West Country Hawks Wheelchair Rugby Club have received a boost after a successful taster session at Plymouth Life Cente See Page 13
Plymouth has announced its intention to bid for City of Culture 2029 with £10 million of funding awarded to the winning city See Page 12
Plymouth Chronicle is partnering with Argyle Life – the popular fans site –to bring exclusive content to our readers See Page 23
Looking for a tradesman? Turn to our Dial The Experts guide on pages 20 and 21
Students and teachers from Plympton Academy recently visited the Houses of Parliament as part of the 'Learn with the Lords' initiative and took part in a Question and Answer Session with South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith SEE MORE ON PAGE 2
Students and teachers from Plympton Academy travelled to London for a special visit to Parliament as part of their ‘Learn with the Lords’ day.
During the visit Rebecca Smith MP for South West Devon met with the school for a question and answer session.
Reflecting on the visit, Rebecca Smith MP said:
"Whenever schools from South West Devon visit Parliament, I make every effort to meet with the students and staff. I was delighted to spend time with Year 12 students and teachers from
Plympton Academy after their tour.
“Students studying sociology, criminology, history and English media asked thoughtful and insightful questions on a wide range of issues. We also took a quick picture in Westminster Hall before the students had to dash off to meet members of the House of Lords.
"It was also a great opportunity to plug my summer school which will provide young people across my constituency an opportunity to engage with politics."
During their 'Learn with the Lords' day, the Year 12 students also enjoyed a guided tour of the Parliamentary Estate, observed the House of Commons in session from the public gallery, and joined a carousel discussion with five members of the House of Lords.
Students from South West Devon can apply to join Ms Smith's summer school at www.rebecca-smith.org. uk/news/summer-schoolapplication
Staff and children are celebrating after a brand new preschool at Boringdon Primary School opened its doors for the first time.
After months of planning, building and preparation, the preschool known as ‘Bright Beginnings’ welcomed its first-ever pupils.
Arriving with beaming smiles on their faces, the children excitedly cut the big blue ribbon alongside Westcountry Schools Trust chief executive Nat Parnell before exploring their new school. The children couldn't wait to play with the new toys and equipment and get to know their teachers.
The new preschool has been made possible through a School-Based Nurseries Capital Grant as well as investment from Westcountry Schools Trust. Offering two sessions a day (9am-12pm and 12pm3pm) the preschool can cater for up to 40 three and four year olds.
Housed on the same site as Boringdon Primary School, Bright Beginnings offers the perfect environment for children to take their very first
Little Trains of Norfolk & the Mississippi Paddle Steamer
Departing Mon 11 May ‘26
The beautiful county of Norfolk is characterised by charming seaside towns, and unspoilt coastline. We discover the beauty of its waterways by paddle steamer as well as enjoy nostalgic journeys on Norfolk’s heritage railways, taking us back to a bygone era.
SO MUCH INCLUDED...
Return coach travel from Plymouth, Saltash
4 nights at the Waverley Hotel, Great Yarmouth (JG2+ rating) with dinner & breakfast
99p bar on selected drinks for 3 hours every evening (April only)
Entertainment some evenings (at the Nelson & Waverley Hotels only)
Heritage train journeys on the North Norfolk Railway & Bure Valley Railway
Mississippi Paddle Steamer cruise on the Norfolk Broads
Excursion to Cromer & Sheringham
Optional excursion to Norwich (£15pp)
Departing Fri 22 May ‘26
Join us for a lovely springtime weekend featuring two of the world’s most famous horticultural wonders! We visit the gardening event of the year, the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and the Earth’s most biodiverse place, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.
SO MUCH INCLUDED...
Return coach travel from Plymouth, Saltash
2 nights at a selected hotel outside London (JG3 or JG4 rating) with dinner & breakfast
Admission to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Admission to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
steps in education. Staff at the preschool will benefit from the support of the primary school to ensure children lay the foundations needed to become successful learners.
Matt Stace, headteacher of Boringdon Primary School, said: "It was an absolute joy to welcome the children and their parents this morning. We have worked incredibly hard to create our brandnew preschool and we are delighted to see it come to life!
"We are fortunate to be housed in a bright and spacious new facility with excellent resources and the children have made themselves at home in no time at all. We look forward to giving every child the best possible start on their learning journey!"
Nat Parnell, chief executive of Westcountry Schools Trust, said: "It was a pleasure to start the week welcoming our very youngest learners. The staff have worked very hard to make Bright Beginnings a welcoming, inclusive place and I have no doubt the children will enjoy learning and playing here.
“Boringdon Primary School is at the heart of the local community and we are pleased to be able to extend our provision in order to serve more families from across Plympton."
The preschool is keen to welcome more children from Plympton and is running a series of open events. For further information, email nursery@ boringdon.plymouth.sch.uk.
Departing Mon 29 Jun ‘26
Enjoy a visit to the unique, Italianate village of Portmeirion and discover the historic railways and meandering tramways of North Wales on this fantastic five-day break, based in Llandudno, the ‘Queen of the Welsh Resorts’.
SO MUCH INCLUDED...
Return coach travel from Plymouth, Saltash
4 nights at the White Heather Hotel, Llandudno (JG3 rating) with dinner & breakfast
Entertainment some evenings
Heritage journeys on the Welsh Highland Railway, Great Orme Tramway & Ffestiniog Railway
Free time in Llandudno
Excursions to Caernarfon & Portmeirion
Weekly service begins for many households in Plympton and Plymstock from Monday 2 March
What’s happening?
Instead of putting items such as fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds and plate scrapings in your brown bins, you will be provided with a dedicated food waste caddy, which will be collected each week and converted into renewable energy.
The citywide roll out will be split into five phases, with the first beginning in March 2026. Further phases will follow in July, August, September and November, bringing the city in line with most other local authorities in the UK.
will
Delivery of two new containers to households in the first phase is now under way.
l A small kitchen caddy to make separating your food waste from your rubbish easy, along with a roll of liners
l A larger outdoor caddy for storing your food waste and putting it out for collection.
Items that require some preparation...
When’s my collection?
Collections will be weekly and collected on the same day as your brown and green bins.
Residents who live in flats, apartment blocks or houses of multiple occupation will be provided with a communal external bin, instead of individual outdoor caddies. Check the link below to see when your collections begin.
l Drain milk from left over cereal l Remove packaging from out of date or mouldy food and ready meals
Please do not put any of these materials in your caddy:
l Liquids such as milk l Oil or liquid fat
l Animal waste including hay, straw, wood shavings
l Any material that is not food waste
What if I don’t produce any food waste?
Even the most hungry households produce eggshells, banana skins, apple cores or tea bags. No amount is too small to put out for collection.
ARE YOU IN THE FIRST PHASE?
Not all households in the area will be in the first phase. You can check by entering your address into our bin day checker at: www.plymouth.gov.uk/foodwaste
I don’t have space for the caddy, what do I do?
A lot of people find that keeping it under the sink, next to the kitchen bin or on the work top is practical. And remember you can use your own container if you wish.
Will the food in my bin smell?
Your bin should not smell as the collections will be weekly. The containers have lockable lids. This will prevent vermin or pets getting in.
Send details of your event to info@ cornerstonevision.com and we will do our best to include them in Out and About. Unfortunately because of space limitations we are unable to publish details of regular meetings of groups and societies or similar organisations.
Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy
Until May 31
The Box presents an exhibition which marks 100 years since Beryl’s birth and will feature more than 80 works including iconic paintings and rarely seen treasures from The Box’s art collection, private lenders and the Cook family archives. Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am to 5pm. More details at www.theboxplymouth.com
Live Music Sundays
February and March
Steel Sunday Music every Sunday from 3pm to 5pm at the Steel Brew Co in Mills Bakery at the Royal William Yard. Free entry, so just go along, relax and enjoy the music.
Journeys with Mai
Feb 14 to Jun 14
The Box presents a journey of discovery across four gallery spaces exploring the complex histories between Europe and the South Pacific. Centre stage will be 'Portrait of Mai' by Plympton-born Sir Joshua Reynolds – widely considered to be his finest work and a portrait of the first Polynesian person to visit Britain. Free admission, open 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays. Closed on Easter Sunday. Details at www.theboxplymouth.com/events
Plymouth Jazz Club
Feb 15
Featuring The Roosters with good time jazz and jive at the Royal British Legion Club, Crownhill from 7.30pm. Tickets £15 on the door, £12 for club members. Nonmembers welcome. See www.plymouth-jazz-club.com
Voices of Spring Feb 15
Concert at Stoke Damerel Church from 3pm with Charles Mutter, associate leader of the BBC Concert Orchestra who is joined by noted soprano, Ilona Domnich, and accompanist Tom Blach. Featuring songs and sonatas arranged for violin, viola, piano and voice, including the transcendant Strauss’s Four Last Songs, written at the end of his life. Tickets details at www.plymouthconcerts.com
Family Fun: Do What Makes You Happy Feb 17 to Feb 20
This February half term The Box drop-in arts and crafts sessions are inspired by the 'Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy' exhibition, humour, people and pets. Create laughing peg mouth characters, use props to make funny photos or film clips, listen to stories, share the jokes and games you use to make other people laugh and make comical pet puppets. Full details at www. theboxplymouth.com/events
Celebration of Women and Girls in Sport Feb 18
Free half-term event at Home Park, sponsored by Babcock in partnership with Plymouth City Council and Active Devon. A fantastic afternoon and evening for families and friends, with opportunities to discover new sports, meet local teams and enjoy live demonstrations. The event starts at 2.30pm with all attendees receiving a free ticket to watch Argyle Women against Exeter City Women at 7.30pm. Details www.pafc.co.uk
Suzi Ruffell
Feb 19
Multi-award winning, confessional comedian, Suzi Ruffell is back on the road in 2026 with her brand new show The Juggle and brings the tour to The Quad Theatre on the Marjon campus. With five sell-out runs at the Fringe, a nomination for Best Stand-Up Show in the National Comedy Awards and critical acclaim from reviewers and audiences alike, suited and booted
The Box will be offering half-term drop-in arts and craft sessions inspired by the Beryl Cook 'Pride and Joy' exhibition Photo: The Box
stand-up Suzi is a force to be reckoned with. Full details including times and tickets from www. comicalentertainment.com
Charity Sale in aid of The Rainbow Project
Feb 19 to Feb 21
The Rainbow Project Plymouth supports Children and families in need in Romania and Ukraine. They are holding a three-day sale at Plymstock United Church, Plymstock Road, PL9 7PB opening 10am to 3pm on Thursday and Friday and 10 am to 2pm on Saturday. Lots of preloved goods will be for sale including brica-brac, linen, clothes, jewellery, shoes and bags, toys, jigsaws and more. There will also be tea and coffee, homemade cakes and light lunches available. For more info go to www.rainbowprojectplymouth.org
Vittorio Angelone
Feb 21
One of the fastest-rising names in comedy Vittorio is at the Quad Theatre on the Marjon campus at 7.30pm. Vittorio has built a big following with stand-up clips and podcasts racking up millions of views. For details and tickets visit www.comicalentertainment.com
Jumble Sale
Feb 21
St Francis Church Hall, Honicknowle from 11am to 2pm. Lots of bargains and refreshments on sale.
Talk - Post War Industries of Plymouth
Feb 25
Illustrated talk by Alan Bricknell looks at the first three large companies to set up in Plymouth after the war, Tecalemit, Berkertex and Bush Radio, and also looks at one of the city’s largest home grown companies, Farleys. Taking place at Plymouth Proprietary Library, St Barnabas Terrace from 2pm. For details visit www.theppl.org.uk
Plymouth Gang Show
Feb 26 to Feb 28
The Plymouth Scout & Guide Gang Show will be performing at The Devonport Playhouse at 7.30pm with a matinee on the Saturday at 2pm. Adults £12 concessions £10 For more information contact Andrew on 07810 880536 or go to www.ticketsource.co.uk/ plymouth-scout-and-guide-gang-show
John Kearns
Feb 27
Taskmaster star John Kearns brings his ‘Tilting at Windmills’ tour to the Quad Theatre on the Marjon Campus at 7.30pm. For details and tickets visit www. comicalentertainment.com
Blackbeard’s Tea Party
Feb 27
Folk-rock rebels Blackbeard’s Tea Party celebrate 10 years of their seminal album ‘Reprobates’ – a collection of stories about wrong’uns from history – at the Barbican Theatre from 8pm. They debuted material from the album during their now legendary appearance at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention, and it was the album that earned them thousands of new
fans. Mixing sounds of traditional folk and classic rock, Blackbeard’s Tea Party look back to the album that reviewers called ‘a hell of a lot of fun’. Tickets and details from www.eventbrite.co.uk
Omid Djalili - Namaste
Feb 28
The Persian Comedy Powerhouse performs his critically acclaimed new show at the Quad Theatre on the Marjon campus at 8pm. Omid peacefully bows to his inner anger and unleashes a torrent of comedic vitriol on the current state of this dangerously messed up planet. Tickets and details from www. comicalentertainment.com
Good Food & Craft Market
Mar 1
The popular Markets will be taking place in Royal William Yard on the first Sunday of every month from 10am to 5pm. Known for showcasing some of the region’s most talented artists and makers, the markets offer everything from tasty treats to handcrafted gifts. The monthly markets have been a staple of Royal William Yard’s event calendar for years, and have won event awards along the way. For details visit www.royalwilliamyard.com/
Faulty Towers at The Duke of Cornwall
Mar 6 and Mar 7
A hilarious and interactive dining experiences like no other when the world of the iconic British comedy show, Faulty Towers, arrives at the historic Duke of Cornwall Hotel. Basil, Manuel and Sybil are in town – and they’re bringing a healthy dose of mayhem to Plymouth. Fully immersive, highly interactive and completely original, this is the show where anything can and usually does happen. For tickets visit www. eventbrite.co.uk and search Faulty Towers.
Alisdar Beckett-King - King Of Crumbs
Mar 6
ABK is the crumbliest comedian in the game: a multiaward-winning stand-up comic and (occasionally) an internet sensation. ABK is appearing at the Quad Theatre on the Marjon campus at 8pm. Come vagabonds, come mountebanks, come coneycatchers and cutpurses and meet the King of Crumbs! As seen on Mock the Week and 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. Tickets and details from www. comicalentertainment.com
Best of British Classics Concert
Mar 14
Plymouth Open Concert Orchestra, (formerly the University of Plymouth Orchestra), present ‘Best of British Classics’ themed music concert at the Levinsky Hall on the Plymouth University campus. Free entry. Children’s Concert from 3pm for approx. 1 hour - all welcome! Evening Concert doors open at 7pm. Concert begins at 7.30pm. Music chosen by Dan Francis, Music Director, to include: Vaughan WilliamsSomerset Rhapsody, Eric Coates - Calling All Workers, and Elgar - Chanson de Matin. Cash donations welcomed. Book free tickets via the POCO Facebook page. At the evening concert there will be a raffle and refreshments.
