Plenty of ways to help out with special projects and ongoing work.

‘Voices of Morris’ – an oral history project – needs transcribers

Voices of Morris is a new, oral history project to collect the views, experiences and memories of a wide range of morris dancers and musicians from across Britain, covering all styles and traditions. The aim is to create an archive of recorded interviews charting how morris dancing and its related activities have changed over the past fifty years and people’s experiences of them – and there have been significant changes: women’s morris, mixed morris, increased interest in Molly and Border Morris to mention just a few.

To achieve this we need help, particularly with transcribing the interviews. This can be done at home, as and when you have time, by anyone with a working knowledge of Microsoft Word (Document templates will be provided). If needed there is also free downloadable software to playback the recording.

If you are interested in helping with this initiative please email Chas Leslie at: chasleslie@btinternet.com

Could you spare some time to help the Morris Federation?

These are just some areas where we know we could use your help.  And if you think we should be doing something that we are not currently doing – do please let us know.

Press and marketing – help us improve the image of morris in the media – through liaison with the press and advice to member teams

New Generations project – help us kick-start how we can get under 18’s people involved in our hobby

Events – help us plan events, book speakers, advertise events and communicate with registrants

Web content – help us keep the web content fresh and up-to-date with news articles, and advice for member teams

Writing Advice – how to collect & treat morris sticks, make North West mollies/slings, make bell pads, etc.

Thank you to recent volunteers – Abigail Banfield (Ditchling Morris) helping with social media, Jess Searle (KOKI) for video editing, and Alan Courtney (Sarum Morris) for photography.

JMO Regional Days of Dance 2023 – we need YOU!

As advertised in the previous FedCast, the JMO is seeking volunteers either as teams or individuals to collaborate with the JMO in organising regional days of dance, to encourage links between teams in their local areas.

These events will run in addition to the JMO 2023 Day of Dance, which will be hosted by Beltane Border Morris, on behalf of Open Morris, in Exeter on Saturday 15th April.

We are planning regional Day of Dance events in September / October 2023 – in the North West (Chester), Midlands (Derby), South West (Bristol), North East (Newcastle), and East (Norwich) areas, culminating in an event in Trafalgar Square, London, 20 years after the first Trafalgar Square JMO DoD. We would like teams in these areas to be involved in the planning. The JMO will underwrite the events financially, but we want local input to make the events as successful as possible. If you or your team would be interested in getting involved with the running of these days, please contact us (select ‘events’ in the dropdown).

Looking forward to hearing your ideas

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