The Deputy PGM's Address to Provincial Grand Lodge - 16 November 2006

Distinguished Guests and Brethren,

We meet today in unusual circumstances. Rarely is a meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge held in this Province without the Provincial Grand Master presiding. On behalf of the Provincial Team may I thank you all for your presence here today. Your support of the Province at this time is deeply appreciated by the Craft Team and not least of all by the Provincial Grand Master himself.

He has always been forthright about his vision for the future of East Lancashire Masonry; a Province in which Brethren are clear about their responsibilities to their fellow Masons, their families and dependents; to their Lodges and the tenets and principles of Freemasonry; to the communities in which they live and conduct their public and private lives. It is a vision not just created by our Provincial Grand Master but one born out of a firm conviction of what Freemasonry means to him as a person and surely, Brethren, it is a vision in which we can continue to share, appreciate and value.

This is based on the seven strategies outlined in his Investiture Speech: Care, Charity and Community together with Recruitment, Retention and Restructuring, all bound together by Communication.

Now would be a good opportunity to remind ourselves what has been done, is being achieved and is to be planned for the future.

Twelve months ago, at the last meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge, the RW Provincial Grand Master gave us his thoughts on Care and Charity. The outcomes were, firstly that an Address to Lodge Almoners was to be delivered by the Representative at every Installation Ceremony during 2006 together with secondly, the re-launch of our Provincial Masonic Charity.

The Address to Lodge Almoners should have been heard by nearly all of you now and in 2007, it will be followed by an Address to the Lodge Charity Steward. In time, both Addresses may become part of those traditionally delivered at Installation ceremonies. It is hard to believe that it is only one year ago that the Provincial Grand Master announced the re-launch of our Provincial Charity. Until then, the East Lancashire Masonic Benevolent Institution had served the needs of the Brethren and their dependents well in this Province. Since November 2005, Bro Derek Thornhill APGM and Bro David Geldard, the Provincial Grand Charity Steward, together with their Committee, have undertaken this re-launch of the East Lancashire Masonic Charity. We also owe a debt of gratitude to the Chairman of ELMC, Bro Elliott and his Board for facilitating these changes. All are to be congratulated on this huge undertaking that has been developed by Workshops and meetings, as a task of educating and training both District Charity Stewards and they, in turn, the Lodge Charity Stewards. The results have been modest but encouraging and this programme of education will continue into our future. At all times the emphasis has been on a gentle reminder of the importance of charity as an essential part of our commitment as Freemasons. Lodges and Chapters have been magnificent in their support of ELMC, though regrettably Brethren as individuals seem more reluctant to embrace their own Charity. Much also depends on the quality of the Lodge Charity Steward who approach Brethren on behalf of Charity. Do please remember Brethren, that the Office of Lodge Charity Steward can be combined with another office in the Lodge, especially in a small Lodge where talent may need to be utilised in more than one way.

When we discuss the work and benefits of ELMC, what makes the difference with our Charity is the availability of one third of all monies raised for funding good works and causes in our local communities; those projects having been recommended by Lodges and Districts. Some Community projects are also being organised on a Provincial wide basis under the guidance of Bro Philip Mountford, APGM. Examples are the Teddies for Loving Care project in a number of Hospital Accident and Emergency departments, the Rochdale Sensory Garden and the Bolton Boys and Girls Club. The Rochdale and Bolton projects are wonderful examples of where we, as Masons, not only give our monetary support but also, more importantly, our own time and energies.

The first meeting to distribute monies from the Community Fund was held at the beginning of this month under the chairmanship of Bro Thornhill and it can be announced today that some £11,500 from the Fund will soon be distributed to local charities and good causes and that this work will continue on a quarterly basis. There is also still £32,500 remaining, as of now, for future distribution. Please give yourselves a pat on the back Brethren because up to now, only £10,000 has been available annually through the Provincial Grand Master’s Discretionary Fund. Now a proper sub-Committee, answerable to the ELMC Board undertakes these responsibilities on your behalf. But how much more could be given to our local communities if more Brethren made a commitment and joined the Charity? By contributing to ELMC you demonstrate your care and love of your fellow Mason and our communities and, hopefully, you make ELMC one of your favourite and chosen charities and relive your commitment made at your Initiation to keep in your heart the needs of those less fortunate than yourself and embrace the requirement for charity when called upon.

Having looked at Care, Charity and Community, it is now time to look at Recruitment, Retention and Restructuring. Take the last first. The Province now has 341 Lodges and in December, at Grand Lodge, this may be reduced by a further 11. In addition, there are now 56 Lodges in an official ‘At Risk’ category. As you are aware, one of the results of Restructuring is that there will be a further reduction in the numbers of APGMs once Bro Malcolm Worsley retires at the end of January next year. We are all deeply grateful to you Bro Worsley for your many years of devoted service and I know the Provincial Grand Master looks forward to thanking you personally and paying tribute to you and to Norma at a later date. As a result, Salford, having existed as a separate entity in the Province for so long, will become part of City Masonry from February. From that date, seven APGMs will look after the daily needs of this Province.

May I digress at this point and thank all the Craft Team for their support, guidance and encouragement during the past few weeks? My colleague Jack Price has received the same love and help from the Royal Arch Team. Above all, may I take this opportunity to thank the Chairmen of all the Districts who shoulder most of the day to day workload of the Province? You and the members of your District Teams do so much for us all and I ask you to pass on my thanks to all your team members when you next meet. Brethren of East Lancashire, let us show our appreciation to all these Brethren.

