Alan Howse
Health & Safety
healthandsafety[at]beltane[dot]org

I’ve been part of BFS for 16 years and am happy to to continue with my work on health and safety, as well as production, and to maintain strategic input into the Society’s development towards professionalism, creativity and high production values. I believe in a freedom of assembly and congregation and in the absence of these rights in law, I work tirelessly to ensure that the Beltane Fire Society is not impeded by regulations. I would like BFS and our membership to explore the content and artistic vision of our events. Good theatre should be cathartic if it is done well and our events should be an experience for the audience and the performers.

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Andrew MacDonald
Club Coordinator
clubs[at]beltane[dot]org

I am deeply involved with Nature. Looking after our ecology, sharing its wondrousness with people from all walks of life and capturing reflected light through moving and still images is how I chose to spend a lot of my time. Being in tune with my ecology as a human animal is very important to me, a relationship that has taken a lifetime to develop and has brought countless inspirational experiences and some of my deepest learnings.

In 1997 I was asked to become a resident DJ for BFS, my first gig for BFS was at the OGNOB, New Street. Since then I have worked hard to ensure that my contribution to BFS events, fits with the time, place and people I am celebrating my experience of the quarter-days with, without compromising what my own spirit needs for the occasion.

BFS clubs where once a main fundraising arm of the society. As well as continuing to run our much loved after parties, it is my intention as Board member to reinstate the fund generating function of BFS clubs, through the organisation of further BFS club based music events.

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Andrew Marshall
Board Secretary
board[at]beltane[dot]org
andrew[at]beltane[dot]org

I first saw Beltane in 2012 and knew that it was something I wanted to be part of, but the next day moved to Fraserburgh to work at the BrewDog Brewery. After a year I moved back to Edinburgh to study events management and joined the 2013 Samhuinn Stewards. At the after party and following a few choice libations, Nick Toth convinced me that organising Stewards would be a great way to take part in my first Beltane festival; I blame the beer but it was a great idea. I learned a lot about the Society through Group Organising at Beltane and Samhuinn 2014. Unable to GO this year and after a pub chat with David Simpson, I decided to run for the Board so that I could still contribute to BFS. So far being on the Board has been a great experience and I am excited about where BFS is going.

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Dani Jakwerth
Members Liaison
members[at]beltane[dot]org
dani[at]beltane[dot]org

Hi, I’m Dani. I’ve been involved in BFS events since stewarding at Samhuinn 2008 and took the career path of Beastie – White – Processional/Winter Drummer over the years, organising some of these in the process. On the Board I’ve mainly been in charge of supporting Group Organisers through info material and digital resources, which I hope to improve further as I go along. I’ve also started to collate the vast amount of information on Beltane by Beltaners that’s out there, hoping to get it all in one place eventually. I’m especially interested in hearing from you if you have been a Group Organiser or prospective GO and have input on how we can improve providing information about BFS and GOing. Drop me a line – I look forward to hearing from you!

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David Simpson
Festival Secretary
festival[at]beltane[dot]org
david[at]beltane[dot]org

I came here to brush my hair and support volunteers, and I’m all out of hair brushes. I’ve been a member of the Society since 2011 and have experienced involvement from several different perspectives, including regularly organising groups. As Festival Secretary, I aim to contribute to the progress and growth of the Society and work to facilitate its continuation as a place where people can broaden their artistic horizons in a diverse, welcoming and supportive community.

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Doreen Hall
Quartermaster
healthandsafety[at]beltane[dot]org

I’ve been involved with BFS since 2000, ordering and managing body paint, helping to process the health and safety paperwork, and generally looking after the stores. I’ve been on the Board since 2010 and as a Trustee this year I am happy to contribute to the continuation of BFS as I feel it is a very unique society. I would also like to start planning to celebrate our 30th anniversary, which is in 2017.

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Irene Carita Morelli
Media Secretary
irene[at]beltane[dot]org

My name is Irene and I am the new Media Secretary. I’ll be dealing with Press and Media issues, liaising with the relevant individuals. I got to know the Beltane Fire Society in 2013, when I first moved to Edinburgh, and I really enjoyed its events. This year I wanted to get involved with the workings and the organisation of the festivals, learning new things, collaborating with interesting people and sharing my interpersonal and communication skills. I am going to help out the other Trustees, especially the Festival Secretary and I am going to be involved in fundraising, on top of the Press and Media responsibilities.

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Lila Anne
Chair
chair[at]beltane[dot]org
lila[at]beltane[dot]org

I first joined BFS in 2012 and was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2014. In this role, I represent the public face and main point of contact for the charity; coordinating the work of our volunteers to ensure a productive dialogue throughout all areas of the community. I work closely with Event Coordinator to make sure our annual festivals run smoothly, as well as chairing the Board of Trustees to oversee matters affecting the charity throughout the year. My overall responsibility is to make sure our charitable objectives are being met, and to continue channeling creative energy into this thing that inspires so many.

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Neil James Rhind
Volunteers Coordinator
neil[at]beltane[dot]org
volunteers[at]beltane[dot]org

Originally fulfilling the role of “Dani Jakwerth’s Non Beltane Friend”, I disqualified myself for the post when she foolishly let me know how much fun Beltane was. Despite watching it for ten years before this revelation, it took a first hand account to give me the courage to take part. In the five years since, I have danced, and drummed, and pyramided and puppeted in a number of interesting shades of bodypaint, and now tend enquiries from others who make the same leap into volunteering. Exactly how much fun I’ve found it is revealed, at wearying length, here. Anything else can be revealed for only an email.

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Tom Watton
Finance Officer
finance[at]beltane[dot]org

I’m an experienced events manager and charity trustee. I lecture part time at Glasgow Kelvin College and also work as a free-lance events manager, currently for Vision Mechanics, the company behind Big Man Walking and Dragon Quest.

Since 2010 I have served as a Trustee on the Scarborough Theatre Trust (the Stephen Joseph Theatre) in my home town of Scarborough. I’m an avid supporter of the arts and an outspoken supporter of deregulation surrounding our culture and a reduction of police powers over the rights to congregate, celebrate and demonstrate.

In my spare time (not that I tend to get much!) I play music, tell stories and make appearances around Edinburgh and further afield as ‘Sir Tom Watton’. I joined BFS after Samhuinn waltzed passed my flat window in 2010 and since then have very much enjoyed encouraging more fire!