Gold Badge Awards FAQs

How do the Awards work?

Know someone who merits an English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) Gold Badge? If so, please let us know. We’ve outlined below how the nomination process works, with answers to the most frequently asked questions.

How do I nominate someone for an award?

Anyone can make a nomination which should be seconded (supported) by one other person. Nominations can be submitted in writing or – preferably – by email to the EFDSS company secretary, who will acknowledge the nomination and pass it to the Awards Committee. Nominations should be sent c/o our London HQ, Cecil Sharp House, and/or to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Nominations can be made at any time but are normally considered in the spring, with new awards announced in the autumn.

There is no form to complete but you should always try to provide the following information:

• Name, address and telephone number of the person being nominated
• Name, address, email and telephone number of the person making the nomination, and the seconder
• The reasons, along with appropriate evidence, why the person nominated should receive the award

 
When making a nomination, keep these points in mind:

• Don’t consult the person you want to nominate. It is important that neither they nor their family is aware that they might be a candidate for an award.
• Don’t canvass lots of people to write in to support the nomination. It is the quality of the evidence provided that is important, not the size of postbag.
• There is no need to write a formal statement (citation). The bare facts will do, although you may be able to suggest the name of a person who might write the citation if the award is made.
• Awards cannot be made posthumously because the recipient has to agree to accept the award.
• Award holders will have made a difference and/or brought distinction to the world of folk. 

How much information do I need to include in a nomination?

A minimum amount of information will be needed about those who are nationally known. In these cases, the name of the person nominated may be all that is required, but more information must be given about those who are not so well known or known only within their locality.

If you are in doubt as to how much others, including the Awards Committee, might already know about your candidate, you should ask the company secretary, who will seek guidance from the Awards Committee.

As a basic guide, you should:

• Make clear the areas or roles in which the nominee has worked
• Describe their contribution and how it has made an impact
• Note when and where they were involved
• Make a list of notable achievements and highlights
• Show how the nominee has excelled
• Tell the Awards Committee if others have recognised their contribution (in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, a media award, or an honorary degree, for example) – the prior receipt of such an award will not prevent EFDSS awarding its Gold Badge
• Make clear how your nominee stands out from others doing similar things

How are award holders selected?

Each year, the EFDSS Board appoints or reappoints a small Awards Committee. This body holds confidential discussions to review each nomination presented for consideration that year.

The committee will normally meet in the spring, after which it will report its recommendations to the Board in writing. If the list of potential Gold Badge awards is particularly long, the report may make recommendations for nominees to be considered for an award in future years. Awards will not necessarily be made every year.

How are successful nominees informed of the award?

Following endorsement by the Board, the Chairman of the Board will write to the successful nominee asking whether they wish to accept the award.

The announcement of the awards, once the recipients have been notified and have accepted, will be made in our membership magazine, English Dance & Song, and elsewhere, confirming when and where the awards will be presented.

Where a nominee has not won an award, the nominator will receive a letter. Those who have not been chosen for an award will not be automatically reconsidered in future years and a new nomination must be received before the matter can be reviewed. Details of unsuccessful nominees remain confidential.

Where is the award presented?

The Gold Badge will usually be presented at a public event. EFDSS will always consider the nominee’s wishes when choosing an occasion for the presentation and the nominee may be asked to suggest appropriate persons to write and/or to read the citation at the awards event.