Plymouth Jazz Club
Mar 15
Featuring The Two Counties Jazz Band with trad jazz Fotonow movat the Royal British Legion Club, Crownhill from 7.30pm. Tickets £15 on the door, £12 for club members. Non-members welcome. For details see www.plymouth-jazz-club.com
Easter Coffee Morning
Mar 21
St Boniface Hall, Percy Street, St Bureaux from 10am to 12 noon. Raffle, sales table and refreshments. All welcome.
Levowan Chamber Choir
Mar 27
Levowan Chamber Choir continues its 10th anniversary celebrations at St Peter & the Holy Apostles Church, Plymouth at 7.30pm. The choir will perform a selection of stunning motets by Karl Jenkins and our choice of individual pieces by Arnesen, Chilcott, McMillan, Hagenberg and more. Free entry with retiring collection. Reserve a seat at www.levowan.com
Spring Fair
Mar 28
Ford Park Cemetery Visitor Centre and Chapel from 10.30am to 1.30pm with free admission. Stalls, books, jewellery, home made cakes, crafts and much more, all at reasonable prices. Refreshments will be available. Money raised will go to the upkeep of the cemetery. If more information is required please contact the office on weekdays at 01752 665442 or email: office@fordpark-cemetery.org
An Evening with Toyah: Songs and Stories
Mar 28
Singer, actor, TV host and film star Toyah is hitting the road for an extensive UK tour in which she'll sing favourite hits and tell stories from her remarkable career and will be at The Quad Theatre on the Marjon campus. Tickets and timings from www. comicalentertainment.com
The Martin Dale Quartet
Mar 29
Jazz returns to Stoke Damerel Church in the form of the Martin Dale Quartet with a mix of jazz styles incorporating everything from Bach to Be-bop. Details at www.plymouthconcerts.com
Music of the Night Concert
Mar 31
The music of the night choir will be holding their spring concert on the theme of Colour My World – sky, land and sea – at Mount Gould Methodist Church at 7.30pm. Doors open at 6.45pm and tickets are £8 per adult and £4 per child. Details email motnchoir25@ gmail.com or call Paula Ingram on 07860354290
Chris McClausland - Yonks!
Mar 31 and Apr 1
Chris McCausland is hitting the road again with another masterclass in stand-up comedy that has literally been yonks in the making. His brand new show will be at the Quad Theatre on the Marjon campus in Plymouth. Chris will be presenting two shows each night. Tickets and timings from www. comicalentertainment.com
Bridal Pop Up Event
Apr 1 to Apr 11
Oxfam are staging a Pop Up bridal event at 44 Mutley Plain, Plymouth with new dresses priced from £19.99. Exclusive private dressing room available. Ideal for anyone planning a DIY, or boutique wedding on a budget. Many lovely dresses and outfits on sale - why wait for a wedding? Also plenty for to tempt designers, dress makers and fabric hunters. More details on Eventbrite at www.tinyurl.com/Oxfam-Bridal-Pop-Up
Send details of your event to info@ cornerstonevision.com and we will do our best to include them in Out and About. Unfortunately because of space limitations we are unable to publish details of regular meetings of groups and societies or similar organisations.
An additional £25.7 million needs to be allocated towards providing vital statutory social care and support services for Plymouth's most vulnerable residents next year as cost and demand pressures continue to increase.
A report to Cabinet on the draft 2026/27 budget highlights that – like in many other local authorities – demand for adult social care, children's social care, homelessness and SEND services in Plymouth continues to rise despite ongoing efforts to put proactive preventative measures in place to reduce the number of people needing more intensive and higher cost support.
The additional £25.7 million allocated in the draft budget is needed to meet demand pressures in areas such as children social care and placements (£9.4m), SEND home to school transport (£2m); adult social care (£11.1m); homelessness prevention £623,000; short breaks (£1.2m); and the Dedicated School Grant deficit funding (£1.6m).
The report says that while the Government's latest Provisional funding settlement has given greater certainty over future funding, it has not provided enough additional funding to cover the scale of demand pressures the council is facing.
This means that to set a balanced revenue budget that will enable the delivery of more than 300 services in 2026/27 the council will need to deliver an additional £17.3 million of new savings above those previously agreed. These include proposed savings totalling £10.5m; invest to save projects that will save £4.3m and further decisions that will reduce costs by another £2.5 million.
The council will also need to change underlying arrangements for part of its debt and investment portfolio to save an additional £9.7m, with council departments needing to continue working on finding further savings to minimise the use of reserves.
The draft budget for 2026/27 assumes an increase in Council Tax of up to 2.99 per cent and use of the 2.0 per cent adult social care precept, in line with the policy set out in the Government's Autumn Statement and the Local Government Settlement.
However, final Council Tax levels will be decided by the Full Council in February.
Councillor Mark Lowry, Cabinet member for Finance, said: "While our financial position is exceptionally challenging and we are having to make difficult decisions as we work to propose a balanced budget, we are confident that can protect hundreds of services that we know Plymouth residents need and value.
"We will be working continuously up until the budget setting meeting and beyond to drive out more efficiency in everything we do. We have already been very successful in ongoing efforts to reduce costs and increase efficiency but unfortunately – like other councils across the country – we continue to face unprecedented cost and demand
in
for
A number of front line personnel at Plympton Fire Station have received commendations for their role in rescuing multiple casualties from a large fire at Sherford.
The Assistant Chief Fire Officer of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and the area manager visited Plympton Fire Station in January to present commendation awards to manager Alan P Wren, crew managers Dan Ferguson and Liam Lucassi and firefighters Sid Siddalls and James Maidment.
At the same time presentations were also made to members of Plymstock Fire Station and the on-call team at Crownhill fire station who were also involved in the same shout.
Later presentations will be made to members of Red Watch at Camels Head and members of Greenbank Fire Station who were also involved.
The commendations relate to bravery shown by the firefighters when they attended an incident involving a blaze in a four storey block of flats at Aquilla Drive in Sherford on September 19 2025.
Twenty-eight ladder rescues were undertaken in the incident and a further three people were led to safety via a ground floor window.
(Story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)
Plympton residents interested in local history and particularly buildings which housed institutions are in for a treat over coming weeks with two interesting talks being arranged by the Plympton and District Civic Society.
The first will be about Dartmoor Prison. It will be presented by Paul Finnegan and will take place at Harewood House on February 13 at 7.30pm.
This talk will guide people through the history of the prison and explode a number of the myths that surround it. Paul is a curator at Dartmoor Prison having been in post since April 2019.
He has a background in museum work having previously worked at the Staffordshire Regiment Museum and at sites owned by the Birmingham Museums Trust.
Then in March there will be a talk about the old Plympton Workhouse. The exact date for this will be published on the Plympton Civic Society Facebook page nearer the time. There is a charge of £3 to attend each talk payable on the door on the night.
• Meanwhile experienced archivist and history researcher Deborah Lister will be giving an illustrated talk entitled 'Uncovering Your House's History' in February.
The talk takes place at Plympton St Maurice Guildhall on February 17. Tickets are £5, with doors opening at 6.30pm and the taslk starting at 7pm.
(story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)
Mob:
Independent private dental practice based in the nearby village of Elburton
”Best experience in years for a dentist visit. Friendly, informative and confidence inspiring.
Thankyou” - Paul G.
We offer a wide range of treatments and are taking on new patients right now.
Call us on 01752 310000, see us at www.elburton.dental or visit us at 22 Springfield Road, Elburton, PL9 8EN
Elburton dental aims to offer high quality service at a fair price We have a team of very experienced dentists, hygienists and nurses. We want our patients to receive the treatment that’s right for them so that you can make the choice of treatment that suits you best After all, they are your teeth!
Whether you are a regular in need of a check, if you haven’t been in years and think it’s about time, or if you are in need of urgent care and advice, feel free to get in touch
Winner! 2020 Best New Private Dental Practice – SW England
Council
£850,000 funding to help homeless in Plymouth
Organisations across the city are set to receive funding to support people who are homeless, including those with a history of, or at risk of rough sleeping.
The city has been allocated £850,000 from the Government's Rough Sleeper Prevention and Recovery Grant and as part of this funding, £478,649 will be transferred to organisations within the Plymouth Alliance and the remainder awarded directly to partner organisations that aim to offer people a way out of homelessness and rough sleeping and to work as 'one team.'
The 'one team' which builds on the success of the ‘Health Inclusion Pathway Plymouth' team, is a pilot to see if a more joined up, holistic service can be offered in the city.
The Plymouth Alliance helps hundreds of people a year and is a city-wide partnership between a group of organisations and charities, which is commissioned by and includes Plymouth City Council working in partnership with Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA), Harbour, Shekinah, the Zone, Plymouth Access to Housing (PATH), Livewell Southwest and Hamoaze House.
Through the various organisations, the alliance offers housing advice and support, day centres, supported temporary accommodation, mental health support, drug and alcohol recovery and treatment support and helps homeless people to find longer term accommodation.
Adelaide Surgery in Stonehouse is also due to receive funding as staff regularly work with the homeless and rough sleepers.
It will enable staff to provide support for people experiencing homelessness, offer dedicated drug and alcohol assessments and treatment hours and help people with complex needs access specialist healthcare.
The aim is to provide a more joined up approach across health, housing, and support services, giving a more personalised response for those at risk of or experiencing rough sleeping.
Other organisations to receive a pot include:
• Trevi to employ a Women's Street Outreach Worker, who will offer help to access housing, therapeutic, and support services for women and children.
• Plymouth Community Homes to provide accommodation, tailored housing management and welfare related services in partnership with Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA) and Plymouth Access to Housing (PATH) to deliver a Housing First Service to long-term rough sleepers and/or those with a history of long-term homelessness and multiple disadvantage.
• University of Plymouth to employ a research-based role designed to support the development and sustainability of integrated health, housing, and homelessness services.
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: "People sleeping rough often have complex needs but cannot get the help that they desperately need.
"The Adelaide project, for instance, aims to provide a more personalised approach – to look at the issues that have led to someone living on the streets or at risk of it and to help that person address them.
"There is no one size fits all approach to homelessness so we hope that these organisations who have received funding will be able to contribute to tackling this complex issue and help those who most need it."
A congregation of more than 100 attended St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Woodford on for a service of thanksgiving and farewell for Pastor Arno Bessel who is retiring after a Ministry in Plympton spanning almost twenty years.
It was in 1978 that a young 25-year-old Arno Bessel graduated from his theological studies in his home country of Brazil. He was ordained a short while later and became responsible for a group of nine congregations in Brazil.
In 2006 he became aware of an opening for a pastor at St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Plymouth, England – a far cry from the warm climate of Brazil. Nonetheless, it became clear that is where his future calling was and in May 2006 Arno and his wife Lizani arrived in Plympton to take up Ministry at St Peter’s Church.
He was soon warmly embraced by the local congregation and subsequently the wider Plympton community as was evidenced when he was elected to be Stannator of Plympton in 2022/3. As well as his ministry in Plympton Arno became heavily involved in the national administration of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England, serving in various roles and committees and as a director of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England Trust Limited from 2010 to 2018. Under Arno’s stewardship St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Plymouth, started the Bristol Mission in October 2008, holding the services in the Portuguese language at the house of a family in Southmead at Bristol.
A big challenge came in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic took hold. In common with other churches, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church had to close the doors in accordance with Government regulations. However, keen not to leave the congregation without spiritual guidance, St. Peter’s leadership under Arno’s stewardship quickly jumped into action.
Arno started emailing the services to the members. At the same time, inter-active Zoom services and Bible Study groups were set up, reaching out to St. David’s in Cardiff as well as to
£3,500
the Bristol Mission and the Dublin Mission. Not to stop there, Arno also conducted Zoom services in Portuguese for people who preferred to receive the Word in their primary language and posting video sermons on Facebook to reach the wider field.
Latterly, Arno has also taken St David’s Lutheran Church in Cardiff under his wing due to an unfilled pastor vacancy. Once a month he has been travelling to and leading the Cardiff congregation in a Divine Service with Holy Communion and he performed his last such service at St David’s in early January.
At the service at St Peter’s, pastoral colleagues from Lutheran Churches across England came to pay tributes to Arno for his work for the ELCE. As well as the regular St Peter’s congregation there were also representatives from other Plympton churches, the Chairman of Plympton Community Council and numerous past Stannators of Plympton as well as at least one past Plympton Youth Ambassador – Bel Winsor Maloney who was Youth Ambassador at the same time Arno was Stannator.
Also in the congregation was Alderman Mrs Wendy Foster, who had attended services at St Peter’s during her time as Lord Mayor.
Arno, who celebrates his 73rd birthday in February, and his wife Lizani, who has supported his Ministry over the years, now plan to live out their much deserved retirement years back in Brazil and they left for their homeland at the end of January.
Before they left, Plympton Community Council put on an afternoon tea party for them at Harewood, where a souvenir presentation was made to the couple for them to remember their time in Plympton.
The congregation of St Peter’s now await, with a degree of uncertainty, details of the future ministry arrangements at the church. Arno’s wise spiritual counsel, however, has not been lost altogether as a number of his past recordings are available to hear on the podcasts section of Lutheran Radio at www. broadcast.lutheranradio.co.uk
Lutheranism is a major branch of Christianity that traces its origins to the teachings of Martin Luther, a 16th-century German theologian and reformer.
Speaking after the service Arno said: “Thank you to everyone who attended the service. It was lovely and rewarding to have so many supportive friends.”
Martin Luther was alive during the time of the Protestant Reformation. He was an Augustinian friar before becoming the leader and founder of Lutheranism. Luther’s efforts to reform the Catholic Church sparked what became known as the Protestant Reformation, resulting in the formation of new Christian denominations, with Lutheranism becoming one of the earliest and most influential. (Story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)
Tel 07855 048648
A Plymouth-based independent financial planning advisory firm has been acquired by Titan Wealth, one of the country's fastest-growing and largest national financial advice businesses.
