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News from United Grand Lodge

“Freemasonry Today” (now amalgamated with “MQ Magazine”)
If brethren are not receiving the new magazine would they please inform their Lodge Secretary. Would Secretaries please note that we now have a new contact at UGLE, namely Karen Haigh in the Communications Department at Great Queen Street who also has an e-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   Please inform Karen of any new members, brethren who are not receiving “F.T.” or any brethren whose names should be removed. Karen will pass on to the mailing house any new, changed or deleted names and addresses.

Candidates for Initiation
A supply of new Registration forms was issued to Lodge Secretaries in January. In recent years it has become evident to UGLE, from the number and variety of disciplinary complaints reported that there are brethren who are unable or unwilling to conform to the high standards expected of a Freemason.
The form requires a candidate to make an unqualified declaration that he has not been convicted of a criminal offence or been the subject of disciplinary proceedings before a professional or similar tribunal. If he cannot the application must be referred (through the Provincial Grand Secretary) to UGLE who will, or not, as the case may be, issue a certificate that the matters disclosed to not constitute a bar to his initiation. Secretaries are reminded that, where issued, the certificate must be read out in open Lodge when the candidate is proposed and again before the Ballot. Secretaries are also recommended not to issue registration forms until, the potential candidate his proposer and seconder have all studied the guidance given in the accompanying blue form. Finally Lodges are recommended to refer all applications to the Lodge committee before a formal proposal is placed before the Lodge.

Congratulations
Congratulations are recorded to the following brethren and companions who travel to Great Queen Street at the end of April to receive their Craft and Chapter Grand Rank appointments/promotions, namely:
In Craft: Ist Appointments: W.Bros G.D. Burton, W.F. Grant, B.A. Ruderman,  M. Sayers and A.Thompson all PAGDC.
Promotions: W.Bro J.J. Craigs to PGSwdB, W.Bros J.Y. Chan, M. Daws, B.Rudd, V.L.Wood to PSGD,
 W. Bros I. Foster and  D. Jowett to PJGD.
In Royal Arch Chapter; Ist Appointments: Ex.Comps F.C. Boak, S. Matthews and P.M. Hayle, all PGStB
Promotion: Ex.Comp. V.L. Wood to PAGSoj.

The Freemasons Grand Charity

The British Red Cross
In the latest edition of their newsletter “Outlook” the British Red Cross refer to the fact that here in the UK, vehicles are crucial to their work, whether responding to emergencies, providing transport for the elderly or delivering first aid at events. By using specially designed multi-purpose ambulances, they are able to do all of this with one vehicle. For this reason the British Red Cross is grateful to the Grand Charity for their generous support in donating £50,000 this year to purchase a multi-purpose ambulance which will deliver emergency and day to day services to communities across the UK.

Air Ambulances
The Grand Charity has approved a national grant of £180.000 to the Air Ambulance Trusts in England and Wales The grant will be divided equally between the Provinces and in June Northumberland will receive £4000 to donate to the Great North Air Ambulance. The ambulance also provides cover for our neighbours in Durham and Cumberland & Westmorland who will receive similar cheques.

Annual Grants
Annual cheques from Grand Charity have been received and recently presented to grateful recipients in our area. W. Bro. Vic Wood, Assistant Provincial Grand Master has been out and about presenting a cheque for £4430 to St Oswald’s Hospice and another for £3780 to Marie Curie Cancer Trust.

News from Provincial Grand Lodge

 

Office hours: Monday to Friday 9.00am to 4.00pm

Tynedale Citizens Advice Bureau receive support from the Masons of Hexham and Haltwhistle
It is a popular misconception that Citizen Advice Bureau’s are funded by Government. In fact it is donations from organisations like ours that enable them to provide their services to the general public. Tynedale Citizens Advice Bureau was recently very grateful to the Freemasons of Hexham and Haltwhistle who raised £850 to aid their work. Provincial Grand Lodge supplemented the members’ efforts giving a further £250. A presentation was arranged and on 19th November 2007 the Manager of Tynedale CAB Roger Braybrook, received from W. Bro Brian Rudd the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, a cheque for £1,100. In expressing his sincere thanks Mr Braybrook said that by supporting the work of the Bureau the freemasons were having a direct impact on the most deprived and vulnerable sector of the community in Tynedale – young and old.

