place at Millfield School in Street on Wednesday, 21st October, bringing together councillors, community groups and emergency services to share practical advice and recognise local people who have helped others through difficult times.

The free event comes after Somerset experienced both flooding and drought this year, highlighting the challenges communities face from increasingly varied weather conditions.

Organisers want to explore how young people can contribute fresh ideas and local knowledge to emergency planning, working alongside experienced volunteers and community organisations.

The programme includes sessions on Hampshire’s Young People’s Emergency Respon…

Read more

A new plan is being used to guide nature recovery and protect important habitats across East Devon.

East Devon District Council’s Countryside Team has adopted a Local Nature Recovery Plan, which aims to identify where investment and environmental projects can make the greatest difference for wildlife, local communities and climate resilience.

The plan translates the wider priorities of the Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy into practical action across the district.

It identifies important habitats, nature recovery networks and areas where evidence suggests environmental work could deliver the greatest benefits.

Among the habitats highlighted are lowland heathland, wetlands, species-rich grasslands, woodlands, hedgerows and urban areas.

The plan also aims to support the recovery of local species while improving people’s access to nature.

The council says combining county-wide priorities with detailed local ecological information and mappi…

Read more

Covid cases and hospital admissions have risen sharply in the UK, with the XFG variant now accounting for more than half of positive tests.

Covid cases increased by 230% in September compared with the previous month, according to the latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

There were 1,374 reported cases in August, rising to 4,589 in September.

Hospital admissions involving Covid also increased, from 950 in August to 4,939 in September, a rise of about 420%.

The proportion of Covid tests taken in hospitals that were positive also increased, from 5.9% to 7%.

The figures come as the XFG variant, also known as Stratus, becomes the dominant strain detected in positive tests.

It has sometimes been referred to as “American Covid” because of its prevalence in North America.

There has also been a recent rise in reported infections. In the seven days to 23rd September, cases increased by 28.6%, from 1,061 to 1,364, according to the…

Read more

A new conservation project is giving communities across East Devon the chance to help restore and improve hedgerows, while learning traditional countryside skills.

The East Devon Community Hedgerows Project, led by East Devon District Council’s countryside team, will focus on improving and restoring hedgerows in community spaces over the next two years.

The project will offer hands-on training and practical conservation work, teaching groups how to care for hedgerows using traditional hedge-laying techniques.

Councillor Richard Jefferies, portfolio holder for environment, nature and climate, said:

“This is an exciting opportunity for communities across East Devon to get involved in practical conservation and learn traditional skills that have shaped our countryside for generations.

“Healthy hedgerows benefit wildlife, improve our landscapes and create greener, more resilient places for everyone to enjoy.

“I am delighted that Ben and the team…

Read more

Families across Devon can pick up a free Halloween costume this October as a popular scheme returns to 22 libraries, giving unwanted outfits a second life and helping households save money.

The Halloween Costume Swap, run by Libraries Unlimited in partnership with Recycle Devon, has expanded following the success of last year’s initiative, when more than 180 costumes were donated across 14 libraries.

This year, families can take part at 22 libraries across the county, from Barnstaple and Holsworthy to Exeter, Plymouth-area communities and towns along the South Devon coast.

Residents are invited to donate outgrown or unwanted Halloween costumes and accessories, provided they are clean and in good, wearable condition. The items can then be taken home by other families, free of charge.

There is no requirement to donate a costume to take part, so families can simply visit their local library and browse the available outfits.

The scheme aims to…

Read more

Rail passengers travelling from Devon to the Midlands, northern England and Scotland over Christmas are being urged to plan ahead, with a five-day closure of Birmingham New Street set to affect CrossCountry services across the network.

No trains will run to or from Birmingham New Street from 24th to 28th December 2026 while Network Rail carries out essential upgrades to the station’s overhead power lines.

The closure will bring significant changes to CrossCountry services and timetables, with some journeys taking longer than usual. Rail replacement buses will operate for passengers whose journeys start or finish at Birmingham New Street.

CrossCountry operates direct long-distance services from Exeter St Davids towards the Midlands, northern England and Scotland, as well as south-westwards into Cornwall.

Mark Anderson, customer and commercial director at CrossCountry, said the company wanted to give passengers advance notice as they began …

Read more

People across Devon are being warned to beware of fraudsters posing as police officers and using spoofed telephone numbers to make their calls appear genuine.

The scammers claim to be assisting with a criminal investigation and attempt to persuade people to disclose sensitive personal or financial information. In some cases, they have also supplied fake crime reference numbers to make their stories more convincing.

Devon and Cornwall Police said fraudsters could be persuasive and demanding, with victims sometimes instructed not to tell friends or family because they are supposedly helping with an investigation.

Dan Thorogood, head of contact services for Devon and Cornwall Police, warned people not to assume a call was genuine simply because the number displayed on their phone appeared to belong to the police.

“Fraudsters can be very convincing as well as persuasive and demanding,” he said.

“Victims are often told to not tell their friends…

Read more

Farmers across the South West have been left frustrated after a £253m government farming support scheme ran out of money within hours of opening for applications.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is intended to support farmers who take action to improve nature, soil and other public goods as part of the system introduced to replace the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy following Brexit.

But the latest application window closed after less than six hours, after the available funding was allocated.

The Wildlife Trust’s strategic lead for agriculture compared the rush for funding to the scramble for Oasis concert tickets.

