MID Devon District Council staff and a number partner agencies visited Sandford early in December to bring services to residents.

The event, called Mid Devon Connect, was piloted in the parish hall and local residents were invited to attend and were welcomed with tea and scones!

Exhibitors included Involve, the Police, Devon Link, Sandford School, Crediton and District Community Transport, Job Centre Plus, Upstream and a number of council services – such as recycling, housing and benefits.

Mid Devon Connect is based on a scheme which is successfully running in other areas across Devon. The scheme promotes multi agencies working together to deliver services at a local level, providing rural areas with access to our services.

Amy Gratton, Consultation and Youth Involvement Officer, explained: "The council is keen to run more events across the district targeting rural areas, as residents tell us that access to services is an issue.

"We hope to be able to resolve most problems there and then, or for the ones we can't, refer residents to the relevant service to deal with it.

"At the Sandford event, 40 successful outcomes were recorded and residents were very supportive of what we were trying to achieve.

"In future months the council will be asking residents what information they would expect to receive and we will be piloting the scheme in different areas across Mid Devon."

Anyone organising an event that Mid Devon Connect could attend or if you would like more information about the scheme, please contact Amy Gratton by email: [email protected]">[email protected] or telephone 01884 234276.