Town Crier is back in fine voice!

As restrictions continue to ease, Montgomery Town Crier, Sue Blower, has been back in business after a very literal quiet period with several appearances supporting local charity efforts, businesses and events.

Sue, along with other town criers across the country, were gagged during lockdown but she did deliver some special messages by video from home, and rang her bell without a ‘cry’ on a couple of occasions. Of course, she famously appeared in the Christmas special of Blankety Blank!

But she is back to her in-person appearances and has included a bell ring to mark the end of the Montgomery Angels scheme, opening Montgomery couple David and Anthea Wilson’s new gallery and shop in Bishops Castle, along with their town crier, Jeff Aldridge, then welcoming not one but two charity fundraisers as they visited Montgomery.  

The first was supporting 'Cari and Emma', from Dolgellau, as they set off from Montgomery Vineyard to walk to White Castle Vineyard, near Abergavenny, to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease.

The second cry was to greet Alan Bateson from Bishops Castle, raising funds for mental health charity CALM by running the length of the Offa’s Dyke path. Sue met Alan as he reached his half way point at Montgomery.

“It’s great to be back in business and to support not only Montgomery events, but also those people giving up their time to support a range of charities, who are always welcome in Montgomery,” said Sue, who will appear in the Monty Hour slot on July 21, joined by Town Crier colleagues from across the country and the globe, to tell the audience all about the role of Town Crier.

For more details on that, visit https://montgomery.cloud/hour.

PICTURE: Montgomery Town Crier Sue Blower (middle) cuts the ribbon at Border Lights with Anthea Wilson (left) and Bishops Castle Town Crier, Jeff Aldridge.