Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire
Bolton District News

Centenary Celebration – Supera Moras Lodge No. 3326 on the 30 Sep 2008

The Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Jack Price, accompanied by a Deputation from Provincial Grand Lodge, was in attendance to celebrate 100 years of continued existence of Supera Moras Lodge, No. 3326.

In 1908, as now, Freemasonry was an integral part of the community in Bolton . Bolton was a prosperous, bustling town, bursting with civic pride and there was a close relationship between the administrative centres and the Bolton Lodges. Within 5 years of its Consecration, Supera Moras's membership included the Heads of the Bolton Corporation Departments (the Lodge Crest is the same as the Bolton Town Crest and Coat of Arms), the Heads and Chief Clerks to several Urban District Councils and the Vicar of Bolton (Rev. Canon Chapman, MA., BD., who later became Bishop of Colchester and Past Grand Chaplain of England). Other early members included the Headmaster of Bolton School, several other Heads and Teachers and the Medical Officer of Health for the Town.

These were the days when a pair of steel spectacles cost 3 shillings, fine wool gentleman's suits were available in Market Street for 31 shillings and sixpence and Windermere Eels were 8p per lb. The Edwardian years had just begun and many changes were in progress – it was only 3 days before the consecration that Henry Ford produced his first Model T Automobile!

100 years later, WBro. Ian Ronson, the current Lodge Secretary, gave to the assembled brethren an excellent summary of the Lodge History. Previous to this, WBro Rev Jack Thompson delivered an inspiring Oration which, focussing on the Consecration Anthem, highlighted our belief in God, His presence and recognized our dependence on God. He acknowledged the tremendous service to freemasonry and the community which the founders of this Lodge began and remembered with gratitude the devoted service given by those who followed and asked all to courageously embrace the challenges of the present.

  There was a surprise for WBro John F Hood, the Charity Steward, ADC and Tyler of the Lodge, when he was brought before the Provincial Grand Master and appointed to the rank of Past Provincial Senior Grand Deacon of the Province of East Lancashire, for his contribution in Supera Moras and other Lodges. He proudly paraded round the Lodge to the acclaim of the brethren.

During the ceremony and at the festive board, RWBro Price reminisced on the wonderful times he had shared with the brethren of Bolton and spoke warmly of the historic background and pedigree of Supera Moras Lodge and of the contribution its brethren had made to the great town of Bolton and our country.

The PGM, concluding his response at the Festive Board, gave us a glimpse of the tenderness driving his leadership, when he spoke of the laughter and comradeship that we enjoy as freemasons and the singular outlook that we share and cherish with each other. “We are all part of the masonic ‘family' where everyone has a part to play in our successes, all are valued, no one is ever too old and together we will preserve this great order for our posterity”.

 
The Provincial Grand Master RtWBro Jack Price pictured with the Worshipful Master WBro A S Edge
 
The Provincial Grand Master RtWBro Jack Price pictured with the longest serving member of the Lodge WBro Leonard Hall

 


Giving Evening 2008 - Tuesday 29th April 2008

Mentors visit to Downing Street to meet the PM.

Geoff Capper is a Past Master of Darley Lodge No 6531 who meet at Farnworth. He is one of a number of masonic mentors for Bolton Lads and Girls Club and along with other such mentors from across the UK he recently visited No 10, Downing Street, where he met The Prime Minister.

 



 

 

Marie Curie Cancer Care Fields Of Hope

Marie Curie Cancer Care has established a Field of Hope at the Britannia Hotel on Beaumont Road, Bolton with the help of the East Lancashire Masonic Charity Community Fund.

Fields of Hope are created all over the country as a living memorial to lost loved ones. Daffodil bulbs are planted and members of the public sponsor the bulbs in memory of a loved one, which raises vital funds for Marie Curie nurses to provide high quality free nursing to terminally ill people, giving them the choice of spending their last days at home surrounded by family and friends. £20 pays for an hour’s nursing.

The Bolton Support group of Marie Curie Cancer Care, formed in 2006, wished to create a Bolton Field of Hope and approached the Britannia Hotel, Beaumont Road, who, last autumn, gave permission to plant bulbs on their banking.

Bolton Council Environmental Department, which looks after green spaces, agreed to plant bulbs by machine, but this involved a cost and the support group needed to raise over £1000 to plant a decent display. Through the work of the Bolton District Charity Steward, Terry Kakoullis, an award of £1000 was made by the East Lancahsire Masonic Charity Commuity Fund which enabled 10,000 daffodil bulbs to be planted. A further 5,000 bulbs were donated by a grower in Scotland which were planted by hand by the Bolton Support group on the sloping bank where the machine could not operate.

A Book of Hope was then opened and bulb sponsors invited to have a dedicated message entered. The support from the East Lancashire Masonic Charity was acknowledged in the opening pages of the book which was on display in the Britannia Hotel whilst the flowers were in Bloom this spring.

The Field of Hope provided a wonderful display of daffodils on the Bolton ring-road in March for all who passed by and established a lasting and growing memorial to comfort the bereaved. So far it has raised £4,000 for local Marie Curie nursing services with the opportunity for further income as more bulbs are sponsored. Each year the bulbs will multiply, creating and even better display, made even more special and poignant in the knowledge that the flowers represent loved ones.

A further donation of £500 was made by the members of Turton Chapter towards funding Marie Curie nurses which was presented to the support group at the recent Bolton and Farnworth Freemasons Giving Evening.  

New Red Cross Centre Opened In Bolton

A new Red Cross Centre has been opened in Bolton. The opening Ceremony was held on Friday 7th March and attended by the Mayor of Bolton and the Mayors of adjacent districts.

