Tag: Spotlight

You might not think of Teignbridge as a place of industry for digital marketing and SEO wizardry, but there is a huge demand for it as more businesses rely on their online storefront than ever before. Falcon Digital is a web design and digital marketing agency based in Newton Abbot that fills that gap, from designing bespoke websites for charities to creating social media campaigns for local businesses. Director Charlie Penny is the mastermind behind Falcon Digital, who has been working in marketing for 10+ years. He shares his story of how he founded the agency, what services he’s been able to provide to South Devon’s businesses, and how he and his team has formed a family amidst shifting attitudes towards work. What has your marketing journey been leading up to Falcon Digital? I’ve had quite a long journey. I was going to join the army, but I had a sabbatical because my mum wasn’t very well, then my dad passed away, so that plan didn’t go ahead. I sold the companies Globi-Tech and iGoWeb, then did my MBA at the University of Exeter, working predominately in marketing with businesses such as Unilever, The Body Shop, then Circular Economy, which

What do we associate with Devon’s beaches? Mr Whippy’s? The Red Arrows? How about a community sauna? Saunas may not be everyone’s idea of a typical weekend retreat outside of a spa day, but they are being used more in people’s everyday lives as they realise the physical and mental benefits that it can bring to their wellbeing. Sara Dance and Meg Hughes are the masterminds behind the Devon Community Sauna CIC, both established practitioners who hope to make the sauna accessible to everyone in Devon, with two locations in Teignmouth and Paignton. Meg tells us more about how she and Sara started the CIC together, and the successes they’ve seen from the project since opening in October. What led you to start the Devon Community Sauna along with co-owner Sara? Over here, saunas are still considered a luxury thing. You go to a sauna when you’re at a spa, but it’s not quite built into our wellbeing routine like it is in places like Finland where it’s everywhere, even in people’s workplaces. We felt like there was this huge gap along our stretch of coastline where there weren’t saunas, but we absolutely love it being near the sea and

We’ve covered a lot of well-established businesses and CICs over the last few months, but we’re pleased to shine the spotlight on a newly-established CIC called The Teignbridge Community Project. Mother-daughter duo Colette Palmer and Anna Lofthouse launched their CIC in October 2024 along with their Skills Centre project, which serves as a hobby space for those with mental health concerns and additional needs. This includes hair and beauty, cooking and baking, gardening, arts and crafts, and anything else they’re able to accommodate for. Colette and Anna share how they started The Teignbridge Community Project, how they’ve provided a much-needed service in the Newton Abbot area, and the challenges they’ve faced as a new CIC. What led you two to start up Teignbridge Community Project? Colette: I’ve worked for a similar business in Torquay for three years, which is very successful with a social supermarket and skills centre. I was approached about doing this in Newton Abbot because they’re desperate for something similar. At the time, I said no, but my daughter wanted to come out of hairdressing and try something new. I love working with people with learning disabilities, so we decided to give it a go. Anna: We started

Last month, we spoke to the director of No Limits Community Café and explored the issue of accessibility in employment from young people diagnosed with complex needs. Today, we’d like to turn your attention to Sarah Field, the Devon-based entrepreneur behind Infinite Ability who received her diagnosis for autism, ADHD and dyslexia later in adulthood. Since her diagnosis, Sarah has made it her mission to support neurodiverse teens and women. Infinite Ability has plenty to offer people, from her maths tutoring service, one-to-one mentoring support, and her recent Find Your Tribe support group for neurodiverse women, whether or not they’ve had a formal diagnosis. Sarah shares her journey of how she formed Infinite Ability and how she’s been able to help women like her through Find Your Tribe. How did Infinite Ability start? I always thought I’d just be a teacher forever. I went straight from my A levels to university and taught maths in a secondary school in 2014, so once I achieved that, I thought I was set. I have always done unofficial mentoring even when I was working in mainstream schools. I was quite often that teacher young people could come and speak to if things were tricky, they needed a

No Limits Community Café is a pillar of Newton Abbot’s community. Sarah Thorp and Amanda Pugh opened its doors in 2020 to provide work experience and supported employment opportunities to those with additional needs. They then started the outreach programme in 2023, helping those with disabilities to gain long term paid employment, and helping employers across Devon to become more disability aware and confident. No Limits has also supported local organisations and businesses with catering such as Teignbridge District Council and Phoenix Sound. Read more from Sarah’s account to find out why they opened No Limits, what the impact of the community café has been on Devon, and what plans they have for the future. What led you to open No Limits? My background is in psychology and education, but the key is my lived experience of being a parent of a young person with complex needs. Looking at college and employment opportunities, I was concerned that there were narrow options for my son. The transition to adulthood is tricky anyway, but when that coincides with leaving education and childhood services, and going to adult services and starting work, it’s a huge change with significant challenges. Therefore, I wanted an

