Joint 50th at Keep Lodge

Members of Keep LODGE No 6538 with WBro D N Thornhill, JP, PSGD, APGM with W Bro J U Ashton PProvJGW  & Bro W Hague celebrating their 50 years in Freeemasonry on Friday the 27th of November at Clitheroe.	The Deputation of District Officers from the Accrington District with WBro J U Ashton & Bro W Hague.

The APGM presenting WBro J U Ashton PProvJGW & Bro W Hague with illuminated Scrolls.

Maintenance Work at the Hospice The Charity Stewards and Brethren of the District carried out maintenance work over four Saturdays at the Hospice. The work included de-rusting and painting all the metal railings, joinery work, providing and fixing a number of floral hanging baskets, painting fencing and weeding the garden area. The E.L.M.C. donated £ 500.00 to fund the project. The Hospice is really delighted with work carried out by the Brethren. The Gentleman in the floppy hat and beard is the Dora from Accrington & District E.Comp.Fred Holden.

New Membership Group

Brethren,

After some discussion we have decided to create a New Members Group within the Lodges covered by the Accrington District. The intention is that the group will consist of new members of lodges in the district including Master Masons who are not yet in senior office.

The aim of the NMG is to organise visiting to different lodges in different rooms; perhaps one visit per month, at the same time allowing members to become acquainted and establish links between lodges at the grass roots level. Co-ordinated visits will enable members to feel at ease when visiting another lodge as they will be accompanied by their peers. They would gain from seeing how things differ from one lodge to another and perhaps help them to understand the ways of their own lodge.

The intention is not to overlap with the work of Lodge Mentors! It is anticipated that after visiting elsewhere members will return to their own lodges with questions and ideas for discussion with more experienced brethren. Lodge Mentors can in fact help by accompanying newer brethren on their first visit until initial links have been established. A Lodge being visited by the group can assist by designating places for the group in the Lodge and at the festive board; so that the process of becoming acquainted within the group can take place. There will be no formal links and no subscription. Members of the group will decide on a meeting by meeting basis whether to attend and simply notify me, or whoever is coordinating at the time, so that the Lodge can be notified to make arrangements for dining.

To summarise, the new group will:

• help new brethren understand our order in an environment created to ease them into Freemasonry,
• to share a common experience with Brethren at similar levels,
• help to understand why we do the things we do both ritually and socially,
• form bonds of friendship across the district which could create lasting support and encourage visiting for years to come,
• to give lodge mentors, proposers and seconders the opportunity to dedicate personal time with their own Brethren without the pressure of the work they do in their own lodges.

The next step will be to determine visit dates and establish who is available to attend on a particular occasion.
Please could you or your lodge mentor contact me with the names and contact details of any Brethren who are interested in joining the group? Or if any of your members would like to know more they are very welcome to contact me by telephone, email or even post.

Kind regards,
Bro Brian Derbyshire,
Junior Warden, Bank Terrace Lodge No.462
Tel: 01254 661155
Mob: 07809 532553
Email: brianderbyshire10@btinternet.com

Accrington District Supports the Starlight Walk

On Saturday 29th June 12 Accrington Freemasons assisted as route stewards for the East Lancashire Hospice Starlight Sponsored Walk. Eight hundred and seventy five women took part in the event which covered an eight mile circuit of Blackburn starting and finishing at Ewood Park, the home of Blackburn Rovers FC, who had offered the venue free of charge.

After registration (photo on left), all the ladies were provided with Pink tee shirts a tiara and the Accrington District Charity Stewards provided shoulder bags (see photo below) which carried the Masonic logo and contained bottled water, fruit and biscuits along with a high visibility bracelet for safety along the route. The ladies commenced the walk at 10pm (see photo below on the left).

The first walkers to return to Ewood Park having completed the walk in around two hours forty five minutes with the last walkers taking about four hours . The photo above on the right shows the delight of the walkers at the end. The walk was not about coming first but to raise a substantial amount of money and have a good time in the process. So far one hundred thousand pounds has been pledged for the walk and all the staff at the hospice are delighted with this figure.

In true Masonic fashion prior to the evening getting under way, the brethren met up for a pre-stewarding curry just to make sure that they were sustained for the evening to come. All the Brethren who assisted had a great time and it is comforting to know that not only did they help raise money for a good cause but also helped to keep the Ladies safe on the route (see photo above - only eight miles to go!) whilst at the same time promoting Freemasonry’s work in the community in a positive light.

On July the 4th 2009 several brethren from the Accrington District will be working at the East Lancashire Hospice Blackburn in order to do maintenance work on the gardens and out buildings, as part of the Accrington District ongoing commitment to the hospice.

W Bro David J Allan - Secretary Accrington District charity Stewards
Email address - daveallan@fire0.freeserve.co.uk - Tel: (01254) 385584

Grand Charity and Local District Hospice Donation

Acrrington, Blackburn and Darwen District Officers visited the East Lancashire Hospice to present the annual donation from the Grand Charity. The total amount was supplemented with £350 towards the drinks trolley. This trolley is used to give the patients at the hospice a drink of their choice prior to their dinner. The Districts have been funding the trolley for the past 4 years and hopefully will continue as long as possible.

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For further Information please contact :-

The District Communications Officer - W Bro David J Allan
Email address - daveallan@fire0.freeserve.co.uk - Tel: (01254) 385584