Rutland Morris once again breaks new ground!
John Barsby, retiring Squire, hands over the staff of office to Holly after lunch at our Day of Dance
Introducing our new Squire, Holly! An historic moment for Rutland Morris as Holly will be our first female Squire.
Holly has been dancing with Rutland Morris since we became inclusive in January 2024. She has been Treasurer for the last 2 years and now assumes the highest office.
Holly is excited to take over from John and is looking forward to leading and supporting the Side for the next 2 years.
Huge thanks to John for the last 2 years. He has been a wonderful Squire and now deserves a well earned rest!
We held our final danceout this 'summer' - on Saturday the 10th of October, when we were out for our Day of Dance. We danced danced in Oakham, Braunston, Cottesmore, Barrowden and Uppingham. We were joined by guests from several other Morris 'sides', some of which are local and others are from further afield - there were almost more than 60 of us, so were delighted to provide a spectacle and keep the tradition of Morris dancing alive in the county.
We are very proud of the fact that we have been Morris dancing in Rutland for more than 50 years (not all of us for all of that time!) and we are keen to encourage more to join us to ensure that the club retains its enthusiasm and vitality to ensure that the club hits it's century in 2074!
Every year we raise money by charging fees for 'invitation events' and by collecting on our regular weekday 'danceouts'. Some of the money we raise goes to club funds (village hall hire, or new kit, for example). But the surplus always goes to charity or a similar social enterprise. The charity is different every year, and we always try to choose small Rutland based charities; the 'small' is important, because such charities probably won't have the fundraising clout of large national charities.
The good cause we're supporting this season is Opportunity Chalet, so please give generously.
If you would like to donate to us, details can be found on our charity work page.
Wassail.
We will next be dancing out:
On Thursday 3 December
At Uppingham's Late Night Shopping
From our scrapbooks …
One of the earliest photographs of Rutland Morris, from 1975 at Rutland Water
'Dancing In' to the Morris Ring at Thaxted in 1978
46th stop in the 1983 Rutland Morris Journey, where we danced at every village in Rutland over one weekend
Playing the melodeon from the back of a tandem on the 1985 bike tour, piloted by John Dawtrey
Group photograph at the Dartington Ring meeting, 1989
Impressively coordinated (and high) jumps at the Trigg Ring meeting in 1996
High altitude dancing in the London Eye in 2001
Greeting the Queen on her visit to Uppingham in June 2001
Morris Dancing on Carisbrooke castle wall during the 2009 Isle of Wight Ring meeting
North Luffenham Hall, June 2010
Another Trigg Ring meeting, this time in August 2010
'Vandals of Hammerwich', Uppingham Market Square at the start of the Rutland Ring meeting July 2011
Group photograph of Rutland Morris and guests at the Rutland Ring meeting July 2011 (at the Uppingham Community College)