IT WILL have been obvious to the crowds that came to Tavistock Steam Fair on Sunday that the event could not have been put on without wonderful teamwork, and on behalf of Ian Lewis, the chairman of the Robey Trust's Steam Fair committee, and his team, I would like to publicly thank all those other groups and individuals who so readily joined our team for the day, to make the fair the success that we believe it was.
The fair is an event that we understand to be unique within the UK, and we know that the great interest taken in the steam engines and all of the other exhibits by our townspeople and visitors is very much appreciated by their owners. We thank you and them for coming, and for making our day so memorable.
Of course, we were delighted that our town mayor, Cllr Norma Woodcock, formally opened the fair for us, and her kind words to us all and her informal congratulations to Ian and Neil Morris on the creation of the Morris trailer out of one kindly donated to the Trust by Devon County Council, will not be forgotten. We thank you, Madam Mayor, and your consort, for that, and for staying with us with your granddaughter for the whole of the afternoon.
Nothing at all would have been possible without the enormous help of the three local authorities, the police and in particular the special constables, the fire service, the Officers and Cadets of the Air Training Corps, the Red Cross, the Lions Club and the Round Table. Thank you so much.
To those who had to wait for steam rides rather longer than we and they would have hoped, we apologise. Unfortunately, a steam lorry, soon to celebrate its 80th birthday, and that was due to be with us, needed urgent boiler repairs that could not be completed in time. Hopefully you and it will join us again on June 2 2002, when we will again do our best to show that Tavistock is the place to be!
John L Hobbs
Down Road
Tavistock