A brief intro to HuMP - over
30 years old!
Hurst Morris People, affectionately known as HuMP, are a friendly group of dancers and musicians based in the village of Hurst near Reading in Berkshire.
In 2019 we celebrated 30 years since we were founded, amid some controversy, in 1989.
Read our story here.
We're men and women who perform Cotswold morris. That's the one with sticks and hankies.
We practise hard to put on great performances - and make sure we have lots of fun doing both.
We'd love to meet you!
- Lots of people come to our free taster sessions at
Hurst Village Hall. Dates for the next taster sessions,
normally in the autumn, are to be announced.
Watch this space! All are welcome to have a go, but in the meantime contact us for a chat.
- Join us at a pub, village fete, folk festival and many
other places to see us dance out during the summer.
- Book us for your event: but try to give us plenty of notice.
- We perform at old folks' homes, weddings, birthday
parties, corporate events, schools and youth groups.
Please contact us via email for further information.
See us in action! Go to News & pictures
HuMP's 2020 charity:
First Days Children's Charity
Please click on the logo below to find out more about their work.
See us
on Facebook for regular picture and news updates.
Forget the dragon in 2021 - Poor St George has Covid!
Crowds used to cheering on traditional mummers' plays with St George, a Turkish Knight and a dragon in combat outside a pub can still enjoy the fun despite Covid rules.
Squire (leader) of Hurst Morris People, Karen Ricketts, has written her own, really funny, one character version of the play.
Click on St George above to view video on Hurst Morris Facebook.
"Normally we have a cast of five or six for our St George's Day mummers' play, but Covid put paid to that. So, on behalf of Hurst Morris, I wrote and acted an online version, featuring just me as St George, to cheer people up now," said Karen.
"I released it on Boxing Day, another traditional time for the plays.
"I adapted our usual script. St George, instead of being stabbed to death, dies of Covid but, as usual, he miraculously recovers with a wonder drug. And I have a six foot sword to keep social distance, all the while keen to carry on slaying."
Karen added: "I thoroughly enjoyed writing and performing the play."
Her daughter Helen 12, did the filming and her son Daniel, 11, made props including the giant syringe.
One viewer said said: "After the strangest of Christmases, this is a brilliant treat. The play has all the traditional elements but with very funny and sharp twists to reflect our Covid times. It's such clever writing."
The play has been entered for a mummers' play for one online festival.
See HuMP dance at the 2020 Virtual Hurst Show
Hurst Morris produced a short video as their contribution to this year's Virtual Hurst Show & Country Fayre.
Click on the picture above to see our socially distanced preparations and performance, all to tunes by our fabulous musicians.
A big thank you to Matt for producing the video. The picture was taken at last year's show. We look forward to being at next year's show in real and hearty life!
Our commemoration of VE Day's 75th anniversary
As part of Hurst's commemoration of VE Day's 75th anniversary, Hurst Morris People have put together a video of some of their music and dancing in the past.
They're pleased to present this also as a tribute to the people of Hurst and beyond who lost their lives during World War II. Click on the picture above to see the video.
The side could not of course make the tribute with a live performance due to the coronavirus restrictions.
They hope though to be out dancing later this year and also to hold their taster sessions for everyone to have a go in the autumn. They're pictured above at last year's St George's Day dance for children.
HuMP marks St George's Day - in isolation but with 100s
Click on the pictures above to see our dancers in action at the Lone Morris Festival St George's Day celebrations. The videos are from our HuMP Facebook page.
From the top, left to right, are:
Squire Karen as St George in HuMP's mummers' play - her performance squeezed into her homeworking and homeschooling life.
Sue in action. She said: "I really miss meeting up with my fellow Hurst Morris People and I'm looking forward to dancing with them again."
Ian dancing in his garden. He and his wife Brenda had covered their garden with England flags. Neighbours watching over the fence applauded Ian's dance.
Nic's living room performance.
Mary playing Banbury Bill on her melodeon.
Bottom right is a photo of Clare dancing in her garden - so don't click on her!
The festival, in which people performed at their own homes, was hosted by the Facebook page How many Morris dancers are on Facebook?
We visit the inspiring First Days children's charity
Hurst Morris People visited their 2020 good cause, First Days Children's Charity, to find out about their work, based in HuMP's home village.
Fundraiser Annette Honeyball (above, left) told the visitors: “There are 43,000 children living in poverty in Berkshire. We help over 2000 a year but there’s a lot more we could do.
“In Wokingham and Henley 17 per cent of children live in poverty. In Windsor and Maidenhead it’s 23 per cent, Reading 31 per cent, Bracknell Forest 20 per cent, Slough 39 per cent.
“We’re fundraising so we can have a larger building with more storage space. At present we don’t have space for everything families need. The need is so high.”
The charity supplies good condition clothes, toys, books and equipment for children from newborn to the age of ten. Details are at www.firstdays.net
Our summer of dancing
helped young people
Our 2019 charity was Just Around the Corner, a Hurst-based charity which supports young people.
We're pictured handing over our cheque to Yvonne and Sam from JAC.
Our 2020 good cause is First Days Children's Charity.
HuMP member Jean holds the great new banner she made for us.
Our 2019 charity was Just Around the Corner, a Hurst-based charity which supports young people.
We're pictured handing over our cheque to Yvonne and Sam from JAC.
Our 2020 good cause is First Days Children's Charity.
HuMP member Jean holds the great new banner she made for us.
Click the YouTube icon to see a clip of us in action!
Hurst
Morris People:
Entrance Exam
Entrance Exam
Do you enjoy socialising with friends?
Do you like going to pubs or areas you haven't been to before?
Do you think England's old customs are worth keeping alive?
Do you like listening to music? Or watching traditional dancing?
CONGRATS!! If you've answered
YES to two or more of the questions above, then you're potentially a born HuMP morris dancer or musician!
Come to our free and friendly taster sessions. HuMP members are men and women just like you, from all backgrounds and age groups. Few of us had danced before.
Discover if HuMP is for you. Warm welcome, tea, cake and pub visit guaranteed!
YES to two or more of the questions above, then you're potentially a born HuMP morris dancer or musician!
Come to our free and friendly taster sessions. HuMP members are men and women just like you, from all backgrounds and age groups. Few of us had danced before.
Discover if HuMP is for you. Warm welcome, tea, cake and pub visit guaranteed!
Hopefully not too long until we see you!
Hurst Morris People are honing their dancing and music skills, in isolation at home!
They hope to burst forth later this year to share in real life all the fun of morris dancing.
Watch this space!