The centre was funded by part of the Red Cross £2.3 million  North West Emergency Response Appeal which has received support from The Grand Charity.

Freemasonry was represented by Philip Mountford, the Assistant Provincial Grand Master for Bolton and Bury, the Bolton District Chairman Ian Thornton, Peter Balckhurst, the Bolton District Secretary and Peter Manning the District Communications Officer.

The Assistant Provincial Grand Master Philip Mountford was delighted to welcome WBro Peter Evans, the Mayor of Rochdale on his journey across the border to celebrate this special occasion.

The new centre will act as an emergency control centre in the event of a major incident in the region and will also serve the local community on a daily basis, providing medical loan equipment, a skin camouflage unit, refugee services and first aid training amongst other services.

The occasion provided an opportunity to view the new fully equipped emergency ambulance which was on display at the centre. This was paid for by Freemasons through a £55,000 donation from The Grand Charity.

  

 

Bolton District launch its Teddies for Loving Care Appeal

The Bolton District has launched its Teddies for Loving Care appeal at the Royal Bolton Hospital 's Children's Accident and Emergency Unit. This unit has been specially developed to provide a friendly and child orientated environment for children visiting the unit. There are no adults other than hospital staff and the parents or guardians of those children attending the unit. This is in contrast to the often noisy and occasionally violent environment which now seems to be prevalent in many hospital accident and emergency units especially during the late evening and overnight.

For children visiting the unit it is often a traumatic experience, not only may they be suffering from a distressing condition or accident, but they are entering a unfamiliar and alien environment and being subject to examination by strangers albeit highly qualified staff.

In this environment all they want is to be comforted and to feel better. This appeal has a simple objective; for Freemasons to provide Teddy Bears for children visiting the A & E Department. These Teddies are for the nursing/medical staff to give, at their discretion, to children who may be distressed and where the giving of a teddy may help alleviate that distress. The staff may also give teddies to assist them in their work.

It has been found that where children who have been given a teddy on their first visit often bring it back to hospital on subsequent visits. They also sometimes ask for the teddy to be given the same treatment as themselves with bandages or plasters applied as appropriate.

The scheme is funded by Freemasons and their family and friends who buy a ‘Teddies' lapel badge for a minimum £2 donation which pays for two Teddies to be given to children. Peter Jones (Email: peter@pjfiresafety.com) and Jason Tyler (Email: toptory@yahoo.co.uk) are looking after this appeal on a day to day basis and may be contacted for further information or a supply of badges.

The photograph shows Philip Mountford, Assistant Provincial Grand Master for Bolton and Bury (back row second from left) Ian Thornton, Bolton District Chairman (back row third from right), members of Bolton District and staff form the Childrens Accident and Emergency unit at the Royal Bolton Hospital .

Bolton Children's Opportunity Group receive help with refurbishment

The Bolton Children's Opportunity Group (COG) has received a donation of £1,000 from the ELMC community fund to help pay for the refurbishment of their parents room. The Bolton Children's Opportunity Group is a local registered charity which was established to provide a stepping stone between home, playgroup and/or nursery, for under fives with disabilities or special educational needs. COG gives parents the chance to meet others with similar problems, so they can be of mutual help.

COG has a mini-bus providing a door to door service to families who would otherwise be unable to attend the group. COG has input from Speech and Physiotherapists, Health Visitors, Social Workers and Educational Psychologists. The group achieve their objectives through play sessions for children between 2½- 5 years with activities geared towards achievement of early learning goals. Children with special needs have individual programmes designed to encourage development of social cognitive, motor, language and self help skills.

Tweenies & Baby Sessions are for children aged between 6 weeks and 2½years. They provide babies with an introduction to early physical and sensory stimulation. Older children are introduced to a more structured routine in the play sessions.

The blue room is a small nursery unit for 4 children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. The children work to a structured programme of activities using pictorial timetables. The Multi-Sensory Environment provide children with profound or multiple disabilities who have limited movement to have some control over their environment. Rewards of positive interaction can be enjoyed by use of remote control switches to control aroma-therapy experiences, music and gentle vibration.

These are the main activities of this group but they do offer other services. It is very reassuring to see organisations such as this supporting those in our community whose children have special educational requirements and where local authorities struggle to provide all the services that these children require.

Grand Lodge donation to Bolton Hospice

On 11th January 2008 the Bolton District Chairman Ian Thornton accompanied by the Deputy Peter Faulkner attended the Bolton Hospice to present a donation from Grand Lodge. Afterwards they were given a conducted tour of the unit and its impressive facilities. Although the grant is not being allocated to any specific need at the Hospice one of the many services provided by the unit is complementary therapy. These holistic treatments include aromatherapy which involves massaging with natural essential oils. These can have help relieve stress promote relaxation and ease insomnia. In essence they help to enhance body mind and spirit.

Reflexology is based on the principle of balancing the body's energies through reflexes in the feet. Again this form of massage helps to reduce stress levels, induces relaxation and promotes a sense of well-being. Reiki involves the transfer of natural energy through one person to another. This involves the therapist placing hands gently over the body. It is harmless, does not require faith or belief and recipients can remain dressed.

Indian Head Massage is a massaging technique involving the head, neck, shoulders, face and scalp. It relieves stresses and strains and often gives a psychological uplift. The complementary therapies provided by the Hospice also provide the opportunity to express emotion and talk about difficulties the patients may be experiencing.

The picture shows Mrs Coleen Kyne, fund raising administrator for the Hospice receiving the cheque from Peter Faulkner and Ian Thornton. In the foreground are Helen Murphy and Lisa Lube two of the complementary therapists.

 

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Peter Manning Bolton District Communications Officer
Tel: 01204 849706
E.mail: co.bolton@elmasons.org.uk