Sound Financial Management, which is based in Lockyer Street was founded in 1997 by former Royal Marine Adam Pollard, the company's current managing director. Since its foundation Sound Financial has grown to become of the leading independent financial planners in the South West, handling client assets of £600 million.
Titan Wealth's assets under advice and management total £44 billion following the acquisition of Sound Financial.
Sound Financial has a diversified service offering, including personal financial planning, investment management, retirement and pension planning, as well as business financial strategies and wealth and personal protection.
The business operates within a growing market, benefitting from long-term client relationships in the region. The acquisition will add regional scale to Titan Wealth and enhances its proposition through an expanded client base and additional adviser experience.
Under Adam Pollard's leadership, with support of directors Paul Meatyard and Stephen Murphy, Sound Financial manages an extensive book of business, with around 5,000 active advice clients. The team is made up of a further eight highly qualified financial advisers, who bring 87 years of advisory experience between them, supported by 16 administrators and paraplanners, and six backoffice staff.
Adam Pollard said: "Becoming part of the Titan Wealth team opens up access to the business's comprehensive range of in-house services, including discretionary asset management, investment solutions, and advanced technology platforms enhancing our existing client service proposition.
“All of this is
After a festive season at Theatre Royal Plymouth (TRP), the charity has announced that its Festive Appeal 2025, has raised a record-breaking total of nearly £42,700.
This was an increase of more than 78 per centfrom last year's total of £23,900. It also raised a further £12,240 from the Big Give Christmas Challenge and £1,365 from a pantomime-inspired Crowdfunder.
The extensive annual fundraising campaign was launched on at the beginning of November alongside such shows as The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and Fawlty Towers, continuing throughout Dick Whittington, and shows on its smaller stages Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas and The Star Who Danced.
All proceeds raised will support young people from the local community in the year to come, with money from the Big Give specifically, going towards specific projects including launching TRP's brand new community initiative, Young Company – Our Space.
The new youth theatre group, which is also generously supported by the Maristow Charity, will be an extension of TRP's current Our Space and Young Company programmes that support children facing extreme challenges and disadvantage.
The programme will provide weekly term-time sessions for 15 participants, increasing to 40 children during school holidays, and allow them to explore creativity, develop new skills, build relationships and express themselves through drama.
The wider pot will support projects including Young Company Create, which hosts weekly theatre sessions for children and young people with disabilities, allowing them to build confidence within a close and safe community, and Playhouse, a national scheme that connects young people with scriptwriters and theatre makers and gives them the chance to perform on their local theatre's stages.
Last year, as part of Playhouse, seven primary schools from Devon and Cornwall took over TRP's Drum stage for an unforgettable week of performances, supported by the Festive Appeal alongside sponsorship from Princess Yachts. Director of Partnerships & Philanthropy at TRP, Lucy Howe, said: "We are incredibly grateful to our audiences and members who have so generously supported this year's appeal. I think the huge uplift we've seen this year is testament to the spirit of the people of Plymouth and the South West who are committed to making meaningful change for our shared community. Thank you to everyone who supported us."
Generous theatre goers donated via bucket collections and contactless payments at the theatre, made voluntary donations online, through the box office and added donations when purchasing tickets - all contributing to the lifechanging total achieved.
To stay up to date with all of Theatre Royal Plymouth's outreach work, visit www.theatreroyal.com
There are to be no changes to the speed limit along the A374 Embankment Road in Plymouth, following recent public consultation.
Plymouth City Council advertised proposals in late summer to extend the existing 30mph speed limit along the western section of Embankment Road – which currently starts and ends just northeast of Stanley Place – to the Plymouth Amateur Rowing Club.
This was one of the road safety measures proposed in response to a Coroner's report on preventing future deaths, following a collision in 2023 where a driver sadly lost his life.
A total of 440 responses were received during the statutory consultation period, and of the 440 respondents, 402 (around 91 per cent) objected to the speed limit change and only 38 (around nine per cent) were in support.
Most of the objections were on the grounds that people felt the road is already safe when driving at 40mph and that extending the 30mph section would worsen congestion along this busy route.
A significant number of people who responded (115) raised concerns about the Lanhydrock Road junction, with many suggesting the right turn into Lanhydrock Road should be closed or that traffic signals should be installed there.
In response to the feedback received, it has been decided to keep the speed limit arrangements as they are but to replace the existing traditional speed cameras with an average speed camera system.
The current cameras are due for replacement in the near future and average speed cameras will be more effective at enforcing the limit along the whole 40mph section. They will also help to ensure drivers do not speed when negotiating the Lanhydrock Road junction.
The new cameras will be funded jointly by the council and the police through the Vision Zero South West partnership and are expected to be installed in the autumn.
More than 60 of Plymouth's foster carers gathered at Dartmoor Zoo recently, coming together for a morning designed to celebrate them, provide support and give them space to learn from each other.
“It's
Adults, young people and active seniors make up our brilliant team of delivery people across Plymouth. Get in touch to be part of the team. Own transport helpful but not essential. Scan to apply.
Against the backdrop of the zoo's unique setting, the annual Foster for Plymouth Fostering Summit created the perfect environment for carers to connect, reflect and share their experiences.
The event opened with a welcome from Councillor Jemima Laing, Cabinet Member for Children's Social Care, who praised foster carers for the crucial stability and love they bring to children across the city. She spoke of the council's ongoing commitment to ensuring every foster family feels valued, heard and supported.
Throughout the morning, carers heard from Emma Speakman, service manager, who set the scene for the summit and reflected on the progress made over the past year. They were also joined by David Gibson from Dartmoor Zoo, who spoke about resilience, care and community - themes that resonated strongly with the fostering role.
A key focus this year was the Foster Carer Buddy System, giving every carer access to a peer mentor for advice, reassurance and shared lived
Dozens of curious and energetic young people have been getting a behind-thescenes look at Plymouth's new Meadow View development in recent weeks, as part of the project's growing programme of community engagement and skills development activity.
experience. Carers also discussed the ongoing development of Plymouth's successful Mockingbird programme, which continues to provide vital wraparound support through its hub home and extended ‘constellation family.’
The summit also highlighted other ways carers can access practical guidance, emotional support and professional development – all part of Foster for Plymouth's commitment to making sure no carer ever feels they are facing challenges alone.
Councillor Laing said: "Our foster carers change lives. Days like today really matter because they give us the chance to pause, listen and properly acknowledge the difference carers make for our children and young people. The compassion and commitment shown by our foster families is extraordinary, and the support they offer creates safety, stability and hope for children who need it most.
The £13 million flagship adult care facility on Outland Road, designed to support more than 60 adults with complex needs and learning disabilities, has become a busy hub of learning, inspiration and career discovery. From college groups and university students to schoolchildren and jobseekers, people across the city have been stepping onto site to explore the world of construction up close.
Students from City College Plymouth, supported by The Plym Group, recently enjoyed a lively site tour packed with hands-on demonstrations and real-world learning. They were joined by students from the University of Plymouth, who also visited the project - with one now joining the team for a weekly work experience placement.
The Devon Contractors construction team have been busy beyond the site too, delivering a CV
"This summit is one of the ways we invest in that community – by learning together, strengthening the networks around carers and making sure they feel every bit of the appreciation they deserve. We know fostering can be both rewarding and challenging, and our goal is to ensure carers feel supported at every step of the journey."
Karen Blake, head of
"The strength and generosity of our fostering community is inspiring. Every conversation today has reinforced how committed our carers are to doing the very best for the children in their care, and how much they value opportunities to connect, learn and share experiences.
"We are determined to build on that by continuing to expand the training, networks and wraparound support available to them. When carers feel confident, connected and supported, children flourish and that is at the heart of everything we do.
"We want every foster carer in Plymouth to know they are not alone; they are part of a community that stands alongside them, celebrates them and helps them navigate whatever comes their way."
The council is now encouraging more people to come forward to join Plymouth's fostering community. Foster for Plymouth provides extensive training, round-the-clock support and a network of people walking the same journey.
Anyone interested in becoming a foster carer can visit www.fosterforplymouth.co.uk or contact the fostering team to find out more.
skills workshop with On Course South West and supporting placements at the Drake Care Centre, giving participants a valuable first taste of care sector settings and the built environment roles that underpin them.
Engagement with local SEN schools continues to grow, with groups from across Plymouth and beyond taking part in visits and taster sessions.
Students have watched foundations being formed, explored modern building materials, and got up close to the diggers and rollers shaping the new Meadow View facility – all while learning how engineering, surveying and problem-solving come together on a real construction project.
Career-focused activity is expanding as well.
A dedicated Skills Launchpad and Jobcentre Job Shop event held recently brought 20 jobseekers through the door, all keen to learn more about opportunities with Meadow View and the wider supply chain.
Councillor Mary Aspinall, Plymouth City Council
Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: "Meadow View is already shaping up to be an inspiring project for our city, and it's wonderful to see it inspiring the next generation too.
“Plymouth is committed to making sure every young person, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, has the chance to explore exciting career pathways."
When completed this summer, Meadow View will provide vital day time opportunities and respite support for adults with complex needs, offering seven bedrooms, seven self-contained apartments, including crisis-support spaces, and a wide range of creative, therapeutic and life-skills environments.
The new single-storey development will include a sensory room, craft studios such as a pottery room with kiln, communal dining and kitchen spaces to build independent living skills, and a landscaped outdoor environment featuring wildflower planting and 55 new trees.
Sherford is set to welcome some special new residents this year, as a unique new home designed for bats is unveiled.
The designated bat house in the heart of Sherfords Country Park, reinforces the towns long-standing commitment to creating homes for both people and wildlife. The purpose-built structure represents the latest milestone in Sherfords multi-million-pound environmental investment.
Designed by ecological experts, the three-metre by five-metre barn-style building features timber-clad walls and a specially engineered tiled roof with strategic gaps to allow access for a range of bat species. Catering for the different needs of bats throughout the year – from summer roosting through to winter hibernation – it provides a safe, climate-resilient haven where these remarkable mammals can thrive in all seasons.
The single-storey bat bungalow is the newest addition to the towns extensive natural infrastructure, with over £8 million invested so far in ecological initiatives and green enhancements by the Sherford Consortium – a partnership between award-winning national housebuilders Taylor Wimpey and Vistry, which includes Linden Homes, Bovis Homes and Countryside Partnerships.*
Nestled in a quiet corner of Sherfords Country Park, the new structure is carefully oriented to face sheltered boundaries, rather than the open fields where new foot and cycle paths will be located, helping minimise disturbance to the bat population. More than just a shelter, the building forms a vital link within the surrounding
ecosystem, supporting wildlife movement across the site.
Sherford already boasts an impressive diversity of bat species, from common and soprano pipistrelles to the rarer greater and lesser horseshoe bats – both recorded as residents of the area. The new bat house strengthens ecological connectivity, offering prime access to nearby woodland, grassland and water habitats.
Peter Sadler, managing director of Vistry Southwest, part of the Sherford Consortium, said: "The new bat house has been designed with the same care and attention we give to every home. Purposebuilt to support local wildlife, it is one of many eco initiatives that reflect our long-term commitment to enhancing the environment and boosting biodiversity. Sherford continues to demonstrate that
The transformation of Plymouth's Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre is already making waves and now it's getting even better.
With boots on the ground and scaffolding in place, the project is expanding to include a stunning new glazed café front and a fully upgraded kitchen, turning the waterfront facility into a year-round destination that's as welcoming as it is inspiring.
The Mount Batten Centre is a key part of the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park (PSNMP) programme, which is all about connecting more people to the ocean and celebrating the city's unique maritime heritage.
Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the current works which are already progressing on site, include opening up the reception area to provide a warm and inviting welcome, creating a new ground floor café with direct access to outdoor seating and spectacular waterfront views, and designing new changing facilities to meet Sport England and Changing Places standards. But as the project has evolved, so too has the ambition.
Thanks to additional funding, the café will now feature a stunning glazed wall to bring the outside in, offering panoramic views of the water and creating a welcoming space whatever the weather. The kitchen is also being fully refurbished to support a high-quality food and drink offer, ensuring the café can thrive as a destination in its own right.
Plymouth City Council Deputy Leader, Councillor Jemima Laing, said: "This is about making sure we don't just build something new – we build something brilliant. The Mount Batten Centre is a cornerstone of our waterfront and a vital part of the National Marine Park.
“These enhancements will help it reach its full potential, drawing in more visitors, supporting local jobs, and creating a space that everyone in Plymouth can be proud of.‚Äù
Richard Stevens, chair of the Board, Mount Batten Centre Charity Trust: "We want our café to be the ‘go to' place for friends, families, businesses, clubs, groups and individuals to enjoy all year round; we're really excited to see these enhancements included as part of the wider programme of works for the Mount Batten Centre."
The additional funding includes £908,000 from corporate borrowing alongside £190,000 from the existing support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The total investment in the
main works now stands at just over £5.2 million.
The works are due to complete in the spring 2026, with the centre set to play a key role in delivering inclusive, water-based activities for the city, especially for underserved communities, for years to come.
thoughtful development can enrich the natural world while providing high-quality homes for growing communities."
David Scholefield, director of EAD Ecology, said: "The bat house has been designed to keep bats safe and maximise the chances of them finding and using it. While it may take time for them to adopt their new accommodation, it offers an important long-term resource for protected species and can provide a real boost to local populations.
“We encourage visitors to enjoy the structure from a distance so the bats feel at home. Look out for them after sunset, flying along streams and woodland edges, and catching their supper over the ponds and fields across the Country Park."
The bat house joins Sherford's distinctive wooden bat bridge crossing Hercules Road as part of a multi-million-pound programme dedicated to preserving and enriching the natural landscape. Since its inception, Sherfords masterplan has placed the environment at its core, proving that new communities can enhance biodiversity rather than diminish it.
As the Country Park – currently 92 acres – continues its journey towards an impressive 500-acre landscape, residents can expect further wildlife-friendly features such as bird and bat boxes, badger tunnels and habitat piles. These additions form part of Sherfords wider strategy to create not only a thriving place to live, but one where nature thrives too.
Find out more about Sherford, its green spaces and commitment to ecology at www.sherford.uk
Six primary and secondary schools which are part of Westcountry Schools Trust (WeST) have received a special letter of congratulations from the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson MP.
The letter recognised the excellent outcomes that disadvantaged pupils across the schools achieved at the end of the 2024/25 academic year, noting that their performances place them among the best nationally.
The local schools celebrating the acknowledgement were Chaddlewood Primary School, Coombe Dean School, Glen Park Primary School, Ivybridge Community College, Stowford School and Woodford Primary School.
