Community news round-up with photos from across East Devon and Exeter – including Cranbrook, Exmouth, Sidmouth, Seaton, Axminster, Budleigh Salterton, Topsham.
Cranbrook
Cranbrook Education Campus pupils celebrated World Book Day.
Photo: with permission.
A colourful celebration of reading was held at Cranbrook Education Campus when pupils marked World Book Day.
Students and staff brought their favourite books to life through a host of different costumes and imaginative outfits.
Pupils wore a variety of costumes and outfits in celebration of their favourite books and characters.
Photo: with permission.
Stephen Farmer, Cranbrook Education Campus head, said: “As always, World Book Day was a fantastic day at Cranbrook. It was brilliant to see pupils and staff dressing up, sharing stories, and enjoying reading together.”
Campus students in their book-inspired costumes.
Photo: with permission.
Exmouth
Water safety lessons for kids in East Devon and Exeter have been given an extra boost, after teaming up with the RNLI.
The Sideshore Project, based in Exmouth, each year teaches hundreds of primary school youngsters about water and sea safety.
Now the organisation has announced the RNLI is supporting the project through safety talks to the youngsters on how to stay safe in the sea.
The Sideshore Project has teamed up with Exmouth RNLI for kids’ sea safety advice.
Photo: Fran McElhone.
Bernie Rhodes, The Sideshore Project co-founder, said: “We are incredibly excited to welcome the RNLI into The Sideshore Project this year. Their expertise and trusted voice in water safety will not only enhance what we deliver to children but will also help raise the profile of the project as a whole. This feels like a major step forward and a real boost for the long-term success of the programme.”
The Sideshore Project, based in Exmouth, each year teaches hundreds of primary school youngsters about water and sea safety.
Photo: Fran McElhone.
The RNLI said its Exmouth volunteers were keen to support the project in a boost to water safety education, adding: “Sideshore can hugely impact the opportunity young people have to receive vital water safety messages.”
Seaton
Keen runner James Ashforth from Seaton is gearing up to tackle the London Landmarks Half Marathon dressed as a robin in a bid to smash a Guinness World Record and raise awareness of baby loss.
James will run the half marathon in April, raising funds and awareness of charity Tommy’s while hoping to scoop the Guinness World Record for the fastest half marathon dressed as a robin.
Runner James Ashforth from Seaton is gearing up to tackle the London Landmarks Half Marathon dressed as a robin in a bid to smash a Guinness World Record. Photo: with permission.
A spokeswoman for the runner said: “James is returning to the London Landmarks Half Marathon as Rusty the Robin, determined to smash the Guinness World Record for the fastest half marathon dressed as a robin.
“This feat is part of an even larger mission: James is currently running 39 marathons over 39 consecutive weeks across the UK. He is running in memory of Luca and Leila, following the three baby losses he and his wife have experienced, and is fundraising for Tommy’s to support others facing similar heartbreak.”
The half marathon route will take runners past Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square, Saint Paul’s Cathedral, The London Eye, The Tower of London, The Shard, The Gherkin.
East Devon
A sofa blaze at a home in an East Devon village resulted in fire and smoke damage to the living room.
Exeter firefighters were called to a property in Broadclyst on Saturday morning (March 7) where they wore breathing apparatus while tackling the blaze.
The fire service said the room with the sofa suffered total smoke damage.
Axminster
Community shed members in Axminster presented a care home in the town with a handmade sign to display in its reception.
Silverleigh Care Home resident Len Cross is a regular visitor at the Axminster Community Shed, visiting twice a week to share his skills and work on projects with the rest of the group.
In a nod to Len, the shed members handcrafted a sign with the residential home’s logo, which now has pride of place in its reception area.
Pictured here beside the new handcrafted sign in reception is resident and Axminster Community Shed member Len Cross, right, with Trevor Bartlett from the care home’s maintenance team Photo: with permission.
Yanti Beament, care home manager, said: “Axminster is a town with a wonderful sense of community, where people regularly come together to support one another.”
A spokesperson for the care home said: “Len greatly enjoys his time at the shed, working alongside other members of the community building, mending and fixing items. The sessions provide a valuable opportunity for him to stay active, share skills and remain connected with the wider community in Axminster.
“In a thoughtful gesture, members of the shed team offered to create a bespoke Silverleigh Care Home sign featuring the home’s logo for the reception area.
“The beautifully crafted sign now takes pride of place on the reception wall, where it has already attracted many compliments from visitors.”
Topsham
The travel agent team completed a cycle challenge in aid of Prostate Cancer UK.
Photo: with permission.
Travel agents in Topsham, near Exeter, raised almost £700 for Prostate Cancer UK by cycling the equivalent distance from their town base to the company’s Sunderland headquarters.
The Hays Travel team of five set up an exercise bike at work to cycle more than 70 miles a day to complete the 362 miles.
