SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE DATES OF POP UP COVID AND FLU VACCINATION CLINICS BEING HELD DURING THE WEEK COMMENCING 20 JANUARY 2026, ALSO DETAILS OF A CONSULTATION BY DEVON AND SOMERSET FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE.

THERE WILL BE A CYBERCRIME PRESENTATION BY A MEMBER OF DEVON AND CORNWALL POLICE CYBERCRIME TEAM IN THE PARISH HALL ON

THURSDAY, 5 MARCH 2026 AT 7.30PM – THIS IS A FREE EVENT AND OPEN TO ALL.

The next Parish Council meeting will be on:

Tuesday, 10 February 2026 (there is a January recess)

in Clovelly War Memorial Parish Hall at 7.30pm.

Clovelly Parish Council usually meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month (apart from August and January) at 7.30pm in the Parish Hall, Higher Clovelly.

Members of the public are welcome to attend any meeting and may speak during the open session at the beginning of the meeting.

A number of ‘pop-up’ Covid and Flu vaccination clinics are available next week in communities across Devon.

The clinics are being delivered by our colleagues in the NHS. Times, dates and locations of the clinics are listed in the table below.

Date of Pop Up	Name/Type of Clinic	Vaccination Timings	Location	Postcode
Tuesday 20^th January	Exeter Vaccination Centre	12:00 – 17:00	Sidmouth Rd, Woodbury Salterton, Exeter	EX5 2JU
Wednesday 21^st January	The Beacon	09:30 – 12:00	163 North Prospect Road, Plymouth	PL2 2ND
Wednesday 21^st January	Union Street, Torquay (Vaccination Van)	10:00 – 14:00	Union Street, Torquay	TQ1 1ES
Thursday 22^nd January	Frankfort Gate	10:00 – 14:00	Frankfort Gate, Plymouth	PL1 1QA
Thursday 22^nd January	Tesco Barnstaple	09:00 – 12:00	Barnstaple Retail Park, Sticklepath, Barnstaple	EX31 2AS
Friday 23^rd January	Exeter Vaccination Centre	10:00 – 14:00	Sidmouth Rd, Woodbury Salterton, Exeter	EX5 2JU

Action Fraud is now REPORT FRAUD

Starting on the 4th of December 2025, the City of London Police began the soft launch of REPORT FRAUD, a new service that replaces Action Fraud as the national platform for reporting cyber crime and fraud. Throughout December, Action Fraud began transitioning to REPORT FRAUD. Traffic to the old Action Fraud website was gradually redirected to REPORT FRAUD, helping to ensure a smooth transition for the public. The soft launch is now complete.

Keeping warm and well

Staying warm in winter is one of the best ways to protect your health, helping prevent colds, flu, and serious conditions like heart attacks, strokes, and pneumonia. Here are some simple steps:

Heat your home safely: Keep main rooms at 18°C, close bedroom windows at night, fit smoke alarms on every level and a carbon monoxide alarm where fuel is burned. Use oil-filled heaters instead of exposed-element heaters, and have chimneys professionally swept.
Dress in layers: Several thin layers keep you warmer than one thick layer.
Stay active indoors: Move around or stretch regularly to maintain body heat.
Plan ahead: Stock up on food and medication before bad weather hits.
Look out for others: Check in on neighbours or relatives who may need extra support.

If you’re struggling to afford heating, government grants, benefits, and cost-of-living support are available to help with bills and improve energy efficiency.

Visit the UK Health Security Agency’s website for more cold weather guidance and Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service for tips on heating your home safely.

Winter vaccinations

Seasonal viruses like flu spread more during winter and can make people very ill. This year, flu is already circulating in our communities earlier than usual. When we spend more time indoors and mix with friends and family, we can pass infections on without realising.

Vaccines are available for people most at risk of serious illness from flu, Covid-19, RSV and pneumococcal infections. Last year in England, the flu vaccine alone is estimated to have prevented around 100,000 hospital admissions. That’s why it’s important to get your NHS vaccination as soon as possible each year. It gives you the best protection because immunity fades over time and these viruses change every year.

Visit the NHS website to find out more about who is eligible for the different vaccinations and how to get them.

How we can all prevent illness

There are small things we can all do to protect ourselves, our families and others from illnesses that can spread in our communities.

Practice good hygiene

Good hygiene is one of the most effective ways to stop germs. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating or preparing food, after using the toilet, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. Hand gels don’t kill all germs, including norovirus, so they’re not a substitute for proper handwashing.

