The Sussex Folk Association (SusFA) was formed at an open meeting in November 1994 following alterations to the
Constitution and Rules of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) which meant that Clubs and Districts would no
longer be part of the Society. It was agreed that SusFA should be affiliated to EFDSS in the same way that most clubs are.
The aims and objectives of SusFA are described in the Constitution below.
There is currently no charge for belonging to SusFA. If you live in Sussex and take part in Folk activities you are a
member automatically.
SusFA administers two awards annually. The Whiteman/Bliss Awardis a small sum of money given to a young person still in
full-time education “to further their interest in folk”. The fund was originally collected by subscription in memory of
Elsie Whiteman and Kathleen Bliss . The Scan Tester Award is in the form of an illuminated certificate and is
presented to an older person “for services to Folk in Sussex”. Nominations for both awards should be with the committee by
the end of December.
This was started in 1994 for “the distribution of information relating to
Traditional Dance, Music and Song”. Past editors have been Sean Goddard and Dave Garner and the current editors are Kate
and Doug Eaton. It is a free magazine listing clubs and forthcoming events which we try to deliver to all interested clubs.
We welcome donations towards it's costs.
The Committee should consist of the Treasurer plus up to ten other elected people from whom the officers are decided.
In addition each Affiliated Club not thus represented is invited to send one representative who shall have full voting rights.
The Committee normally meets three times and year and there is an Annual General Meeting.
The following are the elected members:-
Chairman:
Dick Reed
Vice Chairman:
June Axon
Secretary:
Philip Price
Treasurer:
Don Lewry
Development Officer, East:
June Axon
Development Officer, West:
Maureen Reed
Membership Secretary:
Maureen Reed
Committee Members:
Sean Goddard, Rosemary Playll, John Douglas, Janet Douglas
In addition, we have the following representatives:
for Sussex Pie
Doug & Kate Eaton
for Galleon’s Leap
Mac Turner
We would welcome more representatives. If you are interested in becoming involved,please contact SusFA.
Apologies for Absence. Hazel Miller (EFDSS), Kath Fancourt and Trixie Rodaway.
Chairman’sRemarks. June welcomed the 18 members present. She congratulated Bexhill Club who had been running for 60 years and Chichester Club 50 years. There had been four meetings of the SUSFA committee.
Awards.Once again there were no nominations for either Scan Tester or Whiteman Bliss awards. June asked everyone to give thought to nominations for next year.
Minutes of 2006 AGM were read by Maureen, confirmed and signed.
Matters Arising. Don had paid Sussex Pie £50 as requested for the September edition.
Secretary’s Report/Membership. Maureen thanked Keymer Club for hosting the evening; Don for his accounting; June for being such an easy Chairman to work with; John Douglas for his work on the website; Kate and Doug Eaton, the editors of Sussex Pie, and Rosemary for her hospitality on committee nights.
Workshops had continued to flourish and Chichester Playford Evenings had celebrated 30 years.
The sad deaths of Jennie Stockbridge and Mary Portlock were noted.
Treasurer’s Report. Don’s accounts had been examined and verified by Philip Price. June thanked Don and the adoption of the accounts was agreed unanimously Election of Officers Hon Treasurer.Don Lewry was proposed by Maureen and seconded by Rosemary. All agreed. Accounts Examiner. Philip Price was proposed by Don and seconded by Kate Eaton and again all agreed. Committee members. Kath and Mary had resigned. John and Janet Douglas were both proposed by Maureen and seconded by Dick. They were both elected. WebsiteJohn explained the work he was doing on the website. He hopes eventually to be able to offer all groups their own web page. It was
suggested that AGM minutes and minutes of committee meetings be posted on the SusFA website. Kate Eaton suggested that John send relevant pages to local Tourist Information Offices. Any Other Business Next season lindfield Club hope to return to the rebuilt hall at the Church of the Ascension, Vale Road, Haywards
Heath. Bob Weddell handed out notices about Crawley Folk Festival. Eastbourne International Folk Dance Festival dancing had been good
but not the catering and publicity. Local clubs had not been involved. Brighton Festival with harpsichord music for dancing had
been good but, again, lack of advertising. In closing, June thanked Keymer Club for hosting the AGM and the meeting closed at 8.17pm to be followed by dancing.