We’ve covered many curiosities around Teignbridge from cat cafes to charity-run rehearsal spaces, and one curiosity worth keeping an eye on is the Dartmoor Reach Alpaca & Glamping Farm. Run by husband-and-wife duo, Josh Hyson and Natalie Hyson, Dartmoor Reach offers people the chance to relax in nature and in style with sustainable glamping huts, including a converted double-decker bus. It also doubles as a mindfulness retreat as Natalie hosts yoga, meditation and reiki workshops in her studio on the land. All of it is within reach of the fluffy alpacas who come to nose around the farm. Since opening the farm for business, they have enjoyed such accolades as the Eco Friendly Business of the Year award from the 2023 Devon Women in Business Awards, and have also appeared on Channel 4’s Four in a Bed. They share their story of how the farm started and the work they do to maintain it and grow its presence. How did the business start? Josh: We both shared a vision opening a glamping site. We wanted to live on the land here, but if you want to live in the countryside, you need to prove to Teignbridge District Council that you

Marketing agencies provide essential services for businesses in any area, and Newton Abbot has many thriving industries that benefit from marketing. From community interest companies to manufacturers, there are plenty who need a team of specialists to get their names out there on a brand spanking new website. R50 Marketing and Website Design is one of Newton Abbot’s most prominent marketing agencies, led by director Mark Amphlett, his son Will, and his daughter Jazz, alongside his team of experts. But how does one balance their work life with their home life in a family business? Mark and Will tell all. Mark, what led you to start R50 Marketing? Mark: Up until five years ago, I ran a manufacturing company here in Newton Abbot, which started off with a very small turnover of about £650,000, but we got it up to £3 million within about three years. However, the website was designed by an engineer rather than anyone in marketing, so I changed that to represent what we could do for our potential customers by making it look attractive, pretty and functional. We implemented simple things like making sure people could contact us easily, having a button on the mobile version

October’s Spotlight on The Cave The Cave Music Project is a Teignmouth-based charity that serves as a community rehearsal space where musicians both old and new can book out the space to practice. The Cave has been a fixture of the area’s blossoming music scene for years, previously situated in the Eastcliff car park before re-opening post-pandemic in the historic Old Quay Warehouse. Director Robin Brown shares his experiences running The Cave, as well as his ambitions to champion Teignmouth’s up and coming artists. How did the idea for The Cave emerge? I used to be a street-based youth worker in 2004, something that’s sadly lacking a lot on our streets these days. I once met a group of young people who played together but weren’t in any bands and their needs for a space were not being met. They were more into metal and grunge, rather than their youth clubs filled with ‘townies’ who were into dance music and pop. I remember myself at their age where I wished there were more spaces to play music, so I thought about how we could engage this group. The basement in the Eastcliff Centre was only being used to store equipment,

There are many areas in Devon that don’t get talked about as much as others, especially the further afield you go. Moretonhampstead is one such small town with a great sense of togetherness that can be seen through its thriving arts and crafts scene and the efforts of its residents to connect each other through community initiatives. That’s why we’d like to shine the spotlight on Wellmoor. Wellmoor is the Health and Wellbeing strand of the Moretonhampstead Development Trust, and has aided the town by working closely with the community and making its strengths even stronger. From its community allotment project that encourages volunteers to get out and about and spread the knowledge of growing food, to offering free strength and balance classes to its older residents, Wellmoor has a lot to offer. Camilla Rooney, the Wellmoor Coordinator, was kind enough to speak to us about the various projects she has managed since her time overseeing the charity and its team, and how they have positively impacted Moretonhampstead’s community. What led you to become the Wellmoor Coordinator? I had just finished a Masters in Historic Building Conservation in Bristol and my dissertation about community-led regeneration projects in rural Transylvania. My

Last time, you might’ve read our scoop on Phoenix Sounds, Newton Abbot’s community interest record store that unites music fans and local businesses through its dedicated staff and live events. Just above the shop, however, is Marsha Miles Consultancy Limited (MMC Ltd), a company founded by Marsha Cox. MMC Ltd has helped businesses, charities and social enterprises to grow over the course of the last ten years, operating in Devon and beyond to help them secure funding or create business plans. Marsha Cox is joined by fellow staff members Lisa Cox, Business Development & Strategic Services Lead, Rosie Gitsham, Fundraising Services Lead, and Sean McDonald, Fundraising Consultant & Digital Lead. How have you been able to help charities and businesses? Marsha: Our fundraising work supports organisations like Age UK Plymouth & Devon to write applications so they can secure funding for services that make a big impact in their communities. Our strategic work helps clients to write business plans, with CICs like No Limits Community Café which Roger Cox also supports. I’m also an executive coach so I support senior leaders of charities who struggle with setting goals and managing stress. We’re always trying to improve our free resources for