It has been quite heart-warming to learn about Phyllis Baxter's unwavering love for Ottery, which she held onto until the end.

Her dedication to the community and the town was truly remarkable, and it's inspiring to see how she organised the 2018 Late Night Christmas Shopping events despite her illness.

We pay tribute to her memory and the beautiful legacy she's left behind, as it encourages us all to strive towards making a positive impact in our own communities.

Phyllis dedicated herself to promoting businesses and organizing community events upon arriving in Ottery -a little piece of heaven- as she called it in 1989.

She loved the town dearly and her affection for it was apparent in all her endeavours. When she fell ill, her primary concern was ensuring her work would continue.

As friends and some of us council members, we had collaborated closely.

She entrusted us with the responsibility of continuing her work, despite the challenges of replacing her.

We were grateful for the opportunity to carry on her legacy within the town that welcomed her.

Phyllis cherished having a close-knit group of friends, which led to the formation of the Group of Friends Action Group after her death.

One of her friends, Alex Walton, who was the editor of the Sidmouth Herald at the time, believed in our ability to write editorials promoting Ottery.

He gave us the opportunity to contribute our writing to the newspaper.

Then COVID came. The restrictions imposed by the lockdown had repercussions everywhere.

Ottery didn’t have a functioning Tourist Information Centre, and the so-promised new Ottery website stood still for years; all we could count on was the promotion we could do from our desk with the use of a computer, the willingness of Phyllis’s friends to collaborate and the publishing facilities offered by the Sidmouth Herald, so Ottery would not fall in the similar isolation of the pandemic.

Although the number of people we were able to reach remains uncertain, we did receive plenty feedback which included some criticism.

However, we strongly believe that constructive criticism is important for growth and progress.

We would like to express our gratitude to individuals who have been supportive of our work, including Alex Walton, Timothy Lethaby, the current Editor of the paper, and reporters Dan Wilkins and Adam Manning, as well as the entire team at Sidmouth Herald.

They have consistently provided us with the necessary accommodations to feature our editorials in both the print and online versions of the paper.

But our work would not have been possible if they had denied us the collaboration of those Phyllis friends that you have seen mentioned so many times in our accounts.

They were the ones who gave us ideas, anecdotes and that valuable knowledge that only those who have been born or lived in Ottery for many years can provide us.

Among them is Dave Stevens, whose old newspaper snippets became our lifeline when writing editorials like “Great Pubs in Ottery St Mary”.

The news of the new “Visit Ottery” website was warmly welcomed by the group, who viewed it as an opportunity to entrust promoting the town to those with the required technical, financial, and professional expertise.

However, we firmly believe that the town's distinctive character lies not in technological advancements, but in its people - those who love and work for it.

They take pride in the dedication of individuals like Phyllis, who consider it their responsibility to preserve the town's heritage, making Ottery their beloved home.

We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who supported us, including those who offered constructive criticism that motivated us to keep doing our job.

We especially thank those who gave us the chance to be a part of an unforgettable experience in Ottery, a place with rich history and stunning beauty.

Perhaps one day we will return with fresh ideas and more stories to share.