Claire Raddon, branch manager, said: “We had to each do about 15 miles a day but some days it was more to cover staff days off. We hit our target by Friday afternoon, so we just carried on throughout Saturday and hit 400 miles.
“We chose Prostate Cancer UK as a number of our relatives sadly have had the disease so it means a lot to us. We had such a good response from the community – they all loved it.”
Exmouth
Exmouth Town Council has announced its budget for the next financial year. The authority agreed to raise its portion of the council tax by an extra £28.25 a year for a Band D property.
Councillors approved the authority’s 2026/27 budget of £1,488,498, calculating £1,337,783 in council tax charges.
For a Band D household, the annual town charge will be £96.30, compared with £68.05 this year – an increase of £28.25 per year – around £2.35 per month.
The authority said the charge ‘includes essential investments’ in maintenance of public spaces and town assets, community buildings, such as Gorfin Hall and the town hall, Exmouth Festival, plus council staffing and administration ‘to manage expanded responsibilities’, and reserves ‘to support long-term resilience’.
Councillor Alex Sadiq, chair of the council’s finance committee, said: “We understand that any increase in household costs can be difficult.
“This decision has been made carefully and with Exmouth’s long-term stability in mind.
“For band D households, the increase is around 54p per week. That modest amount allows us to protect local services, look after important community assets, and prepare responsibly for the changes coming to local government in Devon.”
East Devon
Firefighters from across the county earlier this month tackled an early morning wildfire on Woodbury Common, in East Devon.
Fire crews from Exmouth, Honiton, Ottery St Mary, Sidmouth, Torquay, Bovey Tracey, and Exeter-based Danes Castle and Middlemoor used water, foam and beaters to extinguish the gorse fire, which spread across more than two acres.
The fire service said the cause of the blaze was thought to be accidental.
Budleigh Salterton
Residents with their advice for new mums.
Photos: with permission.
Care home residents in Budleigh Salterton gearing up for Mother’s Day were challenged to share one piece of advice to new mums.
The Firs care home residents thought back to when they were bringing up children to offer ‘simple, heartfelt life experience’.
The residents thought about their time raising their families to come up with advice for new mums.
Photo: with permission.
A spokesperson for the care home said: “Our residents have raised families through many different times, but the advice they give still rings true today. It was wonderful hearing their reflections and memories.
“Mother’s Day is a lovely moment to celebrate those experiences and share them with the wider community.”
Care home residents gearing up for Mother’s Day with words of wisdom for new mums.
Photos: with permission.
East Devon
A retired East Devon primary school teacher has fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a published author, with two of her books hitting Amazon bestseller rankings.
Jennifer Akay, aged 80, who taught at Branscombe Primary School, is celebrating as her Cold War thriller The Accidental Spy, and non-fiction Fruits of Victory: An Autobiography of a Childhood in Barnsley 1945–62 both climb up the book charts.
Pictured here, L to R: is Jennifer Akay, the cover of her autobiography, son Ed Akay, who helped his mum achieve her publishing dream. Photos: with permission/Jason Reading Photography
Jennifer, who writes under the name KJ Akay, had help from her son Ed, in book cover design and publicity.
She said: “As a teacher I loved helping young people discover reading and writing. Creative writing has always been my passion, and it has been a lifelong ambition to see my own work published.”
Axminster
A tractor on fire at a farmyard in Axminster was completely destroyed by the blaze.
Firefighters from Axminster, Colyton and Bridport, in Dorset, shortly before 9pm on March 3 were called to a farmyard where they found the vehicle well-alight.
The fire service said the cause of the blaze was accidental.
Crews wore breathing apparatus and used hoses to tackle the fire.
An Axminster fire station spokesperson said: “Firefighters quickly got to work, deploying two hose reel jets and committing two breathing apparatus wearers. This enabled crews to approach safely and bring the fire under control before fully extinguishing it.
“The water carrier from Bridport was stood down while enroute, as additional water supplies were not required.
“Colyton provided water support before being made available for further calls.
“Crews used a thermal imaging camera to check for any remaining hotspots; none were identified.”
East Devon
East Devon entrepreneurs are invited along to a free start-up event in Honiton on Tuesday, March 17, hosted by the district council.
East Devon District Council (EDDC) is launching StartSmart, for those setting up a new business, or who have launched one in the last three years.
Grants, training, skills, mentorship and workshops are among the free support available.
See here for more details and to book a place.
Sidmouth
Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat’s first callout of 2026 was to a paddleboarder spotted in difficulty near rocks off the beach.
As the lifeboat geared up to launch to rock groynes at Sidmouth beach, the paddleboarder reached safety.
A spokeswoman for the town’s lifeboat said: “We’re pleased the situation was resolved without further incident.
“This serves as a reminder to always check conditions, wear appropriate safety equipment, and carry a means of calling for help when heading out on the water.”
‘Incredibly proud’ family pays tribute to East Devon organ donor mum, 79, after her ‘tragic and untimely death’ following a fatal crash in Colyford
