COPY OF EMAIL SENT 30/8/04 TO ORGANISERS OF 50TH SIDMOUTH FOLK FESTIVAL:



















Just a short note to say how much I enjoyed the Festival this year. Everyone seemed to pull out all the stops with it being the 50th and the uncertainty of the future gave everything a very special significance.

I also enjoyed seeing highlights on BBC4 TV 2 nights ago, in fact, I am going to ask them to show more as I know from talking to the TV crew, that they recorded a huge amount, probably at least 10 times the one hour that was actually screened! They also said that they are going to keep everything and that they do respond to viewers reactions, so please pass on the word so that we can see more. There has been precious little traditional music, singing, dancing, storytelling etc. on TV, so we all need to encourage them in order to eliminate the hoary old chestnut that it is a minority interest! If more people are made aware of the diversity of the folk scene, then it would be much more popular and should therefore earn a fairer representation within the media. I did not get involved in the folk "scene" until 1985 when I was 38 - a late developer, but I just could not believe what was "out there" to choose from, it must have been one of the world's best kept secrets and I think, to a certain extent, it still is!

I wish you and everybody concerned, including the new trust to be set up, the very best wishes for the future security of the Festival. It is very unique, the special atmosphere could not be re-created anywhere else, the way ALL family members have been very well looked after over the years and the way it is regarded by many people (including myself) as an ideal situation for meeting up with old friends on a regular basis is of special value and why I have been coming back for 16 years (even though I have been living in Ireland for the past 3 years and it therefore costs me a lot more time, effort and money to get to)! Also, the highlights of the Festival for me are the opportunities to meet the international dance groups, one just cannot put a high enough value on this, the goodwill created is absolutely tremendous and is sensed by all those who participate, I have never experienced this as much as I have at Sidmouth. Lose this and the world for me (and I am sure lots of other people) would be a much poorer place!

Hopefully, a lot of the infrastructure (including people), built up over the last 50 years will be retained as it could be virtually impossible to replace.

Please feel free, if you so wish, to pass on my comments to anyone who you might consider would appreciate them as I am sure most Festival attendees feel the same way as myself and as the MP's always reckon, for every one letter they get from a constituent regarding a particular topic, there's probably another 1,000 or more feeling the same way but who have not bothered to write! I'm not sure of the 1,000 figure, but you get my drift!

Once again, the very best wishes - LONG LIVE THE SIDMOUTH FOLK FESTIVAL!





Jim Martin