Nat Parnell, chief executive at WeST, said: “This recognition from the Secretary of State is testament to the unwavering dedication of our staff and the determination of our pupils.
“Across Westcountry Schools Trust, we believe that every child deserves the very best
opportunities to succeed, regardless of their background. To see seven of our schools recognised among the best in the country for outcomes for disadvantaged pupils is something we are immensely proud of.
"This success belongs to the teachers, support staff, and school leaders who go above and beyond every single day to make a difference. Thank you also to our parents and families for their enduring support and whose role within our schools is so important."
In her letter to the schools, the Secretary of State for Education said: "This success reflects the dedication of your staff and the hard work of your pupils. It shows what can be achieved when ambition and commitment come together. Thank you for everything you do to give children the best possible opportunities to succeed."
Plymouth has announced its intention to bid for the title of UK City of Culture 2029, with £10 million of funding for a year-long celebration of arts and culture awarded to the winning city. This is an invitation to everyone to make life an adventure in Plymouth 2029 and join the celebration.
Securing the title will give Plymouth the opportunity to celebrate the people and places that make the city so vibrant, while supporting the city’s wider ambitions for inclusive growth and regeneration. Plymouth City of Culture 2029 will celebrate our proud city shaped by the sea and its dynamic histories.
From music, performance, heritage and visual arts to film, festivals, sport and community-led projects, the bid will showcase the breadth of creativity already thriving across Plymouth, and our pioneering approach to marine research to health, social enterprise to volunteering.
It will also create space for new voices, new ideas and new ways for people to take part in culture across the city, helping to shape places, strengthen communities and improve access to opportunity.
The bid to become the UK’s City of Culture builds on the momentum Plymouth has created after more than a decade of sustained investment in arts and culture. It’s a chance to showcase Plymouth’s strengths as a coastal city, and how it embraces its waterfront identity as an example to other cities particularly those with coastal communities.
It aligns closely with the city’s wider priorities, including city centre regeneration, new neighbourhoods and housing, and Plymouth’s unique role as a centre for defence and innovation, showing how culture can support placemaking, skills development and wellbeing alongside economic growth.
The prestigious national competition is led by the Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and runs every four years. Bradford currently holds the title, with previous winners including Derry/Londonderry (2013), Hull (2017) and Coventry (2021).
Longlisted places will receive £60,000 to support the development of their bids, with the overall winner receiving £10 million in prize funding. The competition has a strong track record of unlocking long-term cultural, social and economic benefits for places, helping to drive regeneration, civic pride and inclusive growth.
Experience from previous host cities shows that
the title can also help attract significant additional investment, supporting jobs, skills, infrastructure and community development well beyond the programme year itself.
Plymouth previously bid for City of Culture in 2017. Since then, the city’s cultural landscape has changed significantly, and it is ready to show the nation what a coastal city can achieve when creativity sits at the heart of its ambitions.
More than a decade of sustained investment has helped establish strong cultural infrastructure, a rich ecology of artists and organisations, and confident, collaborative leadership across the sector. The 2029 bid represents an opportunity to build on these foundations and demonstrate how a coastal city like Plymouth can reimagine its future, drawing on its history, its communities and its global connections.
Cllr Jemima Laing said: “This is an incredibly exciting moment for Plymouth to show the power of creativity to improve the lives of everyone. This gives us an opportunity to put culture at the heart of our city plans, supporting regeneration, new jobs and investment while ensuring growth is inclusive and benefits communities across the city.
“The City Council has asked Victoria Pomery,
chief executive of The Box and Head of Culture for Plymouth City Council, and Hannah Harris, chief executive of Plymouth Culture, to lead on the bid to become City of Culture. Both are extremely well placed to do so and are at the heart of two of the city’s strategic cultural organisations.”
Victoria Pomery said: “This is a real now or never moment for Plymouth a city so intrinsically linked to the UK’s histories. We have spent years building the cultural partnerships and infrastructure that will enable Plymouth to live up to the title of City of Culture, and the timing aligns perfectly with the wider ambition for growth, regeneration and opportunity in the city.”
Hannah Harris added: “Plymouth is a city that embraces culture from football to food, Beryl Cook to Joshua Reynolds, history to adventure. This competition gives us an opportunity to show the UK, and beyond, how a key coastal city can use creativity to reimagine its future, amplify the voices of its communities and drive a new form of sustainable regeneration and growth.”
The development of the bid will take place with the full backing of Plymouth City Council and partners from across the city.
An initial Expression of Interest will be
submitted by February 8, with a full bid to follow in summer 2026 should Plymouth be longlisted. A programme of creative community engagement will sit at the heart of the bid process and will begin from January 19, ensuring that people across Plymouth can get involved, share their ideas and help shape the city’s vision for UK City of Culture 2029. Details of creative community drop-in sessions will be shared on the Plymouth Culture and Plymouth City Council websites.
To find out more, visit plymouthculture.co.uk/ city-of-culture
Plymouth has officially entered the competition to become the UK City of Culture 2029, a move that could unlock £10 million in direct prize funding and hundreds of millions in wider investment.
The bid is being positioned as a ‘now or never’ moment for the city to transform its national reputation and address long-standing economic challenges.
For residents, this is not just about a year of festivals. Local leaders say the bid is a strategic tool to drive regeneration, improve social mobility, and link Plymouth’s world-leading marine technology to its creative identity
Learning from Hull and Coventry
The decision to bid is backed by evidence from previous winners who have seen dramatic urban shifts.
Hull (2017): The city attracted £676 million in public and private investment between 2013 and 2019. The year-long celebration created nearly 800 jobs in the creative and visitor sectors, with one in four local businesses hiring new staff during the programme.
Derry/Londonderry (2013): The first titleholder saw a 33% increase in visitor trips shortly after its tenure, demonstrating the title’s power to put cities on the national tourism map.
Coventry (2021): Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the city saw a £150 million boost in tourism income above 2019 levels. However, Coventry also offers a warning: the 2021 trust eventually entered administration due to financial pressures, highlighting the need for the institutional stability Plymouth is now promising. Why 2029 is different for Plymouth
This is the city’s first attempt at the title since a failed bid for 2017. While the previous effort was criticized for lacking community depth, leaders argue the landscape has changed significantly over the last decade.
The bid is anchored by the success of The Box, Plymouth’s flagship museum and gallery. An independent assessment released in late 2025 revealed the institution has already generated a £244 million economic footprint since opening in 2020. Crucially, 13% of its 1.1 million visitors were people who had never engaged with a cultural venue before, proving that culture is reaching beyond traditional
audiences. Unique to Plymouth’s pitch is the integration of its status as the National Centre for Marine Autonomy. The bid aligns with a £250 million UK Defence Growth Deal aimed at boosting skills in electrical engineering and robotics. By combining these high-tech industries with the arts, the city aims to create a sustainable form of growth that supports wellbeing and new neighbourhoods alongside economic gains.
What Happens Next?
The race for 2029 is a multi-phase process with high stakes. February 8, 2026: Deadline for the initial Expression of Interest to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
Summer 2026: If longlisted, Plymouth will receive £60,000 to develop a full bid.
Late 2026: The winner will be announced.If selected, the £10 million prize will fund a massive programme of sport, performance, and community-led heritage projects.
Even if the city falls short of the top spot, runners-up are eligible for £125,000 to take elements of their plans forward, ensuring the work put into the bid serves a lasting purpose.
with members of the Cofast workforce
Dozens of jobs in Plymouth and the Midlands have been safeguarded after the purchase of a critical supplier to the nuclear and defence sector.
Rapidly expanding Clarity Group has purchased Plymptonbased Cofast and sister company NDB Engineering from the administrators in a deal that will provide security and fresh investment for robotics and a host of productivity improvements.
The business will trade as Cofast going forward and is setting its sights on leveraging new financial backing to attack £multimillion opportunities in decommissioning and big domestic naval projects.
There is also significant potential to take its technical expertise and precision engineering performance into the aerospace supply chain, a market that demands safety critical products.
Kevin Robinson, chairman of Clarity Group, said: “Our latest purchase represents a perfect opportunity to increase our presence in two industrial markets that are receiving unprecedented investment.
“Both Cofast and NDB Engineering have excellent relationships in defence and nuclear that we want to maximise through increased efficiencies and investment in the latest technology.”
He continued: “There are also a lot of shared synergies with Clarity Plastics and our other associated engineering companies that we will look to explore as integration into the group continues.
"Like always, the emphasis is on improving the customer journey by giving them access to technical expertise and
production capabilities they can’t get anywhere else.”
Cofast will continue to operate from its 6500 sq ft logistics centre in Valley Road, Plympton, and its purpose-built 22,000 sq ft manufacturing hub in the West Midlands.
Together, the business employs 64 people and generates annual revenues of £7m across its fasteners and turned parts order book and a 20,000-strong engineered consumables list.
The manufacturing operation in the Willenhall deals predominantly in bespoke customer applications, working in exotic alloys in sizes ranging from 1.6mm to 48mm.
Components, which are governed by ISO 9001 quality accreditation, are sent to hundreds of customers in more than fifty different countries and across four continents.
“We have been delivering critical parts for the nuclear and defence sector for nearly three decades, with our turned parts and fasteners used in applications deployed by some of the world’s biggest organisations,” explained managing director Rebecca James, who will continue to run the business with technical director Andy Williams.
She added: “This trust in our manufacturing ability is something we can really drive by being part of a bigger group.
"There are lots of opportunities in new infrastructure projects and we’re already working alongside our sister businesses to explore new markets where our engineering knowledge and machine capacity can make a difference - aerospace is a prime target.
“Hopefully, we can also open doors in the defence sector for Clarity Plastics to exploit,” she said.
Plymouth Pavilions has been rebranded as Plymouth Arena, marking the next chapter in the venue’s longstanding role at the heart of the city’s entertainment and events scene.
The rebrand to Plymouth Arena represents a significant milestone in the venue’s evolution, aligning its identity with a commitment to delivering world-class experiences for audiences, performers, and partners alike.
The new name better reflects the scale, ambition and profile of the events hosted at the venue which now has one clear vision to be the independent heart and soul of live entertainment in the South West, creating unforgettable shared moments where everyone truly belongs.
Chief executive Sarah Phillips said: “For years, Plymouth Arena has been the place where memories were made, the gigs that defined generations and the moments that brought our city together. As we look to the future, it’s time for a name that reflects that energy and ambition.
"This is not simply a rebrand or a visual change; it’s a promise. A promise to be louder, braver and more connected than ever before. We’ve taken the opportunity to redefine what we stand
for, putting creativity,community and character at the heart of everything we do, and championing the independent spirit that makes Plymouth unique.
“There’s something truly magical about this venue. If you’ve ever been there on a show night, you’ll know it. When the lights go down and the crowd erupts, every challenge, every late night and every ounce of effort is worth it. Our ambition is simple: to create an iconic stage for unforgettable experiences,” she added.
The transition to Plymouth Arena will be rolled out across signage, digital platforms, marketing materials and on-site branding. Events already scheduled will go ahead as planned, with no disruption to ticket holders, partners or promoters.
As Plymouth Arena, the venue will continue to host a diverse range of events, including live music, comedy, family shows, exhibitions and conferences, reinforcing Plymouth’s position as a vibrant cultural and entertainment hub.
Looking ahead, Plymouth Arena continues to build on this legacy and will welcome a diverse programme of events in 2026. Confirmed acts include Russell Howard, 10CC, Darren Styles, Strictly Come Dancing, UB40, Professor Brian Cox, Squeeze, Romesh Ranganathan, Alan Carr, and many more.
The growth of the West Country Hawks Wheelchair Rugby Club has received a boost with a taster session for would-be new members in Plymouth after teaming up with a national charity.
The event, staged at Plymouth Life Centre, was sponsored by Enable Law and jointly delivered alongside charity partners from the Limbless Association, bringing together players, supporters, families and first-time participants from across the region.
Wheelchair rugby – often described as a thrilling blend of rugby, basketball, ice hockey and American Football – proved a perfect showcase for the Hawks, who support disabled athletes throughout Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.
The day also highlighted the vital work of the Limbless Association, which provides practical and emotional support to amputees before and after amputation, helping individuals rebuild confidence, independence and quality of life.
For West Country Hawks coach and chairman Adam Simmons, the atmosphere on the day spoke for itself.
"The atmosphere said it all and everyone had a great time," said Adam. "There were smiles, laughter and a real buzz on court all day. Whether people were playing for the first time, returning to the sport, or simply watching, everyone felt involved."
Those values were echoed by solicitors from Enable Law after they swapped briefing papers for battle-ready wheelchairs when they joined an action-packed wheelchair rugby session.
Enable Law partner Michelle Biddulph and solicitor Katherine Moyse left the office behind to take part in the lively introductory session. It allowed them to experience first-hand the intensity, skill and excitement of one of the UK's fastest-growing adaptive sports, in a show of support for disability sport across the South West.
Michelle, who leads the Enable Law’s clinical negligence team and is based at firm’s Exeter office, said: "Wheelchair rugby is clearly fast-paced, inclusive and hugely empowering and the energy on and off the sports court was incredible.
"There was plenty of laughter, plenty of tries, and a real sense of community as everyone came together to celebrate the sport. I loved getting out on court, it's so much fun, and it's brilliant to see it going from strength to strength here in the South West."
Bristol-based Katherine, a serious personal injuries specialist, added: "Everyone at Enable Law is incredibly proud to support both the West Country Hawks and the Limbless Association. They are invaluable organisations making a real difference to people's lives.
"We received such a warm welcome and really valued the chance to engage with players, families and volunteers.
“One Hawks player told me how she had suffered an amputation, become isolated at home and had reluctantly gone along to a Hawks session and fell in love with wheelchair rugby.
“It had given her a new outlook on life and that kind of progression shows just how powerful days like this can be in terms of opening doors and creating new opportunities."
With its mix of elite sport, grassroots inclusion and strong community spirit, the event demonstrated the growing impact wheelchair rugby is having across the region – and the importance of partnerships in helping more people discover sport, confidence and connection.
The West Country Hawks are keen to hear from new players and volunteers, whether people want to try wheelchair rugby for the first time, return to sport after injury or amputation, or support sessions and events behind the scenes. No previous experience is needed, just enthusiasm and a willingness to get involved.
Anyone interested in finding out more can visit the West Country Hawks website at www.hawkswheelchairrugby.co.uk
Plymouth City Council has sold a parcel of land on the eastern fringe of the city to Homes England.
