Friday 17 January 2025
With help and support from Learn Devon, our Adult Learning Service, Ukrainian refugee, Olga has rebuilt her life in North Devon. When she arrived in the UK in July 2022, she had very little English but with the help of her UK sponsor, Fiona, she soon learned the basics. Once Olga’s English had reached a certain level, she enrolled on one of Learn Devon’s English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses.
Since then, she has achieved qualifications in Entry 2 in Writing and Entry 3 in Reading. With the ongoing support of her Learn Devon ESOL tutor, Belinda, Olga is hoping to gain her Entry 3 Speaking and Listening qualification in 2025.
Olga is now focussed on what she wants to do with her life and knows that English is the key to unlocking the future. A professional photographer by trade, Olga was keen to continue her work in the UK. With help from the local Job Centre and Learn Devon, she has gone from strength to strength, and now attends Award in Enterprise, one of Learn Devon’s Skills and Development courses which aims to develop basic business skills.
When asked how Learn Devon has helped her, Olga said:
“It has helped me grow, to learn the English language and the language of art. I find new people, I feel safe and believe in myself more than I did before. My opportunities are better."
Visit the Learn Devon website to read more of Olga's story. You can also see all the courses and enrol now, or arrange a call with the team.
 Can you help us plant lots of trees?
We're working with Torridge District Council and Parklife South West CIC to create new community woodland in Bideford.
Torridge District Council is looking for volunteers to help plant 1,000 trees on the Woodland at Gatefield amenity grassland on Londonderry Estate, Bideford.
The planting events are tomorrow (Saturday 18 January) and Wednesday 22 January, between 10am and 3pm.
The community woodland is fully funded through our Local Authority Treescapes project. It will help extend local wildlife corridors and boost efforts to deliver nature recovery and tackle climate change.
The final design for the large open area includes space for dog walking and other recreational activities.
The events are open to everyone, but any children must be accompanied by an adult. No prior experience is necessary, and tools will be provided.
To find out further information and book your place, please contact Torridge District Council’s ranger team on 01237 479708 or email northam.burrows@torridge.gov.uk.
is a leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. It supports kinship carers - family members or friends who step in, often during an unexpected crisis, to care for a child when their parents are unable to. They support all kinship carers, including informal kinship carers, special guardians, kinship foster carers, kinship carers with a child arrangement order or other types of order.
The charity has arranged a free next week, Thursday 23 January, and is inviting kinship carers to go along. It'll be at Plymouth Crowne Plaza, Armada Way, Plymouth, PL1 2HJ; from 9:30am to 2:30pm.
There'll be the opportunity to meet other kinship carers and share experiences and visit marketplace stalls where local community organisations share resources and guidance to support carers with their caring roles. There will also be a number of practical workshops that attendees can join. Free lunch and refreshments will also be provided on the day.
Places are free but are on a first come first served basis. The event is for kinship carers solely - the charity says unfortunately they are unable to have children attend.
If you’re a kinship carer, please sign-up on their website.
 Some of the voluntary, community and social enterprise groups funded by Devon Community Foundation in 2024
We've been working with Devon Community Foundation to try and better understand the strengths and challenges of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Devon.
This has involved looking at published data and generating new insights though surveys and qualitative research.
 Cold days, warm libraries
Have you spotted the coat rails at your local library?
They're part of our libraries' Cold Days, Warm Libraries campaign to provide safe, warm and friendly spaces for everyone.
Whether it's to enjoy a hot drink, a good read, or a community activity even for just an hour or two, consider using our warm and welcome libraries to reduce your energy consumption this winter.
Some of our libraries are welcoming donations of clean, warm coats, clothing, and accessories for their coat rails.
Anyone can also take an item of clothing for free, no questions asked. Simply pop in, find a coat that fits and take it home.
Or, why not shelter from the cold a little longer in one of the cosy corners with a good book?
Find out more about what’s on at your local library this season by visiting the Libraries Unlimited website.
 Don't forget, it's Super Saturday tomorrow!
It's the second 'Super Saturday' in January tomorrow (Saturday 18 January) so a single bus journey will cost just £1 on all bus services in Devon and Torbay!
There's no limit on how long the journey is, you just have to board at any stop in Devon or Torbay, so journeys like the 45 miles from Exeter to Bideford on service 5B really do cost just £1!
Use our Interactive Bus Map to find out where buses go and the times they run.
The offer, which is open to everyone, is designed to encourage more people to use the bus for leisure to explore their local area, visit family and friends and enjoy the stunning coast and countryside across Devon.
The routes included in this offer cover a wide area across Devon and detailed information about the specific routes and timetables can be found on the Travel Devon website (please note that journeys which commence outside of Devon and Torbay, including those in Plymouth, are excluded).
Visit the Travel Devon website for more information.
It's over half way through January already! Well done for getting this far!
If you've been taking a break from the booze, hopefully by now you'll have noticed that you've saved a few quid, lost a few pounds, and feel more energised and refreshed!
It's not too late to join Dry January. Visit the Alcohol ChangeUK website to join the thousands who are taking part by signing up for Alcohol Change UK’s free tools and tips.
Better still, double your chances of having a totally alcohol-free month with the free Try Dry® app. You can also sign up for free daily motivational emails to supercharge your month!
Lots of respiratory infections like flu spread easily during winter. If you're unwell, there are actions you can take to reduce the risk of spreading infections to others.
These letting fresh air in if you're meeting others indoors; practising good hygiene such as washing your hands, covering coughs and sneezes and cleaning your surroundings frequently.
It's also important to take up the offer of the NHS COVID-19 and flu vaccination if you're eligible. While the national vaccination booking system has now closed, those eligible can still get protected from flu, COVID-19 or Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) by visiting a COVID-19 walk-in vaccination site, or finding a pharmacy offering the flu vaccine.
If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19, and you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, you are advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people. If you need to go out, please consider wearing a mask as this can help reduce the chance of you spreading infection to others, especially in crowded and enclosed spaces.
Devon Carers provides free support to over 20,000 unpaid carers in Devon, helping them to maintain their own health, wellbeing and independence.
They're looking for volunteers to help do this. You don't have to dedicate a lot of time to volunteering, it can be just a few hours, either on the phone or in person. Or you can just share their social media posts!
Volunteering can help you:
- boost your CV
- learn new skills
- meet interesting people
- make a real difference
Current volunteering roles include:
- phone support
- group supporter
- carer ambassador
- 'Time for You' sitter
- micro-volunteer - simply like and share their social media posts!
Pick a role which suits you, full training given and there's no commitment. For more information visit the Devon Carers website or email volunteering@devoncarers.org.uk for an informal chat.
 And finally...
If you enjoy our Connect Me news round-up, please forward this one to your family and friends and encourage them to sign up.
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