Morris men are still lords of the dance

Fears of the folk dancing becoming extinct are unfounded in Sedgley, where the movement is thriving. What started as a joke to raise funds to build the fledgling scout hut is now a much more serious pastime. And in July, the First Sedgley side will celebrate 30 years at its anniversary weekend.

The group, which dances in the Cotswold tradition, still has two founder members in the side, Mike Edwards and Jack Cotterill.

Solicitors, architects, engineers and IT managers all form the 17-strong side, along with Walsall Manor Hospital chef Graham Suffolk and Kinver Ales brewer Ian Davis.

Closely linked with the 1st Sedgley Scout Group, the side was started by parents of former scouts.

As Mr Edwards, aged 68, of Dudley Road, said: "It started as a joke when my son Stuart was in the scouts.

"The parents held barn dances to raise money to finish the building. One guy who played did a Morris jig and we thought we could do something with this.

"We got in touch with Stafford Morris Men and they taught us to dance properly.

"We did our first dance to Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells. We then had our first booking from All Saints Church in May 1979.

"We've come a long way from the early years. There's concerns now about the tradition of Morris dancing dying, but we're as strong as we have ever been."

Squire Pete Round, aged 60, from Linden Lea, Wolverhampton, adds: "We're turning bookings down. There aren't enough weekends in the year."

Mr Edwards, a health and safety consultant, says the real problem is getting youngsters interested. But those who start usually come back when they reach their late 20s, he says.

The group joined the Morris Ring in 1985 and has been to Bremen in Germany three times to dance.

Now one more member is needed to join the team of 17 and take on the unusual role of jockey for hobby horse Jeavons, named after late Gornal dancer Sam Jeavons, who used to dress up for the part every May Day.

Jeavons was donated to the First Sedgley dancers by the Gifford Arms side from Wolverhampton when they disbanded 15 years ago.

"We need to get someone in the horse. We do take it in turns but you do become a bit anonymous, so we're looking for a dedicated jockey," says Mr Round.

The Morris dancers have been dancing at the maypole festival for 29 years and will join primary schools from the village on May 16. The men will also take to Beacon Hill to dance the dawn in on May Day morning at 4am, just as they have done for the past 25 years.

The anniversary weekend takes place on July 10, 11 and 12.

The First Sedgley side meets every Thursday at 8.30pm at the Jubilee Hall in Ladies Walk.