Brethren, I am pleased to say that our Membership numbers have not fallen too low, sadly deaths and resignations are inevitable, but the good news is we have Candidates waiting to join our Order both in the Mark Degree and the RAM.
Unfortunately, Hindhead Lodge of Mark Master Masons have had difficulty in attracting Candidates and so it is our intention to turn this Lodge into a “Fine Dining Lodge” and we now have 20 Members wishing to join. The good news is that the Lodge will celebrate its 75th Year in September. On the evening I shall be attending Officially and assist in the handing over of the Warrant to Richard Cox who will be the 1st Master at the reinvention of the Lodge.
Hopefully, we shall be back to attending actual meetings and our Official visits are quite extensive with Anniversaries, Banner Dedications and Lodge of Instruction Festivals. It will be good to start visiting again and hopefully dine afterwards.
Brethren, change is necessary and today we say goodbye to W.Bro’s Nigel Bell, Kevan Brooks and Colin Upton. Nigel has been involved actively with the secretariat Office for 13 years as Assistant, Deputy and Provincial Secretary and I wish to place on record our grateful thanks to Nigel for his unstinting and loyal devotion to this Province. Likewise to Kevan Brooks who has been Assistant Secretary for 6 years and has been invaluable to me not just in the Mark but in the Royal & Select Masters, and to Colin Upton, also 6 years, and has re-established the duties of Registrar, which had been missing for so long. Brethren, their services have been invaluable to myself and this Province and we thank them so much.
This year Grand Rank Appointments and Promotions are as follows:
Active:
Adrian Cleightonhills Deputy Grand DC
Malcolm Lloyd Grand Senior Deacon
Steve Groeger Grand Junior Deacon
Ian MacGrain Grand Steward
First Appointments:
W.Bro John Peterkin. PAGDC
W.Bro Robert Walsh PAGDC
W.Bro Paul Hillyard PAGDC
W.Bro Guy Sudron PGStdB
Special Field Promotion:
W.Bro Patrick Burridge PGStdB by the Pro Grand Master
V.W.Bro David Smith PGMO 50 years in Mark Masonry
W.Bro Arthur Hawthorne PGStdB 60 years in Mark Masonry
Promotions:
VW.Bro David Russell PGJO
W.Bro Robert Brown. PGSD
W Bro Michael Geddes. PGJD
W.Bro Ian Small PGJD
W.Bro Alan Krzysica PGJD
W.Bro Paul Adams PGJD
Congratulations to you all and hopefully you will be invested at the September meeting at Great Queen Street.
Brethren I am sure you are all aware that Mark Grand Lodge has reduced the Grand Lodge dues by £10 per Member for one year and, of course, the Province has reduced the Dues and Fees by 50% for a second year. I hope you consider this as a thank you for your support and assistance during the Pandemic.
The 2026 MBF Festival 2026 is now getting closer and we now have five years to raise as much money as we can and, with your support, I know we will show how generous this Province is towards a worthy cause. Our Provincial Grand Charity Steward, W.Bro Nigel Wilkinson has already sent out details of ways to donate by regular giving or signing up for Stewardship for £100. Nigel is always happy to ‘pop’ along and give an interesting Talk on Charity and we have W.Bro Adrian Bolton, the Assistant Charity Steward who will be responsible for the South Island.
Next year it is hoped we can resume the Golf day at Paultons Park and I welcome any suggestions for fund raising. W.Bro Richard Cox has offered his Garden once again for a garden Party.
As you know the Provincial Wardens have been very busy and entertaining this year and thanks to you, they have raised magnificent sums of money for Charity, some £7,000, and details of their fund raising will published shortly.
W.Bro Simon Lancaster has been very helpful in raising £10,400 for the Provincial Team to carry out a Mark and RAM Ceremony this coming year. The winners are Winchester Mark and Oakley RAM – once again Brethren thank you.
Regalia Shop: Brethren, I now have a volunteer to run a Mark & RAM regalia shop in this Province and I thank Ian Glister for his generous offer to assist. Please get in touch with Ian Glister, details to follow.
Our Festival Committee are now meeting on a regular basis to plan ahead for Fund raising and selecting a venue for the Festival in 2026.
In 2023, this Province will be Hosting the Grand Masters Lodge of Instruction and it is hoped the venue will be “Sherwoods” of Eastleigh, again news to follow.
Brethren, it has been a strange year, we have lost many Brethren and Friends during the Pandemic, but hopefully we are on the way onwards and upwards. Malcolm Lloyd has been a great inspiration to us with his “Letters from Andover” and his care and concern for those who need someone to say, “We are here if you need us”, Thank you Malcolm.
Finally Brethren, I have been very fortunate to have such a great Team during my time as Provincial Grand Master and I thank you all for your friendship and support in making this Province the success it is.
God Bless you All.