Friday 28 June 2024
 Get ready for a summer of funded exciting activities and enriching experiences!
With the summer holidays fast approaching, we’re pleased to announce that bookings are now open for our action-packed Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme!
Funded by the Government’s Department for Education, the scheme offers funded activities and healthy, nutritional hot meals during school holidays to children of low-income families.
This summer we’ve teamed up with over 100 different activity providers across Devon to offer more than 30,000 places to children aged five to 16 years old, who receive benefit-related free school meals. Young people can take part in a wide range of fun and educational activities for children of all ages to spark their creativity, encourage exploration, and help them develop new skills and make friends.
Places are limited, so don't miss out! We encourage parents and carers of children who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals to book their child's place as soon as possible.
Details of activities can be found on the interactive map on our website. If your child is eligible to access the programme, simply search for a provider in your area, have a look at their listing to see what they’re offering, then when you’re ready, book a place with them directly using your unique HAF code.
 Find out if you could be saving money on your childcare costs
The Government is gradually introducing changes to the way it funds childcare. Colleagues from our Early Years and Childcare service are running some free online information sessions in July to help parents understand what support they might be eligible for and how to access more early years funded childcare and other financial help.
 Don't miss out on free online support sessions
There's still time to book a place on the new series of the highly successful ‘Let’s Talk’ webinars in July, which this time is specifically for parents and carers of neurodiverse young people and those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The free, open access online programme covers topics including mental health and emotional wellbeing, anger and challenging behaviour, healthy relationships and online safety. The sessions provide a space for parents and carers to discuss the challenges facing young people today and understand the tools and techniques that they can use to support them.
 Removal of Active Streets trial measures
Temporary traffic filters will be removed from Hamlin Lane, Vaughan Road and Whipton Lane in the Heavitree and Whipton Active Streets trial area on Monday 1 July.
As agreed by the Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC), temporary traffic filters and planters in Ladysmith Road/Park Road and St Marks Avenue will be removed after the end of the school summer term.
 It’s not too late to get your spring COVID-19 vaccine
The NHS is urging all eligible people who haven’t yet had their top-up COVID-19 vaccination to come forward and get protected before Sunday 30 June 2024.
More details about who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccines and how to book a jab are available on the NHS website.
 Choose NHS services wisely during junior doctor strikes
Junior doctors in Devon are undertaking industrial action from 7am on Thursday 27 June until 7am on Tuesday 2 July 2024.
People are being encouraged to use services wisely during this time to help the NHS cope. Urgent and emergency care will be there for you, but please choose the right service for your needs.
 You've got mail!
The June edition of Devon’s SEND newsletter is out now!
This month there’s news about more Resource Bases being created; an invitation to take part in Devon Youth Council’s mental health survey; an update on how the changes to our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Statutory Team are going and links to sign up to some useful online support sessions.
If you missed it in your inbox, you can read it online using this link.
 Don’t lose your right to vote – remember your photo ID
There's less than a week to go until the general election. Please remember that if you plan to vote in person at a polling station on Thursday 4 July you will need to bring an accepted form of photo ID with you.
 Make a positive change this Alcohol Awareness Week
It isn’t always easy to open up about our alcohol use. But finding out more about alcohol harm and how it affects us, can help us take better control of our drinking and improve our health and wellbeing
Next week is Alcohol Awareness Week (Monday 1 to Sunday 7 July) and is a chance to get thinking about your drinking – better understand alcohol myths and make positive changes for your health.
 National Park project to restore ancient stones
Two key stones in the double stone row at Piles Hill, one of Dartmoor’s most enigmatic monuments, have been restored to their original upright position as part of the Our Upland Commons initiative being undertaken by Dartmoor National Park.
The project aims to better understand this fascinating part of Dartmoor including whether the stones, many of which were flat on the ground, were deliberately laid that way or had fallen over and become hidden by vegetation.
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