Archived Stories - April - September 2009

13 – Lucky for some

The Rochdale Lodge No 6721 held its annual BarBQ on the 9th August. This was the thirteenth BarBQ and who would have thought back in 1997 we would be here again.

The weather was most kind and although the forecast had been for rain we had warm sunshine. The BarBQ itself was in the hands of the lodges new member Bro Mark Taala, His nephew who is a chef was co-opted as the ‘boss' and Mark was his No2. The old brick BarBQ was put to rest as the boys cooked on two gas BarBQ ranges.

The ¼ pounder Aberdeen Angus burgers and the special three varieties of sausages went down a treat complimented by a huge selection of salad. Mark also provided a large container of Sangria, the well known Spanish drink to quench the thirst. For ‘afters' the Banana Fritters and Ice Cream quickly disappeared.

The District Chairman, WBro Eric Kirkbride and Barbara along with other team members attended, with a surprise visit from our APGM WBro Harold Woodward and his wife Phyllis.

The raffle raised the sum of £188 for which the WM was most grateful. There was even a fly over by the Red Arrows Display Team, admittedly on the way to an engagement in Blackpool.

Midnight Walkers

The Midnight walk fund raiser for the Springfield Hospice took place on Saturday 18th July starting at the new Middleton Arena. Over 200 participated in this ladies-only sponsored walk which left the Arena on the stroke of midnight, the route passed thro’ Heywood and Castleton. Walkers had a choice of the full walk covering 13 miles or a shortened one of just 6 miles.

The Rochdale Charity Steward Wbro David Greenhalgh, who is also a trustee of the Springhill Hospice organised a small party of brethren to help with the stewarding of the event. Placed at various points on the route they ensured that all the walkers passed their point before carrying on to the next location. David had supplied, and was driving a mini bus and he patrolled the whole route. Thanks must also go to the 30 motorcyclists who also patrolled the route.

The brethren shownabove had a long night, the last walkers home arrived back at the arena at around 5am ,the weary brethren then made there way home in broad daylight for a good days sleep.

The Hospice is hoping to raise around £16,000 on the event.

Sensory Garden June 2009

The photographs below show how well the garden has matured. And we are assured that it continues to give great pleasure. As a bonus, now that the building extension to the left of the garden has been completed and landscaped and the rough area  at the top of the sensory garden has been planted out and has a grass pathway to walk on, this has transformed the area and is a stunning addition and completion of our labours.

Another Open Night in Rochdale

Three years ago the Masonic Buildings in Rochdale were opened to the public to give them an insight into freemasonry. The night was such a success that it was repeated on the 29th May 2009.

The District Charity Steward WBro David Greenhalgh organised the event with the help of The Rochdale District Team.  The evening was split into three parts, the first taking place in the main lodge room where an acting team of officers made up from representatives of all the lodges who meet in Rochdale entered in procession and were placed in their respective places as in a normal lodge meeting.

Acting Officers Preparing to enter the Lodge Room

The main lodge room was full with over 100 masons and guests. The acting DC for the evening was the Rochdale District mentor WBro Ian Warrington, who explained to the guests the role of the lodge officers, the seating arrangement and then continued to explain the regalia worn and the significance that it alluded.
Our APGM, WBro Harold Woodward was also in attendance and his role and office were also explained. WBro David Greenhalgh then gave a presentation on the history of freemasonry and the spoke of our role today, our meetings, our charities and our social activities.

The acting officers then retired in due Masonic order. The guests were then given a conducted tour of the building.The second part of the evening was a buffet in true Rochdale style – Meat and tatty pie with trimmings:

The Ballroom was noisy following the buffet

The Provincial Charity Steward, WBro David Geldard, then addressed the assembled masons and guests giving an insight into Masonic and other charities which are supported by the freemasons. The evening was drawn to a close and those guests who were interested in freemasonry were presented with general information and fact sheets relating to the lodges in Rochdale District.

ANOTHER NIGHT TO REMEMBER IN ROCHDALE!

The acting officers for the evening were:

And in true Hollywood fashion appearing as himself, our APGM,

WBro Harold Woodward

Shakespeare Beware!

Tuesday 19th May 2009 saw the first rendition of a poem penned by Brother Nigel Coles a Junior Member of Liberty Lodge No. 5573. To undertake the task the assistance of the Deputy District Chairman WBro Peter G. Hewitt was enlisted, who in turn requested support from the District team.

