Plymouth University has formally reopened its refurbished Fitzroy Building.

The £14.5 million development is the new home of Plymouth Business School (PBS), and guest of honour was Plymouth Argyle FC’s owner and chairman, Simon Hallett who said: “It’s fantastic to see the University of Plymouth investing in the next generation of business leaders.”

A group of local residents have carried out a symbolic protest over the continued delay in opening part of Central Park.

Members of the local community gathered together on March 2 at the Peverell Park entrance of Central Park to take part in a in a native wildflower ‘seed bomb’ event.

Their protest symbolised the reclaiming of Reservoir Field, which has been fenced off by the City Council for over two years and any ‘improvements’ appear to have come to a standstill.

A campaign has been launched to restore the grave of a prominent 19th century Plymouth industrialist.

William Biscombe was a key figure in Plymouth’s history, having founded the company W.Biscombe & Sons in 1857, which was a family-run ginger beer business that played a significant role in the local community for over a century.

On Course South West, Plymouth City Council’s adult learning provider has appointed Lucinda Sanders is its new principal, bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to the organisation.

Lucinda has worked in education for 15 years, teaching in secondary, further and higher education as well as a leader in further education for 10 years, with strategic oversight for adult learning, higher technical education and apprenticeships.

Donations totalling £3,000 have been made to four local charities by the Lions Club of Plymouth.

Woodlands School, which caters for children with physical, sensory and medical difficulties, along with Children’s Hospice South West both received £1,100, the proceeds of bucket collections run by the club at local supermarkets during the Christmas period.

The first of 169 new trees destined for Armada Way have been planted in the ground as the regeneration continues to progress at pace.

Three silver limes have already been anchored and six cockspur hawthorns and 10 double crimson hawthorns will be arriving in the next few weeks to be planted between existing single rows of trees on both sides of Zone 1a – near the Copthorne Hotel.

For almost two years, Plymouth-based community interest company the Conscious Sisters CIC have been running a series of free Being Well in the Woods community workshops in collaboration with Tulgey Woods Sanctuary CIC in Compton.

One of the most recent sessions has unveiled the creation of a large-scale willow statue in the shape of a female form to honour Mother Nature and has been named ‘Devonia.’

Funded by the Rank Foundation and in collaboration with Livewell Southwest, Being Well in the Woods workshops have encouraged people from all walks of life, as well as those at risk of social isolation, the chance to meet for weekly art and nature immersion sessions.

Laira Green Primary School has opened a new weekly Community Food Hub in partnership with FareShare South West, providing essential support to local families while also helping to reduce food waste.

The initiative has been warmly welcomed by the community, offering access to surplus food that would otherwise go to waste.

To further enhance the project, Plymouth City Council has generously funded the purchase of a fridge, allowing the food hub to stock chilled items in addition to non-perishable goods.

City College Plymouth has been recognised as a trailblazer in digital innovation, winning the prestigious Jisc-sponsored Effective Use of Digital Technology category at the 2025 Association of Colleges Beacon Awards.

Developed in-house using Google Workspace’s ‘no-code’ technology, this pioneering tool streamlines previously time-consuming, manual processes. By reducing administrative burdens and boosting staff productivity, it ensures greater personalised support for students, reinforcing the college’s commitment to excellence in education.

Plymouth aims to cement its reputation as the powerhouse of the region with an new plan that aims to deliver 8,000 new jobs, 10,000 new homes and 1,000 new businesses.

The new economic strategy delivery plan details an impressive 55 projects – some of which are already in place – that will turn the ambition into reality.

Projects range in scale from the recently-established Growth Alliance Plymouth – a partnership between the council, Babcock and the Royal Navy, working with across government departments to capitalise on the Government’s £4.4 billion investment in defence at Devonport Naval Base, through to initiatives designed to supercharge Plymouth’s already strong marine sector such as creating a maritime autonomous system centre of expertise.

For Plymouth artist Juliet Cornell, Spring is a time to see the changes in the sea and landscape around her and an opportunity to make different art from the season before.

Her art will be among those featured in Drawn to the Valley’s latest exhibition, Drawn to Spring at Ocean Studios in the Royal William Yard.

After five years of restoration, the Lord Oliver Brown steam locomotive is well and truly back in action after being lovingly restored by friends and family of Oliver Brown, an 11-year-old boy from Plymouth who died from a rare blood cancer in 2019.

The train had its official launch on Sunday March 9, the date of Oliver’s 17th birthday, on the Plym Valley Railway where it carried its first passengers in 17 years.