Board of Directors

Governing the EFDSS

The English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS), a member-based organisation, is a company limited by guarantee (No. 297142) and a charity registered in England and Wales (No. 305999). All members can play a part in the government of the Society by attending and voting at the Annual General Meeting (AGM); by electing fellow members to the EFDSS Board; or by serving as Board members. 

EFDSS is governed by both company and charity law and must comply with the reporting requirements of Companies House and Charity Commission. EFDSS’s own governing document is its Articles of Association [pdf]. These were last revised and up-dated by the AGM in November 2010, following consultation with the membership. The Articles now include the EFDSS’s objectives, slightly revised and up-dated from the original Memorandum of Association [pdf] agreed in 1935, which becomes an historical document. There is provision in the Articles to make Bye-Laws [pdf]. These have to be approved by Society Members in a General Meeting.

The day to day management and direction of EFDSS lies with the Chief Executive, assisted by the professional staff.

The role of the Board

The Board is responsible for the strategic direction of the Society and for ensuring that it acts in accordance with its objectives set out in its Memorandum of Association. The Board is ultimately responsible for all aspects of the governance of the EFDSS but, in reality, most aspects of this responsibility are delegated to the Chief Executive (CE), who in turn delegates them to the staff.  The Board listens to and interacts with the staff, but does not, at any time, direct the staff, other than the CE.

To ensure that the Society is well governed and that there is no conflict as to responsibility the Board has adopted a system of Policy Governance with a single written "Board policy document". This document, which is regularly updated, defines: 

• the EFDSS’s  Aims, and therefore those of the CE and staff who must create the strategies to achieve those Aims; 
• the boundaries (financial and otherwise) within which the Aims must be achieved;
• the way in which the relationship between the Board and the CE is managed; 
• and the rules by which the Board governs itself, for example, the standards of conduct for its members

The Board has two standing committees: the Operational Standards Committee and the Finance Advisory Committee to monitor the performance of EFDSS and provide advice to the Board.

The Board is responsible for approving and publishing the EFDSS Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) [pdf] as it is required to do under Company and Charity law. This is a formal document, the structure of which has to meet our legal obligations and the accounts have to be audited and approved by our Auditors. A copy of the ARA is provided to both Companies House and the Charity Commission. 

The Board meets for a whole day, at least four times a year. In addition it meets regularly with senior staff so that strategic issues can be considered in depth. Minutes of Board Meetings are published on the website after they have been approved by the Board.

Latest Board minutes: November 2011

Board Members

Board Members are Trustee /Directors that is they are both Directors of EFDSS, a company limited by guarantee, and Charity Trustees as the EFDSS is also a charity registered in England and Wales.

The Board can have up to 12 Directors elected by and from the membership and up to four Directors appointed by the Board. The Board appoints its Chairman from among the elected Directors and an Honorary Treasurer from the Board as a whole. At every AGM at least four (one third) of the elected Board places must be available for election. Retiring members can be re-elected provided they have not had more than six continuous years in office. The Board can co-opt EFDSS members to fill any casual vacancies which arise between AGMs. Those who are co-opted to fill these vacancies will hold office until the following AGM, usually held in November and a postal ballot will be held if required to elect Board members. 

All Trustee Directors should be actively interested or involved in the some aspect of the Folk Arts and the EFDSS. They must develop an understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of Trustees who are also Company Directors.  The Board meets at least four times a year, usually in London and uses an internet discussion group to keep in contact and help progress EFDSS affairs between meetings. Reasonable travel, accommodation and other costs are reimbursed. 

To meet the challenges of the times the Board tries to ensure that it has the appropriate balance of interests and skills, and is always interested to hear from those who are interested in serving as Board members. Please contact the Chairman or the Company Secretary. 

The current Board

The Chief Executive, Katy Spicer, and the Company Secretary, Mary Wilson-Jones, also attend all Board meetings but do not have a vote.

About the Board Members

Pete Aldridge (London)

Pete is primarily interested in folk song, is an amateur social historian. He was first introduced to folk music aged nine, listening to his father's copy of Fairport's Babbacombe Lee. Pete has worked as a professional fundraiser for a variety of social welfare charities and education bodies for the last 20 years. He is hoping te be able to use his experienced to enable EFDSS to develop its own fundraising programme. Pete is hoping to help EFDSS move foward with its objectives, as well as getting involved more directly with music and dancing, and learning aout the society's rich history.

Alistair Anderson (Northumberland)

Alistair has been fascinated by the rich diversity of traditional music, dance and song of this country for over 40 years. He is convinced that these traditions- both the actual material and the process – can stand alongside all the other elements of contemporary culture. Alistair is particularly keen to help a new generation access the richness and variety of traditions in contemporary Britain and set up Folkworks and subsequently the first Degree in folk and traditional music at Newcastle University. He helped to secure funding and steered the design for the Regional Music Centre (now known as The Sage Gateshead). He is also well known as a professional performer on English Concertina and Northumbrian Pipes; dance Caller; and Rapper Sword Dancer (retired).

Jack Crawford (Derbyshire)

First and foremost Jack is a singer, regularly performing unaccompanied solo folksong in the traditional style.  He also sings Shape Note and West Gallery in four part harmony groups, and carols in crowded village pubs around Sheffield.  In addition, Jack has danced and taught Cotswold, Border, North-West, and longsword and was for many years a Morris Fool.  As a social dancer he enjoys Irish Set and what has become known as e-ceilidh.  One day Jack would like to achieve proficiency on one of the many instruments he owns, but this has so far eluded him.

