WHEN Gilly Oliver packed her bags six years ago and turned her back on South London for the rural attractions of West Devon she decided to get involved in the local community.
And what better way than become show secretary for Okehampton's major agricultural event.
'I wanted to get to know more people and was thinking about doing a part time job,' said Gilly who had retired from her financial services practice and was seeking a new interest.
Someone told her the position of show secretary was being advertised. Gilly rang up, went for an interview — and got the job.
'I learned more about Okehampton in the last five months than the past five years.
'The show is a challenge but I very much like the variety of it. No one day is the same. There are so many different aspects of the job which makes it great.'
She said just because there is no livestock this year does not mean there is less to do when it comes to organising an event such as this.
'We have got a lot of new sections. This year we are trying to offer some new things. We made the decision not to have livestock. I think it is the right decision but it is sad.'
Exhibitors did not want to bring livestock to Okehampton at present because of the problems left in the wake of foot and mouth.
'You have to hope that in the future things will be back as they were — but things will change. There will be a lot of requirements with new rules in place.'
To compensate for the lack of livestock the show has sought to introduce new and unusual elements.
'When we realised we would be having horses but not the usual cattle sheep and pigs we looked around to include something a little different. I thought: What about ostriches? Then it was necessary to find out what restrictions were in place regarding ostriches on site.'
A show secretary's life is anything but dull. Gilly says although she does not have a farming background she has already learned a lot through her new job.
She says one of the lovely things this year is the involvement of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery with the Okehampton Show.
'They have been doing an awful lot this year. They were in the Queen Mother's funeral cortege. They also took part in the Queen's Jubilee celebrations. I went to the All the Queen's Horses Pageant which had 1000 horses in the arena celebrating the Queen's reign — and the King's Troop was there.'
'I lived in Wimbledon. We had the lovely Wimbledon Common which was very nice but it was a very different world.'
Her new rural role suits her perfectly. And since moving to the area she has already become a big fan of the Okehampton Show.
'It seems to be an ideal way of getting to know various people in the local community who, because I'm not a farming person, I would not have got to know. You can live somewhere for a long time and, unless you are involved in local life you never get to meet people.'
'I am not nervous although I have never done anything like this before. But things are cranking up a bit the nearer you get to show day. It is getting busier and busier.'
Gilly feels the Okehampton Show is one of the highlights of the Okehampton year — and this year she is delighted to be part of this eagerly anticipated event.