The first beavers to live wild in England for centuries are to be allowed to remain on the River Otter in East Devon after a five-year reintroduction trial. Ecologist Paul Chanin reports on the Crediton link to this recent government announcement, the environmental benefits and challenges of beavers and the prospects of them returning to the River Creedy. 

One local woman has found a novel way to raise awareness about racism – by walking 140 miles around Mid Devon. Tsara Smith has a full time job, but has spent every weekend since early July walking and speaking to the people she meets about racial inequality, encouraging them to learn more about the topic and to donate to an anti-racist charity. Although Devon is a predominantly white county, says Tsara, people of colour are still experiencing racism in our midst. 

September is a busy time in the garden, with seeds, fruit and vegetables to harvest. It is also a time to start preparing for next year, says local gardening expert Andy Colquhoun.

Our recent competition ‘My Life in Lockdown’ prompted an astonishing display of creative talent in our community. The judges were hugely impressed by the range of skills and the quality of the work submitted, mostly by amateur artists. We asked some of the competitors to tell us what inspires their creativity and what their art means to them. Jamie Sollis, whose satirical cartoon below was highly commended, started drawing in 2016 at a time of turmoil, after a break of 30 years. He says that art helps him to relax and to reconnect with his childhood.