Friday 24 February 2023
 Oksana Torubara
A year in my life - Oksana's account of having to leave Ukraine
It's been a year since Russia launched its unprovoked attack on Ukraine, devastating communities, destroying lives and displacing more than eight million people across Europe.
Since then, under the Government's Homes for Ukraine Scheme, which we coordinate in Devon, almost 1,800 people from Ukraine have found sanctuary in the county, living with host families and sponsors.
One of those is 44-year-old Oksana Torubara.
"People I encounter here always ask if they can help and if I am OK," she says. "It is difficult to hold back tears because of all the people that show that they care, not just for me, but for the Ukrainian people."
Oksana's home, the beautiful seventh-century city of Chernihiv, in the north of the country - closer to the Russian boarder than Exeter is to Bristol - was one of the first to be targeted by the advancing columns of Russian tanks and soldiers.
Despite the onslaught, she didn't want to flee, hiding in her cellar with her family as missiles rained above. But as things steadily became worse, Oksana and her husband made the decision to leave.
Visit our website to read Oksana's moving account of how she was forced to flee her home, leaving most of her family now scattered across Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany; how she's found a new home in Devon; and how now she longs for her country's Victory Day.
 "These are the difficult decisions a council has to make," says Cabinet Member
Last week, our Councillors agreed a budget that will see significant increases in spending on services that support vulnerable children, young people and adults, in response to rising demand for those services.
It means that we'll be spending 18.5 per cent more on children's services, and 8.8 per cent more on adult social care services. Overall, we're budgeting to spend 10.5 per cent more on services than we did last year, plus more on infrastructure such as schools and roads.
But it comes at a price. The average Band D householder will see our proportion of their council tax bill increase by £1.49 a week.
The fact is though, the council tax rise, plus funding we receive from the Government, will not balance our budget book. Spending this much on priority services to meet growing demand means having to make savings in the region of £47.5 million from elsewhere in order to balance the books. We need to make the most of every pound we spend.
Most of those savings are earmarked to come from adult social care, and we've launched consultation this week, putting forward proposals on ways that we could make savings in some specific services. We're contacting the people who used those services, directly, to ask them what they think.
You can read more about the consultations in the news story on our website.
Sarah Carter is the Registered Manager of domiciliary care company, Care With Kindness.
Her business has been using the Devon Business and Education Centre (DBEC) in Honiton as a base, and somewhere to hold meetings and training days for her care workers.
DBEC is one of the work hubs in our Devon-wide network of coworking spaces.
Sarah describes it as a wonderful training space, and its helping her business grow and attract more care workers.
Chris Lorimer owns DBEC. He said:
"The way people work now, they need to have a range of options of where to work, and centres like ours are invaluable in providing a space with good broadband connectivity to allow people to do their work."
The centre is proving to be integral to the growth of a number of businesses, including Sarah's.
You can read the full story about Sarah's business and how the Devon Business and Education Centre has helped her business grow, on our website.
 Don't forget to reconfirm your code for 30 hours free childcare
Working families whose children receive the extended 30 hours childcare entitlement are reminded to reconfirm their eligibility for next term by Tuesday 28 February in order to receive their code in time.
You’ll need to sign into your childcare account to confirm your details are up to date.
All children in Devon aged three and four-years-old are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare per week, and depending on their family circumstances, some children may also be entitled to an additional 15 hours of free childcare, otherwise known as the '30 Hours Childcare' or 'Extended Entitlement'.
Your eligibility depends on if you are working, your income (and your partner’s income, if you have one), your child’s age and circumstances and your immigration status. You can find out more about the criteria and how to apply via the Government's website.
You can apply from when your child is two years and 36 weeks old, and your child can start getting their entitlement the term after they turn three-years-old.
We’re teaming up with Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce to host the New Ways to Recruit and Retain Staff in 2023 event.
With the region’s job market still facing a range of vacancies, this free event aims to help employers, organisations and charities to find out about alternative ways of recruiting and retaining staff.
The event, which will be held at Exeter Racecourse on Monday 24 April from 8:30am to 1pm, will focus on supporting employers to consider filling vacancies using a wider talent pool of people, how to support those already in employment, to better understand workplace culture and to review how traditional recruitment methods can be adjusted to attract a different audience.
Speakers on the day include Mike Adams OBE, Founder of Purple Tuesday, who will discuss what organisations must do to be disability inclusive, as well as Helen Hart, from Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce’s Local Skills improvement Plan Project Executive, and Ruth Gripper, Research Impact Manager at the University of Exeter.
There will also be discussion groups on a number of different topics.
You can read more about the event in the news story on our website.
 Royal Voluntary Service launches Coronation Champions Awards
The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) launched the Coronation Champions Awards for volunteers this week, in honour of Their Majesties' service to the country.
The awards will celebrate extraordinary volunteers across the country who have been contributing to their communities.
Her Majesty, The Queen Consort, made the announcement. She said:
"I am delighted to be launching the Coronation Champions Awards with the Royal Voluntary Service, to shine a light on the herculean efforts of our nation's volunteers.
"Up and down the country, millions of unsung heroes are contributing to their local communities, giving generously of their time and their talents to enhance the lives of others.
"If you know a volunteer who is making a difference, please be sure to share their story. We would love to hear about them!"
The RVS is calling for people to nominate volunteers over the age of 14-years-old who may have overcome adversity or discovered creative ways to support their local communities within the last five years in one of the following categories:
- supporting older people
- supporting young people and children
- crisis and welfare
- community
- sports, culture and heritage
- health and care
- sustainability and the environment
- animal welfare
Nominations close at at 11:59pm on Sunday 2 April 2023.
Find out what makes a good nomination, and read more the RVS awards on their website.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported a sharp increase in confirmed cases of norovirus.
Reports of the virus in England are 66 per cent higher than the average at this time of year. The biggest increase in laboratory-confirmed norovirus is in those aged 65 years and over. While high numbers of cases in this age group is expected at this time of year, these levels haven’t been seen in over a decade.
Norovirus is highly infectious and is easily spread through contact with someone with the infection or with contaminated surfaces.
Good hand hygiene is important to stop norovirus spreading. To avoid catching norovirus or passing it on to others wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water. This is most important following an episode of illness, after using the toilet, before eating or preparing food as well as cleaning up vomit or diarrhoea. Alcohol-based hand sanitisers are not effective against norovirus, so proper hand washing is important.
Most people will make a full recovery within two to three days, but it is important to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration, especially for the very young, elderly or those with weakened immune systems who are more at risk.
The NHS website has information on symptoms, how to help people feel better at home, and when to seek medical attention.
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