Regularly clean frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, phones, and kitchen counters to prevent germs from spreading. When you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow, dispose of tissues immediately, and wash your hands.

Stay home when you’re unwell

If you feel unwell, stay at home where possible and avoid work, school, nursery, and social gatherings. A fever can indicate infection, so remain at home until it has gone. If you have diarrhoea or sickness, stay home for 48 hours after your last symptoms. This can really help stop germs from spreading to others.

Keep vaccinations up to date

Vaccines protect you and those around you from serious illnesses and are offered throughout life. If you’re unsure whether you or your family have missed any, check the NHS website, look in your child’s red book, or speak to your GP.

Get advice if you feel unwell

If you feel unwell, there are quick ways to get advice and treatment.

Think Pharmacy First

Most pharmacies in Devon offer consultations, treatment, and prescriptions for common conditions like sore throat, earache, sinusitis, UTIs, shingles, impetigo, and infected insect bites. If you’re outside the age ranges for these services, pharmacists can still advise on self-care and over-the-counter medicines. Find your nearest pharmacy on the NHS website.

NHS 111

For urgent help, use NHS 111 online, via the app, or by phone. It can assess your symptoms, direct you to the right service, and even arrange a call back from a nurse, doctor, or paramedic. This helps avoid unnecessary A&E visits. Support is available for other languages, BSL users, and text relay.

NHS app

Download the NHS app to manage your health easily. You can order repeat prescriptions, book GP appointments, view your health record, manage vaccinations, and access other services without waiting for surgery hours. The app is free for anyone aged 13+ years old registered with an NHS GP. For advice on children’s illnesses, download the HANDi app.

Be prepared

Severe weather and holiday closures over winter can make everyday essentials harder to access. A little planning goes a long way:

Priority Services Register: If you or someone you know is vulnerable due to age, health, or disability, sign up for this free service for extra support during power or water outages. Find out more and sign up.
Power Cuts: Charge phones, power banks, and medical equipment before severe weather. Keep a torch, batteries, and a wind-up radio handy. Visit National Grid for more guidance.
Water Supply: Store bottled water and basic supplies in case of burst pipes. Visit South West Water for more guidance.
Medicines: Order repeat prescriptions early, check pharmacy holiday hours, and keep essential medicines stocked for a few days.
Urgent Help: If your GP or pharmacy is closed, use NHS 111 online, via the app, or by phone for advice and to be directed to the right care.

Scroll down to see more general information about cost of living help.

Struggling with your energy bills? We can help!

If you’re worried about your energy bills or need advice on accessing financial support, Better Housing Better Health is here to help. We’re a free energy advice service working to improve your well-being and find ways to lower your bills.

Our trained advisers are ready to provide:

Clear, practical bill advice to help you understand and manage your energy costs.
Debt management support to guide you through challenging financial situations.
Access to financial assistance and schemes you may be eligible for.
Energy-saving tips and accessories to help you reduce costs and stay warm.

You may also be eligible for additional support, such as the Winter Fuel Payment, a yearly tax-free payment to help with energy costs.

No matter your situation, we’re here to offer expert advice and practical solutions to help you feel more confident about your energy usage and household expenses. Call our free phone line on 0800 107 0044 to get support or visit Better Housing Better Health for more information

HOUSEHOLD SUPPORT FUND FUNDED BY H M GOVERNMENT

Torridge District Council has launched the seventh round of Household Support Funding with effect from 7 July 2025. Nationally £742m has been made available by Central Government to cover the period April 2025 to March 2026.

Devon County Council has been awarded funding of just under £9m by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for a seventh Household Support Fund, part of which it will utilise to support voluntary and community partners such as Citizens Advice Devon and the Devon Community Foundation and provide Free School Meal holiday vouchers.

Just £3 million will be split amongst the eight district council’s for targeted support to those identified in need, with Torridge receiving just over £269,919 to allocate across the district, over nine months. The previous six schemes have already released payments totalling £1,248k to meet basic household costs of struggling Torridge residents.

In line with previous versions of the scheme the purpose of the grant is to provide support to households experiencing hardship due to the ongoing cost of living crisis. The grants will be available to help people in need to buy food, pay essential utility bills or meet other essential living or housing costs. Previous assistance has already allowed people to purchase clothing, blankets, and fund boiler servicing or repairs during the winter months. Applications can also be made to meet the cost of purchasing or repairing white goods such as fridges, freezers and ovens, which might otherwise currently be beyond the means of struggling households.