The land off West Park Hill in Plympton is designated for housing in the Joint Local Plan and is currently used as farmland.
The sale has been completed for a price of £7.3 million, the receipts of which will be invested back into infrastructure and the growth agenda for the city centre.
The decision has not been universally welcomed by local residents. Many took to social media raising concerns about the impact the development would have on traffic in the area and the increased pressure on local services, such as schools and surgeries.
In 2024, a community consultation on an outline proposal for development of up to 500 homes took place, with a plan featuring a mix of new open market and affordable housing.
But now, instead of this being spearheaded by the council, Homes England will work with stakeholders to secure planning permission for a high-quality development to bring forward much needed new homes and public open space.
The transaction reflects Homes England's
strong commitment to Plymouth, supporting the delivery of new homes across the city.
“This is a win-win for Plymouth,” said Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Communities and Cooperative Development.
“Not only will this move ensure that the homes that we so badly need to tackle the housing crisis are delivered but we also gain funding to build the infrastructure to help us realise our vision for the expansion of housing in the city centre and our wider growth agenda.
“Homes England are a trusted partner and are acquiring a portfolio of sites to help drive forward housing across the city.
“For that reason, I’m confident that this transaction is not only in the best interest of the Council Tax payer, but also the families on the housing waiting list in priority need who are longing for somewhere to call home.”
The land at West Park Hill is owned by Plymouth City Council, but falls within the boundary of South Hams District Council.
Although a pre-planning application was previously submitted the land does not currently have full planning permission.
A small group of invited onlookers packed into the metal shelter in St Mary’s Park on a wet and windswept morning in January to witness last year’s Stannator, Dave Partridge, plant his Stannator’s tree.
It is an annual tradition that each Stannator selects an approved location and plants a tree of their choice at the end of their year in office. In Dave’s case he chose St Mary’s Park as a venue and opted to plant a Silver Birch.
It was one of three trees planted in the park that morning, the other two being a Maple Tree and a second Silver Birch.
Other locations chosen by previous Stannators include Golden Square in Colebrook, St Mary’s Churchyard, Pathfields and Harewood Park among others. Past trees planted in recent years have included a mulberry bush, an Elder tree, a Sweet Gum, a flowering crab apple and a Rowan tree.
(Story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)
Scores of people attended the first Careers Fair to be organised by Plympton Community Council’s Youth Committee in January.
The main hall of Harewood House was the scene of bustling activity as attendees visited the range of careers stalls present and spoke with prospective future employers. Stallholders included Green Light, Barbados, Babcock, Howard & Over Solicitors, Airbus Defence and Space, British Red Cross, Devon and Cornwall Police, AC Haines, EE, PureGym, Skills Group, Five Rivers Fostering, University of Plymouth, and Ian Owen Careers Advisor.
A spokesperson for the organising Youth Committee said: “The Careers Fair was a big success! It was fantastic to see so many members of the public attending and engaging with a wide range of employers and organisations.
“We’ve received really positive feedback through
A Plympton residents group which has been in existence for over 25 years is to fold, Plympton Community Council were informed at their January meeting.
our feedback forms, and due to the success of the event we will be looking to host the Careers Fair again next January, with plans to include even more stallholders.
“A huge thank you to all the organisations who gave their time and support to make the event possible.”
(Story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)
The group often held meetings which were also attended by local councillors who could hear the concerns of residents on various issues and take on some of them as items of casework.
The St Mary’s Area Residents’ Team (SMART) intend to close shortly once some loose ends have been dealt with. Banks now charging community groups to hold accounts and a lack of new people coming forward to be involved in the work of the group have been cited as the main reasons for the decision to wind it up.
SMART is an association which has been concerned with all matters relating to the PL7 1 area of Plympton and has been going since 1999, having originally formed under the title of Merafield and Underwood Residents Association.
The group campaigned on community issues affecting its residents. Over the years such issues have included speed limits, inappropriate HGV usage of narrow residential roads, children’s safety in Market Road at school times, the state of a local car park, equipment in the St Mary’s Play Park and the loss of trees in Linketty Lane.
In addition to its campaigning the group has also raised thousands of pounds for good causes over the years.
In one final act before the group’s closure, presentations of £500 each will be made to Shekinah Mission and Plympton Foodbank. Other groups which have benefited in the past from SMART’s community fundraising include Plymouth Scout and Guide Gang Show, Plym Valley Railway, Plympton and District Civic Society and Luna’s Fund to name just some.
News of the group’s impending closure has been received with a mixture of sadness and resignation.
One local resident described the decision as ‘sad but understandable’ and former Plymouth City Council leader Nick Kelly commented: “That’s very sad, we need more active community groups around the city, not less.”
(story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)
Life begins at 40 – or so the saying goes –and it was certainly true for former drug addict and petty criminal Dave Cross.
For the best part of four decades Dave’s life was a maelstrom of rejection, broken relationships, abuse, drugs, crime and prison.
Dave was born in Doncaster in 1952 and his life certainly didn’t have the best of starts. His mother gave birth to Dave at the age of 16 and she was immediately sent to a convent as many teenage mothers were at that time.
As a result Dave spent the first eight years of his life in a care home until he was fostered by a family in Harrogate.
Dave said: “They told me later that they didn’t really want me, but had been persuaded by the nuns to take me. They had a 12 year old son who was a bully and the couple were not very nice to me either.”
To his relief the arrangement came to an end at the age of 12 when the nuns arrived at the couple’s home and took Dave back to the boys’ home. “I was glad to be out of there and back with my mates,” he said.
A year or so later he was told his mother had arrived to collect him. It came as huge shock for Dave as he had always been told he was an orphan. “My mum was there with her husband Arthur and their five-year-old daughter - a half sister I never knew I had. It was all very confusing because they were total strangers and I felt no love at all from my mum.”
His mum and Arthur lived in Liverpool and it led to a life-long love for his favourite football team. “Arthur was a decent man and he used to take me to Anfield on a regular basis. It was a fantastic experience.”
Dave had by then also developed a love for music and to be in Liverpool in the 1960s with the Beatles and other famous groups of that time was special for teenager Dave.
But the good times ended when the family moved back to Doncaster and after leaving school at the age of 15, Dave got in with the wrong crowd and started to go off the rails. He was sent to detention centre for six months after stealing a car and on release he asked his mum if he could go back home to live.
“I had been pretty rebellious and she said she didn’t want me living with them and that she had been shamed for having got pregnant at the age of 15 and being forced into a convent when she was 16,” added Dave.
He ended up sleeping rough until he met a group of hippies who were squatting in a house in Doncaster and they invited me to join them. They introduced Dave to cannabis and other drugs and it was to have a dramatic effect on his life for the next 20 years or more. “I thought I had found what I was looking for,” said Dave. “Taking drugs gave me a big high, but it also led me into more serious crime to fund my habit.”
In his late teens Dave decided to hitch-hike to London and ended up with a group of squatters living in a squat. Over the following few years his drug taking escalated and most of his time was spent finding ways to get money to buy more drugs.
He spent several years in London and having learned to play the guitar joined a band, became a roadie and toured the country with a famous Canadian rock band called Rush.
His nomadic lifestyle took him to numerous locations including Cornwall, Wales and Amsterdam before he eventually ended up in Bristol in his late 20s. During the years in Bristol he resorted to crime, drug dealing and busking in the streets to fund his habit.
“I wasn’t a very good criminal and ended up being sent to prison three times. My life had become a lot, lot darker and self-destructive by then,” said Dave. “I couldn’t get off heroin and ended up as a small-time dealer. It was at the time of the riots in Bristol in 1980 and there were some pretty nasty things going on. A drug dealer friend of mine was found murdered in a skip and I ended up getting out of Bristol as it wasn’t a safe place to be.”
Dave had a friend in Cornwall, so he headed down to the West Country - and it was there that his life was to change dramatically.
Shortly after arriving in Cornwall, he and a friend went to a rave on Bodmin Moor and unbeknown to him Dave was about to meet his future wife Tina. “She was selling drugs and I bought some ecstasy from her and danced the night away. We spent a few months together before she kicked me out.”
Dave stayed in Cornwall and eventually found a flat in Camelford. “It was Christmas Eve and I had no food, no money and no drugs so life was at a very low ebb. But I heard that a church was giving away free Christmas lunches at the local library. I was an out-and-out atheist and hated Christmas, but it was a special time for a group of us.”
Dave then struck up a friendship with a local Christian man who played bass guitar and knowing that Dave had been a roadie in the past, asked if
he could help set up the sound system at his church the following morning.
“When I got there the sound system was already set up and a worship band were playing and people were singing with such joy and freedom,” said Dave. “The music was great and it was so alive.
“Then an older chap got up and started to share how much he loved Jesus and as he spoke something in my heart twanged. I could feel a presence, but I didn’t know what it was. Tears began to fall down my face followed by racking great sobs. I was sobbing so much there was a pool of water at my feet.
“I cried out ‘I’m sorry God, I didn’t know you were there, please forgive me.’ The years of pain and shame were released in that moment.”
Dave spoke to the pastor at the end of the service and told him something profound had happened to him. The pastor replied: “Alright then we’ll see you next week!’
Dave was still in contact with Tina, who was also living near Camelford and eventually moved in with her. Soon after, his Christian friend gave them tickets for the Cross Rhythms Festival at Okehampton. It was the summer of 1993 and thousands of people were at the event, which featured speakers from all over the world.
It proved to be a turning point for both of them as they gave their lives to Jesus at the event and were freed from their dependence on drugs.
They married later that year and returned to the church in Camelford, determined to make up for all the lost years by doing good and helping others who were struggling with addiction or lifecontrolling issues.
After their own dramatic encounters with Jesus, Dave and Tina took every opportunity to share their testimonies in prisons, young offenders institutions, churches and at a variety of meetings, as well as attending Christian festivals to promote Cross Rhythms.
They both spent two years working for a
Produced By:
Christian rehab centre on the outskirts of Okehampton before moving to Plymouth to join the team at the Shekinah Mission.
Dave later ran a course at Channings Wood Prison called Genesis, sharing his own story and helping prisoners to understand that they could have better way of life. He also trained as a drug counsellor at this time.
Based on the experience at Channings Wood he and Tina set up a house in Torquay for exprisoners to help them get their lives back in order. They then started a soup run for people on the streets, before taking on a large property in the centre of Torquay with the help of Lottery Funding to create Project 58, a drop-in centre for the homeless.
That project lasted for five years and later Dave became a support worker helping drug addicts, while Tina became the manager of a Domestic Abuse service.
“My life had become fulfilled and productive at last – thanks to God’s love and grace,” said Dave. Their Christian journey brought them back to Plymouth seven years ago and always wanting to help others, they became foster carers, before retiring recently. They attend Redeemer Church in St Budeaux and are actively involved in the work of the church.
Dave added: “Life is really good now, we have close friends we can depend on, a great church family and a lovely home in Ford - and it’s all thanks to God.”
Detectives are continuing their enquiries after two cashpoint machines were ripped out of a supermarket wall in Plympton.
Police were notified at around 1.45am on Monday February 2, following reports of a ram-raid at the Co-op store on Glen Road. It is believed that a John Deere telehandler – also known as a ‘cherry picker’ – was used to ram into the wall at the store allowing for two cashpoint machines to be removed from the building.
Following enquiries, it was found that the telehandler had been stolen earlier in the night from a nearby farm.
Detective Constable Andrew Trott-Rodgers said: “We believe four people were involved in the break-in, all were dressed in dark clothing and had their hoods up and faces covered.
“They arrived at the Co-op in stolen vehicles, all of which have since been discovered torched in a forest nearby at Sparkwell. The telehandler was left at the scene.
“We are appealing for information around any sightings of suspicious behaviour in the Smithaleigh area of Plympton near and around Piggeries Farm. We believe the telehandler was taken from the farm between 5.30pm on Sunday February 1 and 1.30am on Monday 2 February.
“We are also looking for witnesses who may have seen anything suspicious in the early hours of the morning on Monday February 2 around Downfield Drive and Glen Road areas.
“We are asking residents who live in these areas, who we have not already spoken to, for doorbell camera footage, or anyone with dashcam footage to get in touch by calling 101 or by reporting online quoting 50260027042.”
Information can also be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555111, or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Notice is hereby given that I Mohammed Shinwarai On the 29th January 2026
Have made application to the Plymouth City Council, being the Licensing Authority for the purposes of the above Act, for the grant of a Premises Licence in respect of the premises situated at and known as:
Uni Food, 35 Mutley Plain, Plymouth, PL4 6JG
The relevant licensable activities are as follows;
Late Night Refreshment Monday to Sunday 23:00hrs to 04:00hrs
Any representations to this application should be made in writing or electronically to: Public Protection Service Manager, Licensing Office, Plymouth City Council, Ballard House, West Hoe Road, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ.
licensing@plymouth.gov.uk (for electronic representations please provide your postal address).
No later than 28th February 2026 (This is the 28th day commencing from the day after the application was submitted to the Council)
A copy of this application can be viewed at the licensing office in office hours by appointment or at the Council’s website: https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/current-licensing-applications
It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with this application, the maximum fine on summary conviction being unlimited.
Hele’s School in Plympton has been awarded the prestigious Silver Space Education Quality Mark, in recognition of its excellent teaching of science –particularly space topics.
The Space Education Quality Mark, which was created by ESERO-UK, is given to schools across the country who can demonstrate they have significantly used the context of space when teaching, worked with other organisations, shared resources and used space to enrich the curriculum.
Hele's School was given the award following a thorough and comprehensive assessment.
The assessor praised the way in which the whole school is engaged in the teaching of science – both in lessons and through its enrichment programme including trips to the National Space Centre and its annual Combined Cadet Force space event 'Borrow the Moon' where Hele's takes ownership of actual moon samples and shares them across the community.
The assessor also complimented the quality of students' work and was particularly impressed by the school's striking STEM aspirations mural.
Emma Clapham, principal at Hele's School, said: "We are excited that Hele's School has been awarded the prestigious Space Education Quality Mark Silver Award in recognition of our outstanding commitment to spacethemed STEM education across the whole school.
“We are fortunate to have a fantastic and innovative science department which is constantly coming up with new ideas for bringing learning alive for both our students and members of our wider community, young and old! For budding scientists to have this opportunity is superb and I am thrilled with how the students have embraced the challenges this has brought.
