The Morris Federation Committee are excited to announce that our President, Pauline Woods-Wilson, is to be awarded an EFDSS Gold Badge due her outstanding contributions to the wider morris world. As one of only two Morris Fed Presidents to receive such an award, and the only female President to do so, we are extremely proud of her.
In her time as President, Pauline has achieved some very unique and incredible things. She was the brain behind taking morris online during the COVID pandemic, successfully organising and running a programme of workshops via Zoom to keep the morris population, of not just the UK but also the wider world, dancing during Lockdown. She also organised a successful Arts Council bid which saw morris and folk being taught in schools within 3 levelling-up areas of the UK, bringing our traditions to a variety of children from different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
EFDSS published the following announcement in their EDS magazine –
“Pauline, President of The Morris Federation from January 2020, has been modernizing and enlarging the activities and profile of the organization by way of online workshops and talks for the wider morris world (particularly during COVID) and, more recently, an Arts Council funded schools’ project. A morris dancer from age 19, and former dance teacher of Windsor Morris.”
When asked how she felt when she found out she was getting a Gold Badge, Pauline said
“Initially I was shocked, then very honoured, and then left wondering who had nominated me, and why. As only the second Morris Federation President to receive a Gold award, alongside John Bacon in 2018, I was thrilled to receive such recognition for not only myself but also the Morris Federation by an external organisation. Being the only female President to be awarded an EFDSS Gold Badge, and the fact it is happening during the 50th anniversary of The Women’s Morris Federation makes it even more special to me.”
Pauline has chosen to have her Gold Award presented during the Morris Federation’s AGM, to be held in Sheffield on Saturday 27th September, where her badge will be presented and citation read out. A future edition of FedExtra will include an article and copy of the citation, so do look out for it.
On behalf of the entire Morris Federation Committee and our membership – CONGRATULATIONS PAULINE!
EFDSS Gold Badge 2025 Awardees: https://www.efdss.org/about-us/what-we-do/news/15383-gold-badges-2025
English Folk Dance & Song Society, championing the Folk Arts: https://www.efdss.org/
