County Show steward set for charity cycle

A Devon County Show steward is preparing to embark on a 200-mile charity cycle ride from the showground in Exeter to London on Monday (December 7), to raise money to develop a new rural hub.

Fifty-one-year old Deborah Custance Baker, who is a Director of the Devon County Agricultural Association and the County Show’s chief steward of the Crafts and Gardens Pavilion and the Spring Sausage competition, hopes her gruelling ride will raise thousands of pounds.

“The Wadsworth Pavilion on the showground is a terrific building and full of character but sadly it can’t be used to its full potential because of the lack of essential facilities,” she said.

A £30,000 extension to the building, with a kitchen and loos, would create a rural hub for use by local schools, livestock breed societies and private hire. Deborah hopes her cycle ride will kick start grant funding.

“Most grant-awarding authorities are looking for the charity itself to put in some money so I decided to get on my bike and raise it!” she added.

“For the last couple of weeks I’ve been cycling every day for an hour or so and I’m feeling better than I thought I would and definitely finding muscles I did not know existed. I’m certainly sleeping well!”

Though more comfortable in the saddle, as befitting Silverton Pony Club’s District Commissioner, she is starting to enjoy riding her £100, second-hand bicycle.

The ride starts at around 12 noon on Monday, December 7 and finishes at the House of Commons at an informal reception with local MPs three days later.

Deborah, who breeds and shows prize-winning large black pigs at the Devon County Show, has barely been on a bike since she cycled from London to Paris to raise money for a children’s hospital 20 years ago.

If you would like to support Deborah please go to her Just Giving Page https://www.justgiving.com/deborah-custance-baker

Or send a cheque made payable to the DCAA and post to: Suzy Preston, DCAA, Clyst St Mary, Exeter EX5 1DJ