The problems have prompted criticism from farming representatives and political figures in Devon, with concerns raised about the pressure placed on farmers already dealing with rising costs, changing support arrangements and difficult weather conditions.

Cllr Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, Devon County Council’s cabin…

Read more

Scientists investigating water pollution in Devon have found that sewage-linked E. coli can reach popular beaches and shellfish farms even when there has been little or no rain, raising questions about how effectively current pollution warnings protect the public.

Research by scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) has tracked bacteria from rivers and sewage overflows through coastal waters to beaches and shellfish farms in Plymouth Sound and Lyme Bay.

The study found that rainfall alone is not a reliable indicator of where bacterial pollution will end up.

Instead, coastal currents, tides and wind direction and speed can determine how contamination is transported, potentially carrying bacteria considerable distances from its original source.

Researchers combined water sampling with a sophisticated ocean model and particle-tracking technology to investigate how E. coli moves through coastal waters.

One example came on 8 July 2024, whe…

Read more

Plans for up to 700 homes on the outskirts of Exmouth are to be discussed at a public meeting, as concerns continue to be raised about the proposed development.

The St John’s site, known as Exmo_20, has been included in East Devon District Council’s draft Local Plan, which identifies locations where new homes and employment development could take place.

Campaigners opposing the allocation say there are unresolved concerns about access, the impact on the nearby Pebblebed Heaths and the setting of the Grade II-listed St John in the Wilderness Church.

The meeting has been organised by Exmouth and Exeter East MP David Reed and will take place at Exmouth Town Hall on Thursday, 24th September.

Mr Reed said he had received a “significant amount of correspondence” about the proposals and wanted to give residents an opportunity to raise their concerns and take part in a town hall-style discussion.

The Stop Exmo_20 campaign group is encouraging peopl…

Read more

Weather maps are showing the prospect of temperatures climbing above 25C across Devon and some parts of the South West later this month.

Could summer be about to make a comeback?

Weather maps are showing temperatures rising sharply across the South West from Friday, 25th September, with Devon among the areas forecast to reach above 25C.

According to Netweather maps using GFS data, temperatures could reach 27C in parts of Devon on the Friday, while Saturday could bring even warmer conditions, with highs of up to 28C forecast in parts of the UK.

The warmer spell is expected to develop towards the end of September, with much of southern England and the Midlands potentially reaching above 25C by 3.00pm on Friday.

Devon is among 33 areas currently shown on the maps with temperatures exceeding 25C. Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and parts of the South East are also included.

The forecast suggests that parts of Devon could reach 27C …

Read more

Britain’s fishing industry will come together in Exeter next month for the country’s first National Harvest of the Sea.

The inaugural service will be held at Exeter Cathedral at 6.00pm on Sunday, 11th October, bringing together fishermen and women, fishing families, seafood businesses, coastal communities and members of the public from across the UK.

Organisers hope the event will establish a new annual tradition celebrating the harvest from Britain’s seas alongside the country’s long-established harvest celebrations for farming.

The service will recognise not only those who go to sea to catch fish and shellfish, but also the thousands of people working ashore in the wider seafood industry, including fish markets, processors, merchants, transport operators, engineers, boatyards, wholesalers, fishmongers and restaurants.

The event is being held in partnership with Love British Food and supported by Seafish, the UK’s public body supporting …

Read more

Community groups across East Devon are being invited to apply for a share of more than £118,000 in funding for local projects, events and rural community buildings.

The second round of East Devon District Council’s grant funding opened this week, with applications due to close at 5pm on Monday, 26 October.

However, the council has warned that the application window could close earlier because of the anticipated high level of interest.

A total of £118,454 is available in the latest round, with grants ranging from £300 to £1,500 for small community projects and from £500 to £10,000 for community buildings.

The funding comes from three schemes: the Community Buildings Grant, Small Community Grants and the East Devon Action on Poverty Fund.

The grants have been developed with input from the voluntary sector, with the aim of supporting projects that meet local needs across the district.

The council said it regularly hears from voluntary organisa…

Read more

An investigation has been launched after plastic bio-beads escaped from Honiton wastewater treatment works and entered the River Otter.

Peter Williams, of Otter River Catchment Action (Orca), and a colleague spotted rafts of the small plastic beads downstream from the treatment works while installing a water quality sensor on Tuesday, 8th September.

Mr Williams said the treatment works had also been discharging untreated sewage for 17 hours at the time.

The pair filmed the outflow before contacting the Environment Agency’s pollution hotline and sending the footage to the agency.

The Environment Agency subsequently confirmed that the material was used bio-beads. A duty officer told Orca that the agency was in contact with South West Water to establish where the material had come from.

The discharge was stopped and the site cleaned up “as far as is practicable”, while an Environment Agency officer attended the site to gather evidence and est…

Read more

Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage after a woman in her 70s was seriously injured in a collision on the A30 near Yarcombe at the end of last month.

The crash happened near Underdown Moor at around 1.00pm on Monday, 31st August, and involved two Citroen cars.

The woman, who is from the Exeter area, was taken to hospital by ambulance following the collision. She is expected to make a full recovery.

The A30 was closed for several hours while police carried out an investigation at the scene.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesperson said: “We are appealing for witness and information following a serious road traffic collision that occurred on 31st August at around 1.00pm on the A30 near Yarcombe.

“Officers were called to near Underdown Moor following a report of a collision between two Citroen cars.

“A woman in her 70s, from near Exeter, sustained serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to hospital. She is expe…

Read more