St Luke’ s Hospice Plymouth has announced that its legendary Tour de Moor cycling challenge is returning for 2025 – bolder and brighter than ever!

This year’s event not only has a new slot earlier in the autumn, it has a striking new look and a proud new sponsor, too. As ever though, there are plenty of challenges to thrill and delight every rider, regardless of age or ability.

Voters in Plymouth have rejected moves to have a directly elected mayor for the city.

In the referendum on Thursday July 17 a total of 37,884 people cast their vote – representing a turnout of just over 19 per cent. Of those votes 19,844 voted No while 18,044 were in favour of a directly elected mayor – a majority of 1,746 or 52 per cent against and 48 per cent for.

Love is in the air at Dartmoor Zoo after the arrival of a tiny new resident, a Black- Tailed Marmoset, called Edwina.

Travelling from Amazonia in Scotland, Dartmoor Zoo welcomed Edwina in July, where after a few days of through-mesh introductions, she was introduced to fellow resident Ernie, creating one of only two Black-Tailed Marmoset breeding pairs in Europe.

Plymouth Moor View MP Fred Thomas has expressed his anger after an estate management company and housebuilder failed to turn up to discuss complaints from residents at a new estate in Derriford.

The MP called a meeting of residents at Palmerston Heights following a huge number of complaints regarding the estate management company FirstPort and the housebuilder Persimmon Homes, but despite committing to attending a meeting to hear issues directly from residents neither attended.

Plymouth Community Homes will be delivering 125 much-needed affordable homes for social rent and shared ownership purchase in Southway following planning permission being granted by Plymouth City Council.

Plans were submitted in 2024 to create a new community on land in Southway located between Clittaford Road and Southway Drive and work on site is due to start this autumn, with the first homes anticipated for completion in late summer 2026.

A popular charity golf day returns in September and will raise funds for a major building project at the Heart’s Together hospital hotel in Derriford.

The golf event for the Clem Spencer Trophy is celebrating its 31st year and will take place at the Elfordleigh Golf Club on September 20.

The event is organised entirely by a dedicated team of volunteers, led by former Hearts Together trustee Rob Harder, and regularly attracts over 80 players. It promises a full day of friendly competition, fundraising and community spirit in support of Hearts Together’s Big Build project – the most ambitious development in the charity’s history.

Plymouth City Council is celebrating the outstanding achievements of schools across the city in creating inclusive, supportive, and high-achieving environments for all pupils, including for those with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).

Ofsted reports from this academic year have praised many of the city’s schools for their commitment to inclusion, high expectations, and tailored support that enables every child to thrive.

Work on the first phase of the Woolwell to The George transport improvement scheme is progressing well and the new left turn from Tavistock Road (inbound) into Woolwell Crescent opened earlier this month, ahead of programme.

The traffic management changed on July 20 to allow all southbound traffic – including traffic using the Belliver Roundabout diversion – to access Woolwell without having to go down to Woolwell Roundabout.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information following reports of an assault which took place near Bodmin Road, Whitleigh.

It was reported that at around 6pm on Wednesday July 2, on Taunton Avenue, a man was walking his dog when a vehicle stopped and the male occupant got out, shouted at the dog walker and tried to punch him.

A matron from Derriford Hospital has met Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a reception at 10 Downing Street to celebrate those working in the public sector.

Vicky Carter, who is the matron at Derriford’s Emergency Department, has been instrumental in driving the recent improvements that have been seen in her department.

Earlier this month it was announced that significant improvements in waiting times at Derriford Hospital’s emergency department had resulted in a £4 million grant being awarded by the government.

Residents at Glenholt Park and similar park homes in the city will in future receive water deliveries in the event of an outage following a U-turn by South West Water.

Previously it was reported that South West Water would not deliver to disabled and vulnerable residents if they were not the billpayer.

The issue was first brought to the attention of the Plymouth Moor View MP Fred Thomas during April’s mass water outage in the north of the city.

A number of long-awaited road junction improvements in Plymouth have been given the green light by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.

It means that work will now take place at the A38 Manadon Interchange, Marsh Mills Roundabout, St Budeaux Bypass and Camel’s Head as well as flood prevention works at Embankment Road. Upgraded walking and cycling facilities are also part of the scheme.

Derriford’s mobile X-ray car service has won a national award less than a year after its initial launch.

The service, which was introduced at the end of October 2024, has won this year’s ‘Improving Urgent and Emergency Care through Digital Award’ at the annual HSJ Digital Awards.

The specially-equipped car, complete with a full X-Ray kit and staffed by specialist radiographers and imaging healthcare assistants, has already supported over 200 patients in Plymouth and the surrounding areas.

Students from Tor Bridge High enjoyed the experience of a lifetime when they travelled to the iconic Twickenham Stadium to witness Bath take on Leicester Tigers in the Premiership Rugby Final.

The trip gave students the chance to be part of an incredible sporting event, surrounded by more than 80,000 fans in the home of English rugby. The atmosphere was electric as the closely-fought game unfolded, with excitement and energy that left a lasting impression on everyone involved.

In celebration of World Environment Day, Green Team student ambassadors at Tor Bridge High launched a Green Ticket Challenge, encouraging students to recycle plastic bottles over the course of one week.

Each student who recycled a bottle earned a green ticket, entering them into a special prize draw. Thanks to the enthusiastic participation of Tor Bridge students, hundreds of plastic bottles were collected, which will be creatively repurposed into a Remembrance display in the upcoming academic year.