"Outside the classroom, students have a number of opportunities to develop their interest in science and space including our annual participation in a UK space design competition. Our science teaching is also interwoven into our careers programme and we're proud to have brokered highly successful virtual work experience opportunities with Airbus UK."
Alex Brown, STEM Support Programme Manager at STEM Learning, said: "We are delighted to congratulate Hele's School on receiving the Silver Space Education Quality Mark. Each school and college who receives the Space Education Mark has demonstrated a real and ongoing commitment to excellent STEM education in their school. Hele's School is a great example of this. STEM is an abbreviation for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
(Story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast)
The extension of a popular off-road walking and cycling route will begin this month.
Work will see an extension of the well-used path that currently runs from Laira Rail Bridge past Saltram Meadow, with the opening of the blocked-off bridge under Colesdown Hill and a new crossing over Elburton Road. Designed to be accessible, attractive and traffic-free, the path will cater for walkers, cyclists, mobility scooter users, and carers with pushchairs.
The plans also include lighting and a safe crossing over the quarry access road to ensure the route is convenient and safe for all users.
The project forms part of a three-kilometre route that has been developed in phases since the Laira Rail Bridge was opened to pedestrians and cyclists in 2015.
Councillor John Stephens, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: "I’m really pleased to get started on this phase of what I know is a path that is already well used by pedestrians and cyclists.
“We always promised that the steps that are currently on this section of the path would be complemented by a more accessible option in due course so it's great to see this now in construction.I can’t wait to see it complete.”
The project was originally set to begin in 2025, but ground investigation works
showed up issues that required a slight change in design.
A contractor for the work is due be formally appointed before work begins on Monday February 9. Work is expected to finish in the summer of 2027.
For a significant section of the work, Colesdown Hill will need to be closed to traffic at its southern end. The existing path will also need to be closed from Saltram Meadow. Letters with more information are being sent to residents in the area.
In order to implement this project, 20 trees, 15 of which are already dying from Ash Dieback, will need to be removed.
The loss of these has already be compensated for by the planting of 26 standard trees and 200 smaller whips across two nearby green spaces. A further 146 whips will be planted on site during construction.
To complete the project, an executive decision to allocate a further £1.9m, funded from Section 106 Developer contributions, has been signed and is subject to call in by scrutiny.
More information on Plymouth's walking, cycling and public transport programme can be found at www.plymouth.gov.uk/ plymotion and information on the wider transport programme can be found at www.plymouth.gov.uk/ transport-plans-and-projects
January has been a busy month for the Dunstone Team. Some households in Plymstock would have already received their food waste recycling caddies with collections due to start in March.
Not all areas in Plymstock will take part in the first wave, other areas will be included in the phased roll out. I took the opportunity to find out more about food waste recycling and visited the Prince Rock Depot.
I have to say I was fascinated by the science behind food waste recycling and what the end product can be used for. Food waste will go through a process where microorganisms break down the waste producing nutrient rich fertiliser, biogas, heat and even electricity. Households who will be taking part in the first phase have been given clear guidance as to what can be put in the caddies. I don’t know why I was surprised but bones and meat carcasses can also be included!
Lots of areas throughout the country and the South West have already been recycling food waste and Plymouth has benefited from their knowledge and experiences. It’s reassuring the caddies are lockable preventing wildlife accessing the waste. There will be opportunities for community engagement with the food recycling team.
I attended the council’s Holocaust Memorial event on Holocaust Memorial Day. The theme for 2026 was ‘Bridging Generations.’ The theme encourages us all to engage actively with the past, to listen, to learn and to carry those lessons forward. In doing so, we can build the bridge between history and hope for the future to ensure this never happens again. It was a very moving
and thought-provoking ceremony delivered compassionately by local participants and schools. A time to reflect with songs, memories, talks and poetry, reminding us that we all have an important role to play in building a kinder and more compassionate future. I would actively encourage residents to watch the event on the Council’s YouTube.
I will leave you with the words of Solly Irving, a Holocaust survivor who said: “When you go out into the world, try to be friends with people, especially those who appear to be different; talk to them and respect them even though their beliefs may be different. After all, we are all part of the same human family, aren’t we? Try to create a better world than the one I had to endure.”
Plymouth City Council recently announced the opening of the first council-owned residential care home situated in Plymstock Radford ward. A lot of hard work has gone into making this happen and I’m proud to support it as a member of the Corporate Parenting Board. I want to share an extract from my letter to residents who will be living nearby to explain my reasons why:
As a councillor, I’m a corporate parent. This means I share responsibility for ensuring that children in our care are safe, supported, and given the same opportunities as any other child to thrive. My view is very simple; every child deserves to have a home. This development is an important step in ensuring that Plymouth’s children can be cared for in safe, nurturing homes within their own city.
I’m proud that our community will play a part in offering stability and support to children and young people who need it most. This home will provide short-term care for a small number of children and young people, helping them through a difficult time and supporting them back into family-based settings.
Similar homes will be opening across Plymouth as part of our commitment to improving care for local children. This initiative aims to reduce Plymouth City Council’s reliance on expensive private children’s home provision. In 2024, the average cost of a children’s social care placement in Plymouth was £6,700 a week – or a staggering £329,000 a year. So, this isn’t just the right thing to do by our children in care, but also by Plymouth’s council taxpayers.”
I understand that changes in the community can raise questions, so please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.
Councillors Lawson, Krizanac and I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Caroline Granville, headteacher of Coombe Dean School in Elburton.
As we were waiting in the main entrance, students voluntarily chatted to us politely in an engaging manner and they were not planted there!
It was heartening to see the pride in the headteacher’s face when she talked about her students, staff and the wider school community.
Caroline has taught at the school, and become the school’s first female headteacher, since the current sixth formers entered this world.
We discussed pressures on the school’s admissions as the school is one of two popular Plymstock secondary schools, and Coombe Dean’s historical city-wide admissions scheme means potential students living two or three miles beyond the city’s boundary in Devon may not be admitted.
The school is rightly proud of the care it offers some of their most vulnerable students such as the ‘We Care’ group that includes children in care, young people who are part of military families and those who have been affected by bereavement; the ‘B Group.’ Caroline has a hands-on involvement in
these groups to support their pastoral needs.
During this conversation, she also praised the improved support and advice offered to schools by Plymouth City Council to support and provide for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, which Cllr Krizanac was pleased to share in Full Council.
We were pleased to inform the school that we had arranged what we had already done for Plymstock School, by allocating some of our community grants to support the ‘We Care’ group’s activity and sponsor an Outstanding Community Student award.
We also chatted with Caroline about concerns some local residents have raised with us about road safety fears on Wembury Road and parking in some roads around the school on the Charnhill Estate. Our next visit to Coombe Dean will be to meet the School Senate, made up of older students to learn about what matters to them.
We ended the special visit by receiving some homework from the headteacher – to investigate options of funding from external sources to further support the school’s provision of high quality education and care.
For councillors across the city, casework continues. It has been a busy three month spell for our Highways teams dealing with excessive rain and a couple of icy days and nights.
I have reported a number of road defects to the Highways department on residents’ behalf.
Grit bins are located across the city, following last year’s strategic review of grit bins. This involved officers seeking the views of ward councillors. The provision of bins will be reviewed, as usual, before next winter, e.g. checking if any location meet the criteria for a bin and to review this winter’s performance.
For residents in Sherford, we were informed at the recent Consortium liaison
meeting that a map showing the location of newly introduced grit bins will be on display on the community noticeboards and on the Sherford Consortium website.
It would not be a councillor article if I did not take this chance to remind residents to park considerately around the area, noting that double yellow lines, crossing zig-zag marks and signs are positioned for a reason – to keep people safe in various locations. Have a safe and wise month!
A Plymouth-based Royal Marine is taking on a gruelling endurance event to raise money in memory of a former friend and colleague who took his own life.
Royal Marine Ben Carson will set off on March 20 from Mount Edgcumbe to run the South West Coast Path all the way around Crownall via Lands End and on to Barnstaple in North Devon. He aims to run 30 miles a day, every day until the gruelling fundraiser is completed.
His original plan was to run between 18 and 24 miles a day for 19 days, covering the total distance of 362 miles – coinciding with the 362nd year of the Royal Marines. However, due to work commitments and manning issues he has had to reduce his timeline and increase the daily distance to 30 miles each day.
He is raising funds for Rock2Recovery in memory of his friend Lance Corporal Tim Burtwell, who took his own life last year. The charity helps helps military serving, ex-serving and blue light service personnel who are in mental health crisis and helps with suicide prevention.
Ben said: "It has been It has been difficult to come to terms with, as suicide by its nature is hard to understand or make sense of. I personally find meaning in going for a run and its really helped to clear my head when coming to terms with this tragedy.
“I’m hoping by running such a gruelling endurance event, to raise awareness around serving personnel and veterans mental health whilst raising money for a great cause who do their best to help our service men and women who are in crisis.”
Ben’s run will taking him along one of the UK’s most rugged and demanding trails. The route includes steep climbs, exposed coastal paths, unpredictable weather and thousands of metres of ascent and descent.
Ben has set himself a fund-raising target of £3,620 and has already raised more than half of that total. Donations can be made at www.sportsgiving. co.uk/sponsor/activity/endurance-running-event/ben-curson
With 2026 designated as the National Year of Reading, a local charity is encouraging parents, grandparents and carers to take advantage of the array of children’s books available.
Plymouth Children’s Book Group is for anyone interested in finding out the best books to finding out about the best books to enjoy, read and recommend to young people today.
The charity is part of a national group, the FCBG, of about 20 groups, all volunteers, whose aim is to help children connect with books they like. The group has been around for over 30 years and has brought many children’s authors and illustrators to Plymouth schools and public events.
Hilarie Elder, chair of Plymouth Children’s Book Group said: “We continue to do that as well as have local story times in different areas and venues. Over 20 schools take part in the national Children’s Book Award the only book prize where children read and vote on all the new books publishers donate to us every year.
“We are a happy band willing to share our knowledge, arrange story times, book sales and donate books where needed.”
Anyone interested in participating in what the group does, or have ideas please send a message at plymouthchildrensbookgroup@hotmail.com
Babcock and Plymouth University have signed an agreement to formalise their strategic partnership, strengthening collaboration in support of skills development, innovation and sustainable economic growth for Plymouth and the wider South West.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reflects a shared commitment to attracting students to study in Plymouth, enhancing the student experience, promoting routes into employment, addressing future workforce requirements and attracting further investment into the city. It also ensures that the wider benefits of defence investment are felt across the city and its communities.
The signing follows the UK Government's designation of Plymouth as the National Centre of Marine Autonomy, alongside the UK Defence Growth Deal announcement in September 2025, which saw the establishment of Team Plymouth, a collaborative approach with defence investment serving as a catalyst for wider economic prosperity across the city.
Together, these milestones are expected to create significant opportunities for collaboration across skills, research and innovation – areas where Babcock and the University of Plymouth already demonstrate strong alignment and shared ambition.
John Gane, managing director of Babcock's Devonport facility said: "We
Professor Richard Davies from Plymouth University and John Gane of Babcock signing the Memorandum of Understanding
are proud to strengthen our partnership with the university to drive innovation and tackle the skills gap head-on. By creating opportunities that attract talented students to study in Plymouth and providing clear pathways into employment, we are investing in the current and future workforce, while supporting the growth of our city.
“Together, education and industry are working hand in hand to deliver real impact for our communities."
Professor Richard Davies, ViceChancellor of Plymouth University, said:
"We have enjoyed a close connection to Babcock for many years, and it has generated countless opportunities for our staff, students and graduates.
“This agreement takes that work to a new level and demonstrates a shared commitment to working together to boost the UK's security and resilience in sectors including defence, energy and business
management. But it also goes beyond our two organisations, potentially benefitting our entire city and region and everyone living, working and learning within it."
The MoU builds on an expanding portfolio of successful collaboration already underway.
Recent examples include the development of a co-created module for those wanting to succeed in the nuclear industry – available to University students and Babcock employees – and the creation of a Project Manager Degree Apprenticeship.
The two organisations have also secured joint funding from the Royal Society to deliver a programme of STEM outreach to schools across the South West. This initiative sees the University delivering in-school computer coding programmes, alongside Babcock offering structured work experience opportunities at their Devonport dockyard facility.
Devon & Cornwall Police and students from City College, Plymouth have collaborated to create two videos about knife crime, aimed at the students’ peer group.
The project was designed to create messaging by young people for young people to bust the myth that you are safer if you carry a knife, to help people make the right decision about knife carrying. Young people sometimes have an inaccurate picture of knife crime in Devon and Cornwall, believing it to be as prevalent as in more urban locations which have particular issues with deprivation and gang culture. This view may also be magnified by media reports.
This causes young people to carry a knife because they think they will be safer, but the stark truth is that carrying a knife can put a person in more danger of being involved in a knife-related incident.
The nine students aged 17 and 18 wrote, directed and starred in the videos which will be shared and promoted by City College and Devon & Cornwall Police through various channels.
Devon & Cornwall Police Force lead for knife crime, Detective Chief Inspector Steve Fleetwood said: “Knife crime in Devon and Cornwall is very low and we aim to keep it that way. By working with students at the college to create these videos, we hope that their perspective will resonate with young people, encourage them to seek information about knife crime if they are unsure and provide pathways to reporting and advice if anyone has any concerns about knife carrying.
“We are very proud of the videos created by this team of young people and have really enjoyed collaborating with them. We hope to do so again in the future.
“In November, we launched the website www.dc.nottheone. co.uk which provides information for all age groups around knife carrying, including educational packages for schools. These videos will be a really useful addition to our website and, we
hope, will provide relatable information for young people and help them make the safe choices about knife carrying.”
Chief executive and principal of City College, Jackie Grubb said:
“Working with the police on such an important project has been a real privilege for our college and builds on our strong existing relationship. We were delighted that the police chose to involve our students, who rose to the challenge and handled such a serious and sensitive subject with impressive maturity.
“The chance for our writers, directors and actors to receive real world feedback from the police was invaluable, and the powerful message in these videos will resonate widely.”
Tommy Holden, student and director/actor in the videos added: “Working on this knife crime project has allowed me to develop as a filmmaker and make useful connections with people inside and outside the industry.
"I’ve enjoyed all the experiences I’ve had, and it’s allowed me to contribute to a production with real impact - and to tell a story with a strong message that I’m very proud of.”
The videos can be viewed at https://dc.nottheone.co.uk/ resources/
As we are now well into the new year and with the days getting longer, I’ve been out and about across South West Devon, seeing first hand the ambition and energy in our community.
