The Chorley and District Group held a Masters and First Principals’ Festival at the Westhoughton Masonic Hall. A very well attended meeting was honoured by the presence of the Provincial Grand Master Tony Harrison who was accompanied by Ray Martland Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Paul Renton Assistant to the Provincial Grand Principals, Peter Taylor Provincial Grand Secretary, Provincial Senior Grand Warden Mike Threfall and Provincial Junior Grand Warden Peter Schofield.
The reception.
The evening started with a reception and very informal talks which provided everyone with the opportunity to meet and discuss questions and issues with the rulers of the Craft and Royal Arch.
The second part of the evening was a rather more formal question and answer session. It was very friendly, lively and open, with topics such as how to recruit and attract new and younger men; some of the solutions included involving more wives and families, flexibility in start and finish times of meetings and perhaps more happening at weekends. The thing that became apparent is that there is no ‘one solution fits all’. Every lodge and chapter is different and free to develop their own solutions.
Initiatives such as the ‘Light Blue Clubs’ are doing well to encourage younger men and enable them to access the great knowledge which the more experienced brothers and companions have.
Pictured left: Tony Harrison with Keith Kemp in the background. Pictured right: Peter Horgan.
The membership focus group survey in Freemasonry Today seems to suggest the raising of charitable donations is an essential PR tool, but is there too much focus in this area?
Are we using enough social media? Examples were given of how social media creates interest and ultimately increases recruitment.
Why do people resign? Have they fallen out with Masonry or fallen out with another Mason? Can their substantial experience be used to help elsewhere in the Province?
These and many more topics were discussed before the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Keith Kemp called proceedings to an end; dinner was ready.
The staff at the Westhoughton Masonic Hall provided an excellent dinner of minestrone soup, beef with all the trimmings, a very light sticky toffee pudding and cream, cheese and biscuits, coffee and mints. Superb!!
After dinner Peter Horgan, first principal of Chorley Chapter No 6287 proposed a witty toast to the health of Tony, with some very new revelations from Tony’s past.
In Tony’s response he said that the evening had been a great success and that it had explored some very interesting areas with much food for thought.
Peter Schofield (left) and Peter Lockett.
He congratulated those who would be receiving honours in the Craft and Royal Arch. He said the Chorley Group was very lucky to have three Masonic centres so close to each other and that great care should be taken of them.
Throughout the Province the initiatives of Talking Heads and the enhanced exaltations were working very well. Tony thanked everyone for their support of the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity and asked people not to forget them when we go into the festival in 2017.
Tony wound up his response by thanking everyone for a wonderful evening and encouraged brethren and companions to enjoy all their Masonic orders and thanked Peter Horgan for the toast to his health and everyone for their support.
Peter Schofield proposed the toast to the Chorley Group. He mentioned by name all the group officers, congratulating them and all those who were to receive honours.
Peter Lockett Chairman of Chorley and District Group thanked Peter Schofield for his toast. He said he was very happy the evening had turned out so well and was very impressed with the level of questions and discussion. Peter then presented Tony with a cheque for £500 in favour of the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity.
Pictured top: The panel and below their audience.