Melksham is now seeking a new town crier following the resignation of the town’s first-ever female town crier, Jax Brady.
The new town crier will be selected at a competition of shortlisted applicants at this year’s Food and River Festival on Sunday 1st September, at King George V Park. Applications are invited to be submitted to the town council by Sunday 11th August.
Jax Brady won last year’s competition at the Food and River Festival after the town’s longstanding crier, Peter Dauncey stepped down after 16 years of service.
During his time in post, Peter was awarded Freedom of the Town at the Mayor’s Reception last year and he continues to be an active member of the Melksham community as well as of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers.
Melksham Town Council’s communications officer Sarah Askew, said, “We are seeking a charismatic individual with a captivating presence, strong voice and a passion for community engagement.
“As the official messenger of Melksham, the town crier is responsible for delivering important announcements, embodying the spirit of tradition and representing both the town council and the community at key events, ceremonies and celebrations.
“The ideal candidate will possess a clear, powerful voice, a passion for public speaking and a strong stage presence. The ability to engage with diverse audiences, an enthusiasm for Melksham’s heritage and future developments, plus an authoritative yet approachable demeanour, will also be crucial for this role.
“At last year’s competition, Jax impressed the judges with her excellent audition featuring a self-penned poem honouring the community spirit of Melksham, which showcased her big voice and even bigger heart. She has continued to engage and inspire the community ever since, attending local events and ceremonies as well as school assemblies and fetes.
“Three generations of town criers even came together when Jax had the honour of presenting a special town crier doll, hand-knitted by Peter Dauncey’s wife Joan, to aspiring young crier, Ada-Rose, following her own impromptu audition, at last year’s competition.
“Melksham Town Council would like to thank Jax for her dedication and enthusiasm during her time as town crier. She has been a welcome addition to many events and engagements over the last year, and her warmth and humour will be much missed.”
Those interested in applying for the role of Melksham Town Crier will need to submit a completed application form by Sunday 11th August. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an audition which will involve performing a ‘cry’ of their own in front of a panel of judges. Auditions will be held at the Melksham Food and River Festival on Sunday 1st September at 2.30pm at the King George V Playing Fields.
How to Apply
Application forms can be obtained from the Melksham Town Council website or the town hall. Completed forms will need to be returned to Melksham Town Hall or emailed to communitydevelopment@melksham-tc.gov.uk by Sunday 11th August. For more information email communitydevelopment@melksham-tc.gov.uk or phone 01225 704 187.
