The Newsletter No.64                               February 2010

ARM 2010 Friday 26th to Sunday 28th March 2010

Hosted by Stafford Morris Men at the Abbots Bromley School for Girls, WS15 3BW

The Instructionals, which are all sequential, are: (i) Rapper tutored by Colin Messer; (ii) North West tutored by Earlsdon MM and (iii) Horsham tradition - tutored by Broadwood MM

We have also received an offer of a session by an osteopath concerning sports injuries and their prevention. In the evening there will be the usual Feast.

Watch the film on Friday evening of the ARM and buy the soundtrack CD from the Morris Shop. It is 32 tracks of original folk, orchestral and Morris music written by Richard Lumsden, who also stars in the film. John Dipper, Saul Rose and Laurel Swift also feature on the record. 32 tracks equal 69 mins for £12.00 (£1 p&p)

2010 ARM: Election of Officers & Area Reps

The biographical sketches, photographs and supporting statements from the nominating clubs for the SIX candidates for Squire of the Morris Ring were circulated with Newsletter No 63 in December 2009. With the paper copy each MEMBER sides Bagman will receive a Ballot paper. Associate member clubs are not entitled to vote.
The name of each club submitting a voting slip will be marked on a voting register. The voting slips are numbered for security purposes and should not bear the name of the submitting club. The voting slip should be enclosed in a sealed envelope on which is written the name of the club.

The ELECTION PROCEDURE was printed in Newsletter No 63 but the key point is our use of the single transferable voting system whenever there are more than two candidates for an office. This means that the candidates are voted for in order of preference; 1 for 1st choice, 2 for 2nd, etc. A club does not have to mark the additional choices if it does not so wish but are encouraged to do so.

When the ballot closes the Returning Officer and his deputy, both appointed by the Squire, sort the papers and count them according to the first choice shown on each paper. If no one candidate has emerged with a clear majority (i.e. more than 50% of the total votes) the following process is applied and repeated as necessary until there is a clear majority.

• The candidate with the lowest number of votes drops out.
• The papers of that candidate are then re-allocated among the other remaining candidates according to the next preferred choice shown who is still in the race.
• The votes cast for each remaining candidate are then re-counted.

POSTAL VOTES may be submitted to the Bagman of the Morris Ring by those clubs not personally represented at the ARM. Their voting slip should be enclosed in a sealed envelope bearing the name of the member club on whose behalf the vote is submitted. The envelope will be passed to the Returning Officer who will check to ensure the submitting club has voting rights. The clubs name will be marked on the register of clubs as having voted. The voting slip will be added to those ready for sorting/counting and the envelope discarded.

Postal votes that are submitted in a form other than described above will be treated as a spoilt vote.
There will be an opportunity during the ARM to have an open discussion of the candidates during which the candidates will not be present. Clubs who wish to hear this discussion before casting their votes can do so.

The six candidates, in alphabetical order, are:

• Peter Halfpenney
• Fred Hands
• Steve Parker
• Will Partridge
• Robin Springett
• Harry Stevenson

The statements from their nominating sides along with their biographical sketches appeared in (the paper version of) Newsletter No 63.

Other elections:

1. Treasurer. Due to circumstances beyond our control insufficient notice was provided to the membership prior to the 2009 ARM of the election of a Treasurer. Eddie Worrall (Saddleworth MM) was unanimously elected at the meeting and as no other nominations were submitted by the closing date of 6th December 2009 the 2010 ARM will be asked to confirm him as Treasurer.
2. Area Reps whose term of office expires but are eligible for re-election:
   • East: Vacancy (Graham Cox is not seeking re-election)
   • North East: Brian Pollard
   • South East Regions: Fred Hands
   Other Rep vacancies due to resignations of incumbents. At the request of the Squire, volunteers have stepped into the breach and these need to be ratified or otherwise by the ARM:
   • West Midlands: Pete Simpson
   • South West & Wales: Robin Springett

Consultation with Members and Associates

To date Brian has received 69 responses: 60 from members and 9 from associates a response rate of approximately 35%. The deadline has been extended and those sides who have not responded will receive a phone call of encouragement from their Area Rep. This is a really important survey of our membership as we consider the future of the Morris Ring in these changing times. We need a much higher response rate to be sure that we have the balanced views of the total membership. Sides can find the questionnaire Morris Ring Consultation with Members and Associates" in the Files section of the Morris Ring Google Group. Alternatively email the Squire and he will send you a copy.