Visiting PL1 Events in Plympton was a wonderful opportunity to meet the team and hear about the fantastic work they’re doing to bring business and community events to life, both locally and across the country.
Welcoming students from Plympton Academy to Westminster was another highlight, giving me the chance to discuss politics, Parliament and the opportunities available to the next generation. I also spent time visiting The Box in Plymouth to celebrate the launch of the Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy exhibition and to look ahead to the upcoming Journeys with Mai display, honouring Sir Joshua Reynolds, a celebrated Plympton-born artist whose work continues to be admired world- wide. Alongside these cultural highlights, I’ve continued to raise issues that directly affect everyday life across South West
It was great to meet with Mark, Jo, Hannah and the team at PL1 Events in Plympton recently. It was fantastic to hear about all the incredible work they’ve been doing, supporting events of all sizes and helping clients bring their ideas to life. They’ve worked on all kinds of projects from Babcock, the Plymouth Fireworks Championships, international events with Mars Wrigley and Lindt and even the outdoor Wimbledon screening in Plymouth city centre, as well as a range of community awards and local celebrations. The team provide everything from audio mixing, production and broadcasting, photography, lighting, and full event support, as well as
conference content and planning. Truly a fantastic local business that can do everything you hope for and more.
We also discussed the very real challenges facing local businesses, especially with rising costs, including business rates and a 35 per cent increase in rent, which are putting pressure on operations and growth.
It was also great to to have picked up some local casework, which I will be taking up with the council to help address these concerns.
Thanks again to the whole team at PL1 Events for their time and for taking the time to meet! You can see some of the fantastic work they’re doing in Plymouth and beyond at www.pl1events.co.uk
I recently attended the launch of the Open Doors UK and Ireland World Watch List 2026.
As someone with a personal Christian faith, it is always deeply moving to hear about the vital work that Open Doors are doing and to represent the concerns of many constituents who asked me to attend.
The World Watch List is Open Doors’ annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution, with more than 380 million Christians around the world experiencing high levels of persecution and discrimination because of their faith. The list also shows tragic figures including thousands killed, churches attacked, and many forced from their homes because of who
they are and what they believe. It was powerful to hear first hand why this work matters and a reminder that freedom of religion and belief, whoever you worship, is a human right we should all care about.
A big thank you to Open Doors and the team for the incredible work they do and the difference they are making to Christian communities across the world.
Rebecca Smith MP for South West Devon and Ward Councillor for Plymstock Radford with updates on supporting constituents
Devon in Parliament - from speaking up for local hair and beauty businesses like Cox and Co in Plymstock who are facing mounting pressures, to pressing the Government on the resilience of the Dawlish line, a vital transport link that underpins jobs, commuting and our local economy.
It has also been wonderful to shine a light on the work of Open Doors and Gables Dog and Cats Home this month, whose volunteers make such a difference every day. From local events to national debates, it is always the greatest privilege to keep working for the people of South West Devon. As ever, if you’d like to share your concerns with me over email, please do get in touch at rebecca. smith.mp@parliament.uk Read on to hear about my work in more detail.
Last month we saw Storm Ingrid cause further collapses in the sea wall at Dawlish, once again exposing how vulnerable the main rail line to Devon and Cornwall remains. With Storm Chandra hitting just days later, the risks are far from hypothetical.
This rail line is not a luxury - it is a necessity for hundreds of thousands of people, supporting jobs, businesses and daily life across Devon. Yet serious questions remain about whether funding is in place for urgent, unplanned resilience work when extreme weather strikes. Whilst over £165 million was invested in protecting this stretch of coastline under the previous Conservative Government, this Labour Government seem to be sticking their heads in the sand.
I recently asked the Chancellor and her
Treasury team to guarantee contingency funding where it’s needed because communities and businesses cannot afford uncertainty when critical infrastructure fails. In response, the Minister referred to departmental contingency planning, but I was disappointed that he did not provide a clear guarantee that emergency funding would be available when required.
I will continue to call on the Government to commit to completing the final phase of the Dawlish rail resilience scheme and provide clarity on emergency funding arrangements to ensure the South West is not repeatedly cut off during severe weather.
You can watch my question to the treasury team here: www.rebecca- smith.org.uk/news/rebeccacalls-urgent-action-after-further-storm-damagedawlish.
It’s always lovely to visit Gables Dogs and Cats Home and see the fantastic work the team are doing every day to care for animals and help them find their forever home.
During my visit, I was pleased to hand over a prize for their Valentine’s raffle and I also had the chance to meet two of their wonderful greyhounds, Scrat and Darling. Both were incredibly gentle and affectionate so it’s easy to see why greyhounds can be such a great choice, particularly for people with busy lives.
Scrat and Darling are both still looking for their forever home, so if you’re thinking about welcoming a new four-legged friend into your life, it’s well worth taking a look at the dogs and cats currently in Gables’ care: Dogs: https://gables. org.uk/dogalogue Cats: https://gables.org.uk/ catalogue/
A huge thank you to Claire, Emily and the rest
I recently raised the case of Cox and Co Salon, a hair and beauty business in Plymstock, after they contacted me about
I recently popped along to the launch of The Box’s latest large scale exhibition. Much loved, Beryl Cook’s art is the subject of a new exhibition across The Box and Plymouth. With her iconic depiction of classic Plymouth venues and people, I’m sure you’ll love it. Whether you’re from Plymouth or adopted by the city, you’re bound to enjoy the scenes she so skillfully created. You’ll also spot sculptures of some of her characters across the city including outside The Dolphin pub and on the Hoe Bowling Green. They’ve been created by the Theatre Royal’s Seb Soper.
I also bumped into fellow Plymouth MP, Luke Pollard who was also there to enjoy this brilliant new exhibition. The exhibition is on until the end of May and completely free so do pop along if you haven’t seen it already! Also at The Box in the coming weeks is the Journeys with Mai, celebrating the art by Plympton-born Sir Joshua Reynolds. Another great example of the role Plymouth has played in both British and international art and culture and a brilliant opportunity to explore the work of one of Plympton’s most famous sons. You can find out more here: www.theboxplymouth.com/events/ exhibitions/journeys-with-mai.
the impact Government decisions are having on their business.
Rather than addressing the issue of business rate relief, the Minister’s response highlighted a worrying lack of understanding of the real pressures facing businesses across South West Devon, many of whom need support now, not in the future.
The hair and beauty sector is a vital part of our high street, yet business rates remain one of the largest fixed costs these businesses face. Instead of offering the fair and practical support local salons need to help them stay open, keep people in work and continue serving their communities, the Minister used his response to make reference to a trade deal with India, offering no real assurances to the hair and beauty sector that they will receive the targeted support they urgently need.
You can see my question and the Minister’s response here: www.rebecca-smith.org.uk/news/ rebecca-stands-local-hair-and-beauty-businessessouth-west-devon.
House & Building plans
Extensions
Conversions
Alterations Planning & Building regulation applications
Personal & efficient service 01752 936125 07745 392764 jjmmdesign@yahoo.co.uk • www.jmdesign.org.uk
Staff at Nuffield Health Plymouth Hospital have raised over £6,000 for a worthy local cause.
They raised £6,321.62 for local children’s mental health charity Give A Child A Chance, which provides vital support to children and young people with additional needs.
The funds will be used to develop a sensory garden at Hamoaze House, a charity that supports adults affected by trauma and substance misuse. The garden will also be accessible to wider community groups, as Hamoaze House is a shared space that supports multiple charities and organisations serving the Plymouth community.
Throughout 2025, the hospital team worked tirelessly to fundraise for their chosen charity of the year. Activities ranged from monthly initiatives to large-scale events, all designed to generate funds and raise awareness for the essential work carried out by Give A Child A Chance, which relies entirely on volunteers. A key highlight of the fundraising efforts was the charity Summer Ball, held at Plymouth Argyle Football Club. Staff dressed in glamorous partywear for an evening of entertainment, auctions, and raffles, raising substantial contributions to support the charity. Local businesses generously donated prizes, further boosting the total raised and demonstrating strong community support for the cause.
The funds raised will directly support the creation of a sensory garden, providing
children and young people attending Give A Child A Chance’s programmes with a safe and stimulating space for learning, relaxation, and play. The creation of the sensory garden is in progress and will soon offer a valuable space for children and families.
Patricia Warwick, hospital director at Nuffield Health Plymouth, said: “We are incredibly proud of our staff for all the energy, creativity, and dedication they’ve put into
raising money for such an important cause. Give A Child A Chance plays an important role in our community, and we’re delighted that our team’s efforts will help ensure they have the tools they need to continue their important work.”
Nicky Evans, Chairperson at Give A Child A Chance, added: “The support from Nuffield Health Plymouth Hospital staff has been amazing. Their fundraising will make a real
difference to the children and families we work with, helping us provide resources, specialist activities, and now a sensory garden that will be enjoyed for years to come.”
About Give A Child A Chance
Give A Child A Chance supports groups, schools, and clinicians working with children who access Plymouth Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). The charity provides grants of up to £300 for resources and equipment, raises awareness of mental health issues including anxiety, depression, self-harm, eating disorders, ADHD, and autism, and runs a fortnightly BUD Club for families. This club offers a relaxed, nonjudgemental environment where children and families can engage in art, cooking, sports, sensory activities, yoga, and woodland crafts, all supported by volunteers.
Over the last year, Give a Child a Chance has provided resources to around 50 families and individuals, as well as eight local schools and CAMHS Clinicians. These resources include noise cancelling headphones, books, trainers for gym sessions, equine therapy sessions, fidget toys, weighted blankets, bubble lights and a light box table to name a few. At least 60 families have attended the fortnightly BUD Club. The support that is offered can significantly improve the well being and family life of children experiencing emotional, behavioural or mental health challenges in Plymouth.
A.S. DECORATING & MAINTENANCESpecialising in full room skims/decor
Tiling
Power Washing 16 Lympne Ave, Ernesettle, Plymouth Tel 01752 771457 Mob 07966 639129
Email: a.sdecorating@hotmail.co.uk
Decorating internal & external
Plastering Renovations • Flooring • General maintenance Garden decking & fencing • Friendly & reliable Tel: 01752 559753 Mob: 07796 961036 email: ellis-ball@hotmail.co.uk
www.stevebennettplastering.co.uk
AK Plumbing And Heating Southwest
General Plumbing and heating repairs, Full Bathroom installations, Boiler swaps/Heating installs, Guttering and Downpipes, New build, fully insured and Gas safe registered. Contact Andy Today! Call: 07341343570. Email: info@akplumbingandheatingsouthwest.co.uk Website: www.akplumbingandheatingsouthwest.co.uk
Lady Qualified PLUMBER & Husband Team All Plumbing Work Taps, Toilets, Friendly Reliable Service, OAP Discounts. NO CALL OUT CHARGE 01752 936355 or 07789 541145
quotes in Plymouth and surrounding areas. Richard: 07943 750784 Paul: 07491 367477 www.swroofingandguttering.co.uk
S.G.F Decorating Services
Plastering & Decorating Specialist
Painting - Plastering - Wallpaper - Interior & Exterior Work - Over 30 years experience -
C.S.C.S Registered - Friendly & Reliable 07859 804389 stevefull@live.co.uk Rob Paints Painter & Decorator
B Williams Plumbing and Heating
Reliable plumber no job too small from tap washers to central heating systems. Free quotes gas safe registered. No call out charge. Boiler replacements from £1850.00 subject to survey 07971572632 www.bw-plumbing.co.uk
Plymouth Plumbing & Gas
We cover all plumbing, heating, gas and drainage jobs. Gas Safe registered. - No call-out fee - OAP Discount -12
DEVONSHIRE ROOFING SERVICES
All aspects of roofing work undertaken, from repairs and maintenance to full restoration and new
Royal Navy Divers from Plymouth have completed an epic 180-mile trek along the south coast to help a comrade. The team at Bravo Diving Unit 1 in Devonport – who deal with unexploded ordnance callouts across the South West –were spurred into action by the plight of a colleague. Petty Officer (Diver) James King was a serving member of the team prior to a recent sea deployment and was due to re-join in the summer before being diagnosed with Stage 2 bowel cancer.
James, who’s served his nation for nearly two decades, has since been receiving treatment – which is progressing well – but the diagnosis has, understandably, had a significant
impact on his life and family.
His fellow divers decided to get together to support James, who is serving in the naval base with the Plymouth Support Group for personnel recovering from serious illnesses and injuries.
The result, organised by Bravo’s colleagues in Alpha Diving Squadron from the two squadrons’ parent Diving and Threat Exploitation Group (DTXG), was a trek along the coast in December wearing diving kit from Horsea Island in Portsmouth to BDU1’s home in Devonport Naval Base. Whilst the diving kit is state of the art and just what the divers need to do their jobs in the water, out of it, it was a
The team from Bravo Diving Unit 1 with supporters and families
30kg millstone on their backs. That wasn’t the worst of the 180-mile odyssey, however.
“The weather was the most challenging aspect of this task,” said Lieutenant Matt Bowden, Officer in Charge of Bravo Diving Unit 1. “With storm Bram hammering the coastline, most notably around Lulworth Cove, it was extremely difficult for the team. On one day in particular the combined ascent was in excess of 1300 metres, which is higher than Snowdonia.”
Most importantly, the walk has so far raised more than £14,500 for the cause.
Police teams in Plymouth are reflecting on a busy 2025 and are well prepared for more incidents and events throughout the rest of this year – January has proved to be demanding so far.
Last year officers dealt with thousands of incidents, some of them very challenging and worked hard to keep the public safe and bring offenders to justice.
Communities across the city were helped by officers who were investigating reports such as missing people, drug dealing, road traffic collisions, community events, unexploded WW2 ordnance, adverse weather such as flooding, rural crime, anti-social behaviour, protests, retail and business crime - to name just some of the demands.
Matt Longman
Each summer sees an influx of holidaymakers to Plymouth and throughout Devon which means extra demand on police teams as the population grows.
Plymouth Police Commander Matt Longman said: “As one of the blue light responders we are
used to dealing with very busy and challenging situations - and 2025 was no exception.
“I would like to praise all those officers, staff and volunteers who make up the police family in Plymouth. They are a very dedicated bunch and do their best to help the public round the clock.
"There are a variety of significant demands across the city and we will continue to tackle crime in all forms and help the most vulnerable in society. We want to keep our communities safe and informed.
