Smart Country now sell a range of Bryn Parry mugs at £7.95 They also support Help for Heroes

Bryn has been cartooning full time since 1985 when he decided to leave the army and turn my hobby into a new career. He had no formal training but always enjoyed drawing and was asked to paint a picture that was used as my Regimental Christmas Card in 1983. That was followed by several pictures for the Australian army which were well received and led him to think that he might be able to try painting full time. He resigned his commission in the Royal Green Jackets and came home from teaching jungle warfare in Queensland to a very uncertain future.

Initially, Emma and Bryn set up a small picture framing business in Wiltshire and he began to obtain caricature commissions.  The first one was from his former Regiment but it was not long before he had work from Lloyds of London and had produced a cartoon of David Gower, then the captain of the England cricket team.

In 1989 they came up with the idea of the cartoon frame, a high quality walnut frame with cartoons printed on the mount and for the next ten years they developed the range of products. Their frames and clocks were sold through shops all over the world from Hong Kong to California and thye even supplied the White House in 1993.

Towards the end of the Nineties he changed the emphasis of the business from frames to other products with more ‘cartoony’ designs and in 2000 his first book, ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen’ was published by Swan Hill Press and became a best selling country sports book. Since then it has been followed with seven more books with the latest, Dog Training with Mr Perks was successfully launched on 28th July.

Help for Heroes

Emma and I were profoundly moved by a visit to the soldiers at Selly Oak hospital and decided to try to do something positive to help our wounded. One thing led to another and before we knew it, we had met General Sir Richard Dannatt, the head of the army, and with his full support, have now launched a charity.

Help for Heroes is a civilian initiative intended to provide a focus for the goodwill that the British people feel for our Armed Forces. It is strictly non political, we leave the talking to the politicians while we get on with raising funds to provide practical support for those wounded in the line of duty in the current conflicts. We want people to show their support for our servicemen and women who serve their country so bravely and deserve the very best care we can provide.

We aim to raise a very great deal of money and will pass the funds directly to the services and their charities to use where most needed. Our first task is to help towards the building of a new swimming pool and gym complex at Headley Court, the wonderful Tri service rehabilitation centre at Leatherhead.

To donate or for more information, please visit our website at www.helpforheroes.org.uk and see how you can help our heroes.

Many thanks
Bryn and Emma

“I wholeheartedly welcome this brilliant initiative. Funds raised by Help for Heroes will enable the British people, and friends overseas, to offer practical support for our wounded servicemen and their families. For example, our outstanding Tri-Service Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court urgently needs a new gym and full-size swimming pool complex and funds raised by Help for Heroes will help build it. I urge you to support the Big Battlefield Bike Ride and other initiatives that make up this campaign and so support our wounded heroes.”
General Sir Richard Dannatt