A RECORD number of Morris sides will descend on Tavistock this month for Meavy-based Dartmoor Border Morris’ fifth ‘Pudsey Day of Morris’ fundraising celebrations.

Being held in Tavistock on Saturday, November 17, this year there will be 16 Morris sides attending and performing in three locations around the town and Pudsey Bear himself will be making guest appearances throughout the day.

Dartmoor Border Morris started the event five years ago with only a handful of local Morris sides getting involved, but it has now grown in popularity within the Morris community.

Sides such as Enigma Morris from Somerset and Styx of Stroud Border Morris from Gloucester will be joining in the day, which will see all the usual Morris ‘shenanigans’, with music, dancing, stick clashing, bell jingling, hanky waving along with tatter jackets, top hats, Baldrics, colourful waistcoats, garlands and clog dancers. Organisers are planning to include some audience participation throughout the day for those who can’t keep still.

The day will start at 10am with sides performing in Bedford Square, the pannier market alleyway and outside Co-op in Brook Street. The sides will move around during the day and the event will finish at 4pm when everyone will be invited to join the sides in a joint music session in the upstairs function room of the Explorer Pub in Pym Street.

Pudsey Bear, the symbol of BBC Children in Need, will be winding his way through Tavistock during the day with a collection bucket.

A spokesperson for Dartmoor Border Morris said: ‘Every year the generous people of Tavistock have donated more than £1,000 to the cause through this event, with every penny going to the charity. We want to thank Dartmoor Brewery, Bob’s East End Café, the staff of the Explorer Pub and Tavistock Town Council for their help in getting this event off the ground.’

The event will be weather-dependent and if unsuitable, the Morris dancers will be at the Explorer along with their collection buckets. For more information about the Pudsey Day of Morris visit www.dartmoorbordermorris.com