I don't suppose that the likes of Suffolk Folk would be too impressed if the EFDSS at national level decided either (a) to set up a (rival) county folk organisation in Suffolk or (b) attempt to take over and direct the operations of Suffolk Folk.
That's not to say that EFDSS couldn't devise some strategy that attempted to support the regions, especially in outreach work. Indeed, the Take 6 project (HLF funding, see EFDSS website) is an excellent example of outreach into the regions!

The reasons the Districts (originally known as Branches) were abolished in the 1990s was, I think, because they represented only one aspect of folk music, dance and song (generally, social dance clubs), many of them were only preaching to the converted, and many of them were moribund or dead. The change was to allow each county to establish its own folk organisation which was more representative. That has only happened patchily.

Incidentally, I am pleased to see Captain Birdseye applauding the work of EFDSS (be careful Dick, you'll be thinking of joining next!) but it is misleading to say that the list of items in his original email is what EFDSS is doing in 2008. They took place in 2007! watch this space for the coming year!

Derek Schofield
(who may edit the EFDSS magazine, but who is just expressing his own views and ideas here).