Promoting the Fraternity across the World
It was one of those light bulb moments that Woolton Group Vice Chairman Mike Cunliffe had a thought. All around the country Freemasons have been celebrating the tercentenary with a multitude of events from church services, black tie dinners and social occasions and Mike thought it would be a good idea if we shared our pleasure with members of the local community.
Year 6 pupils from Cippenham School, in Slough, recently enjoyed an end of term day out at Whipsnade Zoo thanks to Buckinghamshire Freemasons.
Members of the Old Paludians Lodge, a former Grammar School Lodge which meets at the Slough Masonic Centre, wanted to send the children on a great day out but at £3,000 it was a big ask to fund the whole trip.
The Almoners Page and 3 others shared Blackmore Vale Lodge, Sturminster Newton hosted the Dorset Masonic Knowledge Quiz Final and retained the Barnes Trophy for the fourth year running.
It was also an opportunity for Masonic generosity, pictured above are some of the Yeovil Heartbeat Staff who are responsible for Cardiac Rehabilitation at Yeovil Hospital receiving a cheque for £266 from the evenings main draw.Dorset Freemasonry’s photo.
The fourth annual charity bike ride has been accomplished in fine style by members of a group of intrepid cyclists affectionately known to all in Liverpool, and beyond, as the Crafty Companions Cycling Circle.
Peace, love and harmony? Those three essential Masonic commodities were apparently not very evident 300 years ago, as was delightfully demonstrated when the St Helens and Prescot peripatetic pageant players brought their excellent production of ‘A Timeline Drama and Pageant’ to Rowley Court, Lancaster at a meeting of the City of Lancaster Lodge No 281.
St Martin’s Lodge, 2812, from Bletchley, recently held their annual fun day for the Milton Keynes Young Carers, giving them a much needed day off from their busy life and duties. Held at the Herons Lodge Centre in Great Holm over 150 people attended and had an afternoon of live music, barbecue, drinks, animal petting zoo, bingo and bouncy castles.
On a warm spring evening the fabulous Gateway Banqueting Suite at Lancaster’s University of Cumbria again provided the venue for another well supported Group Ball, where brethren and their partners enjoyed an excellent meal before dancing to the wonderful Steve Silver until midnight.
Brethren from The St James Lodge No 6852, wives and friends plus Harvey the dog took to the high seas (well the Shropshire Union Canal!) on Sunday 2nd July courtesy of Bro Steven Harrison, WBro David Harrison and Anglo-Welsh Narrow Boats.
Freemasonry, under the UGLE, is one of world’s oldest secular fraternal societies, a society of men concerned with moral and spiritual values, whose members are taught its precepts by a series of ritual dramas following ancient forms in a progression of allegorical two-part plays. Freemasonry is not a secret society; its secrets are confined to its traditional modes of recognition. Like many other societies it regards some of its internal affairs as private matters for its members, according to a media announcement by Sri Lanka’s Freemasons.
At the ladies evening of Lodge of Harmony No 220 of the Garston Group, the magnificent sum of £4,000 was raised in aid of charity. One of the beneficiaries of this sum went to supporting the work of the Walton Centre Liverpool, the only NHS trust within the country dedicated to neurological science. The hospital provides specialist neurology and neurosurgical care, for not just the North-West but also the Isle of Man, Wales and indeed referrals from across the whole of the UK, treating over 100,000 patients a year.