Congratulations:-
To: Bro. John Main of Neptune Lodge No.2908 who on 28th March celebrated his 100th birthday. John who can still be regularly seen doing his shopping in Wallsend High Street was initiated into Neptune Lodge on 25th August 1936. Despite his impaired vision he is still a keen artist and his landscapes and paintings of ships are much sought after. He is the oldest active member of Wallsend’s Buddle Arts Club of which he was a founder 30 years go. Each year John donates a painting to the raffle at the Installation meeting of Neptune Lodge which over the years has raised thousands of pounds for Masonic Charity. On Saturday the 29th March the Lodge honoured him with a birthday party for family and friends some of whom had travelled from as far away as New Zealand.

To: the following brethren who have recently received certificates celebrating their 50 years in freemasonry: W.Bros. Ian Thompson,(2327) Les Stobbs,(5616) Cyril Pickard,(2520) Robert Bettridge, (2723) David Watts,(3188) Malcolm Reed,(541) David Walton,(2327) James White,(24) Robert Reay, (4017) Leslie Finlay,(4484) David Leslie(5322) and George Dixon(1167).

To: Sion Lodge No. 7562, North Shields and Castle Garth Lodge No. 7574, Shiremoor who have celebrated their Golden Jubilees in March and April respectively.

Good and Bad.
The bad news is that sadly March saw the closure of two lodges meeting at Whitley Bay, Rockcliffe Lodge No.5265 and Grange Lodge No.5616; both through lack of support and failure to attract candidates. The good news our newest lodge Argent Lodge No. 9824  has 9 candidates and took the very unusual step of doing a double first and a second degree at a recent meeting.

Bowling News
The re-formed Northumberland Masonic Bowling Club has two confirmed fixtures:
Tuesday 5th August vs Cumberland & Westmorland – Away at Kirkbride and;-
Tuesday 19th August vs Durham – Home at St Georges, Morpeth.  Details re fixture(s) in September to be advised. All interested in taking part or supporting contact W.Bro. John Meikle Tel. 0191 284 0886

Golf News
Annual Charity Golf Day will be held on Wednesday 21st May at Arcot Hall Golf Club - £120 per 4 man team includes round of golf and 2 course dinner – Why not Sponsor a hole only £25? 

Membership of the Golf Society is £15 a year – The first outing for members is on Thursday 31st July at Blyth Golf Club. Event will comprise a round of golf followed by a 2 course meal - £28 per head – Format Pairs 4BBB for Napier Clavering Cup. Details of the September outing to follow. Contact Norman Hurst Tel.0191 413350

DIARY NOTE – Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge will be held on Thursday 13th November 2008, at Newcastle Racecourse, Gosforth commencing at 3.00pm

 

News from the other Orders

 

Order of the Red Cross of Constantine

The Annual meeting of the Northumberland Division held on Saturday 9th February 2008 were honoured with the presence of the Deputy Grand Sovereign, R.lll.and Em. Kt. Richard V. Wallis G.C.C. the Chairman of a Committee that administers the Grand Sovereigns Millennium Fund. The fund was established to provide assistance to Children’s Charities and receives contributions from units of the Order throughout England, Wales and Overseas.
The Deputy Grand Sovereign presented to the Intendant General for Northumberland R.lll.Kt. Donald Jowett, a cheque in the sum of £2,500 made payable to the Rainbow Trust. The Rainbow Trust is a Charity based in Hexham, which provides respite care and support to families which have a child with a life threatening illness. The cheque arose from an application made to the fund by the Intendant General and was duly handed over to the Community Fundraiser for the Rainbow Trust, Linda MacDonough who expressed her gratitude to all Freemasons involved in this generous gesture.