The Halsway Manor Society Ltd was incorporated in May 1965, its purpose is to promote and preserve traditional English folk dance, music and song and to operate the manor as a residential centre to that end. It is a registered charity.
Originally there was a limit of 250 members who had also to be members of the English Folk Dance and Song Society. Both those conditions are now long removed as the Society seeks to be more inclusive
The original Council of Management included prominent active members of the English Folk Dance and Song Society both in the Southwest and nationally. Gay Gayler, was elected first chairman and Bill Rutter appointed first Company Secretary. Their wives, Hilda Gayler and Terry Rutter, were equally active and supportive, as were Geoff and Bessie Rye who with Mrs M. Bradbury, Dr L. Luckwill and Mr. F. C. B. Fleetwood Hesketh were signatories to the original incorporation.
The Society is governed by a Board of Trustees who are also the Directors of the Company. To see who are the current Trustees go to trustees.html. Approximately one-third of the trustees are elected at the Society's Annual General meeting each year in October. At the first meeting of the Trustees after the AGM they appoint the Chairman and Finance Officer from among their own members and also the company secretary.
Minutes of the meetings of Trustees are now available on-line
A separate trading company - Halsway Manor Ltd - has been set up to run the commercial events at the manor; and the bar. All profits from the company are covenanted to the Society. This allows us to separate the trading activities from the charitable ones while still ensuring that the charitable Society obtains the benefit of tax relief on the profits of the company.
The directors of the commercial company are appointed annually by the Trustees of the Society.
