Friday 17 October 2025
 Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin and Councillor Henry Gent
We’re calling on Government to safeguard the future of farming, following a motion led by Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, (a fifth-generation sheep farmer whose family continues to farm land in rural Torrington). Councillor Cottle-Hunkin is our cabinet member for Rural Affairs, and she described the essential role farming plays in Devon’s economy, environment, and food security, while warning of the growing pressures facing the sector in a meeting of all fellow Councillors.
We’re asking families and residents from all walks of life to consider adoption — not because they’re perfect, but because they’re ready to offer a child a safe, loving home. Next week is National Adoption Week and this year Adopt South West, which includes Devon as well as Cornwall, Plymouth, Torbay and Somerset, is challenging common misconceptions about who can adopt and is encouraging those who may have previously ruled themselves out to come forward.
Recycle Devon is joining forces with over 1,000 community groups, businesses and schools across the world to celebrate International Repair Day this Saturday 18 October. International Repair Day is an annual celebration for everyone who makes repair happen in their communities around the world, and Recycle Devon will be marking the occasion by hosting a community Repair Day at Barnstaple Library on 18th October from 10am to 1pm.
We recently arranged a celebration event for more than fifty Kinship Carers to acknowledge and give thanks for their vital role in helping keep children in Devon safe. Kinship care is a term used to describe arrangements where a family member takes on the caring responsibilities for a child, often due to birth parents being unable to do so.
We are pleased to announce the extension of our successful Prosper business support programme until March 2026, offering a vital lifeline to entrepreneurs and small businesses across East Devon, Mid Devon and Exeter. Delivered in partnership with East Devon District Council, Mid Devon District Council, Exeter City Council and the Growth Hub, Prosper provides fully funded, tailored support to help local businesses navigate rising costs, recruitment challenges and the fast pace of digital change.
Prosper and the Growth Hub are hosting a free workshop, on Monday 24 November, 9am to 1pm, to help small businesses in Devon, including Plymouth and Torbay, explore how AI can support everyday business tasks.
This practical session, at Exeter’s Future Skills Centre, is designed for SMEs, microbusinesses, sole traders, CICs, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Libraries Unlimited, the charity commissioned by Devon County Council to run the libraries in Devon, has launched a new leaflet and set of resources to help children, young people and families with neurodiverse conditions explore some of Devon’s more accessible outdoor spaces.The Outdoor Explorer Club features five trails across the county, each with a short story, an audio recording, and clear accessibility information. Braille copies of the leaflet are available by request, and printed copies can be collected from selected Devon and Torbay libraries.
Motorists across Devon are being reminded that cameras to enforce motoring restrictions at eight sites are starting to go live. During the first week of operation, the camera at Wonford Road, Exeter has detected over 1000 contraventions. Each driver will now receive a warning notice to alert them so they can avoid incurring future penalty notices.
Devon Libraries and Recycle Devon help save pennies and the planet with Halloween Costume Swaps. This October, families are invited to take part in Halloween costume swaps at libraries throughout the county.Customers are encouraged to donate outgrown or no longer needed costumes in good, wearable condition to be reused! Parents and carers can come along to swap or rehome a pre-loved outfit. Costumes are available to take home at no cost, with no requirement to donate.
There’s still time for Devon residents to help shape a new strategy aimed at reversing the decline in wildlife and restoring the county’s natural environment. The draft Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), sets out a bold and collaborative plan to protect and enhance nature across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay.
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