The continuing reduction in the number of Lodges is now part of the fabric and psyche of the Province. As my own Mother Lodge closed two years ago, I know the upset and anxiety Brethren feel at such times but it is a natural part of the evolution of Freemasonry and this Province that such change has to be accepted and dealt with. It is of concern if such change leads to a loss of membership but an even greater source of worry is when such membership decline occurs in an apparently healthy Lodge. Even more relevant than Recruitment is the Retention of Brethren in our Lodges. It ought to be a matter of deep concern for every Lodge to question why a Brother has felt it necessary to resign his membership outside the understandable reasons of work relocation or prolonged sickness. We should be asking if the Lodge, or Brethren, have let this Brother down. Has he been made to feel welcome? Has anyone bothered to sit with him and explain our mysteries? Has a Brother, having passed through the Chair of King Solomon, felt underused, undervalued or simply redundant?

For these, and many other reasons, the Provincial Grand Master intends to invite us all to focus on Retention in 2007 by the appointment of District Mentors to encourage, train and counsel Lodge Mentors in their important duties. Once again, we believe that it is through proper education and training that such assistance can be given. The Education and Training Committee under Bro Worsley’s Chairmanship has already devoted much time and energy in developing this programme. Once ELMC is firmly entrenched in the fabric of our Province, work will commence throughout the Province on Lodge Mentoring in 2007.

Brethren, as for Recruitment, the best method is still by personal recommendation by a Brother to his Lodge of someone he has known as a friend, or worked with, for some time. But we also feel that the use of properly organised and controlled Open Evenings, can have a great impact on recruiting the right type of man to our Order. There is so much information on the Internet these days. Men becoming Masons have a far greater knowledge of what we do and represent than the majority of us here today had prior to our own Initiations. This knowledge, if carefully encouraged and nurtured at an Open Evening can be so useful in Recruitment and at many of such meetings it is now not unusual to see wives and partners present. They often ask that most pertinent questions as well!

Perhaps we can also see a trend emerging where Masonry is becoming more fashionable and acceptable for younger men to consider. The success of the University Scheme at Old Mancunians Lodge in the space of a few months is testament to this movement, which we should all encourage. Earlier this week many of the Craft Team, including myself, saw five Brethren passed to the Second Degree on the same evening in this Lodge at a meeting attended by the RW Assistant Grand Master. Most of these young men were undergraduates at the City Universities. I repeat, is this not a trend that we should all be encouraging?

Finally in terms of Communication, this past year has seen the development and creation of our new Provincial website under the guidance of Bro Jim Sutcliffe, APGM and his team. This website is imaginative, informative and still being refined to serve the needs of the Province. Some Districts are using the facilities it offers better than others. Brethren, this website is the public window for our Province and its use and development must be encouraged by us all if we wish a positive image to be shown of Freemasonry in East Lancashire.

Brethren, this Annual Provincial meeting does not just happen; it requires meticulous planning and attention to detail if it is to be an impressive, memorable occasion, particularly for those Brethren receiving Honours for the first time or who are being promoted. After all they are the most important people here today. On your behalf, may I thank the Provincial Grand Secretary Bro Alan Garnett and his Secretariat for all they do on our behalf on a daily basis? To Bro Roger Norris and Susan O’Neill and their team we extend our gratitude for today’s arrangements. For our wonderful ceremonial presentation we have to congratulate Bro Norman Cope the Provincial DC and his extended team for their diligence and patience. A big thank you to our medical team led by Bro Eddie Barlow. On your entry to this superb building today you were guided by stewards from the Northern Districts whilst Brothers Eddie Tyler and Brian Bennion with their Charity Stewards have efficiently taken your Alms contributions. These are tasks that they all do on our behalf every year. Finally, there are our Security Brethren led by Bro Arthur Renshaw outside this main hall, guarding and securing our privacy who do not have the opportunity to witness our proceedings; a very special thank you to them.

In a few minutes the Investiture will take place. Today we mark an historic occasion in the Province because this is the first time for many years that Brethren will receive either a first appointment to, or promotion in Provincial Grand Lodge at the same meeting. As we all know, this has arisen because we no longer have a half yearly meeting in the Province. For many of you receiving Provincial Honours or Promotions, this will be the most important day of your Masonic life and on behalf of the Provincial Grand Master and all the Craft Team may I extend to you all our sincere and warmest congratulations. Given the reduced number of Collars that are now available for the Provincial Grand Master to bestow, your Honours and Promotions have had to be earned. We thank you for all you have done to date for Masonry in general and your Lodges in particular, and for your future contributions to this Order we all love and cherish. On this occasion, and for the future, the RW Provincial Grand Master has decided that a Certificate be presented to all Brethren honoured today after their investiture. I hope that this will enhance this memorable occasion for you all.

All your efforts, whether large or small, have a constant and important effect on the development of this Province. How many times have we all been to a meeting and come away with a feeling of warmth and gratitude for what we have experienced?

Freemasonry, amongst all organisations, is unique in that special experience which is so often greater than the sum of all the individual components that make a meeting. As my dear friend Jack Price puts it, “ if we could bottle it and sell it we would all make our fortunes”

This is an Order that can truly touch the hearts of men making them better individuals and members of their local communities. And yes, Brethren, it is a hobby for us all and let us never forget that we give our time freely and voluntarily, but in the sure knowledge that we have something very special to offer this troubled world. Furthermore, not one of us should be ashamed to proclaim this to the world at large if our circumstances permit such a statement.

This fierce love of Masonry and what it means is also part of the vision of our Provincial Grand Master. The many messages, cards and letters he has received from so many of you are sustaining him and Marlene at this present time. On his behalf, I thank you all not only for the support given to him openly and with fraternal affection, but also for your presence here today, especially if this is your first visit to a meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge. Please take pleasure in the remainder of the meeting. Above all, continue to enjoy your Freemasonry together with the special and loving fellowship it creates. Thank you for your patience in listening to this Address. God Bless you all.