The Morris Ring Annual Representatives Meeting 2010

BAGMAN FOR THE ARM WEEKEND:
Peter Copley: Stafford Morrismen
Email: peter(At)copley5.freeserve.co.uk
Tel: 01889 567962
All correspondence regarding accommodation and meals please to:
Peter Copley, 5,Woodleighton Grove, Uttoxeter, Staff. ST14 8BX
If you still have to apply, please complete the application form immediately and return it to Peter Copley with full payment, payable to Stafford Morris Men (Misdemeanours). Confirmation and directions will be sent to the contact named unless otherwise specified.

Draft AGENDA

1. Apologies for Absence
2. Minutes of the last ARM
3. Matters arising from the Minutes
4. Squires Report
5. Bagmans Report
6. Treasurers Report - and proposed subscriptions for next year
7. Chair of Advisory Councils Report
8. Archival Reports:
   1. Chair of Archive Committee: Chris Metherell
   2. Paper: Chris Metherell
   3. Photographic: Duncan Broomhead
   4. Mumming: Ron Shuttleworth
   5. Sword: Ivor Allsop
   6. New Dance Collator: Vacant
   7. Keeper of the Ring Scrapbook: Keith Francis
9. Publication Officers Reports:
   Editor Morris Circular: Harry Stevenson
   Editor Morris Dancer: David Thomson
10. Overseas Bagman's / Webmasters Reports. Including the future of the Google Group.
11. Elections:
    1. Election of Squire
    2. Election / Ratification of Treasurer
    3. Election / Ratification of Area Representatives
       Area Reps whose term of office expires but are eligible for re-election:
       
       • East: Vacancy (Graham Cox is not seeking re-election)
       • North East: Brian Pollard
       • South East Regions: Fred Hands
    Other vacancies due to resignations of incumbents
    1. West Midlands: Pete Simpson
    2. South West & Wales: Robin Springett
12. The appointment of a Morris Ring PR officer
13. Area Representatives Reports.
    1. North West
    2. Northern
    3. North East
    4. West Midlands
    5. North Midlands
    6. Eastern
    7. South West and Wales
    8. South Midlands
    9. South East
14. Report & Discussion Items:
    1. Report on Consultation with membership of the Morris Ring (Brian Tasker)
    2. Report on the Youth Fund (Brian Tasker)
    3. Report on the progress being made with the Olympics (Paul Reece)
    4. Recruitment leaflet / PowerPoint (Arising from Advisory Council Discussion) (Dave Thompson /Charlie Corcoran)
    5. Performance Standards (Arising from Google Group Discussion) (Barry Care)
15. Future Programme.
    1. Morris Ring Meetings 2011 and beyond.
    2. Instructionals
16. Date and Venue of Next Meeting. [Mendip MM have offered to host the ARM in 2011]
17. A.O.B.

The Meeting of the Morris Ring Advisory Council will follow the ARM.

Programme for the ARM Weekend

• Friday evening:
  In addition to the usual mixture of informal conversation, with opportunities for dancing, singing and drinking, we have the added attraction of a special showing of the film Morris: A Life with Bells On.
• Saturday
  
  • 7.30 - 8.30 Breakfast
  • 9.00 - 10.30 Instructionals Session 1
    These instructionals are planned to be cumulative: participants will be expected to attend all three sessions:
    • Rapper Workshop tutored by Colin Messer
    • North West Workshop - tutored by Earlsdon MM
    • Horsham tradition - tutored by Broadwood MM Dan Dewdney has asked me to pass on the message that those doing the workshop will need to have one long stick and one short stick.
  • 10.30 - 11.00 Coffee break
  • 11.00 - 12.00 Instructional Session 2
  • 12.15 - 1.00 Buffet lunch
  • 13.15 - 16.30 Annual Reps. Meeting
  • 16.30 - 17.00 Tea break
  • 17.00 - 18.15 Instructional Session 3 / Advisory Council Meeting.
  • 19.00 - FEAST (followed by informal dancing/singing) With invited guests from the Morris Federation; the Open Morris and the EFDSS
• Sunday
  8.00 - 9.00 Breakfast & departure

Joint Morris Organisations Day of Dance

It is still not too late to apply to take part in this years spectacular on Saturday 17 April in Bury St. Edmunds. If your side would like to be included please contact Brian Tasker a.s.a.p.

