A WELCOME to Devon event is being held by the Devonshire Association, with the support of Devon County Council, on Saturday 4 April.

A WELCOME to Devon event is being held by the Devonshire Association, with the support of Devon County Council, on Saturday 4 April.

The inaugural event offers an open invitation to people who have recently come to live in Devon, and who want to know more about the county with talks and exhibits at County Hall in Exeter from 1:30pm to 5:30pm.

Speakers at the event are historian Dr Todd Gray, wildlife artist and photographer John Walters, geologist Dr Richard Scrivener, zoologist Dr Robin Wootton and Devon County Council archaeologist Bill Horner.

The subjects of the talks include:

* Devon's structure and scenery

* History and Devon

* The man-made landscape

* Wildlife in the county

* The arts in Devon - then and now.

With exhibits also on show, the day will provide an opportunity for people to learn about the Devonshire Association, which is a long-established organisation concerned with all aspects of Devon, and to discover some other county-wide societies with more specialised interests.

Devon County Council Leader Brian Greenslade said: "Devon County Council is proud to lend its support to this new event which we hope will provide a flavour of the county to those who have move to the area. We're blessed in Devon with spectacular scenery and diverse wildlife on our doorstep - not many places can boast two National Parks and two World Heritage Sites. The county is also rich in heritage and culture, and the talks at this event will highlight all of these subjects."

Robin Wootton, Chairman of the Devonshire Association said: "This is a new initiative by a lively, forward-looking organisation. Several thousand people come to live in Devon each year, and our aim is to give newcomers an opportunity to gain a basic understanding of some aspects of this remarkable county, and at the same time to introduce them to the Devonshire Association, which relates to all aspects of Devon, and to some other societies with more special interests. If this first meeting is a success we hope to run similar events elsewhere in Devon in the next two or three years."

The event is free and tea will be provided. On-site parking is available, and buses K, R, and S from the city centre alight outside County Hall.

Numbers are limited and advance booking is essential. Details and booking forms are available throughout Devon, in your local library, Tourist Information Centres and some museums, and by post from the Registrar. They can also be downloaded from www.devonassoc.org.uk/specialevents.htm.

Forms should be forwarded to: The Registrar, The Devonshire Association, West Wing, The Bishop's Palace, Palace Gate, Exeter EX1 1HX, no later than 31 March.