Category Archives: Devon News

Community and independence drive more people to renting in retirement

The UK seniors’ rental market is growing rapidly, with the number of senior rental units expected to increase by as much as 150% by 2029, according to a Knight Frank report[i]. Changing demographics and lifestyle choices are driving this trend, as older adults increasingly seek sociable, supportive environments rather than the demands of maintaining larger homes.

 

According to My Future Living, the UK’s leading retirement rental brand, this shift reflects a growing desire among retirees for flexibility, financial peace of mind, and independence, alongside the benefits of a ready-made community. Renting later in life can release people from the costs and responsibilities of homeownership, while providing the security and sociability of developments designed specifically for older adults.

 

For Margaret James, her retirement flat at Charles Dickens Court in Portsmouth has been more than a home for 32 years; it’s a place of independence, security, and friendship. After the death of her husband, Margaret chose to stay in the community she had come to love. “It’s safe, central, and there’s a real sense of community. We live independently but have lovely communal gardens, plus a communal lounge where residents can meet up for a natter. This is my home and always will be,” she says.

 

For Paul and Lindsey Jones, downsizing from a spacious Victorian house to a one-bedroom apartment at Hometor House in Exmouth has brought both freedom and financial relief. Facing rising costs and the burden of maintaining their large home, they chose a retirement rental that offered a manageable place to live within a vibrant community.

“It’s much cheaper to run, the apartment is highly energy-efficient, and the assured tenancy gives us peace of mind,” Paul explains. “We have more time for socialising, walks, and exploring the area. The community is fantastic, from tea parties to bingo nights, and the development manager has been wonderful in helping us settle in. We love our new life and the freedom it brings.”

 

Joanne Couch, Director of Finance & Operations at My Future Living said: “Community is at the heart of retirement renting. Residents consistently tell us that having social connections, and a sense of belonging is just as important, if not more so, than the practical benefits of retirement living. Our apartments offer independence, long-term security, and maintenance-free living, but the friendships, activities, and support network within these communities are what really make for a happy retirement.

“The Knight Frank’s report shows demand for private rental options in the senior market is growing fast, and we are proud to offer high-quality apartments where older people can live independently, safely, and socially.”

 

My Future Living features retirement rental properties throughout the UK, including a two-bedroom apartment in an over-55s development called Lucena Court in Stowmarket for £875 per calendar month, including service charge and ground rent. This development is pet friendly and has the security of a long term rental contract.

Most developments have communal lounges, gardens, a lift, guest suites and an onsite manager, plus there is a 24-hour careline in most apartments for out of hour’s emergencies. Many of My Future Living properties are available on long term assured tenancies. To find out more about available homes and retirement rental options, visit: www.myfutureliving.co.uk

£600,000 investment secures iconic Plymouth building for the community

  • Nudge, Resonance and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation join forces to save former cinema and nightclub
  • The purchase unlocks funding for community spaces, including a music venue, thanks to Youth investment Fund

 

Work is underway on a project to breathe new life into an iconic Plymouth building, thanks to collaboration between three organisations.

 

Nudge Community Builders has taken on the Millennium Building, following a £600,000 joint investment from social impact investor Resonance and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

 

Construction has now started on plans to turn the Union Street building into community spaces for young people and the wider community, including a music venue, workshops and a café bar.

 

Hannah Sloggett, Co-Founder and Co-Director of Nudge Community Builders, said: “We couldn’t wait to bring this special building back into use after it had stood empty for 17 years.

 

“We can now move forward with confidence and look forward to the journey to bring this building back into use for lasting local benefit.”

 

The Millennium Building was constructed as a cinema in 1931 and was later turned into a nightclub, before its closure in the early 2000s.

 

The structure stood empty for 17 years before Nudge purchased 50% of the building, thanks to investments of over £350,000 from the Rank Foundation and 491 community shareholders, and a partnership with Eat Work Art.

 

The latest phase has seen a joint investment of £600,000 from Resonance and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, to purchase the remaining 50% of the building, and a £480,000 grant from the Youth Investment Fund to support internal works.

 

Tom Crook, Investment Manager for Resonance Community Developers Fund, said:

“Resonance and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation are delighted to partner in a joint investment into Nudge, supporting efforts to bring this iconic building into community ownership.

 

“We are a huge supporter of Nudge and the work they are doing in Plymouth.”

 

Nudge Community Builders is a Charitable Community Benefit Society set up in 2017 by local residents Hannah Sloggett and Wendy Hart in Stonehouse, Plymouth.

They had been volunteering in their community for over ten years and kickstarted the Union Street Party, created Union Corner and were asked by the community to do more about the empty buildings.

 

Within the first five years, Nudge unlocked 25% of the empty buildings along Union Street and now offers spaces for local people to grow across five previously derelict sites.

 

About Resonance Community Developers

 

Resonance Community Developers (RCD), which is a Resonance Ltd social investment fund, is designed to support communities to create and own assets that meet local needs and help to build community cohesion, by investing in community-led affordable homes and facilities that benefit the whole community.

 

The fund typically invests in affordable homes, sports and leisure facilities, low-carbon and renewable energy generation and other community assets.