Treasurers Notes:

Many thanks to the sides who have already renewed their subs by Standing Order or cheque. It has made for a busy few weeks, but there is still a way to go!

For any side still to renew, please remember that an additional £10 is payable for renewals after 30/11/09 as set out on the form. Furthermore until your subs are renewed, you are not able to take advantage of the Public Liability Insurance Cover. If there are any queries, please contact me.

In the mean time, best wishes for Xmas and the New Year to you and your sides.

Morris Ring Shop Keepers Ramblings

Breaking News! Catch the Morris Shopp on Facebook! Here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/BFBs-Morris-Shop/301548528332

Your Morris Shop has had a belting kick-start to 2010 when it, and myself, attended both the Ripley and Leicester Morris Mens feasts. My thanks to all those that assisted in the lugging of multiple boxes of Morris Shop merchandise to and from my Vauxhall Astra 'TARDIS'.
New to the Morris Shop of late are two items that may be of interest to you: The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance Booklet £2. A5 portrait booklet £2.00 This 12 page booklet replaces the earlier hardback on 'The History of Abbots Bromley' and is dedicated to the Horn Dance from the reign of King Henry III to the present day. This years day of the Horn Dance is Monday 6th September.
DVD Grenoside Sword Dancers £10.00 This disc contains a newly edited film, featuring several archive clips of the Grenoside Team, one from as long ago as 1927 with a new film of the complete dance shot. Also on the disc is a DVD-ROM section featuring over 40 archive films of the team, hundreds of photographs and a wealth of other information including sections for the dance, stepping, history, music and many hundreds of pages of documents. This DVD is designed to play on any domestic player. The DVD ROM section is for computer use and requires Windows XP or above. The disc is designed to run using the Firefox web browser.
At the time of this Newsletter going to print the next full Morris Shop outing (TBC) will be the Cambridge Morris Mens feast 27th February 2010, Harston Village Hall, Cambridge, CB22 7PX.
Unfortunately, due to a prior engagement, I am unable to attend this years Annual Representatives Meeting in Abbots Bromley. Therefore our multi-tasking Bagman Charlie will be running a mini Morris Shop during the course of that weekend. As before, if you require anything in particular during this annual extravaganza of intellectual debate, please contact me via email, phone or snail mail and I will ensure that it is in Charlies box of Morris Shop goodies.

THE DOUGLAS KENNEDY MEMORIAL FUND
REGISTERED CHARITY 1001303

The DOUGLAS KENNEDY MEMORIAL FUND was established in memory of Douglas Kennedy, Director of the EFDSS from 1924 to 1961, and Squire of the Morris Ring from 1938 to 1947, after his death at the age of 94.
Sadly, owing to the phenomenally poor returns on investments in the current economic climate the Douglas Kennedy Memorial Fund is unable to make awards this year. Hopefully the low interest rate phenomenon will soon recover - meanwhile any donations from individual dancers or clubs would be more than welcome. It's a good cause that has already helped over 200 (mostly young) dancers, singers and musicians to travel abroad to study and perform. For further information or to make a donation please contact Ron Smedley, Chair, DNK Fund c/o Cecil Sharp House.

For nearly a century the English Folk Dance and Song Society have been preserving and disseminating our folk heritage. The Society aims to promote the best of folk arts through a range of mediums including dance, music, song, film, exhibitions, publications and our library collections; engage new generations with the folk arts through workshops, classes and study, and to ensure that the folk arts are a fundamental part of the cultural life of the UK. The EFDSS is a charity registered in England and Wales, No. 305999 For details of their latest events visit: EFDSS News: www.efdss.org / / Tel: 020 7485 2206

A host of display and Morris dance sides will add to the festive atmosphere at this year's Festival. Most exciting is the revival of Seven Champions Molly Dancers after several years of inactivity! Cotswold Morris will be presented by Sheffield City Morris and Berkshire Bedlam. Boggart's Breakfast from Sheffield will perform Border Morris dances, while Wakefield Morris will put on their clogs and dance the Morris of north-west England. Molly dances will also come from Pig Dyke Molly. From the USA comes Thames Valley Morris. Sciorr Irish Dancers hail from Sheffield, and Nonesuch Morris is an exciting new side featuring some of the best young dancers from teams around the country a kind of Morris super-group! www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk

