Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green
Trustees Annual Report For the Period from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021
Registered charity number 1180939 Principal address: 62 Collier Road Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3JS
Accepted as Charitable Incorporated Organisation with Constitution on 30[th] November 2018.
The Trustees are members of the existing Committee and are voted in by Committee on a three-year rotating basis. Trustees are appointed or reappointed annually at the CIO Annual General Meeting held in June.
Charity Trustees:
Office held
Name Office held Keith Ronald Leech Trustee - Chairman Bryony Leech Trustee - Vice Chair Fiona Jane Dunbar Lock Trustee - Secretary Carole Jean Green Trustee - Treasurer Harry Lloyd Wheatcroft Trustee - Health & Safety Heather Leech Trustee John William Pasco Trustee Mark Richard Bailey Trustee Rosanna Poppy Betson Trustee Timothy Betson Trustee Owain Boorman Trustee
Objectives and Activities:
To promote, improve and advance education in, and appreciation of, the arts, in particular but not exclusively through the staging of an annual folk arts festival in Hastings including performance and promotion of English traditional dance forms (including Morris dancing and Jack-inthe-Green parade), traditional English folk music and song, folk tales, and their associated seasonal customs. New recruits to Morris Dancing are gained and many more find a new interest in traditional music and dance, thus succeeding in our objectives.
The sunrise ceremony is held on the first of May each year when local Morris Sides “dance the sun up” to welcome the summer and invites spectators to dance on Hastings Castle grounds.
The Jack in the Green Festival, a four-day annual event in the seaside resort of Hastings in East Sussex. It is a true British May Day celebration described as "thee celebration of Morris dancing and traditional merriment”, led by the symbolic figure of Jack in the Green and culminating in a colourful, costumed parade.
The event includes music of all genres from some of the best local and surrounding area’s bands and historic and social events. The weekend is topped off by the main event on the May Bank Holiday Monday, with the Jack in the Green parade. The parade sets off from the Fisherman's Museum in the Old Town, and finishes on the West Hill, where there is an opportunity to see traditional folk dancers and music throughout the afternoon. The festival culminates with the symbolic slaying of Jack, to release the spirit of summer.
History and current day formation of the Committee:
May 1st has long been an important part of the annual calendar. It is the start of summer in these latitudes and has always been a day for celebration: the Celts celebrated May Day; the Romans dedicated the day and would go to the woods to cut a tree and decorate it with ribbons and flowers, this is the origin of the May Pole. In the 16th and 17th centuries in England people made garlands of flowers and leaves for the May Day celebration. Works Guilds would try to outdo each other, in the late 18th century this became a matter for competition, milkmaids in London carried garlands on their heads, but the crown had to go to the chimney sweeps. Their garland was so big it covered the entire man. It became known as Jack in the Green.
In Hastings there were at least two groups who paraded a Jack in the Green until about 1889. The custom was revived in Hastings by Mad Jacks Morris Dancers in 1983. Jack is returned! He is not the property of a small group of dancers but belongs to us all. Further information about the Jack in the Green in Hastings can be obtained by reading the excellent book "The Hastings Jack in the Green" written by Keith Leech (ISBN 0 9514498 0 X). Keith, a long-time member of Mad Jacks Morris was instrumental in reviving the tradition in Hastings. A volunteer committee was formed to organise, promote, and perform the festival.
Financial Review:
A copy of our accounts is included with this report and confirms our income and expenditure as well as reserves. Trustees, Committee members and volunteers give their time and efforts freely and do not receive remuneration or benefits other than expenses incurred. For several years we have been building reserves to enable us to hold subsequent years’ events when grants and funds may not be available.
In line with government directives, due to Covid 19, the live event and procession was once again cancelled. We did not want to go another year without celebration and so finished with a hybrid of filmed and streamed event.
Income: As the event did not take place among the community with spectators, we had no donations, street collections, merchandise sales, decorating revenue, craft fair income or income from entertainment.
This year’s deficit of £646.80 is a result of the following. Expenditure:
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Trustees’ liability insurance.
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Annual membership of Association of Festival Organisers.
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Miscellaneous expenses.
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Merchandising deficit.
Normally, the Committee grants two charitable donations to local organisations but this year we were unable to make these donations.
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The historical Hastings Fishermen’s Museum that provides a venue for the start of the procession and is Grade II listed by English Heritage. It is free to visitors to learn the importance of Britain’s largest shore-based fishing fleet.
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Hastings Borough Bonfire Society, the largest single bonfire celebration in Sussex and is financed by funding and donations. The Society each year provides many volunteers that are an integral part of the event. The volunteers are marshals and stewards for the event and highly valued.
Additional notes:
It became apparent during our 2019 event that we fall short of volunteers over the event weekend but gained new volunteers in 2020. We were unable to utilize the volunteers again in 2021 but kept them informed to hold their interest in the event and appreciate their value to us. Without our volunteers the event just could not happen.
Two Motions were unanimously agreed and amendments added:
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It was unanimously agreed that to manage the organisation efficiently, a management committee will be set up to run the event and associated activities in accordance with the wishes of the Committee. Members of the management committee may be co-opted by the trustees if they have skills to offer that will further the aims of the organisation. The management committee can be divided into sub committees to oversee different aspects of the event and associated activities, each subcommittee will be overseen by at least one trustee. The management committee will be fully answerable to the trustees who can overrule any decision of the management committee that is deemed by the trustees to cause the organisation potential damage or be contrary to the organisation’s charitable aims. The management committee will initially meet at least once a month. Trustees will meet at least quarterly, separately to the management committee.
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It is recognised that there are occasions when decisions need to be taken quickly and it may not be possible to contact all trustees. If such a circumstance arises the chair, treasurer and secretary have delegated individual responsibility to make such a decision on behalf of the organisation. Before making such a decision they must try to consult as many trustees as possible and try to speak to each other before making the decision. If they make such an individual decision they must tell all trustees as quickly as possible what the decision was and why it was taken.
Non-Trustee Committee Members who have specific and essential duties for the success of the event:
Ann Bourner - Founder member & floral planner for Jack Lesley Battison - Organises the purchase and sales of Merchandise Chris Battison - Co-organiser of Merchandise Chris Leech - Mad Jack’s Morris representative Lynn Blake - Representative for Hannah’s Cat Morris Paul & Helen Evans - Organises and manages decorating in the town
Report written by treasurer, Carole Green, and approved by Trustees.
- - - Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green
NB/ This report is intended solely for the use of JITG
Committee members and the Charity Commission and should no
Registered Charity Number - 1180939
Opening balance
Events & Craft Fair
All ticketed events and Craft Fair cancelled
No Earned Income
Miscellaneous Income:
None
Miscellaneous Expense:
Charities Trustees Insurance Association of Festival Organisers Helen Evans- Flowers for Jack's Crown Heather Leech - Postage and Envelopes AFO subs not taken in 2019 & 2020
Total
Interest Earned to 30/09/2021
Current Balances: -
Lloyds Bank Natonwide Building Society
Current Bank & Building Society balances
Add: Cash/cheques not banked Add: Tfr required Less: Payments due to be made (surplus Bogie
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As at:###
ot be circulated.
Incoming Outgoing Net Balance
14,868.32
- - -
- 14,868.32
-
422.80
90.00
9.90
15.78
40.00
40.00 538.48 (498.48) 14,369.84
15.43 15.43
(483.05) 14,385.27
Total net loss:- (483.05)
3,131.69
9,094.12
12,225.81
-
2,394.46
kitty) (235.00)
2,159.46
14,385.27
As above (483.05)
Merchandising (163.75)
Overall deficit (646.80)
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