A FOOD festival and the St George's Day Challenge are just two of the events being planned for Okehampton this year by the town's new promotion manager.

Lisa Wadling, who has been working in the role since mid-January, met representatives from some of the town's organisations last week to explain her role and liaise with them on ideas for other possible events.

Her first event was the series of pancake races held in the town centre on Shrove Tuesday.

Lisa's plans are bigger and better, including the re-installation of St George's Day Challenge — where the town pubs compete in a series of games over four weeks, before a finale day with a tug of war, barbecue and more. The event has run in Okehampton in the past, and may well be resurrected this year.

A food festival for local producers, a winter festival and business advice sessions for businesses, advising them on the potential of social media and the internet are among the plans for 2013.

As well as organising new events, Lisa is available to work with organisers of pre-existing events in the town to help them boost revenue and provide fresh ideas.

She has already consulted with Okehampton Rotary as they prepare for their annual May Fair.

Speaking about her time in Okehampton so far, Lisa said: 'Before I started, I did some research on Okehampton, on people's shopping habits and spoke to people in Red Lion Yard, the Arcade and across the town. I expected to come up against different areas pulling for different things. That has not been the case at all.

'The attitude in Okehampton is people want to get stuck in, give things a go and see what happens. I haven't faced any obstacles yet because of people's attitudes, everyone has been welcoming and great.'

Lisa was appointed town promotion manager by Okehampton and District Chamber of Trade.

Allenton Fisher from the chamber of trade said: 'There have already been favourable repercussions following Lisa's appointment. The chamber of trade has a lot more members and a lot more people turning up to the chamber meetings.

'There is a lot of interest in what Lisa is doing and people wanting to get involved in that.'