By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead JUST ten days to go to the annual Ageing Well Festival online and on Riviera FM. We would have loved to bring everyone together in the Riviera Centre in Torquay for the annual celebrations, but we felt that was a step too far in these uncertain times. For now. But the party will go ahead on Friday, October … Continue reading 10 days ’til virtual festival time!

A message from Torbay Council: In July we mentioned about holding our Torbay wide celebration of volunteers and the community this weekend (18th-19th September). Due to us being in an Enhanced Response Area with regards to Covid-19 it has been decided to postpone this until next year. When we have finalised the plans we will share these with you. Once again we would like to … Continue reading Torbay Volunteer Celebration postponed

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead Thousands of people have discovered in the last 18 months that volunteering is a two-way street. So many people have found that by helping others, they also help themselves, often in ways, they could not have dreamed of. David Evans, 61, has volunteered for most of his life in one way or another, starting with a sponsored walk … Continue reading Everyone can help against loneliness

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead At last, the COVID rate in the Bay is falling after peaking at record levels. Whilst the rest of the country’s figures were spiralling, we somehow managed to come through the worst of the crisis with relatively low figures. But in the last month, the pendulum swung and it was the South West that was reporting the brunt … Continue reading Torbay Covid-19 levels fall after peaking

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead A plea: please be careful out there; coronavirus has not gone away; in fact, cases are nearly as high today as they have ever been. The NHS is creaking under the strain, whether that be the GP surgeries or Torbay Hospital as more people seek medical assistance, either because of COVID or other illnesses. Thousands of vulnerable people … Continue reading Urging caution as Torbay Covid-rates spike

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead Once again, the Ageing Well Torbay Festival is going online to bring you the best of the Bay’s talent to a computer screen or radio near you. It is the second year in a row that we have been forced to retreat from the cavernous halls of the Riviera Centre in Torquay in favour of a digital edition, … Continue reading Tune in for Ageing Well @Home 2021

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead The Chief Medical Officer’s annual report was published recently, and unfortunately, Torbay featured heavily in it – for all the wrong reasons. Professor Chris Witty (he of TV press conference COVID fame) drew attention to the fact that coastal towns in the UK are among the poorest and most deprived and he highlighted Torbay as one of the … Continue reading Torbay highlighted – for all the wrong reasons

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead The sun is out, the streets are crowded, and there are smiles back on faces – it would be easy to think that the long-running COVID crisis is well and truly over. But sadly, that is not entirely the case, and we face a whole bunch of problems going forward that we will need to resolve before we … Continue reading Torbay Community Helpline still needs your help

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead Mental health has been in the news a lot of late – not least because of people suffering from loneliness and isolation during the long-running COVID crisis. It has come to the fore again in the last few days. American gymnast, Simone Biles, became the latest in a long line of athletes who have dropped out of major … Continue reading The mental health toll of the Covid-19 pandemic

By David Gledhill, Marketing & Communications Lead How has it been for you – the first ten days with far fewer restrictions? For most, it has been a welcome relief – freedom of movement at last without legal restrictions – the chance to get out and about again in what for the most part has been glorious sunshine. But others quite rightly remain cautious, choosing … Continue reading Early days – Post lockdown