Published: January 31, 2008
Brent Knoll Chalice Morris Men launch huge recruitment drive

Fifteen thousand people across Somerset will receive an invitation to learn the traditional Morris Dance in an initiative by a Brent Knoll based group of Chalice Morris Men.

The invitations will be delivered by the Royal Mail to homes in North Somerset throughout February in what is possibly the first major recruitment drive in the country for the traditional English dance form.

The Chalice Morris Men - pictured here during last year's Burnham-On-Sea Folkfest - are concerned about declining participation in England’s most traditional form of dance, and have established a programme to teach Morris Dancing to anyone who is interested.

Bob Cross, former squire of England’s Morris Ring and an expert on the various Morris traditions, is to lead weekly training sessions in Brent Knoll Parish Hall, near Burnham, on Thursday evenings.

Bob Cross told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "This is the first time, to my knowledge, that recruitment like this has been attempted on such a scale. Not only has Morris Dancing received a bad press in the past, but despite being England’s oldest form of Traditional dance, it is not well supported by Arts organisations."

"Despite numerous requests to arts organisations, the only people to help with this recruitment drive have been the Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge Town Council, who gave us £50”, said Neil Gratton, former Squire of Chalice Morris and a dancer with the side.

As a result, Chalice Morris Men have contributed over £1,200 of their own money to run the recruitment campaign. "If it works, Morris Sides could extend the campaign into different parts of England," said Bob Cross.

More details about the group are available on their website here.

Our photo shows the morris men in action during Burnham-On-Sea's 2007 Folkfest