MASONIC WEB SITES

United Grand Lodge and this Province recognise that the Internet can be an important medium in the process of informing both Freemasons and the public. The Province very much appreciates the work that the various Lodges / Districts have undertaken and the success that has been achieved. However, the growth of these sites has indicated that there is a need for consistency with regard to policy matters and that the material to be used must have Provincial and United Grand Lodge approval.
The Provincial Communication Committee has the responsibility for working with Districts and individual Lodges / Chapters, or any other masonic facility, on any website issue and has the authority to issue the necessary authorisation.

If you have a web site, or are considering one, the following guidelines must be adhered to:-

1. The Provisions of the Data Protection Act must apply (CLICK HERE FOR PROVINCIAL POLICY)

2. All material used within the website must be current.

3. All images used must be royalty free and, where appropriate, the Lodge / Chapter / Masonic facility must own the copyright of any images, or have the written consent from the copyright owner.

4. If photographs are used, signed authorisation from the person or persons must be obtained (CLICK HERE FOR PHOTO IP RIGHTS)

5. Before “going live”, each Lodge / Chapter / Masonic facility web site must have the approval of the Province which will, in turn, seek the approval of United Grand Lodge, information concerning Lodge / Chapter Meeting dates on your website, must be in the following, or a similar format: “We meet every second Thursday at 6.00 pm, from October to April [the address of the premises where the meeting is to be held can be shown].

6. If you do not have a website, but are thinking of having one, then the Communication Committee can help and guide you. Please contact thr webmaster, (webmaster@eastlancsmasons.org.uk). You may also seek assistance from the Association of Masonic Webmasters http://www.masonicwebmasters.org/

7. Your website can display a special event, but must be removed the day after the event. Other events, e.g. an 'EL 2015 Festival' event can also be placed on the Provincial Website. This can be found at www.pglel.co.uk; the website gives you ongoing news about the Festival.

8. All websites should have URL’s [links] to the Provincial Grand Lodge / Chapter, Grand Charity and United Grand Lodge, web sites.

9. Any URL’s [links] to any website should have the written consent of the website owner.

10. United Grand Lodge of England has published and approved information concerning websites and their content (IMPORTANT - READ THIS DOCUMENT UGLE WEBSITE GUIDELINES)

11. After approval of the website, you can use the Provincial Grand Lodge [Provincial Grand Chapter] and United Grand Lodge Coat of Arms.

12. Consider the following for your website:

[a] A welcome page detailing the name of the Lodge / Chapter, its badge, location and a contact for further information.
[b] A brief history of the Lodge.
[c] When we meet, the address of the Masonic Hall.
[d] A diary of future events – Masonic and social.

If you wish to establish or to continue your current web site, you are now required to comply with the above guidelines.

All Masonic Web Sites must now have the approval of both UGLE and the Province.

The Province will obtain UGLE approval on your behalf through the Communications Committee
If you require any further advice or information please contact the Chairman of the Communcations Committee, David Biggs, HERE

Email your website details and links to the Website Approval Officer, Paul Smillie HERE