Friday 3 March 2023
 If you noticed harassment, would you know what to do?
Ever heard a joke or comment and thought ‘that’s not okay!’? Or been out and seen something uncomfortable happening but weren't sure what to do?
Recent Government figures show that an alarming 71 per cent of women in the UK have experienced some form of sexual harassment in a public space.
As a witness or bystander to that sort of situation, we might wonder what to do.
When we see or hear harassment and do nothing, we empower the harasser. The same goes for jokes, unwanted comments and ‘banter’ that degrade women and girls. When we let this behaviour pass, we create a culture in which others feel able to take it further.
But a few calm words can make the difference, and when we intervene skilfully, we encourage others to do so too, sparking a positive change.
As part of the Safer Exeter Partnership we are working with Exeter City Council and Devon and Cornwall Police to encourage people to intervene safely if they see inappropriate behaviour towards women and girls taking place in a public space.
Free bystander intervention training is being offered to give people the skills and confidence to safely step up and step in. The training is participatory and practical, drawing on the most up-to-date evidence and is delivered by expert trainers. And it's completely free!
Together we can stop harassment, assault and violence against women and girls in our city - step up, sign up, and get the skills to make a change.
Communities in Devon are being invited to apply for funding to help them be better prepared for emergencies or unexpected events.
We are working with independent charity Devon Communities Together and the Environment Agency to provide the funding opportunities.
There are two schemes available. The first is for up to £250 for communities that wish to form a Community Emergency Planning group and develop their own Community Emergency Plan.
A wide range of small resilience measures can make a real difference to communities, so the second scheme is for up to £1,500 for communities to improve their own resilience with equipment and small scale works.
You can find out more, including how to apply, by reading the full story on the news page of our website.
 Praise for the amazing people of Bradninch for welcoming Ukrainian teacher into their community
Last week, to mark the first year anniversary since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we featured the experience of a woman who was forced to flee her home in Ukraine, and who now lives in Devon. This week, we hear from a Ukrainian teacher, Oksana Holubenko.
Thirty eight-year-old Oksana fled Western Ukraine in order to protect her two children in the wake of the Russian invasion. Under the UK Government's Home for Ukraine scheme, Oksana and children arrived in Devon last June.
"We were all desperate, frightened and hopeless during those first weeks after the war started," explains Oksana. "I will never forget the 24th of February morning, when the first bombs fell over Kyiv. Nobody will ever forget it."
Leaving her husband, parents, brother, as well as her home and country, was a difficult decision.
"They are very happy that my children and I are in a safe place," she said. "They, like other people who remain, suffer from regular power cuts and sirens. But they say they've lived enough and are not going to leave the country."
Oksana and children have started their own lives, living with their host family. She praises the amazing people of Bradninch for welcoming them into their community.
 Tavistock Enterprise Hub plays crucial role for growing business
REDS Group is a relatively young south-west based company that has experienced exceptional growth in its first five years – but it has remained true to its roots. Those roots stem partly from the Tavistock Enterprise Hub, part the Devon Work Hubs network, which was one of two hot desk locations used by the business when it was founded in 2017 with just four engineers.
Today, REDS Group has expanded to a point where it now has five of its own offices nationwide, including its head office near Uffculme, and around 50 staff to offer a range of engineering and environmental services. This includes the maintenance, inspection and management of fuel and hazardous material storage facilities, emergency incident spill response, environmental risk assessments, as well as storage tank decommissioning, land remediation and civil construction work.
Read the full story on the news page of our website to find out why, despite branching out across the country, the Tavistock Enterprise Hub still plays an important role for Shane Stanley, Associate Director for Major Projects at REDS Group.
 Volunteers planting thousands more trees through Emergency Tree Fund
More than 9,000 trees are being planted on our County Farms this winter as part of the ongoing Emergency Tree Fund planting.
One of the biggest planting sites is at Bulleigh Elms Farm, near Newton Abbot, where volunteers are currently helping to plant 3,250 trees, co-ordinated by local not-for-profit social enterprise ParkLife South West.
They are among a total of 16,500 native broadleaved trees being planted in Devon this winter through the Emergency Tree Fund granted by The Woodland Trust. The initiative is enabling private landowners and local councils to plant trees in response to the Climate Emergency and help achieve carbon net zero targets.
To find out more about the Emergency Tree Fund please visit our dedicated webpages.
You may have heard of changes that the Government has made that will require people to have photographic identification (photo ID) in order for them to vote in person in elections.
We've published a simple guide to explain:
- what the new photo ID rules are and for which elections they apply to
- what forms of photo ID you can use in order to vote
- how to apply online for a free photo ID, known as a Voter Authority Certificate
- what to do if you don't have internet access
If you missed it, you can read the guide on our website.
 Road improvement works near Exeter Airport will boost East Devon’s economy
A multi-million pound road enhancement of Long Lane near Exeter Airport has been completed and is expected to help boost East Devon’s economy, through provision of new jobs and opportunities for clean and inclusive growth.
The scheme, which has been under construction for the past two years, will unlock development of the new 19 acre Power Park site, part of the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone, and is expected to create around 1,000 jobs.
The scheme includes a new bus loop and improved provision for pedestrian and cyclists, substantially improving access to Exeter College’s Future Skills Centre and Exeter Aerospace maintenance hangars. It also upgrades the access to Exeter Airport, a major gateway to the region, and will help to enable the construction of the forthcoming France-Aldernay-Britain interconnector project.
Read the full story on the news page of our website.
It's No Smoking Day next week
It’s never too late to quit and feel the benefits of better health – that’s our message to smokers ahead of #NoSmokingDay on Wednesday 8 March. From reducing the risk of at least 16 cancers, stroke, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and dementia, a smoker's health improves from the moment of quitting.
The benefits of stopping smoking are not only on the health and wellbeing of the smoker but also other family members living in the household. It also reduces demand on health and social care services down the line.
And according to the charity, Action on Smoking and Health, 30 per cent of households containing smokers in the south-west are living in poverty. Giving up smoking will save you money as well as improving your health.
If you need some help to kick the habit, contact our local stop smoking service through the website, by calling 01392 908139 or texting the word QUIT to 60777.
 Switching to Fairtrade supports food producers
It's Fairtrade Fortnight, and we're celebrating the massive difference the people of Devon have made to the lives of millions of farmers and producers across the world by choosing Fairtrade goods where they can.
Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working wages and conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers, enabling the poorest and weakest producers to improve their position, and have more control over their lives.
This year, Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs until Sunday 12 March, is highlighting the urgent threat to the future of the foods we love and the livelihoods of the people who grow them, as they face the worst effects of the climate crisis.
The current financial crisis is also taking a heavy toll on many people who are struggling to make ends meet, particularly so for smallholder farmers and workers, with the costs of fuel, fertiliser and food all increasing beyond what is affordable.
Visit our website to find out more about events being held across Devon to mark Fairtrade Fortnight.
 Devon Youth Orchestras Spring Concert
The sound of some of Devon’s most accomplished young orchestral musicians will fill Exeter Cathedral later this month as the two Devon Youth Orchestras return for their Spring Concert on Friday 17 March.
The event, which was postponed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, includes music from film scores and orchestral classics performed by both the Concert Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra. The newly formed Devon Youth Choir will also perform.
Please visit the Exeter Cathedral website to purchase tickets.
|
