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Recycle Devon – Re-use of electrical items

A trial to boost re-use of electrical items is taking place at five Household Waste Recycling Centres across Devon.

The project, funded by the electricals industry to encourage the re-use of electrical items, will initially focus on flat screen TVs, vacuum cleaners and lighting. 

In 2018/19, over 7,200 tonnes of electrical items were recycled through Devon’s recycling centres and the trial aims to go one step further and capture any items that are still in good working order to keep them in circulation for longer.

The participating trial sites are:

  • Pinbrook Recycling Centre, Exeter
  • Ivybridge Recycling Centre
  • Brunel Road Recycling Centre, Newton Abbot
  • Knowle Hill Recycling Centre, Exmouth
  • Bideford Recycling Centre

Residents arriving at participating recycling centres with flat screen TVs, vacuum cleaners or lighting will now be asked by site staff if the item is still working and in good condition.

Items that can be reused will be PAT and function tested by trained site staff and then made available in the site’s reuse shop for the public to buy, along with furniture, bric-a-brac and other re-useable household items. Non-working electrical items and any failing the testing procedure will be recycled.  

It is estimated that following the testing process, 33% of TVs, 50% of vacuums and 72% of lighting/lamps will be suitable to re-use, meaning an additional 48 tonnes of electrical goods will be re-used per year at participating sites.

Recycling centre re-sale shops are popular with the public as they offer a range of household items at affordable prices.  Public demand for re-sale shops to include electrical items has grown as budget savvy shoppers embrace the cost savings of buying re-usable goods, whilst also benefiting the environment.    

The grant has helped provide workshop and testing facilities as well as staff training to allow re-useable items to be function and safety tested prior to re-sale.  It is anticipated that the scheme will be self-financing going forward which will help keep it going.

Subject to the success of the initial 5 site roll-out, other sites and other electrical items could be added to the scheme in future to further boost re-use in Devon.

For more information visit www.recycledevon.org.

The Globe Hotel

Plans to rejuvenate the Globe Hotel in Great Torrington received a fresh boost at the start of October with the announcement of almost £63K in funding from the Architectural Heritage Fund. The money is for the partnership project between Great Torrington Town and Torridge District Councils, Petroc and the Plough Arts Centre with a goal of creating a working training hotel offering the South West’s first degree-level apprenticeship courses in Tourism and Hospitality and the first ever degree level course in Torridge. But the ambitions for the Grade II listed building don’t stop there with the wider masterplan highlighting shared workspaces, a café / restaurant space, and to become a community and cultural venue for activities in partnership with the Plough. The plan, which is supported by partners including Great Torrington School and RHS Rosemoor, will be underpinned by an innovative community ownership through a share issue to fund the acquisition.
The grant will be used to scope and draw up a more detailed Business Plan, explore possibilities for the building itself and to facilitate the community acquisition process. Key messages from recent consultations showed strong support from the community to bringing the Globe out from hibernation, to be owned and run for the benefit of the community and establishing it as a focal point in the Town and local economy. Initial plans are for 15 new permanent, full time local jobs to be created as the project progresses with seven of these being high skilled. The build will also generate opportunities for local firms and trades as part of the capital works to alter the interior and shape the 460 square feet of workspace, and spaces set aside for the food and drink offerings. Torridge District Council is still keen to hear from people who want to get involved in the project or have views on how it should proceed and a consultation webpage has been set up on Torridge District Councils website under “consultations” on their front page or via this link

Using Public Footpaths – Some General Guidance

In and around Great Torrington we are very fortunate to have some wonderful areas of countryside for us all to enjoy. To ensure these areas can be appreciated by everyone, we have been asked by Devon County Council to remind folk of the following points.

  • Landowners should not crop public footpaths
  • Dog owners should pick up after their animals and keep them under control at all times
  • Households with hedges alongside public footpaths need to be aware of vegetation growth reducing the width of paths, especially at this time when we are being encouraged to socially distance ourselves
  • If you believe there to be a problem with a public right of way please report the issue to your Town or Parish Council
  • Devon Funding News is a useful source of information for communities looking for funding. Find out more here:  https://www.devon.gov.uk/fundingnews/
  • Please ensure care is taken when walking or running through a field of cattle, good advice on how to behave can be found online and on platforms such as YouTube.

One Small Step to a happier you

Looking to make a change and get healthy?

We know it can be difficult to know where to start. Perhaps you are a smoker who would like to cut back or even give up for good? Or you might want to aim for a healthier weight but can’t find the time or motivation. Do you need support to get more active? And are you worried about your drinking? Whatever your goal, OneSmallStep can help.
OneSmallStep is the service set up and funded by Devon County Council to guide and support you through small steps to change. By looking at the process in small steps, we believe it can be much more achievable!
OneSmallStep offers support when and how you need it with information, advice and guidance available online, by telephone and through face to face coaching so you can start making small changes to feel healthier today.

Would you like help and support to;

Quit smoking?

Reduce your Alcohol intake?

Achieve a Healthy Weight?

Become more active?

If the answer is yes, get in touch with OneSmallStep. 

Our support is FREE and available to Devon residents in ways that suit you, either; online, on the phone, video call or face-face*.

You can take your first step to a healthier lifestyle by:

Logging on to the OneSmallStep website www.onesmallstep.org.uk

Emailing us at: [email protected]

Texting the word QUIT to the number 60777 (charged at standard text rate)

or calling 01392 908 139 to speak to one of our friendly team

Please follow OneSmallStep on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/1stephealthy

And Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onesmallstep_18/

for helpful tips, motivation and support.

*Face to face provision is subject to government guidelines in relation to Covid-19.