THE Great Devon Parade on the final day of the Devon County Show was a fitting tribute to celebrate those who have really stepped up to the plate over the past 15 months.

National Thank You Day, was today, Sunday, July 4.

And those in Devon were honoured at the county’s biggest agricultural event with an extra special thank you at this year’s Devon County Show.

The Great Devon Parade was held in the Main Ring

It saw some 32 organisations from all around the county, parading the show ring, in the presence of a number of dignitaries from the region.

The attendees were also be the recipients of an official salute, taken by the Show’s President for 2021, David Fursdon, The Lord Lieutenant of Devon.

Just some of the organisations to be represented in the Parade include Hospice Care, the Catholic Church Society, the Fire Service, and Young Farmer’s Club.

The Parade was the idea of a group from Devon County Show, all of whom have witnessed the extraordinary lengths so many have gone to in order to connect with their local community.

Show Manager Sam Mackenzie-Green said: ‘We’ve witnessed community kindness in some shape or form during the Pandemic, whether we’ve offered it ourselves or been the recipients.

‘The Parade was a fitting tribute.’

‘It will be the first time in the show’s history that we’ll be ending the show without animals in the main ring,’ Sam added. ‘As animals can be notoriously unpredictable, it’s humans only in 2021 to ensure we can comply with social distancing regulations!