Due to the content of the verse WBro Ian Warrington took the opportunity to address the Lodge on his specialist topic Mentoring. Peter delivered the poem with great feeling, much to the delight of all present

THE YOUNG FREEMASON

Young of mind, free of heart
Willingness to give from the start
Why a Mason of the fellow craft
You are told full of secrets it won’t last
You will learn a new meaning for a compass and square
Where to place your feet, and in which direction to stare
Who to respond to and who to address
Try to carry this out not throwing a paddy or to stress
Open your mind to a world full of friends
You will reap the rewards with the love each Lodge sends
Go back in history and learn from the past
Traditions and rituals over the years they last
Tracing boards and carpets on which you could play chess
You will study them all until your mind is a mess
Listen carefully, the Worshipful Master might say
Follow his word and you’ll be in his chair one day
Learn the difference between a white ball and a black
When voting place the white in the sack
This way the vote will be passed without fail
It’s better than flicking a coin for a head or a tail
With collars, cuffs and aprons, badges of gold
The new young mason blends in with the old
With an apron to mark seniority and ranks
White gloves and a tie fill’s in the rest of the blanks
Learn you will, of the “Gentleman’s way”
How to treat a friend, as your brother, come what may
With a social board and meals fit for a King
We have these brilliant nights, God! We even sing
So a Mason of free mind, and a lot of goodwill
Shall be given a white apron and walk over that hill
To become a mason, an apprentice from the start
The second degree is the next step following the art
A Fellow Craft Mason of the 2nd Degree
Is the next step up climbing that tree.
As far as you want to venture/proceed
You will be helped all the way, of this I’m sure indeed
From the 3rd degree, how far do you want to go?
It all depends on how much you want to know
It’s certainly a journey you won’t take on your own
Your family would have expanded, progressively grown
So don’t listen to folk who tut and fuss
About how we came to be, I mean us
Follow your will and progress in life
With the Ladies Night too, don’t worry, we won’t miss out your wife.

Become a Mason?

Nigel Coles 2009

Pictured Left to Right:
The Deputy District Chairman, WBro Peter Hewitt PProvJGW
The District Mentor, WBro Ian Warrington PProvGSuptWks
The Poet,  Bro Nigel Coles
The Master of Liberty Lodge No 5573, Bro Kevin Hooson 

A Spectacular Night

The Rochdale District Social Committee that consists of representatives from each lodge held a Dance Spectacular on the 1st May; the event was the brainchild of WBro Doug Smith and WBro Dilip Desai of Keystone Lodge No 363. Doug made all the necessary arrangements for the event, which was advertised as a ‘spectacular’ and it certainly was.

Amateur dance champions Morgan Hemphill and Richard Still captivated the audience with the ten dances they performed. They started with a waltz and finished with a jive that had the audience spellbound. During the performance, whilst Morgan changed dresses, Richard, with the help of two members of the audience (one being the Social Committee Treasurer Bro Bernard Percy), demonstrated the various warm-up moves with the hips by spelling your name in the movements.

The final dance, the Jive, was completed by plucking from the audience two ‘volunteers’ to partner Morgan and Richard. Morgan choose Doug who showed he could ‘move’ when required.

The audience gave a richly deserved standing ovation to Morgan and Richard for their dare I say it, a spectacular performance.

As usual the buffet was superb and a credit to the chef and the buildings team.

Not to be outdone, seven of the buildings team performed a dance routine to a selection of Abba songs which had the audience on their feet clapping and singing at the top of their voices. The evening continued with dancing until the midnight hour before everyone made their way home after another great night in Rochdale.

Oops - We must thank the Social Committee chairman WBro David Greenhalgh who performed the task of compere for the night in his usual own inimitable style.The event raised the sum of £450 for charity.

Morgan & Richard have since contacted Doug to express their thanks for inviting them Rochdale, everybody was lovely and an appreciative warm audience makes it so great to dance for!!
It was a great evening so congratulations on all of the organisation and work that went into it!! "We had a great evening and it was worth the long drive up"!

Morgan and Richard won a competition on Sunday 3rd May in Winsford and have retained their title as the Amateur Ten Dance Champions.


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Members of the District Social  Committee with Morgan and Richard

Another Night Of Memories In Rochdale

The Rochdale Lodge No 6721

WBro Harold Wodward the APGM accompanied by WBro David Ireson, a Provincial Grand Steward and several members the district team visited Rochdale Lodge on the 27th April. The main item on the summons was a Ceremony of passing. The candidate was Bro Mark Taala who had been initiated in to freemasonry on the of 23rd November 2008.

The lodge was opened in due form before the APGM was admitted. The WM offered the gavel to the APGM whom on this occasion declined. The APGM then introduced the members of his team to the brethren.

Bro Taala was then passed to the degree of a fellow craft, the brethren who took part in the ceremony were congratulated on the ceremony and Bro Simon Rogers the senior deacon was mentioned in despatches.

At the festive board we were pleased to have visitors from our mother lodge, Hope 54,The Worshipful Master WBro Philip Howard who was accompanied by the secretary WBro Mike Davies. The meal was, as always in Rochdale – excellent.

The toast to absent brethren had a special significance as the District Chairman WBro Eric Kirkbride who should have been present but was recovering at home following keyhole surgery performed on the previous Friday.

