Several Okehampton organisations have announced they are working together to put on a day of celebration this summer for three important Okehampton anniversaries.

This year will see the town celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Okehampton Hamlets parish, 150th anniversary of Okehampton United Charities (OUC) and 400 years since King James I presented Okehampton with the charter that created the borough of Okehampton, although borough status was removed in the 1970s.

So far it has been confirmed that both Okehampton councils, OUC, Everything Okehampton and the Museum of Dartmoor Life, are collaborating to put together a ‘memorable’ event.

Okehampton Town Councillor Christine Marsh, said: ‘Everything Okehampton are organising Okehampton Celebrates in the Park on July 9. It’s going to be something special.

‘OCRA are delivering the Fields in Trust event which we do every year but they are looking at working it in with the celebrations in the park. We are also going to work with the museum and have a mobile exhibition in the museum courtyard and in the park on the celebration day.

‘There will be big publicity for it. This is going out all over the place and hopefully we a lot of people will come down by train and see that this is what Okehampton is all about and so showcase what we have.’

The most recent planning meeting for the summer event follow on from an Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council meeting at which many councillors agreed that Hamlets parish celebrations should be combined with those of the OUC and town charter anniversary celebrations as they involved the whole Okehampton community.

Karen Percival, the OUC secretary, said: ‘It should all culminate in a really big event when all the organisations come together to put on a big event that will hopefully be memorable.’

These celebrations will be in addition to those organised for the King’s coronation this coming May, which will include a street party along Fore Street and a public showing of the coronation on the day for anyone to attend. Primary school children will also be offered a commemorative pen instead of a mug.

Okehampton United Charity was created in 1873 to manage a number of land holdings with the income used to provide general charitable benefits in the Okehampton.

Today, it offers grants to any group or individual residing within Okehampton town and Okehampton Hamlets parish, including Brightley, Southcott, Meldon and Stockley.

It also provides two almshouses which are available to residents of the area of benefit who are in need, hardship or distress and managing three allotment sites in Okehampton with a total of seventy plots let to residents.

The charity is also responsible for managing its remaining land holdings in the area of benefit which includes the footpath Ball Hill.