Morris on the Map: Morris Ring Groups on a Google Map

Morris on the Map is aimed at the public - our punters and maybe new members, so keeping the contact information up to date and easy to use is very important. Please check that your sides details are correct. http://www.themorrisring.org/MorrisOnTheMap/index.html

Morris and the Olympics Update

Irrespective of peoples views of the Olympics, I believe that they will with the extra Cultural Olympiad dimension in the current lead up time to 2012 provide us with the best possible platform on a regional, national and world stage to profile our traditional dances that are so much a cultural feature of the people of these islands. With the Olympics stated focus on youth and legacy they will if we embrace these opportunities go a long way to accelerating our survival and growth through the further popularisation of the Morris, a resurgence in its dancing, its return into schools, communities and groups as an expression of physical and cultural identity.

Regionally, the Cultural Olympiad provides a three year platform for demonstrating and growing participation and experimentation, particularly amongst the young, and amongst people and places not traditionally associated with our native regional dances, cultural expression and physical culture and fitness. Following the success of Dinosaurs Not Allowed as part of the South West Regions Cultural Olympiad annual Count Me In weekend, double the number of youth sides are b eing sort for 25th September 2010 in Weymouth in the lead up to the opening ceremony for the sailing centre in 2012. Dartington Boys have already signed up for this September and other sides are encouraged to take part. School sides in Cornwall are being sort to perform in 2011 so this is your chance to develop a youth side to perform.

This success of DNA more importantly opened the door to a four hour meeting at the London Olympics Headquarters to see how Morris involvement in the regional Cultural Olympiads could be developed further. As the separate Artistic Directors for the opening and closing ceremonies and the combined opening and closing ceremonies for the Paralympics games are not due to be appointed until April and it will be a separate team from the Cultural Olympiad that side of the Olympics has to wait.

Projects that could include Morris participation are as follows:

• Discovering Places: Hidden historic gems and stories of people. This is being planned for May Day Bank Holidays 2010, 2011 and Autumn 2011. The lead organisation is Historic England.
• Shakespeare Festival: This is being planned for Shakespeares birthday (23 April) at The Globe, London and at Stratford-upon-Avon. There is potential here to link the two Stratfords and Norwich and London with a Will Kemp relay marathon.
• World Cultural Festival 2012: This is being organised by the Arts Council. Considerable potential here for involvement with our Morris Cousins in a pan Indo-European celebration of Morris traditions Catalonian, Basque, Croatian, Belgian, German, Egyptian and Indian. Make contact with these communities here and abroad. A symposium showcasing the cultures of the Olympic participating nations is also being planned by the British Council for 2012.
• Open Weekend: An annual event planned for the last weekend in July in all Cultural Olympic regions except the South West.
• Get Set: An educational project for schools based on the Olympic values eg Culture and Creativity.
• Get Set Network: A partnership between schools and Olympic Inspire Mark holders in which schools must register to belong. This could be an interesting tie for Morris groups seeking to work with schools in projects for Inspire Mark status.
• Torch Relay: 80 day relay in 300 meter stages. Unusual torch carriers are being looked for along the different stages. The route will be published November/December 2010.
• Joint Morris Organisations Showcase Event: Bury St Edmunds 17th April 2010, Sheffield, Leeds or York 2011, London 2012 An annual event showcasing and celebrating the Morris.

DERT 2010 & DERTY Rap

Junior/Youth rapper tournaments are in Derby on April 10th 2010, the last Saturday of the Easter holiday for many schools.
If anyone has questions about this, please contact Peter Killingback, peter(At)killingback.co.uk or Jason Gallop, jason.gallop(At)btinternet.com

Future of Morris a Discussion and Ideas workshop

Open Morris are holding this workshop in Bristol on Saturday 20th February. If you are interested it will cost you £15 and for more information contact Kim Woodward. Tel: 0117 940 1566 email: greatcapermorris(At)aol.com

Whittlesey Straw Bear 2010

"Despite the difficulties with the weather and the Local Authority's failure to provide the previously agreed road closure infrastructure the Straw Bear did dance on the street on Saturday (all be it one hour late). The Strawbearers wish to whole heartedly thank the 11th hour support they were given by the Police, local businesses, and local voluntary organisations for rallying round to make the closure happen. They also wish to send a big thank you to the musicians, dance teams and the thousands of public who with gritty determination, braved the weather and accepted, with good grace the delay and the resultant programme changes. It warmed my heart to see and feel so much support on Saturday morning. Thank you one and all."

