The committee of Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show said it with flowers to thank Deborah Black for her work as show and field manager for the last five years.
Deborah officially steps down at the end of the year to go into semi-retirement but the committee wanted to mark her departure at its latest meeting.
She will be succeeded by Rich Hooper in the new year.
John Hibbert, chairman, presented Deborah with a bouquet of flowers, after the committee’s September meeting, as a thank you for all she has done for the event over the past five years.
This has included steering it through a difficult pandemic period, in which the show was cancelled for two of the very rare occasions in its history, with only war having necessitated previous cancellations.
Deborah gave the show a renaissance in 2022 and saw it thrive once more in 2023, despite all the challenges of the weather in summer 2023 and the cost of living crisis.
John said: “The whole committee is enormously grateful to Deborah for all the dedication she has shown to Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show. We all admire her passion for this wholly traditional event, which is very much part of Lakeland culture and heritage, as well as her determination to ensure it continues to be a stand out event within the Cumbrian calendar, well into the future.
“We all wish Deborah well in her semi-retirement, knowing she will relish being able to spend more time with her family, who have all also been huge supporters of the show, in various volunteering roles.”
She will be staying on to be the field events and lettings manager at the Grasmere sportsground.
Deborah added: “I am sad to have delivered my last Grasmere Sports show, but know now is the right time to pass the reins to somebody else. I just hope Rich will gain as much pleasure from organising this fantastic Lakeland event as I have.”
The show will be shortly announcing the details relating to the winner of the Pete Bland Bursary, which is intended to support the development of one young Cumbrian fell runner.
