## **Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green** **Trustees Annual Report For the Period from 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2022** 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: 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-in-the-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. The Jack 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 are not available. It was an exciting time for us this year as there were no government directives to hinder the celebrations. The Trustees and members of the Committee planned the event with all the vigor and more, bringing life back into Hastings Traditional Jack in the Green. Income: The return of entertainment, street collections, decorating the town, sale of merchandise, craft fair participation and donations have given the event a new lease of life and given us the ability to fund our event. No government funding was received. This year’s surplus of £7.149 is a result of the sale of merchandise, decorating donations, entertainment, programme advertisements and the Craft Fair. With only a few areas of deficit, the net result is favourable and very much welcome after several years of disappointing losses. The few areas of minimal but necessary expense were security, insurance, first aid, stage and sound and accommodation for visiting Morris sides. Each year the Committee grants two charitable donations to local organisations. - The historical Hastings Fishermen’s Museum, who 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. - Hastings Borough Bonfre 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 and are highly valued. 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. Merthandising A￿UTht . IiKP)39 12.436J4 1.107Jl JrtG trfYA 14.98 1.377.79 1.267A6 Cwd s*5 %*st H• 2. )1. s*s ¥*st Hll S*$CDG￿ 12n.rx) kO3.40 74 76A) 12A) 17DJ 15.829A6 H￿Tr￿ 102. ijioo 11311)0) 15,697A6 13,2fj1M21 43&84 12,445.69 110.13 {1￿.(¥)} (L4.981 .' fJAs. JtrG É4 x 16 .85 tst 2021 3tth 2022.