 

For further information, please visit www.nudge.community

Flotek Launches Cloud Detection & Response (CDR) Service and Deploys Dedicated Security Team to Proactively Protect Microsoft 365 and SaaS Environments

Flotek Group, a leading Managed IT and Cybersecurity provider, has announced the launch of its new Cloud Detection & Response (CDR) service — a proactive security solution designed to close critical gaps in Microsoft 365 and SaaS security before breaches can happen.

This launch builds on the success of CyberGuard MDR, powered by Huntress, which has helped businesses rapidly identify and contain breaches. While CyberGuard focuses on detecting and locking down after an incident, Flotek’s new CDR service takes security a step further — ensuring that the Microsoft 365 environments Flotek manages are continuously monitored for changes and hardened against threats before attackers can exploit vulnerabilities.

Jay Ball, CEO of Flotek Group, commented:
“CyberGuard has been a game-changer for businesses, but reacting to breaches isn’t enough. Today, it’s incredibly easy for a single click on a phishing email to compromise sensitive data — emails, files, and more. We need to not only lock environments down but continuously harden them using Microsoft’s best practices across the 10,000+ accounts we manage. Our CDR service is designed to do exactly that.”

With over 85% of business applications now cloud-based, attackers have more opportunities than ever to gain access. Yet most businesses — and even many IT providers — rarely monitor their Microsoft 365 tenant for changes. Security settings are often applied once and forgotten, leaving organisations exposed if an admin account is downgraded or a critical setting is altered.

Flotek’s CDR service provides an intelligent, always-on security layer that:

  • Continuously monitors and enforces Microsoft-recommended security settings across all tenants.
  • Integrates with Microsoft Secure Score to automatically tighten security in line with Microsoft’s evolving best practices.
  • Provides premium support customers with ongoing security improvements as part of their service, ensuring their environments stay aligned with the latest standards.
  • Delivers a detailed Microsoft 365 security report for all new and existing partners, showing current risks, recommended actions, and how to increase Secure Score using existing licensing or by upgrading to premium licensing.
  • Detects and blocks suspicious activity such as inbox rule changes, token hijacking, and logins from blacklisted countries or TOR nodes.
  • Monitors for unusual data downloads and exfiltration attempts — whether from external attackers or even disgruntled employees — to prevent sensitive information from leaving the organisation.
  • Correlates SaaS activity with known company devices to reduce false positives and alert fatigue.

To deliver this service effectively, Flotek has created a dedicated security team focused on prevention and continuous monitoring, supported by AI-driven threat protection that can automatically respond and lock down environments when risks are detected. This combination of proactive human oversight and intelligent automation ensures customers stay protected against evolving threats — because this is what true support is all about.

As part of its commitment to continuous improvement, Flotek actively participates in the Kaseya Action Group, meeting weekly to review emerging threats and implement new security measures across its customer base.

Craig Jones, Group IT Director at Flotek, added:
“Many businesses only take security seriously after a breach. The reality is that most tenants are left unmonitored, and even small changes can go unnoticed for months. It’s so easy to change a setting in a tenant and not realise the security impact this has — whether it’s a customer making a change or even one of our own team. That’s why constant monitoring is essential to protect our customers and their data. Our CDR service is a forward step — proactively managing security, monitoring for improbable travel, suspicious behaviour, and even insider threats, giving customers confidence that their environment is being protected 24/7.”

Priced at just £3.00 per user, per integration, per month, the service includes setup, training, and a complimentary Microsoft 365 security report.

 

From Inbox to Impact: Rebecca Cullen Celebrated as One to Watch

Devon-based businesswoman Rebecca Cullen, who is usually cheering on others, has been shortlisted in two hotly contested categories at the West Country Women Awards 2025.

The founder of Inspire Lifestyle Management and Inspired Occasions is a finalist for:

• Small Business of the Year, sponsored by Vivobarefoot
• Best Supporting Act, sponsored by Genius PR & Events

These nominations recognise Rebecca’s exceptional contribution to the business community and her growing reputation as the go-to support partner for founders, creatives and professionals looking to thrive.

Rebecca founded Inspire Lifestyle Management to provide hands-on, high-impact executive and lifestyle support. Her services include inbox and diary management, CRM system set-up, social media scheduling, travel coordination and more. Known for her calm, friendly and focused approach, she works quietly behind the scenes to bring clarity and confidence to her clients’ lives.

Alongside this, she runs Inspired Occasions, an event planning business supporting weddings and corporate events across the South West.

“I have always been passionate about helping others succeed. Whether that is taking pressure off their shoulders, streamlining their systems or helping them plan something unforgettable,” said Rebecca. “These nominations were a wonderful surprise and a reminder of just how far the business has come.”

In the past year, Rebecca has opened her first dedicated office in Teignmouth, welcomed a university intern, and is preparing to take on her first employee. These are all powerful milestones in her journey as a founder.

Natalie Trice, founder of Natalie Trice Publicity and one of Rebecca’s clients, said:
“Rebecca is the definition of the ultimate support act. She is calm under pressure, fiercely efficient and quietly brilliant. Her dedication allows businesses like mine to grow with confidence, knowing the detail is in safe hands. These nominations are so deserved and only the beginning.”

The West Country Women Awards celebrate women across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset who are making a meaningful impact in their fields and communities. The Best Supporting Act category honours women who champion others from behind the scenes, while Small Business of the Year recognises innovation, success and strong customer focus.

For more information on the West Country Women Awards, visit www.westcountrywomen.co.uk and for details about Rebecca go to www.inspirelm.com