Surrey Lodge in Croydon Twinning Ceremony with Italians

Lodges coming together from different jurisdictions to promote fraternal friendship is a permanent tribute to the general masonic theme of ‘masonry universal’.
     At the Masonic Hall, Croydon, Old England Lodge No. 1790 was recently twinned with Bellator Lodge No.42 of Frosinone, Italy, in the presence of Dr Fabio Venzi, Grand Master of the Regular Grand Lodge of Italy and Eric Stuart-Bamford, Provincial Grand Master of Surrey.
     A highlight of an earlier visit to Rome was that the Surrey contingent were received by the Mayor of Anzio at a civic reception, and so during the trip to England, the Italian visitors were invited to a reception at the Old Town Hall in Croydon, where they were received by the Mayor.
     There were 150 brethren present at the twinning ceremony at the Installation meeting of Old England and the proceedings included the signing of the Certificate of Twinning by the new Master of Old England, Alfonso Camisotti – of Italian ancestry – and Gabrielle Maroitti, Master of Bellator and witnessed by Dr Venzi and Eric Stuart-Bamford.

Floating the Cause at Lord Mayor's Show

In November, Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter took part in the Lord Mayor’s Show for the first time. Selected London Freemasons rode along the route in an open-topped bus escorted by over 20 Metropolitan Grand Stewards in regalia – and armed with appropriate umbrellas as defence against the occasionally torrential rain!
     Seats on the bus were awarded through a prize draw which raised over £14,000 for the London Masonic Charitable Trust, the fund for explicitly non-masonic causes.
     Another important participant was the outgoing Lord Mayor, Ian Luder who followed the tradition of all Lord Mayors who are Freemasons when he served as Master of the City’s Guildhall Lodge.

Freemasons' Hall Sets Out Its Stall

Back in September, Camden Council had a Car-Free Day, and Freemasons’ Hall on Great Queen Street was part of the car-free zone. The occasion included the launch of the new public square adjacent to Freemasons’ Hall, and there were many stalls with information and free gifts designed to encourage people to walk and cycle more.
     There were free cycle and walking guides, free pedometers and bicycle clips, as well as entertaining stalls offering massages and free body mass index checks.
     Grand Lodge staff created a stall designed to interest the public in Freemasonry. The stall was decorated with depictions of non-stereotypical Freemasons from various locations and eras, of masonic charitable works, and on everything from Freemasons’ Hall and its history to the principles of Freemasonry and how to join.

Asia Pacific Disaster Emergency Relief is Provided by the Grand Charity

An estimated three million people have been affected by the natural disasters across the Asia Pacific Region, and Freemasons' Grand Charity President Grahame Elliott has approved an emergency grant of £50,000 to the Red Cross to support their relief work there.
     Typhoon Ketsana hit the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, with the Philippines and Laos being particularly badly affected. Around 80% of Manila, capital of the Philippines and home to 15 million people, was flooded. At least 277 people were killed, but many more are missing, feared dead.
     On 29 September, an earthquake measuring 8.3 on the Richter Scale hit the Samoan and Niuas Islands and caused a tsunami which killed at least 1,000 people and affected up to 15,000.
     Shortly after, another earthquake measuring 7.6 hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra, followed by yet another. At least 500 people were killed, but it is feared that the death toll will rise substantially, with thousands still buried in the rubble.
     The Grand Charity’s grant will help to fund the distribution of emergency relief items, provide clean water, sanitation, healthcare and shelter as well as help rebuild people’s livelihoods.

Diverse Groups are Rewarded

Grants totalling nearly £12,000 have been presented to 14 charities by Michael Roalfe, Provincial Grand Master for Leicestershire and Rutland and Lady Gretton, Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire.
     The ceremony, at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester, was for a diverse range of local support services to both children and adults to enable them to continue or extend their current activities.