Note: the following is a reformatted copy of a printed version of the constitution.
1. “The Society” shall be the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) of Cecil Sharp House, 2, Regents Park Road, London, NW1 7AY.
2. The Sussex Folk Association (SusFA) shall cover folk activities in the County of Sussex.
3. The Electoral body shall be any or all of the following who attend the AGM:
a) all Members of The Society living in or participating in Folk Activities in Sussex;
b) all Members of any EFDSS Affiliated Club or Body meeting in Sussex;
c) any other person interested in folk activity in Sussex who requests inclusion of SusFA.
Membership of SusFA may be subject to an Association Fee which would be determined from time to time by SusFA in General Meeting.
4. A Committee shall be elected as below and will be responsible for the day to day running of SusFA.
5 The objects of SusFA shall be
a) the furtherance of folk activities in Sussex, particularly Folk Dance and Song and related subjects
b) To be a liaison point for such activities in Sussex
c) To support The Society.
SusFA shall be affiliated to The Society.
6. ANNUAL. Once in every calendar year, and so that not more than 15 months shall elapse between them, and within three months of the end of the financial year (see below), the Committee shall convene an Annual General Meeting of all Members of the electoral body to receive the Report and Accounts of the Committee, to elect a Treasurer and Committee Members and to transact such other business as shall be deemed appropriate.
NOMINATIONS for Membership of the Committee should be by prior notification to the Secretary but MAY be taken at the AGM. In the event of there being more nominations than vacancies, voting shall be either by a show of hands or secret vote, as deemed appropriate by the Chairman at the time.
7. EXTRA-ORDINARY. The Committee may, or if so requested in writing by 20 Members of the Association shall, within 30 days of such a request, convene an Extra-ordinary Meeting of the Association and shall specify the purpose of the EGM in the Notice convening the Meeting. NO OTHER BUSINESS shall be conducted at this meeting.
8. NOTICE. Twenty-one day’s Notice of a General Meeting shall be given in writing to those Members specifically requesting it, otherwise to the Secretaries of appropriate Clubs and
via such publications as Sussex Pie and Sussex Folk Diary. Such notice shall also be given to the National Council of The Society, which may send a Representative who shall be entitled to speak but not to vote.
9. QUORUM. No business shall be transacted at a General Meeting unless a quorum of Members is present; for this purpose a quorum shall be 15. Should a quorum fail to be present the meeting shall be re-convened within a further 30 days. Should this second attempt also fail consideration should be given to winding up the Association.
10. The Committee shall consist of the Treasurer and ten other elected people from whom the officers (other than the Treasurer) shall be decided. In addition each Affiliated Club not thus represented is invited to send one representative who shall have full voting rights.
11. A person may not hold the office of Chairman for more than three years consecutively.
12. No Committee Member may serve for more than four years without re-election.
13. A person may serve in more than one capacity at a time but no one person may have more than one vote except that, in the case of a tie in voting, the Chairman may exercise the casting vote.
14 The Committee shall cause proper records to be kept of its proceedings and accounts. It shall maintain a register of members as defined in para. 3a and 3c and of those bodies in 3b above.
15. The Committee shall determine its own proceedings and frequency of meetings and may appoint sub-committees from among its own members or working parties if required. A working party shall conclude its project before the next AGM.
16. The Committee may co-opt additional members if required who can serve only until the next AGM.
17. A quorum of five members shall be present before any business may be conducted
18. The Committee shall maintain a bank account in the name of the Association and make its annual accounts up to the 31st March each year. The accounts shall be audited by a suitable person(s).
19. In the event that the Association shall cease to exist and that the last General Meeting has not directed otherwise, any monies in the control of the Association as at the date of it so ceasing shall be divided equally among the Affiliated Clubs and Bodies in para. 3b above.
20. Any question of the interpretation of these Rules shall be determined by the Committee but any such determination must be put to the next General Meeting for ratification or revision.
May 2004
