A CALL for more members to step up and help with Christmas lights, events and festivals was made by the outgoing Okehampton Chamber of Trade chairman Jade Oliver-Deacon last week.

Reflecting on her year as chairperson at the chamber’s annual meeting, Mrs Oliver-Deacon, who runs The Toy Shop in Red Lion Yard, said it had been an extremely valuable experience at the helm of the chamber and she had a much better idea about how the town functioned but it was a shame that the same people appeared to be doing all the work.

She said a huge gap had been left by the retirement of Donald Rooke from the chamber who was in charge of the Christmas lights and was involved in maintaining the hanging baskets.

‘I am looking forward to people stepping up and helping this year,’ she said. ‘There is a small band of people who do most of the work but there are a lot of members out there.

‘We need more volunteers for the food and music festival and we are hoping more people come forward and help with putting up the Christmas lights. I was extremely disappointed by the turnout last year.’

The outgoing chairman said it had been a real privilege to see the Okehampton Food and Music Festival grow and seeing the town full of people for Edwardian Evening.

‘I was delighted when customers came into my shops and said they “really, really enjoyed Edwardian Evening”. I look forward to this year’s event on December 7 having even more going on.’

Taking on the role of chairperson, accountant Linda Harper said she was very encouraged by the membership increase by 20% year on year which had brought an extra £1,000 into the chamber funds and now the organisation had just shy of 90 members.

‘I joined the chamber for what I can do for the town not what the chamber can do for me and that is the way to approach it.

‘Okehampton has an amazing amount to offer but Okehampton does not seem to be able to see it. How we put that message across is something I want to concentrate on this year.’

Read next week’s Times for an interview with new Okehampton Chamber of Trade chairperson Linda Harper.