MAY Day week proved a busy time for the Okehampton mayor, who has represented the town at the Devon and Cornwall Police Awards and the annual Charter May Fair at Great Torrington. The police award ceremony was held in Barnstaple, and recognises the achievements of individual police officers and members of the public for outstanding efforts in the community. Cllr the Rev Mike Davies, town mayor, said: 'It is always humbling to attend such award ceremonies and hear of the miraculous and brave achievements of so many police officers and members of the public. 'They put their lives at risk quite frequently for the benefit of others. I think there is a danger of taking our police officers for granted when so many of them put their lives at risk on a very regular basis.' The mayor also attended the annual Charter May Fair at Great Torrington. This is an annual festival which dates back to a Royal Charter giving permission for Torrington to hold a fair, and has done so since 1554. The mayor said: 'It is always special to be invited as mayor to the various charter fairs around the county. The Torrington event is quite amazing with the main town streets being closed for well-rehearsed children's Maypole dancing.' While in Torrington the mayor was also provided with a badge to mark the 125 year anniversary of The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain. The mayor was asked to try and wear the badge even when he steps down as mayor on May 14. The mayor said: 'When I attended the civic dinner for the mayor of West Devon the previous week at Two Bridges, the guest speaker spoke on the history of the charter fairs and also the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain. In Torrington it was fantastic to hear from their regional chairman about the history of the fairs. It would be good to see a charter fair resurrected in Okehampton.'