Crier Les makes final of contest
HALIFAX TOWN crier Les Cutts has reached the final 10 of the Loyal Company of Town Criers virtual competition.
September this year will mark the 20th year as Halifax’s town crier for Les, 52, who lives in the Pellon area of the town.
Les is a previous winner of the Best Ambassador prize, and has finished third in the European Championships.
“Because we can’t go out and compete, we decided to do a handwritten cry and be judged on the content.
“We thought it wouldn’t be fair to hold it over Zoom or whatever because the quality of each video might be different.
“They’re all anonymous as the people who are judging them might favour one or the other if they knew them.”
Les’ official roles include Bell Man of the Borough of Calderdale, Crier to the Town Council of Hebden Royd and vice chairman of the Loyal Company of Town Criers.
Les says the coronavirus pandemic means his role as town crier has been “very difficult because we haven’t been able to do anything really”.
But he said it would be “fantastic” if he won the competition.
“Oh it would be absolutely amazing,” he sid.
“I’ve done well of content of cry before in other competitions so I’m hoping I’ve done a good enough cry to at least get me into the first three.
“It’s about nature and the environment, and it’s to support Shout, which is a mental health charity.”
The virtual competition is running alongside Mental Health Awareness Week next week (May 10-16). Organisers asked for donations to enter and all proceeds will go to mental health charity Shout.
The winner is announced on May 14.
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