On Saturday June 6th 2015 Halsway Manor will be running a 24 hour fund raiser to help secure their future with live folk music, dance and storytelling. For those unfamiliar with Halsway Manor they are a charity that do an incredible amount of work aimed at promoting and supporting the traditional folk arts including traditional dance, music, song, folklore, storytelling, arts and crafts. They are situated in the Quantock Hills near Crowcombe, Somerset in what is one of the most beautiful settings. They are only 20 minutes from the M5 so they are really easy to get to. Well worth the visit if you haven’t already done so.
They recently launched a major plan to develop the programme of folk arts activities and conserve and develop the buildings and grounds at Halsway Manor so they are accessible for all. It is a four-phase plan which includes the building of a new timbre framed building to create new spaces for arts and crafts activities (for example, musical instrument making) while being an exciting space for use by schools, young people and families and community groups to do a wide range of folk activities.
In order to achieve their plans they need to raise £4M from a variety of sources including donations, fundraising events like this one and grants including an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
24 Hour Folk
Halsway Manor are inviting musicians, singers, dancers, callers, and storytellers to gather sponsorship and take part. But if you don’t play, dance or tell stories but would like to support 24 Hours of Folk, you can still come and watch / listen, make a donation in person or online, and help them spread the word!
What You Can Do
- Bring your dance team / morris side / folk band etc to Halsway to give a demo or performance.
- Take part in – or lead – a singaround or session.
- Take part in their Open Mic competition.
- Come to the evening ceilidh and play, or dance, or call a few dances.
- Tell them some traditional ‘bedtime stories’ after dark.
They are asking participants to raise a minimum of £30 for the their Future Appeal. Everyone who meets that target will get a free T-shirt, and there’s free camping and a survivors’ breakfast at 9am on Sunday for all fundraisers.
If you think you could host an hour (a song session, musician’s session, a clogging hour, a maypole hour, a bedtime stories hour etc) then please get in touch with them ASAP. You can contact Rachel Hill or Gavin Davenport on 01984 618010 (leave a message if no reply) or email communications@halswaymanor.org.uk
Click her for their information pack (PDF)
Visit their website here: http://www.halswaymanor.org.uk/