Gloucester Lodge Sponsors Cathedral Medallion for RMTGB Chorister

A medallion has been commissioned and funded by the brethren of Via Lucis Lodge No. 9443, to be worn by a Chorister at Gloucester Cathedral who is in receipt of a choral bursary from the Royal Masonic Trust for GIrls and Boys, currently Adam Heron.
     In the late 1960s, Gloucester Cathedral sought sponsorship of the choristers to enable their education at the King’s School, and those who supported this request also had a medallion made appropriate to the sponsor.
     These were stunning silver, gilt and enamel pieces. Richard Cann, a Via Lucis Lodge founder and now a guide at the Cathedral, became involved with the medallion as a former chorister himself and as the father of a former chorister, who was in receipt of one of the original scholarships.
     Via Lucis Lodge meets at Gloucester, and draws its membership from former pupils, staff and persons who can show an association with the school and Cathedral.
     The medallion was designed by Toye, Kenning and Spencer.

Provinces Support Air Ambulance

The Freemasons Grand Charity is continuing its work in assisting the vital air ambulance service in England and Wales.
     Donations were handed over at Swansea Airport by Provincial Grand Masters Sir Norman Lloyd Edwards (South Wales), the Reverend Malcolm Lane (Monmouth) and Colin Mock (West Wales). A further £4,000 will go to the North Wales Air Ambulance.
     At Strencham Midlands Air Ambulance base in Worcestershire, the Provincial Grand Masters of the three local Provinces heard the BBC’s Nick Owen applaud their donation at an Open Day. At Coventry Airport, the Provincial Grand Masters of Warwickshire and Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire jointly presented their funding.
     The Grand Charity has provided more than £500,000 for air ambulances throughout England and Wale over the last three years.

A Clean Sweep from Yorkshire for Troops in Afghanistan

Two members of the Pudsey family of lodges have been helping troops in Afghanistan to stay fresh and clean! David Hilton of Thoresby Lodge No. 4920 and Peter Throp of Perseverance Lodge No. 3197, have been distributing pallets of wet wipes to different regiments due to deploy to Afghanistan.
     Stuart Golding, of baby wipes manufacturer Nice-Pak International, of Flint, North Wales, heard of Peter’s activities, and contacted him because new EU rulings meant that certain unused stock could not be sold. Although perfectly safe for adults, it would have gone to a land-fill site.
     Peter was offered what he thought was 67 packets of wipes, but turned out to be 120,000 packets! For storage, he was assisted by David Hilton, who works for an Army charity and is based at barracks where there are unused garages.
     Some pallets were stored by Phil Bridge of Mirfield Lodge No. 1102 in his transport depot at UK Express Couriers at Farsley. Word soon got around through David Hilton's Army contacts and within a week they had all been spoken for. He is now looking for a friendly manufacturer of toothpaste and deodorants!
     The Household Cavalry was also supported, using donations from the West Riding Provincial Grand Charity, Goderich Lodge No. 1211, personal donations from Yorkshire masons and a donation from Portsea Lodge No. 7794 in Hampshire.
     A team of volunteer packers from various Leeds and Pudsey Lodges filled 400 boxes donated by Jonathan Jackson of Philanthropic Lodge No. 304, with some of the remaining wipes, other toiletries, sweets, snacks and hot drink sachets.
     Items such as toothpaste, tooth brushes or roll-on deodorants (no aerosols allowed) can be donated at Telephone 0113 2576037 or pandcthrop@hotmail.co.uk.

Surrey Aids 'Help for Heroes'

The first donation under the Surrey for Surrey scheme operated by the Provincial Charity Committee was £23,055 presented to Help For Heroes by Provincial Grand Master Eric Stuart- Bamford.
     At the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court, Commanding Officer Colonel Jerry Tuck thanked Surrey Freemasons for the donation. He explained the work carried out at the Centre to rehabilitate those soldiers injured mainly in Iraq and Afghanistan.
     Ten lodges and three Chapters subscribed towards the final amount, and the total was enhanced by donations from Surrey Masonic Sports Association and the Provincial Charity Committee.