By leaving them in the box, you will ensure the number of accidents is minimised and the NHS doesn’t need to spend time dealing with unnecessary injuries at a time of substantial additional pressure on our hospitals.

Even the traditional Remembrance Day events are being cancelled or held differently. Our former chair and Armed Forces Covenant Champion Cllr Richard Keeling is encouraging people to mark the event by following virtual events or observing a minute’s silence on your doorstep.

Teignbridge is still in Tier 3, but numbers in Plymouth and Torbay are increasing significantly making it even more important that we do not ignore the government advice.

Please do the right thing for yourself, for your loved ones, and for Devon: keep space, cover your face and wash your hands.

Funding ensures support for people struggling to make ends meet

The Marcus Rashford campaign to ensure children did not go hungry over half term is also a chance to highlight the support that our Covid Hardship Fund can provide to local people struggling to make ends meet.

Set up at the start of the pandemic, the fund assesses people’s needs and so far has helped to cover transport costs for children to get to school, paid gas, electric and water bills and provided groceries.

More than 25 households have been in touch with us to see if the fund can be used to prevent them becoming homeless.

The fund can help people whose income has been reduced by the impact of Covid to levels which do not cover their basic costs such as being made recently unemployed or furloughed, whose business can’t trade or who are self-employed and not covered by government support schemes, and who can demonstrate they have less than £500.

Not too late to protect yourself

The focus on this year’s campaign to vaccinate people against seasonal flu has been to make sure that groups most at risk are the first to get their jabs.

Pregnant women, parents of 2-3 year-olds and people with long term health conditions have been prioritised for protection against flu.

Anyone in these high risk categories can get in touch with their GP practice, local pharmacy (or if pregnant their midwifery service) and arrange to be vaccinated.  The evidence shows that it will make a difference to their wellbeing.

The next priority group will be the over 65s followed by those aged 50 to 64 who have a health condition that puts them more at risk from seasonal flu, before rolling out to the wider population as the supply allows.

Successful bid aims to stop vulnerable young people being criminalised

A bid to fund ground-breaking work to prevent vulnerable adolescents becoming involved in criminal activity has been given almost £1million from the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Led by the South Devon and Dartmoor Community Safety Partnership, Turning Corners is a partnership approach to reduce the risk of young people in Devon becoming involved in violence, antisocial behaviour and crime through early intervention and prevention.

Councillor Martin Wrigley, Executive Lead for Community Support said: “We’re tremendously proud and pleased that this pioneering project has been funded for a further four years.

“The impact of this project is potentially huge; reducing the demand on hard pressed resources as well as the impact on the criminal justice system, and giving young people better life chances and prospects for their future"

Plea to local MPs to back bill

Executive member for climate change Cllr Jackie Hook has written to our MPs seeking their support for the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.

This follows the Full Council’s September meeting where councillors voted unanimously to declare an Ecological Emergency alongside its Climate Emergency Declaration and committed to accelerate the pace of work we are doing to address biodiversity and habitat loss.

In her letter, Cllr Hook emphasises that the council cannot do this alone and without the Government’s commitment to pass legislation necessary to achieve change across our landscape in particular our agricultural landscape.

“At Teignbridge District Council we have demonstrated our commitment to address the Climate and Ecological emergencies and we would ask you to show your commitment also, alongside registering your support for the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.” she concludes.

Dr Virginia Pearson, Director of Public Health Devon said: “The Fire and Rescue advice is against having bonfires and fireworks at home, because they can result in injuries, and closely supervise children with sparklers.   However you celebrate the occasion, please remember the COVID-19 rules around the size of the group and social distancing.

“If you’re attending an organised display, please only do so if you do not have any of the symptoms of coronavirus – the high temperature, the new and continuous cough, or the loss or change in your usual sense of taste or smell.

“Be careful about how you travel to the event, and try to stay in the open air as much as possible, while being careful to socially distance and not meet in groups larger than six people.

“While we are living with coronavirus, we need it to become second nature that we remain on our guard all the time, and that’s especially true in crowded places or events.”

If you have already bought fireworks and despite the public health advice intend to use them, then please follow these basic safety tips so as to minimise risk of injury or the spread of the virus..

Remembering those who gave their lives

In a call to remember those who gave their lives in service, despite the Covid-19 restrictions preventing many Remembrance events taking place this year, Armed Forces Covenant Champion Cllr Richard Keeling is asking people to observe the Two Minute Silence in their homes or on their doorsteps.

And he highlighted the live joint streaming of the traditional Exeter and County Remembrance Sunday Services, from 11am on Sunday 8 November on the Facebook pages of Exeter Cathedral, Exeter City Council and Devon County Council.