In replying to the toasts, The APGM spoke on the topic ‘what would you do without masonry, and what would masonry do without you?’ A very enlightening subject finishing with his favourite line ‘Brethren failure is not an option’. WBro Gordon Nocholson then gave the most important toast of the evening, that to the new entered apprentice freemason. In replying Bro Taala thanked all the brethren, and especially the senior deacon.

The evening was then drawn to a close with the Tyler’s toast.

The APGM WBro Harold Woodward congratulate Bro Mark Taala

The Rochdale District Team Update

At the team brief held in the home of the Chairman, WBro Eric Kirkbride he noted that the team had not visited three of the Rochdale lodges in this masonic year and arrangements were made to do so. The first of the three lodges, The Lodge of Friendship No 277 was visited on the 8th April. (see ‘Hope and Friendship’ report below). The Chairman WBro Eric Kirkbride was unable to join us on this visit due to illness, and was also unable to join us on the two subsequent visits to St Chad's Lodge No 1129 and Keystone Lodge No 363.

The visit to St Chad's Lodge took place on the 15th April. WBro Nigel Love presented a paper entitled ‘ Ancient Symbols of Office’. The Deputy District Chairman WBro Peter Hewitt then presented a paper entitled  ‘Care for the Brethren‘.
The VWBro Rev. Neville Barker Cryer PGChap wrote both these papers and they were well received by the Brethren. The next item on the summons was to vote WBro Nigel Love as a joining member of St Chad's Lodge, the presentation of the paper was obviously appreciated.

The Following evening the team visited Keystone Lodge, The WM WBro David Ogden and his officers gave a demonstration of the first degree ceremony that was exemplary in its delivery, and the lodge was congratulated by the District Deputy Chairman WBro Peter Hewitt on the excellence of the ceremony.

One other piece of news, The District ‘Rapid Response’ Team received a plea for help by the Matron of the Rochdale Moorland Home to aid them in increasing the size of a pit for a trampoline. This request was urgent as a group of children were due to arrive the following Tuesday on holiday.

The ‘DRRT’ (left photo), consisting of  the Charity Steward, WBro David Greenhalgh, (centre) the District  Secretary WBro Alan Barlow (left) and the  Communication Officer WBro Dave Garnett (right) swiftly moved  into  action to complete the task. Fortunately for them the weather was kind as it was a warm sunny day.

HOPE AND FRIENDSHIP

The Lodge of Hope No 54 and the Lodge of Friendship No 277 meet on the second Wednesday of the month and on this occasion after their meeting they had decided to hold a joint festive board
On this occasion the District team were visiting The lodge of Friendship to witness a demonstration of the first degree ceremony, and the clue for the what was in store for the evening ahead was indicated when the gavel fell of the pedestal and shattered.

The ceremony itself was excellent and the Junior Warden WBro Stuart Booth took the role of candidate, and the acting Junior Warden for the ceremony WBro Garth Green gave a superb delivery of the first degree charge.

Downstairs, the festive board was in the form of an Old English Night, or was it a Lancashire Night or possibly a St George's Night  - it was in fact  mixture of all three !The Old English Night was represented by the Fines Master WBro Alan Whatmough, a past master of Hope Lodge.  The Lancashire Night by the black pudding starter and the St Georges Night by a magnificent rendition of the speech ‘Once more into the Breech’ of King Harry from Shakespeare play ‘Henry V’ by the thespian of Friendship Lodge WBro Dr Michael Boden.

WBro Alan Whatmough managed to extract a considerable sum in fines and when added to the raffle the proceeds  were shared between the lodges for charity.

The Picture shows The WM of Hope Lodge Bro Philip Howard (left)
and the WM of Friendship WBro Terry Rich (right)

The highlight of the evening was without a doubt, WBro Dr Michael Boden (left) attired with a garment that looked as though it had been worn at Agincourt, his magnificent charger looking a little worse for wear and his mighty double handed battle sword substituted with a Templar sword.

The style and gusto of his delivery was rewarded by the brethren with a standing ovation

The New Rochdale District Mentor

WBro Ian Warrington PProvGSuptWrks is the new Rochdale District Mentor succeeding WBro Antony Brearley.

Ian is a member of Naphtali Lodge No 266, a Past Master of St Lukes Lodge No 4294, and a member of Unity Chapter No 298 in the Royal Arch

Ian is an accomplished freemason and has served as DC in both the Craft and the Royal Arch.

The brethren in Rochdale who know Ian will appreciate his easy manner amongst the brethren whilst having great skill in achieving objectives.

The District Chairman welcomes Ian to the team and looks forward to introducing him to all the Lodge and Chapter Mentors as soon as possible.

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For further details about "Freemasonry in Rochdale" please contact either
Eric J Kirkbride on 014 57 874 192 or Peter G Hewitt on 01706 343400.