Through researching folksongs for performance Jack has come to appreciate the immense value of the resources at VWML and the generous support of the library staff.  Living in the Midlands, he is keen to further the development of remote access to these resources by the effective application of modern technology.

Alan James (Worcestershire)

Alan has had experience at senior management level at the Arts Council and has worked in the wider music industry for over 30 years including: festival and venue programming for WOMAD, Midlands Arts Centre and Birmingham City Council; tour booking for Rough Trade; and tour managing the Drummers of Burundi.   Currently he is managing and producing tours for Chris Wood, Spiro and The Imagined Village and delivering the Roots South West music development project for Bristol City Council and Arts Council England.

Gordon Jones (Cumbria)

Gordon started playing folk music in clubs and concerts on Merseyside. Then in Edinburgh he was a founder member of Scots traditional band Silly Wizard. The band toured extensively bringing experience of the music and its practitioners throughout Europe and North America as well as practical understanding of recording, theatre and broadcast media work. Gordon founded a small record company and has since produced and marketed over 50 folk albums. Currently he lives in Cumbria and is Chair of Furness Tradition which runs a small festival and works year round to facilitate access and understanding of traditional music, song and dance locally. He can also be found playing guitar in local dance bands.

Andrew Swaine (Cambridgeshire)

Andrew has been addicted to English Folk dance, music and song since he was a child. He has recognised how our folk traditions can enrich the lives of all they touch, by providing community, fun, identity, fitness and challenge, and he wants everyone in the country to know and have access to these traditions.

He is a well known caller in several genres and dances even more styles. He plays the accordian for dance, usually trying to make it sound like a melodeon. He is a member of Gog Magog Molly, and has been involved with running several Inter-Varsity Folk Dance Festivals, chairing in 2006. In his day job he is head of knowledge management and internal communications at ARM Ltd.

Robbie Thomas (Bedfordshire)

Robbie spent his childhood in the Western Isles and the Scottish Borders to a soundtrack of local dance, song and music, but it took the 1960's folk revival to help put his early experience of folk music into context.  As a co-founder of the Scottish folk group, Silly Wizard, he spent several years touring the UK and Europe. Later he went into industry, eventually managing the pan-European operations of a large Japanese multinational electronics company. Experience in running folk clubs, promoting folk concerts and social dances as well as co-owning a small folk record label and playing in a variety of dance bands (now for contradance as part of Stick Shift) enables him to bring not only wide-ranging business skills, but also a deep knowledge of the many and varied aspects of folk music, song and dance to his role as a Board member.

Mike Wilson-Jones (Hampshire)

Mike has been a member of EFDSS for nearly 50 years and he is still an active dancer with Westminster Morris. He has also been engaged in social dance as performer, caller, teacher, choreographer, dance director of London Folk, and producer of festivals at the Royal Albert Hall. He currently also plays the concertina for Kettle Bridge Clogs and sings occasionally. Mike has been a past member of the Board/National Council and its various committees which enables him to bring some historical perspective to current Board thinking. He has been closely involved with the Society’s finance operations over many years as well as giving some guidance on business systems operations at CSH. Mike is also a volunteer for the Library, working on the archives.

Involving the Members

All Members can attend the EFDSS Annual General Meeting (AGM) usually, but not always, held in London in November. Those unable to attend can appoint a proxy to speak and vote at the meeting on their behalf. The date of the meeting is announced in Board Matters, circulated to all members with the spring issue of the quarterly magazine, English Dance and Song (EDS). The same issue of Board Matters will ask for nominations for the election of new Board members and give the closing date for receipt of nominations (early June).  The date (late May) for the receipt of Members’ Motions and Resolutions for debate and discussion at the following AGM will also be announced. 

The formal notice of the AGM with details of any resolutions and motions from the Board and from members will be published in Board Matters issued with the autumn edition of EDS.

If required, voting papers for the election of Board members with details of the candidates will be issued in mid-September. All voting for elected Board members is by post or internet and is conducted by and overseen by our appointed agent. 

Proxy voting papers with details of the AGM resolutions and motions will be issued to all members at the same time as any Board voting papers. All voting papers and internet votes must be returned to the appointed agent two days before the AGM.

The AGM will allow Members to ask questions about the Annual Report and Accounts for the previous financial year and hear about more recent developments and activities.

Members will be asked to approve:

• the Minutes of previous General meeting(s)
• any membership subscription changes for the following year
• any new Bye-Laws under Article 23.1 
• the appointment of the Society’s auditors

and to discuss and vote upon individual motions and resolutions, which may be proposed by the Board or EFDSS members.

Following the AGM the Minutes will be published on the website. Printed copies will be available for those who attend the next AGM

Communicating with Members

Each year the Board publishes the EFDSS Annual report and Accounts (ARA). The ARA is a formal document and includes audited accounts for the financial year (1 April- 31 March). Copies are available for all members who request them. Please apply to the Membership Secretary if you would like a copy.

All members receive a copy of the Review of the Year, based on the ARA but with pictures and less financial information.  

Board Matters issued quarterly with EDS is specifically intended to help communications between members and the Board.

English Dance and Song (EDS) includes EFDSS Matters.

EFDSS's website contains news, events and much, much more of interest to Members and non-Members alike. It also provides on-line access to Library collections.

The Folk Music Journal, the journal of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, containing research articles and reviews of publications, published each December, is issued to all members.

Or you can always talk to Board members at festivals, concerts, dances, gigs etc, but do remember that they too may be on holiday or en route to their next booking.