14 hours ago
Town crying out for new town crier
PHOTO: YVONNE PICKFORD
Hear ye! Hear ye! The town of Bluff is in need of a new town crier.
The need has arisen after the town's previous crier, Justine Haenni, moved away recently.
Ms Haenni was a valuable addition at many events, performing her role on various occasions both in Bluff and further afield, enhancing events and adding a sense of occasion to proceedings.
As Ms Haenni has done in the past, anyone considering taking up the role would attend events in the Bluff Town Crier regalia and welcome guests, read short scripts prepared for the occasion, make announcements during events — anything that required speaking in public clearly and loudly.
She was fluent in English, German and French so was ideally placed to communicate with a wide range of audiences but that was a bonus not a prerequisite, of anyone thinking of taking up the role, she said.
The historical role of a town crier was to make public pronouncements in the streets, normally by ringing a bell to gain attention for the message they were about to deliver.
Many towns around the world still had someone performing the role, these days as a unique feature at events and occasions.