Access to the fund will once again be via a form, with initial applications being processed by the council’s partner and local charity organisation, Encompass. The application form link will be available on Torridge District Council’s website by clicking on the “Cost of living Help” icon on the main landing page and then the “Household Support Fund” link. Alternatively, people can contact Encompass through their website or by telephone if they do not have access to the internet on 01271 371499.

Councillor Simon Newton, Lead Member for Legal and Democratic Support, Torridge District Council, said:
“This will be very welcome news to a lot of households in Torridge who are struggling with the cost of living. Everyone’s needs will be different, so help given can be tailored to each individual. As well as food, utility bills or other major costs some of our residents may also need help with covering the cost of essential clothing, repairs to their vehicles or to pay for a monthly bus pass – to name just a few.
“As well as applying for these funds, there is a wealth of advice and information available on our website under the ‘Cost of Living Help’ section, which is designed to signpost people in the right direction to ensure that as many people can access the help and support they need.”

Torridge District Council is reminding residents that postal votes must now be renewed every three years to remain valid.

This means that anyone who applied for a postal vote before 31 October 2023 will see their vote expire on 31 January 2026. To continue voting by post, affected voters must reapply before this date.

Over 8,000 postal voters in Torridge will be contacted between August and December 2025 with instructions on how to renew. Communications will be sent either by letter or email, depending on the contact details the Council has on file. If you receive an email, it will come from elections.torridgedc@notifications.service.gov.uk with the subject line ‘Postal Vote Renewal’.

Renewing your postal vote is quick and easy. You can apply online at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote. You’ll need your National Insurance number, date of birth, and a digital signature. If you prefer to use a paper form, you can request one from the Council’s Electoral Services Team.

Please note that members of the same household may receive different types of communication depending on whether an email address is registered. If no renewal application is received by 31 January 2026, your postal vote will be cancelled. Reminder messages will be sent closer to the deadline to help ensure no one misses out.

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The defibrillator is in an unlocked cabinet fixed on the wall of the Parish Hall EX39 6AN, available 24/7, is registered with The Circuit, a national database giving locations of all defibrillators throughout the country. Monthly checks are made and reported to The Circuit.

The defibrillator has dual use pads, meaning they can be used for adults and children, and expire in August 2025.

There is a second defibrillator in an unlocked cabinet, available 24/7 on the side wall of The New Inn Hotel, The Street, Clovelly, EX39 5TQ which has adult use pads, expiring in May 2027. Monthy checks are also made and reported to The Circuit.

Understanding risk in our communities – a request for information

I’m writing to seek your views and support to help us to understand the current and future risks our communities face.

Like many organisations, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has a range of statutory responsibilities we need to undertake in order to manage the risk to our communities.

At the same time, we have broadened our offer to partners wherever we can as we recognise that there are some complex issues, such as reducing the impact of mental health, that require leaders to work together.

As such, we are undertaking our regular strategic review of the risks that we might face in the future and what the future landscape might look like in terms of infrastructure as well as societal trends.

This will be reflected in our Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), which will run from April 2027 until 2032. You can see our current plan on our website.

As part of developing our draft CRMP, we are gathering views from people and partners across Devon and Somerset. These views, alongside our incident data and risk analysis, will give us an understanding of what you and residents feel are local risks that we need to consider as well as perceptions of the fire and rescue service and its role within our counties.

We are capturing this through an online survey, as well as through focus groups with specific audiences. It would be helpful if you could arrange for this to be completed and shared as a higher number of contributions will give more insight to check we’re aligning our future plans with the communities we serve.

You can access the survey from the home page of our website – dsfire.gov.uk – or following this link to the online survey.

The survey is also available as a paper copy, which can be requested by emailing CRMP@dsfire.gov.uk or calling 01392 261287.

We will publish the findings reports from this engagement on our website as it may support your own risk planning approach.

Once our draft CRMP is produced, we will consult with you and our communities on the content to check whether the understanding we’ve captured through our engagement work and data mapping has been accurately represented in the plan.

Thank you for your support. Your feedback and support will ensure that we can continue to provide an effective, efficient and inclusive fire and rescue service, preventing incidents from happening and with the right resources in place to respond to an emergency when required.

Kind regards,

Gavin Ellis PGDip, MBA

Chief Fire Officer