Amid warnings that new cases of flu could peak over the busy Christmas period, the parents of a nine-year-old boy from Devon who died from the illness in January last year, are calling on parents to vaccinate their children.
The request follows the release of data from Public Health England (PHE), showing that GP consultations across the country for Influenza-like illness have risen...
Thousands of meals have been donated to food banks and groups feeding people, thanks to the generosity of Tesco’s Plymouth shoppers, figures released today reveal.
Plymouth shoppers donated 14,062 meals as part of the overall total of 2.5 million meals donated to charities the Trussell Trust and FareShare by shoppers during last month’s Tesco Food Collection, with Tesco topping up...
The festive season kicked off on Stir Up Sunday on a Saturday this year for local charity Families for Children. Over 30 adopted children were invited to ‘stir up’ some Christmas puddings with charity Patrons, Michael Caines MBE and Judi Spiers.
Stir Up Sunday is traditionally the day for everyone in the family to take a turn at stirring the Christmas pudding, whilst making a wish....
Patients of Plym Children’s Theatres at Derriford Hospital were treated to a special visit from Santa after a large donation of LEGO was received.
Fairy Bricks has one very simple objective: to give LEGO to children in hospital. After an appeal from Healthcare Assistant Jo White, the theatres received over £3000 worth of LEGO to give children in order to make their visit a bit easier...
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is urging people only to call 999 this Christmas if someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.
Demand for the ambulance service is likely to peak over the next two weeks when staff are expecting to respond to more than 3,000 calls a day.
Paramedics and Control Room staff warn that unnecessary...
Animals at Paignton Zoo will be getting their own festive dinners this Christmas – but you may not find them quite as appetising as your own…
So what’s on the menu? Well, the big cats could get a whole turkey, complete with feathers and entrails. Curator of Mammals Lisa Britton said: “It’s all good roughage, the bones, everything. It’s the sort of carcass they’d be eating in the wild...
Plymouth chamber choir Phoenix Chorale are performing their festive concert ‘Christmas is here!’ in St Peter’s Parish Church, Wyndham Square on Saturday 14th December at 7.30pm. This will be the first concert with their new musical director Simon Badge, who is also currently serving with the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Plymouth based at HMS Raleigh in Torpoint.
The programme will be a selection of beautiful Yuletide songs, including works by Britten and Vaughan Williams and will also premiere a specially commissioned piece written by local composer Paul Saggers. The choir...
They say you shouldn’t play with your food – but at Living Coasts this Christmas, that’s exactly what kids are being encouraged to do. The coastal zoo’s Breakfast with Santa event features food, presents – and penguins.
Living Coasts spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “Children get a pancake to decorate. They can choose from things like banana, strawberries, chocolate drops, cream and...
Our annual Christmas selling exhibition of handmade contemporary crafts by the finest designer-makers across the UK. Such variety of materials and price range mean the Guild is ideal for Christmas shopping when seeking thoughtful gifts for someone special. Events include Felt Slipper Making on 23 November (£55) and a Christmas Celebration Day (free) on 7 December.
Residents at a care home in Plymouth say that regular visits from pupils of nearby St Budeaux Foundation School are ‘a breath of fresh air.’
The Year 4 pupils come to see their older friends at Freshfields care home as part of the Archie Project, a scheme that links local schools with people with dementia.
Freshfields’ activities co-ordinator Paul Hutt said: “This is the...