“This year promises to be an exciting one with many community events, including the Plymouth City of Culture bid, and we are always ready to deploy to whoever needs us.
"We don’t always get things right 100 per cent of the time, but we have hard-working colleagues who go above and beyond to serve their communities. And we would like to thank the public who support and work with us.
“This year has been a busy one so far and we have had another positive response to an
unexploded bomb where we worked closely with the public and partner agencies to evacuate those affected and return the city to normality as quickly as possible. This major incident happened on the same day as a similar major incident in Exmouth and shows, once again, how we work alongside our partners to successfully resolve situations.”
Some of the proactive work in 2025 across areas of Plymouth included:
• Officers attended more than 7,000 emergency calls
• More than 200 arrests took place in relation to shoplifting which led to 453 charges.
• More than 6,000 bookings into Plymouth custody centre
• Officers investigated more than 1,000 reports of someone going missing, relating to more than 600 missing people (some people are reported missing more than once).
Plymouth city centre is a designated hotspot foot patrol area and officers are focused on tackling anti-social behaviour and increasing engagement with the public. Extra hotspot foot patrols in the city centre have been funded by the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner and the Home Office. From April to the end of December
When a Royal Navy veteran from Plymouth saw an advert asking for people to share their ideas for supporting veterans in the local area, he knew just what was needed. And now a gaming group he established six months ago, is helping to connect veterans across the city.
Gordon Jones, aged 45, from Sherford knew there was a gap for veterans who don't fall into the usual category of enjoying sports. So he went along to a dropin session, organised by Kelly Dowell, the local Help for Heroes Community Builder for Plymouth to have a chat.
Gordon had a successful and interesting career in the Royal Navy, serving for more than 23 years as a meteorologist and an oceanographer.
During that time, he worked on different ships, aircraft carriers and submarines across the world, helping the crews to understand how the weather and the ocean could affect any operations or tours they were planning, and worked with the US Navy for three years.
As a self-confessed ‘nerd’ he was never into sport when he was serving, but has always had a love of gaming. Since leaving the navy earlier this year, Gordon struggled to find a community of like-minded people he could join that had similar interests. Instead of just complaining, he decided to do something about it.
Gordon explained: "When I met Kelly, she was very understanding. It was really important for me to find something where I could connect with other veterans, who have similar interests, but there wasn't anything.
"I suggested to Kelly that there was potential for a veteran's group focussed on gaming and Dungeons and Dragons in particular. We set up in August last year and it's
going from strength to strength."
The monthly Dungeons and Dragons sessions, which are held at the Four Greens Community Centre, have an emphasis on creating fun for people and getting people together to talk. Help for Heroes funded the cost of the first kick-off session and Kelly continues to provide support when needed. Gordon is hoping to attract more Dungeon Masters, so they can continue to grow.
Gordon added: "People aren't necessarily talking about their problems, they’re talking about their shared experiences. And the D&D format gives people the chance to use their imaginations and tell stories, but with dice."
Kelly Dowell said: "Help for Heroes is expanding its reach into local communities. We're keen to work with local veterans, like Gordon, to find new ways of connecting veterans, using their own skills and experiences. We've had really positive feedback from everyone who attends the D&D sessions. People value being able to meet up and talk to like-minded people.
"The D&D groups offer an alternative space to the usual coffee mornings and veterans' breakfasts on offer. It is also on a weekday evening, meaning it is accessible to those with a 9 to 5 job. Family members are also welcome, giving a chance for the partners and children to connect with others who understand their experiences of supporting veterans." For more information about the Dungeons and Dragons group contact kelly.dowell@ helpforheroes.org.uk
Anyone interested in finding out more about the Help for Heroes Community Builder programme, go to www. facebook.com/helpforheroes communitybuilderplymouth
last year there were 1517 hours of foot patrol hours in Plymouth City Centre.
Volunteer Special Constabulary officers dedicated more than 4,000 hours last year to support Plymouth police teams – including Neighbourhood officers and Response – in 2025. There are currently 23 Specials in Plymouth helping the Force with unpaid duties.
They take part in operations, road safety initiatives and high visibility foot patrols, as well as supporting community events.
Specials have the same powers as regular police officers and wear the same uniform. They are required to donate at least 16 hours per month to the role.
Devon & Cornwall Police are recruiting so to find out more about joining the force and making a difference visit www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/ careers
To know what’s going on in a local area sign up to Devon and Cornwall Police Community Messaging service, a two-way information service that keeps residents up to date.
To join over 40,000 people who are already part of the community sign up at https://communitymessaging.dc.police.uk/
two
Fred Thomas and Luke Pollard, have welcomed the announcement that five more primary schools in the city will be part of the roll out of new free breakfast clubs from April.
In Plymouth Moor View Riverside Community School, Victoria Road Primary and Austin Farm Academy are all joining the scheme. In Plymouth Sutton and Devonport the schools added to the roll out are Marlborough Primary Academy and St Peters CofE Primary.
It means that half a million children in England's most disadvantaged communities will benefit from the offer this year, and it follows the first stage of the roll out that saw four Plymouth schools benefit.
Fred Thomas, MP for Plymouth Moor View, said: "I am delighted that three more schools in my constituency will begin to benefit from free breakfast clubs from April this year.
"Visiting schools in the first phase of this scheme, it was clear to see how valued they were by both children and their parents. It is absolutely vital that children start their day with a good nutritious breakfast – you can't learn on an empty stomach.
"We promised parents we would break down this barrier to opportunity and ensure all children could start the day in the best possible way, and we are delivering on that promise. I can't wait to visit the new schools and see the clubs in action!"
Luke Pollard MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport said: “I am pleased that St Peter's and Marlborough Primary have been selected for the next wave of Labour's breakfast clubs. This is a massive win for families in Plymouth. By providing a healthy meal and a bit of extra childcare, we aren’t just saving parents money, we’re making sure our kids start the day with a full stomach and are ready to learn.”
Marc Wheeler, headteacher at St Peter's Church of England School said: "We are thrilled to have been successful in securing breakfast club funding. A nutritious breakfast is a vital foundation for learning, wellbeing, and behaviour, and for many children it makes a real difference to how settled, focused, and ready to learn they are at the start of the day.
“This funding will allow us to provide a calm, supportive start to the day that helps children feel regulated and ready to engage, while also offering practical support to families who may be facing increasing financial pressures."
The Plymouth Chronicle is excited to announce a collaboration with Argyle Life to provide regular Plymouth Argyle content from the perspective of the fans. We’ll be publishing regular pieces from Argyle Life contributors in print and via our website at www.plymouthchronicle.co.uk. Our latest article is written by Sam Down, one of the founders of Argyle Life. He reflects on Argyle's recent upturn in form and the addition of three players during the transfer window.
What a difference a month makes. Look, things at Argyle aren't perfect yet and given the perilous state of the club's finances (not my words, but stated by our CEO at the recent fan forum) they may not be for some time yet. And yes, there's always the risk this will age like milk with a tough run of fixtures coming up.
However I'd be churlish to deny that things have enormously improved beyond the extent I considered possible in such a short span of time. And I have to say, it seems as though I could hardly have asked for a better response to my most recent article where I stated the need for Argyle to rediscover the 'intelligent' edge that we lost in the past two calendar years.
Firstly, we need to look at the on field improvement. Whilst December was an upturn in results, I'd be lying if I said the stodgy and defensive performances felt fully sustainable. January was different - we saw a team that was, yes, a winning team, but just as crucially, a team that had found its identity and philosophy. And, some would argue more importantly still, a team that had once again discovered the joy of playing football.
Good insight
I'll pause for a minute to direct readers, if they haven't already, to watch the 'Behind the Greens' in-house club documentary. It's an immersive viewing and one that really gives a good insight into the work going on behind the scenes. Tom Cleverley himself is working smarter, not harder. It was widely reported even in our darkest days that he got into the building before anyone else to plan tactically and to lay out his training plan for the day. Now though, we see him relaxed in the gym doing pull-ups at 6am before we catch a glimpse of two words on a clipboard that epitomise our recent revival: Fast Press.
Last month, Argyle became a team that was very comfortable not having the ball but not in the old Italian 'Cattenacio' way. It was intoxicating and energetic at all times. In pretty much every game (with the exception of the New Year’s Day bore draw at Stevenage), we attacked like a swarm of angry wasps off
the ball, relentlessly pressing and pouncing on the first sign of any error.
Where this was most visible is in the attacking output. In every single January game, even the aforementioned Stevenage one, Argyle registered a higher expected goals tally than their opponents and usually by a fair way.
For the uninitiated, xG measures the quality of chances created - and the data confirms what our eyes are seeing. It isn't a perfect predictive measure, but it's about as reliable as we can get in this day and age.
By being prepared to take more risks, bursting forward into the opposing half to press, it is no surprise that we have created more chances and scored far more goals. Three against Burton and four at Bristol Rovers were just the start of it.
Then at Peterborough came the performance that really made me think the Greens were starting to find their style again. We only won 1-0 but could so easily have scored four on the day and it was a similar story against Luton. Dominant performances against Mansfield and Stockport should have yielded more than a solitary point from the two games.
The other area of focus was the recruitment. After a series of disappointing transfers, I wanted
to see substantial improvement. Critically, I wanted to see that we were making decisions based on sound data-led principles.
So far, this looks like another box ticked. When the news first broke that Argyle were signing Port Vale winger Ronan Curtis, more than a single eyebrow was raised around Plymouth.
At first glance, it was a baffling signing. Here was a player who wasn't regularly playing at Port Vale, one of the only teams in the league to be worse than Argyle (at that time).
However, when you began to look at his advanced stats, great cause for encouragement was found. Curtis ranked highly for metrics such as expected assists, big chances created and chances created per 90. Not just for Vale but across the entire division.
That faith was seriously repaid watching his debut at Bristol Rovers, where he registered three assists in his maiden Argyle appearance. Surely the first time anyone has done that?
The word you'd most associate with Curtis? Width. And, with the exception of 'pressing' that's also the word you'd most associate with our recent improvement.
Again, I would remind you that the December run of form was punctuated with some disappointing results at Home Park. We lost to Bradford, were demolished (albeit
with 10 men) by Reading and only a late equaliser saw us pick up a point against Wycombe.
The main issue? We were too narrow, too narrow by half. Bali Mumba, a right footer on the left side, always wanted to come inside and take the ball into more central positions.
It's not a bad thing necessarilyit's just the way he plays. After his recent departure to Huddersfield, he seems to have started well for them playing a substantial role in their three match winning run. It was, though, a bad fit tactically for Argyle's system.
Mumba always came central. Xavier Amaechi on the other side, he too always came central as did Ayman Benarous in the early stages of the Reading match. The result? We were so packed in the middle of the field it was easy for teams to counter and hit us on the break.
Cleverley to his credit has rectified this – Curtis offers natural width on the right hand side which allows us to stretch the play and get quality crosses in.
On the other side is Matty Sorinola. Like Mumba, he's not a natural left footer but he's far more inclined to make runs down the touchline and get chalk on his boots (even if it means having to use his weaker foot or to change his body shape at times).
When he does invert, left-back Brendan Galloway is given licence to overlap and threaten the wide areas.
Finally, we added two more players to our squad on deadline day with loanees Wes Harding and Herbie Kane.
I don't have the page space to do them justice, but they're both players who've thrived at this level and played passably in the championship. The pragmatism to sometimes take an experienced option is welcome and something we've perhaps not seen enough of over the years.
Obviously there's a long way to go – Argyle's fixture and injury lists mean February won't be an easy month for us.
But nonetheless, the combination of unabashed width and the fast press have ensured a significant uptick in performance.
It seems like we are finally working smarter and long may it continue.
Colourful characters from some of Beryl Cook's most popular paintings have been brought off the canvas and onto Plymouth streets.
The four life-size sculptures have been created as part of a partnership between Theatre Royal Plymouth and The Box to coincide with the biggest ever exhibition celebrating her work.
The characters, which were selected in consultation with Cook’s family, can be seen in the locations that inspired them:
• A character from Sailors and Seagulls (c1970) can be found on a bench outside The Dolphin on Southside Street
• A cheerful shopper from The Market (1978) has appeared at the entrance to Plymouth Market
• A bowls player can be found midgame near the green on The Hoe that inspired Sabotage (1975)
• The figure of Brian Pearce (aka drag performer Ruby Venezuela) from Tom Dancing (1976) stands near The Bank pub.
Victoria Pomery, chief executive of The Box, said: “Beryl painted Plymouth with such warmth, humour and affection for over 40 years. These
Market, the
Niece,
1
2
3
4
city’s pubs and clubs.
“They’re going to bring so much joy to people, whether they’re devoted
Beryl fans or discovering her work for the first time.”
James Mackenzie-Blackman, chief executive and artistic director of Theatre Royal Plymouth, added: “We’re thrilled to partner with The Box on this project. Our highly skilled craftspeople at our TR2 workshop have done a phenomenal job bringing the 2D characters from the paintings to life, creating brand new pieces of art that the people of Plymouth can admire and interact with.
“Beryl's work celebrated people who were often overlooked or dismissed, and these sculptures are a brilliant way to share that celebration across the whole city."
Sophie Cook, Beryl's granddaughter, said: "These sculptures are such a fitting tribute to Beryl in her centenary year. She loved Plymouth and Plymouth loved her back. Seeing her characters come to life in the actual places she painted them – The Hoe, the pubs, the market – would have absolutely delighted her. We're so grateful to The Box and Theatre Royal Plymouth for making this happen.
The Beryl Cook exhibition 'Pride & Joy' continues at The Box until May 31. For details visit www. theboxplymouth.com
The Plympton and Plymstock Chronicle is delivered door to door every month to homes in Woodford, Plympton St Mary and St Maurice, Chaddlewood, Langage, Elburton, Plymstock, Hooe, Turnchapel, Staddiscombe, Oreston, Pomphlett and Billacombe.
The April edition of the Plymouth Chronicle in Plympton and Plymstock will be published on March 6 with a copy deadline of February 27. The Plympton and Plymstock edition is one of four hyper local editions delivered to a total of more than 90,000 homes throughout the city. If you have an event listing, interesting story or news item you think would be suitable for the Chronicle, please send an email to info@ cornerstonevision.com.
We welcome submissions, but cannot guarantee publication. We accept press releases in the form of text documents and images in JPG or TIFF format (high resolution please).
12 Insomnia, 14 Iceberg, 15 Lizard, 17 Rotate, 18 Bean, 21 Ebbs.