Latest news with #Devon
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- General
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Plymouth to join scheme to improve services
Plymouth City Council has been selected by the government to pilot a new scheme aimed at improving public services. The Test, Learn, Grow initiative aims to make services more responsive and resilient by "trying new ideas and learning quickly", the government said. Part of the pilot includes electing "learning stewards" who will listen to feedback, share stories and adapt strategies. Councillor Mary Aspinall said the initiative was about "putting people first and moving away from tick box targets and towards listening, learning, and adapting". More on this story More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon The council said it viewed the scheme as a chance to "rethink how we support residents facing complex challenges and inequalities". Aspinall said: "We want to build services that work for the real world - messy, complicated, and full of human stories. "This is about building trust, empowering communities, and making sure our services reflect the lives of the people who use them." The council said Wellbeing and Family Hubs, charities and community groups would play a key role. "The goal is to build a system that's more responsive, more resilient, and more rooted in the communities it serves," it said. "It's a shift from top-down decision-making to something more collaborative and human." Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ More on this story Community facilities get funding boost Council launches scheme to assist people in crisis Council agrees plan to improve children's services Related internet links Government Test, Learn, Grow programme Plymouth City Council
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17 hours ago
- General
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Charity plea to donate bedding directly to site
An animal charity is asking people to stop putting bedding into its off-site donation points due to health and hygiene reasons. Gables Cats and Dogs Home in Plymouth said it was grateful for the much-needed donations but asked if people could take them directly to the charity instead. Manager Claire Sparkes said the collection bins, located at supermarkets and stores across the city, were becoming "overfull" with items including large duvets. She said it meant people could not get smaller items, such as pet food and litter into the collection boxes. She said: "Duvets are quite big and take up a lot of space, but we do need duvets at Gables. "The Greyhounds especially love them - as long as they're not feather ones - because as you can imagine, the chaos it causes. "When one gets ripped open the feathers go everywhere, and the staff spend hours trying to clean it all up." Ms Sparkes said they always needed duvets, towels, and blankets, as well as food, treats and toys for the animals. She said: "We always need old towels because we wash the dogs, especially if they get a bit muddy or wet." The collection bins also have a sign which states "no bedding in here please". Ms Sparkes said the charity had more than 100 cats and kittens in its care, some in foster homes, and between 45 to 50 dogs at the centre. "We are asking people to donate anything that we can use for animals like cat and dog treats and anything that we can spoil them with," she added. More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ More on this story Land near animal rescue centre saved by council Related internet links Gables
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Sport
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Charity football match to honour two-year-old boy
A charity football match is to be held later in memory of a two-year-old boy who from Devon who died with a heart condition. James and Lauren Washbrook lost their son Hendrix in 2022, who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. In 2023 the pair set up a charity, Marching On With Hendrix, which was set up to support bereaved parents. The charity football match will be held at Buckland Athletic, in Newton Abbott, with gates opening at 12:00 BST and kick-off at 14:00. More news stories for Devon Listen to the latest news for Devon The Marching On With Hendrix team - made up of family, friends, local footballers, ex-professionals and one current professional player - would play against Forever Green, a team of former Plymouth Argyle players. The charity supports parents, grandparents and siblings by offering counselling, emotional support, and meaningful keepsakes such as memory bears and jewellery. Mr Washbrook said: "We just felt like the support wasn't really available or wasn't right for us... so we we decided to set up on our own and and try and bridge that gap. "We're entirely self-funded so every penny that goes out to our families is raised by us in the community that we that we're in... and the football match just happens to be the next one of those that we're doing." 'Grieve at your own pace' Mr Washbrook said the event was open to all, with tickets £10 for adults, £2 for children and £20 for family tickets. The money would go "towards families who have lost a child between birth and 18 years old", he said. Mr Washbrook said his advice to parents experiencing a loss would be "grieve at your own pace". "Everybody's different, although we we all go through the grieving process, it's not a linear journey by any stretch of the imagination I know," he said. "Follow what your what your feelings are, and there's no right or wrong way of grieving." Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ More on this story Charity football match in honour of fire victims Thousands attend charity football match Related internet links Marching on with Hendrix
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
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Researchers to follow puppies through their lives
A dogs charity is urging owners of puppies from across Devon and Cornwall to sign up for a research study to better understand their health and behaviour. The Dogs Trust needs puppies under 16 weeks old to join its Generation Pup study, the first ever to follow dogs of all breeds for their whole lives. Jane Murray, welfare project and grants deputy head of research at the Dogs Trust said the study hopes to better understand "how early life experiences influence the health and behaviour of dogs throughout their lives". The charity said by collecting information about puppies such as their environment, family, health, behaviour and experiences, it can build a picture of a whole generation of dogs. The charity added that it has almost reached its milestone of recruiting 10,000 puppies, but is still looking for a few hundred more to join the project. Researchers could investigate whether aspects such as environment, social interaction, diet, exercise or daily routine may be important in the development of a range of health and behaviour conditions which impact on the welfare of our dogs. Recent data submitted by owners when their dogs were six, nine, 12, 15 and 18 months old, found that the highest proportion of dogs showing one or more undesirable behaviours was for the 12-month-old dogs, with barking, recall issues, pulling on the lead and jumping up the most frequently reported behaviours. Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ More on this story Dog rescue charities call for government support Puppy raisers sought to help train more guide dogs Prince William celebrates birthday with puppy photo Related internet links Dogs Trust
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a day ago
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Officer awarded for helping neurodiverse suspects
A police officer has been awarded with a Chief Superintendent Commendation for her work to support neurodiverse people who find themselves in custody. Det Ch Insp Becky Davies received recognition alongside her colleagues from Devon and Cornwall Police at a ceremony in Torquay. The force said Det Ch Insp Davies introduced the use of distraction items for detainees and supported staff by offering learning events. She said she was inspired to help after she noticed a lot of vulnerable people going into custody - and because of her own ADHD and autism diagnoses. "I just noticed one of our mental health practitioners was using a using a stretch ball to help one of the detainees with their breathing, they were having a panic attack and it was really effective," she said. She added that made her question what could be brought into custody safely to help vulnerable people. "The challenges and difficulties and symptoms vary from person to person," Det Ch Insp Davies said. "Give them something to do and that then de-escalates the situation... which enables the detainee to actually engage with all the support services that are in custody. "I'm actually autistic and ADHD, late diagnosed. I think that's probably one of the things that kind of drove me to help people." Her guidance has been published within the College of Policing as an example of best practice. She said she was "really proud and happy that it's helping people not just in Devon and Cornwall but, you know, across the UK". Ch Supt Roy Linden said: "It was an absolute privilege to be able to formally recognise some of our staff who have excelled in delivering policing over the last 12 months." Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ More on this story Police launch pilot to support neurodiverse people Police trial new community hubs in north Devon Police and public awarded for bravery More on this story Devon and Cornwall Police
