A town crier is being drafted into Ludlow, in South Shropshire, next Tuesday (23rd June 2009) to announce the name of the next Bishop of Ludlow. Peder Neilson is the official Town Crier of Bromyard, Herefordshire, but in the Diocese of Hereford which includes South Shropshire. He will make the announcement at eleven o’clock (11am)

“The Town Crier will be ringing his bell in the Market Square on Tuesday to make this very special announcement,” said Anni Holden, spokeswoman for the Diocese, the most rural in England. “We decided it would be colourful and entertaining to do it this way and will inform some of the locals of the new man for the job.”

The appointment is officially made by the Queen and is announced formally by the Prime Minister’s Office. The name of the person chosen will not be public until then. The Bishop of Ludlow is the Suffragan Bishop in the Diocese of Hereford; a Suffragan is a helper to the Diocesan Bishop, in this case Anthony Priddis.

“We are really looking forward to this new man coming to join us,” said Bishop Anthony, “and we hope this colourful and noisy announcement in Ludlow next Tuesday will be fun and give a chance for local people at the market to chat with him. He won’t take up his post until October, but we want his announcement to be something to remember.”

It is expected that the man named will be consecrated a Bishop in St Paul’s cathedral in London on September 29th with a service at St Lawrence’s Church in Ludlow on the following Sunday the 4th of October. The Bishop of Ludlow works across the whole Diocese but combines the role with that of Archdeacon of Ludlow, working in the northern half of the large rural diocese which also includes a few parishes in Worcestershire and Wales.

Note to editors: This is for information for planning purposes. Details of the person appointed will be announced on Tuesday 23rd via Downing Street and in Ludlow as below. Press are welcome at what should be a lively noisy and colourful affair. Please contact Anni Holden for any further information or help. The Market Square in Ludlow has Ludlow Castle as it’s back drop and there is a Market taking place on Tuesday. The new Bishop will be available for interview in Ludlow Market Place.

Anni Holden, Director of Communications
The Diocesan Office, The Palace, Hereford HR4 9BL
Tel: 01432 373342 mobile 07889 186316
a.holden@hereford.anglican.org
www.hereford.anglican.org