Provincial News
- Written by: Michael Genner
The presentation to Daventry's Guide Dogs for the Blind by Buckby Castle lodge took place in the “Early Doors” Micro Pub in Sheaf Street, Daventry.
It costs up to £50,000 to train a guide dog, the WM W Bro Mike Raine wanted to donate to a local charity and selected the Guide Dogs for the Blind. This particular charity seeks to raise £5000 annually so this donation was gratefully received.
The donation was the result of a very successful year of fund raising, including a Ladies Festival and auction of promises.
WBro Mike A Raine, IPM of the Buckby Castle Lodge said that it gave him great pleasure, on behalf of the Freemasons of Buckby Castle Lodge, which is associated with the village of Long Buckby and Daventry, to present a cheque of £1000 to the Daventry Association of the Guide Dogs for the Blind.
This is just the sort of organization that we, as Freemasons, are committed to helping, important community services that provide real assistance to people with visual impairments.
The picture shows WBro Mike Raine, (left) and WBro Malcolm Payne presenting the cheque to Ms Rachel Nafzger with her dog Nikita
- Written by: Michael Genner
Waynflete Lodge members provided mulled wine at the Brackley's Carols on the Piazza. The event took place on Sunday 20th and providing the mulled wine helped to raise £340 for the Mayor's Charity.
The Town Hall provided the backdrop to the event and is the location for Waynflete's meetings. A £2.5m refurbishment of the Town Hall is to start next year at which time the Lodge will meet and eat in the Crown Hotel located just across the Piazza. Waynflete Lodge has met in the Town Hall since 1923. At the completion of the refurbishment Waynflete will have a purpose built storage area for the Temple furniture, a lift is to be installed between the three floors of the building and the Temple space will have been rejuvenated.
- Written by: John Fergusson
On Friday 18 December, a new format, ‘White Table’ evening was very well supported by Kingsley Chapter members and visitors alike, including eleven Master Masons, all eager to find out more about the Supreme Order of the Holy Royal Arch, more affectionately known to most of us as Chapter.
Eleven visiting Master Masons were admitted following the closing of the Chapter, the regular business being ended. The presentation comprised of two excellent orations, the first presented by Past Deputy Grand Superintendent E Comp David Jackson who gave the most enlightening overview of the origins of the order and its intrinsic link to the Craft Degree, together with an explanation of the furniture and ornaments of a Royal Arch Temple. This was immediately followed by an address by the Most Excellent Grand Superintendent, E Comp Wayne Williams, which continued in this vein, and much to the interest of all then gave a personal account of his experiences of his journey through the offices of the order with his unique brand of illumination and humour.
All in all, this was a truly wonderful evening supported by several Grand and Provincial Grand officers which also included the Deputy Grand Superintendent, E Comp Mike Coleman and the Second Grand Principal E Comp George Clayton As a result of this meeting, Bro John Darby will be Exalted into Kingsley Chapter on 19th February 2016 which will hopefully be followed by several other brethren who also showed interest on the evening. Well done and congratulations to the Companions of Kingsley Chapter on hosting this most innovative and productive evening.
Following an excellent seasonal Festive Board, proceedings concluded with the singing of Carols and the Twelve Days of Christmas – acapella…unbelievable!!!
- Written by: John Fergusson
On Friday 11 December, Cytringan Chapter, following a successful grant application to Provincial Grand Charity, donated £500 each to Lakelands Hospice, Corby and Cransley Hospice, Kettering. At the same time the Grand Charity Grants Scheme awarded a further £1000 to Lakelands Hospice.
The cheques were presented by our Grand Superintendent E Comp Wayne Williams, accompanied by E Comp Roger Hutchinson, MEZ and E Comp Andy Adamson, IPZ of Cytringan Chapter. Paul Marlow, fundraising manager at Lakeland Day Care Hospice and the Rev.Dr. John Smith a senior member at Cransley Hospice accepted the cheques, and afterwards gave our masonic members a brief history of their hospice, the particular service, and care offered to the local community. E.Comp Wayne Williams expressed his admiration to all those doctors, nurses, carers and volunteers who dedicated their skills to the hospices.
Lakelands Hospice has sent a lovely letter of thanks which can be read here
The picture on the left shows our Grand Superintendent, E Comp Wayne Williams presenting the cheque to Cransley Hospice supported by E Comp Roger Hutchinson (back left) and E Comp Andy Adamson (back right)