Promoting the Fraternity across the World
Teddies for Loving Care is a favourite charity of Freemasons around the country and indeed beyond, with well over a million teddies distributed to children in Accident and Emergency situations in England, Ireland, and even abroad.
The long-awaited Auction of Promises was held at Oswestry’s Wynnstay Hotel on 1st July in the presence of Provincial Grand Master Peter Taylor and his lady Pat. There were nearly 70 lots provided, from a beautiful ring through paintings, bottles and promises of flights, holidays, tuition in an array of skills, and much more besides. Auctioneer Michael Tomley was called on for all of his professional wiles as he attempted to part over 100 people from their cash.
Seven Brethren from Shropshire enjoyed a superb weekend in Warwick at the end of June as Round Table lodge members from around the country gathered for a celebration. The fun began even before they left Salop, as certain well- known Brethren vied for the ‘bad boys’ seat on the bus.
The Grand Charity has awarded a £100,000 grant to the Cancer Genetics team at the University of East Anglia to help fund research that will focus on distinguishing between aggressive and non-aggressive forms of the disease. Lead researcher Professor Colin Cooper explained that a critical problem in clinical management is an inability to distinguish this at the time of diagnosis.
The Provincial Grand Master (in company with a great many Shropshire Masons) has been delighted to congratulate W Bro David Tudor on his recent award of an MBE for services to Charity. He received the award on 11th June from Her Majesty the Queen (our Grand Patron).
When Shropshire mason Andy Gough married Maria at St Peter’s Church, Rushbury, near Church Stretton, wedding presents were notably absent – instead they had asked guests to make a charitable donation, raising £1,000.
500 supporters of the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity dined and partied the night away at Edgbaston on Friday 8th July to celebrate 25 years of Helimed service to the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire. The AIR25 Ball and Awards Ceremony celebrated the special achievements of individuals and organisations who had made continuous and significant contributions to the Charity over the quarter century of its existence.
£10,000 for Midlands Air AmbulanceThe Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is dear to the hearts of many Freemasons in the Province, providing a service which is especially important in a thinly populated rural area such as ours. The PGM, RW Bro Rev’d David Bowen, and his Deputy, VW Bro Michael Roff, presented a further £10,000 to the MAAC at Strensham Airbase on 30 April 2016. £6,000 of this was raised by Herefordshire Freemasons and provided through the Herefordshire Masonic Charity Association. The other £4,000 came from the Grand Charity as part of its programme of support for local causes throughout England and Wales, and which is distributed through the Provinces.
A wonderful meeting of the Charity Lodges was held this year at Crewe Street under the banner of the Salopian Lodge of Charity 117. Brethren from as far away as Ireland attended and were treated to a fascinating ceremony
Another great fund raising poppadum fest organised by the irrepressible Clive Jones and Oruna Cuisine.