Teignbridge Leisure has launched a great summer holiday offer with a no contract, no joining fee, £60 for 60 days Jam Packed Membership deal.

The offer means you can use any and all of our three leisure centres - Broadmeadow Sports Centre, Dawlish Leisure Centre and Newton Abbot Leisure Centre plus our 18-hole Shaldon Approach Golf course for just a pound a day!

You can see what value for money this deal offers by going to our Teignbridge Leisure website to find out more about what you get for your money – it even includes a gym induction, an exercise programme and two review appointments.

Each of our leisure centres has a unique offer, from gym and swim to exercise classes and indoor sports. Whatever you are looking for, we have it and it’s all included in the Jam Packed Membership.

So whether it's to promote your mental health and general wellbeing, boost your energy levels, improve your fitness or help you train for an event, don’t delay taking advantage of this deal, as the offer ends at midnight on Sunday 14 August. 

If you've never been to one of our centres, just pop in to one for a free tour to find out first hand what they offer.  You can sign up in person, or via Teignbridge Leisure website or just download the Teignbridge Leisure App from the Google Play or App Store.

Waste and recycling collections 

We're still experiencing problems with staff shortages, vehicles are operating with fewer crew members than usual, and this, combined with additional waste out for collection, is causing many of our rounds to fall behind schedule.

We are doing everything we can to keep our waste and recycling service operational and we're really sorry for any inconvenience caused by the delays. We appreciate your support at a time that is exceptionally challenging for our crew members, support staff and management.

You can find further information about the situation on our website.

Please continue to place your waste and recycling out for collection as scheduled and it will be collected as soon as possible.

We have driver and loader vacancies listed on our website.  Please continue to signpost these opportunities to anyone you know who may be interested.

Considering a career in leisure?

Do you know anyone who might want a job where they'll meet new people and work as part of a team to help customers and ensuring the wellbeing of others in a safe, enjoyable and rewarding environment?  They might want to consider working in a leisure facility or health club as a lifeguard or pool emergency responder.

The new CIMSPA-endorsed Pool Lifeguarding qualification aligns lifeguard and First Aid at Work revalidations for the first time in the industry on a 3-year process.

Developed with the latest industry research, the qualification is designed to train learners in all aspects of pool rescue, CPR techniques, first aid, dealing with poolside emergencies, and all other skills needed for the role of a modern lifeguard.

Teignbridge Leisure is running its next pool lifeguard course from Monday 15 August, 4:30 – 9:30 pm.

The course will take place at Newton Abbot Leisure Centre and cost £245 - this includes all course materials. Full payment will be required at the time of booking.    The course comprises of physical training and theoretical classroom work, followed by a practical in-water and out of water assessment on pool rescue, first aid, CPR and lifesaving skills.

Teignbridge Leisure is offering training and qualification packages to give you the tools to work at one of its centres. Whatever your career ambitions are, we want to hear from you! 

For more information and bookings, please visit Teignbridge Leisure website

Join next week’s waggy walk!

Our countryside rangers have organised a waggy walk at Dawlish Countryside Park next Friday (12 August) from 1 – 3 pm.

Exercise your dog, meet up with others and learn a little about the park’s history and wildlife from the Ranger.

If you want to join in, meet at the Park’s main entrance noticeboard.

Dawlish seawall - Network Rail update

The uncharted gas main discovered during Network Rail’s ongoing construction of the new sea wall at Dawlish has now been capped off.

As a result, piling to install foundations for the bridge that will link the two sections of the new accessible promenade is now taking place.

The team is working in a very constricted space close to the gas main and a sewage pipe. This means access to King’s Walk promenade and the beach at Colonnade underpass remains closed until further notice to keep everyone safe.

Signage is in place to direct people via the stepped footbridge near Kennaway Tunnel at the end of Marine Parade, and advising that the beach, promenade, Coryton Cove and local businesses remain open.

Network Rail appreciates this may cause disappointment for residents and visitors and will make every effort to open the access during the work if it is safe to do so.

Updates will be posted on local signage and on the South West Rail Resilience Programme’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Please also note, Dawlish station car park will be closed to vehicles on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 August when the power supply for the lifts for the station’s new accessible footbridge is due to be installed.

Watch out for the scammers

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is warning people looking to take out loans to watch out for scammers. 

Loan fee fraud occurs when people pay an upfront or advance fee for a loan they never receive. It’s an increasingly common scam which is reported to the FCA with people losing £280 on average.

The good news is that you can protect yourself with this quick three-step check:

• If you’re asked to pay an upfront fee, it could be a scam.
• If you’re asked to pay quickly, it could be a scam.
• If you’re asked to pay in an unusual way, such as vouchers or money transfer, it could be a scam.

Always check that the provider is authorised by the FCA before you borrow by visiting the FCA’s Financial Services Register and there is more information on the FCA’s Loan Fee Fraud page 

Saying yes to Marriage Allowance could cut your tax bill

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are reminding married couples that they may be able to boost their income by signing up for Marriage Allowance.

Marriage Allowance allows married couples or people in civil partnerships, including those who have been together for many years, to share their personal tax allowances if one partner earns below the Personal Allowance threshold of £12,570, and the other is a basic rate taxpayer.

By transferring 10% of their tax-free allowance to their partner, eligible couples can reduce the tax they pay by up to £252 a year. They can apply any time and, if eligible, could backdate their claims for up to four previous tax years to receive a payment of up to £1,242.

There’s no cost in applying and HMRC says that even if couples don’t qualify for Marriage Allowance when they first get married, a change in circumstances years later could mean they become newly eligible.

NHS advice for visitors who need medical help

If you have friends to stay this summer, Devon’s NHS is reminding visitors that there are plenty of options available should they get injured or become poorly while on holiday, or if they leave their medication at home.

In lots of cases - eg sunburn, an insect bite, an upset stomach or earachea - a pharmacist can help with advice and over- the-counter remedies, while if the condition is more serious or a prescription has been forgotten, the best person to help is the person’s GP back home who can help with an appointment by telephone or online.

For urgent care NHS111 can help online or by phoning 111 and can refer patients to a Minor Injuries Unit, Urgent Treatment Centre or the Emergency Department for life threatening emergencies.

And if you're visiting or holidaying elsewhere in the UK, don't forget to follow the same guidance should you become unwell.

August newsletter

The latest Alice Cross Centre newsletter is now available.  The Centre is remaining open throughout August and is offering  meals again on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays (menu in the Newsletter) 

Meals continue to be delivered to the community on Monday, Thursdays and Fridays with every other Sunday. The centre requires certain criteria to be met for delivery and free meals but it is a simple process, and the centre can provide more information when asked.

Visitors guide  to Newton Abbot

Newton Abbot Town Council has produced a new town visitors’ guide, in partnership with the Mid Devon Advertiser and Tindle newspapers.

The glossy A5 guide has been distributed with all Tindle newspaper titles and is also available online.

Expansion of Help to Grow: Digital

The Government has extended the eligibility for the Help to Grow Digital scheme so more businesses are able to benefit. From discounts worth up to £5,000 on approved software.

Until now the scheme was only open to business with five employees but now businesses with one to 249 employees are eligible.

eCommerce software has also been added to the scheme.  Businesses can now access 30 different solutions from 14 leading suppliers of eCommerce, Digital Accounting and CRM software. Additionally, Help to Grow: Digital will support one-to-one advice for SMEs on how best they can adopt digital technology.