'I stopped being a member of EFDSS years ago when they started being very PC and 'multi ethnic' rather than 'doing what it says on the tin' and promoting English folk song and dance. I'd hate to think The Folk Song Society has been swallowed up by them completely.'

A couple of points - First, when I joined EFDSS last September, I was told that it would be depressing to read comments on Mudcat about EFDSS because everyone wants to knock us. I have actually found, in the main, the opposite to be the case and am particularly pleased to read the tone of this thread.

Second - Les of Darlo - please rejoin - we are 100% about promoting the tradition, but we are equally happy to have the opportunity to promote to any of the 'multi ethnic' communities who make up this extraordinairy country.

And, despite everything you read in our lovely media, we always get a very positive response to these activities. The 'pc' approach is to NOT give them access to English culture, but to assume that all they want is their own cultures. We recently undertook a project with Somalian women who were offered the chance to be involved in some form of dance - they were asked what they wanted and they said 'we are in England, we want to learn English dance' - ironically,the real problem is the ignorance of the English people who don't know then how to access it.

So please rejoin as the more members we have the more money we have to address this.