Exeter Stories – Details, episodes & analysis

Cameron Mills shares the remarkable journey from a small rock project to a creative education empire reaching over 1,000 children across the South West, and reveals his vision for Exeter as the next cultural capital.

In this episode, Cameron explains how his frustration with traditional music education led to creating something completely different: a creative ecosystem where kids can explore everything from DJing and podcasting, to animation and West End-style drama.

Starting with just 25 children five years ago, Cameron Mills Group now works in dozens of schools and has ambitious plans to revolutionise how young people access creative education.

Get Involved

• Visit: cameronmillsgroup.com for details of programmes available
• Social media: Instagram and Facebook
• Contact for school partnerships and outreach programs

Emma Dunn, Director of the Devon and Exeter Institution, shares the dramatic story of rescuing a collapsing 13th-century building and transforming an exclusive gentlemen's club into an accessible heritage charity serving all of Exeter.

When Emma arrived in 2015, scaffolding held up library ceilings, buckets caught drips from failed roofs, and nets captured falling debris, all while members calmly read newspapers below. The building had been on the Heritage at Risk register for three years. Through two major projects totalling £3 million, Emma led the transformation of this nationally significant institution into a thriving cultural hub with accessible facilities, diverse programming, and partnerships across the city.

Get Involved:

• Visit: Devon and Exeter Institution at 7 The Close, Exeter
• Website https://devonandexeterinstitution.org/
• Free Wednesday tours: 1-4pm, drop-in
• Join online or in person - memberships from £1/month
• Volunteer opportunities through Exeter Heritage Partnership
• Contact for school partnerships and group bookings

Fiona Carden, CEO of CoLab Exeter, shares the remarkable 10-year journey of creating a community hub that revolutionizes how services support people in crisis.

In this episode, Fiona explains how CoLab evolved from an uncertain vision with public health funding into what Bishop Robert called "the holder of hope in the city." Rather than just co-locating services in one building, CoLab has created a unique culture of collaboration that wraps around individuals experiencing complex challenges.

Ways you can support CoLab:

• Visit CoLab's website for volunteering opportunities and impact volunteering
• Follow CoLab on social media
• Contact Fiona directly to learn more about the work
• Watch for upcoming citizen conversation events and pop-up spaces

Resources:

• CoLab Exeter website https://www.colabexeter.org.uk/
• Devon Mental Health Alliance https://www.mentalhealthdevon.co.uk/
• Devon Domestic Abuse Alliance https://ddaa.org.uk/
• Wellbeing Exeter https://www.wellbeingexeter.org.uk/

Callum Elliott-Archer, Centre Manager of Exeter Library, reveals how breaking decades-old rules, listening to teenagers, and moving furniture on wheels transformed a declining library into an award-winning cultural hub with higher footfall than pre-COVID.

When Callum took over as Centre Manager in 2020, libraries nationwide were closing and visits were declining. Rather than accept the trend, he asked fundamental questions: What is a library in 2025? Is this building actually welcoming? The answers led to revolutionary changes – allowing food, creating dedicated teen spaces, hosting opera performances, and running over-sixties discos. The result? A "living room of the city" that's reversed national trends.

Services Beyond Books

• Free computer access and WiFi
• Tech support for those unfamiliar with smartphones/internet
• Digital audiobook setup help
• Social housing applications and Universal Credit support
• Space for community groups (no permission needed)
• Cultural performances at accessible prices
• Study and meeting spaces

Website & Resources Mentioned

• Libraries Limited: https://www.librariesunlimited.org.uk/
• Exeter Library events calendar: https://discover.librariesunlimited.org.uk/whats-on#/?location=Exeter%20Library

Julian Tagg, Chairman of Exeter City FC, shares an extraordinary journey from ball boy to boardroom and reveals how a community-owned football club is tackling Exeter's biggest social challenges.

In this episode, Julian recounts the dramatic rescue of Exeter City from administration in 2003, when the club faced £4.8 million in debt and sheriffs literally came to seize the floodlights. But this is more than a survival story, Julian shares how this fan-owned club has evolved into a community powerhouse delivering over £12 million worth of value to Exeter and beyond.

Ways you can support the Community Trust

• Visit Exeter City FC website for Supporters' Trust information
• Check out ExeterCCT.org for Community Trust programs

Resources

• Exeter City Community Trust ExeterCCT.org
• Exeter City FC https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/
• Exeter City Supporters' Trust https://www.weownexetercityfc.co.uk/
• King George V development consultation website https://www.kgvexeter.com/

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Alice Mills and Dr Natalie Whitehead, co-founders of the Exeter Science Centre, to explore how two physicists turned their passion for public engagement into a grassroots movement for science, sustainability, and community connection in the South West.

Together, we talk about:

• How a chance conversation between two physicists sparked the idea for a new kind of science centre.
• Why hands-on discovery and local relevance matter for tackling global challenges like climate change.
• The innovative Living Wall project in collaboration with the University of Plymouth, and what it’s teaching us about biodiversity, wellbeing, and urban cooling.
• Citizen-science projects including the Citizen Phage Library and Freshwater Watch, empowering schools and local communities to monitor water quality and discover new bacteriophages.
• The vision for future Exeter Science Centres as cultural and scientific hubs: spaces where art, science, and community come together to imagine a better future.
• And their hopes for a greener, more connected Exeter that leads the way in climate action and public engagement with science.

Resources & Links Mentioned

• Exeter Science Centre – official site, newsletter signup, and volunteer opportunities https://www.exetersciencecentre.org
• Association for Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) – UK network of 50+ science centres https://www.sciencecentres.org.uk
• Citizen Phage Library – information on phage discovery and antibiotic-resistance research https://www.citizenphagelab.com
• Freshwater Watch – global citizen-science programme monitoring water quality https://freshwaterwatch.thewaterhub.org
• Positive Tipping Points Research (University of Exeter) – studies on how collective actions create systemic change https://positivetippingpoints.com
• University of Plymouth – Living Wall Research https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/livingwalls

Follow Exeter Science Centre on

• Instagram: @ExeterScienceCentre
• X / Twitter: @ExeterSciCentre