The Mixed Blessings Theatre Group came about when myself and Maureen Hicks, a friend and old work colleague got together to write a play about the life and times of Dido Elizabeth Belle, a young mixed race woman who just might have influenced one of the greatest historical decisions, one that bought about the start of the Abolition of Slavery.

The idea came about when I received a magazine from English Heritage with an article on Kenwood House along with photos of Dido and her history, which included the fact that she helped her Uncle the First Earl of Mansfield with his paperwork and was well educated, despite being illegitimate, the daughter of a slave, as well as being mixed race.

The first Earl of Mansfield Dido's Great Uncle helped bring about the beginning of the end of slavery by presiding over the Somerset Case in the late 1700s where he declared that slavery in England was illegal.

From May 2007 until October 2007 Maureen and I met each week at Tin Drum in St James Street, Brighton and discussed how we would go about writing and eventually producing the play.

The title of the play was "Let Justice Be Done" based on the words of the Earl of Mansfield who is allegedly supposed to have said "Let justice be done though the heavens may fall" when he made his ruling on the Somerset Case.

The play revolves around a fictional account (but based on well researched historical facts) of Dido Elizabeth Belle and the influence she might have had on the Abolition of Slavery in England in 1807. A chance meeting with the ardent abolitionist Olaudah Equiano awakens in Dido a sense of her own self and guided by the ghost of her mother Belle she makes a journey of self discovery which includes an incident with a racist American Plantation owner, and the knowledge that without her powerful Uncle's influence and her aristocratic blood ties she would be nothing more than a common slave.

Maureen Hicks was the principal writer, but the play is very much a joint effort, and with the finalisation of the play itself we decided that we wanted to get a Community input on our work so in October 2007 we had what we called a "Read and Feast" event at Momma Cherrie's Soul Food Shack in little East Street Brighton.

We were funded by Sussex Black Police Association SBPA for the feast and by Redemption Song Program for other expenses such as paying for Sussex Police Cadets to do the "read" part of the event which was a turning point for Maureen and I as we realised that after the "read" we wanted to do a youth production of the play.

Article 1. The Mixed Blessings Theatre Group
1.01.The name of the group/organisation shall be “The Mixed Blessings Theatre Group”

Article 2. Objectives and Purposes

2.01. The aims of this Organisation is to bring together Brighton and Hove Youths, aged 11 – 30 to work together in a climate of exploration/experimentation through the dramatisation of plays that deal with social taboo subjects. This will include workshops, outings, play rehearsals, the list is not exhaustive.
2.02. This organisation also welcomes volunteers of all ages, from all backgrounds to help with “backstage” and “front of house” work which will include fund raising, web design, publicity, etc, this list is not exhaustive.
2.03. This organisation will not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, disability, sexuality, age, or on the basis of political, religious or other opinions

Article 3. Powers

3.01 The group shall be able to raise funds in a legal manner, ask for donations be they in money or kind.

Article 4. Membership of the Group known as The Mixed Blessings Theatre Group.

4.01. Membership to the drama group itself is open to youths aged 13 to 25
4.02 .Membership is also open to all volunteers who do not meet the above age criteria, volunteers for “backstage,” and “front of house work” can also be in the youth age bracket but the age of being a co-opted Trustee from the group members is 18 years
4.03. The membership shall also be made up of five (5) Trustees who shall oversee the running of the Group and its membership

Article 5. Meetings & AGM

5.01. Meetings will be set according to the needs of the group. E.g. if a play is being produced by the group, meetings will average from 1 to 3 meetings a week, if a play is a “work in progress” then the meetings will move to once a month. 5.02. Meetings of the Trustees shall be once every three (3) months
5.03. Group members can attend by invitation of a Trustee or co-opted Trustee
5.04. The AGM will be every two years and should endeavour to be in the month of March if possible

Article 6. Officers and Committee

6.01. The Committee will be made up five (5) Trustees/officers, roles as follows:
• Chair – who shall chair all meetings • General Secretary – who shall be responsible for the taking of minutes, and the distribution of all papers
• Managing Co-ordinator – who shall be responsible for the upkeep of the Group’s web page, fund raising, publicity • Treasurer – who shall be responsible for maintaining all the Groups accounts 6.02. Any members/volunteers who wish to be co-opted as a temporary Trustee, they will still be a member/volunteer but can have a dual role.
6.03. Temporary Trustees MUST be 18 years or older
6.04. Members can be co-opted onto the committee for a set number of months by a core vote from the named five (5) Trustees/officers, however they cannot put in for a full Trustee/Officers role unless at an AGM

Article 7. Rules of Procedure

7.01. All Trustees have one vote in quarterly meetings
7.02. All co-opted Trustees have one vote in quarterly meetings
7.03. All members of the drama group who attend the AGM have one vote
7.04. Should the Chair of the Group be unable to attend a quarterly meeting then the Chairing of the meeting shall be passed to another named Trustee

Article 8. Finances

8.01. – Finances shall be overseen by a named Trustee who will act as Treasurer, he/she will ensure that all finances can be audited when needed
8.02. The Trustee/Treasurer name will be added to The Mixed Blessings Theatre Group’s Bank account so that he/she is able to maintain checks and balances of all finances
8.03. The Trustee/Treasurer shall complete a financial report for the quarterly Trustee Meetings, this can be submitted by proxy should the Trustee/Treasurer be unable to attend

Article 9. Dissolution

9.01. The dissolution of the group can be bought about by a core vote by BOTH Trustee and Group members at any AGM 9.02. An emergency meeting to bring about the dissolution of the group can be called outside of the AGM date, but ONLY for the voting on the dissolution of the group itself
9.03. An emergency meeting can also be called outside the Trustee quarterly meetings should the need arise

Article 10. Amendments to the Constitution