Chester graduates help history ring out

As Lead Organiser, Ashley Shacklady was at the helm of the tournament which brought the colourful, centuries-old tradition to a new, international audience, while photographer Bob Hadfield caught all the action on camera.

The contest, held at the end of September, welcomed 25 town criers from England, the Channel Islands, Australia, Canada, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA to compete for the title of the world’s best.

Capturing the imagination of residents, visitors and the world’s media, the competition celebrated the tradition of proclaiming public announcements. It was staged by Marketing Cheshire where Events Management graduate Ashley is Head of Commercial.

The week-long event was supported by £50,000 in funding from Airbnb's £1 million Best of British Fund and featured three dedicated competition days, with competitors judged on their vocal power, clarity, showmanship and audience engagement.

The tournament was hosted by Chester Town Crier David Mitchell, who shares the role with his wife Julie Mitchell. Chester's town crier history dates back to 1554 and continues today with regular proclamations in the city centre during the summer season.

Ashley, who completed her degree in Events Management with a Placement Year at the University of Chester in 2010, said: “It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the reaction to the tournament. From the very beginning, we wanted to create an event that would not only deliver an outstanding competition but also bring people together and showcase what Chester has to offer.

“Seeing residents get behind the event, visitors enjoying the city and the tournament receiving such significant international media attention has been a really proud moment. There was a genuine sense that the whole city had embraced the event, and that community spirit was a huge part of what made it so special.”

She added that while the impact of the event was being looked at in further detail, the turnout across the competition days was significantly higher than anticipated and well above what had been achieved in previous years.

She continued: “Taking on something of this scale challenged me in ways I didn’t expect, but gave me the opportunity to learn, grow and prove to myself what I’m capable of. Safe to say, I put my Events Management degree to good use with this one. Without a doubt, this is the highlight of my career to date.”

Bob Hadfield, who studied Applied Biology between 1997 and 2000, when the institution was Chester College, a college of the University of Liverpool, echoed Ashley’s sentiments on being part of the tournament.

Bob said: “It was a genuinely wonderful experience. There was such a strong sense of occasion throughout the week, with town criers and their consorts coming to Chester from all over the world, but for me the real heart of the tournament was actually the outreach work that took place away from the competition itself.

“Being there to photograph the criers visiting local school children and a residential care home was a real pleasure. Seeing the reactions they received, and the way the criers engaged with people, really brought home that the tournament was about much more than the competition. Those visits produced some of my favourite moments of the entire week.”

He added: “As the event photographer, I was fortunate to be right in the middle of everything, from the formal competition and parades through Chester to those much more personal moments in the community. I wanted the photography to capture the whole story of the week rather than simply record the competition itself.

“It was enormously rewarding photographically too. Chester provided an incredible backdrop, and the colour and character of the criers made it a fantastic event to document. By the end of the tournament I’d become very attached to the people involved, so it was quite emotional when it was all over.”

Colin Potts, Senior Lecturer in International Tourism Management at the University of Chester, said: “The involvement of both Ashley and Bob in the tournament highlights the varied ways University of Chester graduates continue to contribute to major cultural and community events, helping showcase the city on an international stage while drawing on the skills and experiences developed during their time at the University.”

The tournament judges included Coronation Street star Ian Puleston-Davies, Cheshire MP Sam Dixon, and broadcasters Louise Minchin and Lucy Meacock, who selected their daily favourites, with special awards also presented. Australia’s “Krazy Kevin” Howarth from Toowoomba in Australia was crowned the 2026 World Town Crier Champion.

Image:

The three winners of Day One’s Hometown Cry competition celebrate their success at the World Town Crier Tournament in Chester, congratulated by Lead Organiser, Ashley Shacklady. Photo by Bob Hadfield.