Cardiff Morris Forty years on

This year Cardiff Morris becomes forty years of age, and we would like to celebrate this very significant birthday. In these forty years a lot has changed, in particular, our name and our constitution. When we started in 1970 we were an all-male side but in 2004 we welcomed our first female members, musicians and dancers, and the newcomers, male and female, have given us a new lease of life.
We want all our past and present members to know that they are invited to join us on the weekend of the 18th of September, 2010 for the birthday party.

Our records give us more than 100 names but many are probably out of date. You can see this list on our website - cardiffmorris.org - under Members of CM. If anyone out there has been, was, used to be or still is a member of Cardiff Morrismen or Cardiff Morris (as it now is), please get in touch with us. If anyone knows any such person or thinks they know where such a person is, please tell them or let us know.

Morris Ring Publications

Harry Stevenson: Editor of the Morris Circular
Erin House,
59, Olivers Battery Road North,
Winchester Mobile 07775 785271
SO22 4JB. Tel: 01962 855911
Email:
Copy date for next issue: 31st March 2010

Loving Cup etiquette

At many Morris Feasts a loving-cup does the rounds and clearly many men are surprised by the practice and are uncertain what to do. If any of the sides who have and use such a loving-cup would care to write an explanation as to why they so do and the associated etiquette I would be delighted to include it in the next Newsletter a picture of the loving-cup referred to would be useful. Some of the best modern examples are from the talented hands of John Brooke Steel the Green man of Ripley Morris.
http://www.britannica.com describes a loving cup as "large, two-handled cup, often made of silver, that may take many forms. In the past, at weddings, banquets, or meetings, a loving cup might be shared by a number of persons for ceremonial drinking, symbolizing friendship and unity."

2010 Meetings of the Morris Ring: An update

Thanks to all the sides who have applied to attend one or more of our meetings in 2010. Can all sides please ensure that their non-refundable deposits of £25 per man are paid to their host side before the end of February.

Red Leicester Morris Men braved the arctic conditions in Markfield to perform their annual post New Year dancing event on Sunday, Jan 10th.
Red Leicester collected for Cruse Bereavement Care - a national organisation which exists to promote the well-being of bereaved people and to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss.



For further Photos by Fran Johnson and information visit http://www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk

And finally .....

In every Newsletter I put out an appeal for sides to Host meetings - especially in the North. It was quite amusing that Thaxted was the most northerly meeting of the Morris Ring in 2009 but hardly a precedent of which we can be proud. Looking ahead the 2011 diary looks very empty! Apart from the tentative date of 4th-6th March for the ARM hosted by Mendip MM we only have the Thaxted Ring Meeting 3rd - 5th June. It's going to be an odd year, with only one meeting of the Morris Ring. Easter being almost as late as it can be on 24th April - making St Georges Day Easter Saturday - and 1st May being the following weekend this will make planning for many traditional events quite interesting The Squire has approached a number of sides and asked them to consider running a Morris Ring meeting in 2011 but we need more volunteers. Please give urgent consideration to your side hosting a meeting in 2011 or later.

As well as being the year of the London Olympics 2012 is the 400th Anniversary of the first ever English Olympic Games: the Cotswold Olimpicks or Dover Games. The Morris Ring is marking the anniversary with the Chipping Campden Cotswold Olympic Morris Ring Meeting over the weekend of 25th - 27th May. We also have pencilled in a meeting to celebrate Hartleys 60th Anniversary so again, do you have an anniversary that you might like to mark with a meeting of the Morris Ring?. On a personal note please can I ask that all Morris Ring emails are sent to either Bagman(At)TheMorrisRing.org or to my personal email address charliecorcoran(At)nasuwt.net Messages to my work address (@Longslade.leics.sch.uk) are heavily filtered so while I may respond to emails from that address all sorts of messages in both directions can be blocked - and neither sender nor receiver has any indication that this has happened.

Bagman of the Morris Ring

Future Dates