News from United Grand Lodge

University Scheme Lodges receive a distinguished visitor

On Friday 16th April the Assistant Grand Master R. W. Bro. David Kenneth Williamson, President and Founder of the Universities Scheme paid a visit to Hotspur Lodge No.1626. The meeting was joined by brethren from the Duke of Connaught Lodge No.3892 and the assembly witnessed a Newcastle University candidate being raised to the degree of a Master Mason. A full report can be found on the Provincial Website - see Visit by AGM.

The Freemasons Grand Charity www.grandcharity.org

A new annual grant initiative has been announced - £250,000 to a major national charity.
“Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) Forces Help” is to receive the first grant. The Grand Charity has received numerous requests from individual members to donate to charities supporting the Armed Forces. The Council selected ‘SSAFA Forces Help’ as the first recipient of a grant under the new initiative to support their excellent work in helping current and former members of the Armed Forces and their families. The money is to be divided and distributed to branches throughout the country, providing funding at a local level, allowing the local branches to decide how they spend their money.

Grand Charity Annual Review – 2009

In 2009 the Grand Charity awarded grants totalling £6,907,586, of this £3,978,686 comprised Masonic Grants and £2,928,900 Non-Masonic Grants.

One of the primary aims of the Grand Charity is to provide assistance for Freemasons, their partners or other dependants who are experiencing financial hardship or need. Relief Grants are intended to enhance the applicants’ standard of living and every case of genuine need is sympathetically considered. Grants are made towards essential daily living costs and unexpected needs e.g. funeral bills or essential home repairs. Typically the grants range from £500 to £7,000 per applicant per year and can be renewed for as long as the need lasts. Anyone who thinks they may be eligible for a grant or who would like more information should, in the first instance, contact their Lodge Almoner.

In supporting Society in general the Grand Charity provided grants totalling £425,000 for Medical Research which included a grant of £250,000 to Moorfields Eye Hospital, payable over 3 years to fund research into ocular scarring and stem cell research; Youth Opportunities totalling £220,000 including £50,000 payable over 2 years, to contribute to a bursary fund to enable disadvantaged young people to attend activity courses at Brathay Hall in Cumbria; Vulnerable People totalling £783,000, including a grant of £50,000 to the Alzheimer’s Society to fund a new carers programme providing information and advice to carers of people with dementia. Other Grants totalled £1,375,900 and included £500,000 distributed to 225 hospices nationwide. Emergency Grants for Disaster Relief totalled £125,000 including £10,000 for the Flood Relief Appeal in Cumbria.

Support for the Great North Ambulance

Freemasons from Northumberland and Durham have presented the Great North Air Ambulance with a grant of £10,000 comprising contributions from the Grand Charity and our own Provinces’. The donation is part of a total figure of over £500,000 donated to every air ambulance in England and Wales over the past four years. Flying over 19,000 missions every year and costing millions of pounds, air ambulances are considered to be the busiest voluntary service in the country. The money to fund this important work is met almost entirely by donations from organisations such as ours.

News from Provincial Grand Lodge     Office hours: Monday to Friday 9.00am to 4.00pm

Obituary – W. Bro. John Frederick Whitehouse  7/05/1938 – 10/06/2010.
W. Bro John was initiated into Carliol Lodge 5419, Jesmond, on 19th November 1969. He served as Master on three occasions in 1985, 2008 and 2009. He was exalted into Carliol Chapter in 1977 and was First Principal in 1988. He received Grand Rank in both Craft (2001) and Chapter (2000). John displayed great enthusiasm and commitment for a considerable number of orders of Freemasonry and received high rank and office in many, notably he served as Assistant Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Degree and of the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Royal Ark Mariners of Northumberland from 2000 to 2007. A full obituary prepared by the Provincial Grand Master, appears on the Provincial website.


Northumberland County Show

The Province had a stand at the Northumberland County Show held at Corbridge on Bank Holiday Monday 31st May 2010. The event proved very successful and was well attended with over 26,000 visitors. This was the first time the Province had exhibited at the Show. Visitors to the stand showed considerable interest in our activities and many were surprised to learn of our many and varied contributions to the local community. A particularly pleasing example was the arrival at the stand on three separate occasions during the course of the day of youngsters who, whilst attending hospital A&E Departments had been recipients of “Teddies”. All thanked us and their parents congratulated our organisation on the TLC initiative. Plans are in progress to exhibit at other shows in the region with the aim of raising our profile with the general public of Northumberland.
For those with a strong constitution (and wide computer screens) there is a Show picture gallery on the Provincial website. Warning: Viewing is not recommended for those of a nervous disposition!

Help!
W. Bro. Gerry Crichton our Accountant for the N.M.C.A. urgently requires an Assistant. The position will appeal to someone with an accountancy background. Full details are available on the website or from the Provincial Office.  

Diary Note:
The Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge will be held on Thursday 25th November 2010 at Newcastle Racecourse, commencing at 3.00pm.

Sporting Round-up

Bowling Fixtures
Tuesday, 6 July  - Away to Cumbria at Caldbeck B C
Sunday, 15 August  - Markham Wright Pairs Competition at Benfield B C
Saturday, 28 August  - Home to Durham at St George's, Morpeth
Sunday, 5 September - Craft v Mark at Gosforth B C
Society Secretary Ron Hall who can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Golf
The Golfing Society held their Annual Golf Charity Day at Burgham Park Golf Club on Thursday 27th May 2010. The format of the event, a Texas Scramble comprising Teams of 4, proved a great success. The event was won by the Team entered by Kevin Blenkinsop of Plessey Lodge No.6242 whose prize was a round of golf at The Northumberland Golf Club. The Team of Eric Fraser, Castle Wardens Lodge No.8213 came 2nd and that of David Jeffcock, Fenham Lodge No.4019 came 3rd. The Teams received prizes of a set of cut glass tumblers and a round of golf for 4 at Ponteland Golf Club, respectively.
Thanks must go to our sponsors (whose names are to be found on the website) and all those who generously gave prizes to the raffle enabling the event to raise £1100 plus for the NMCA
The usual outings for Society members this year are:
Friday 9th July 2010, Innes Hopkins & Associated Trophies at Westerhope Golf Club –Format Singles Stroke Play
Tuesday 28th September 2010, Napier Clavering and Neesham Salver at Bedlingshire Golf Club – Format – 4BBB
New members always welcome contact Society Secretary Michael Anderson, Tel. 0191 2362641

Congratulations:

To: Waterloo Lodge No. 3438 and St Aidan Lodge No. 3460 who celebrate their centenaries in October and November respectively and Astley Chapter No. 2997 and Napier Clavering Chapter No. 2821 who celebrate their centenaries in September and December respectively.

To: W. Bro. Don Charlton, Almoner of Venture Lodge No. 8198, who was awarded the MBE in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours List for Voluntary Service to the Scouts in the North East.

To: W. Bro. Carl Gair of St Cuthbert Lodge No. 1902, a Biomedical Scientist at Wansbeck General Hospital who recently returned from the adventure of a lifetime. He completed the Marathon des Sables (finishing in the top half) in aid of the Charity MENCAP. This gruelling, seven day, six stage event covering 156 miles of the Sahara Desert has this year celebrated its 25th anniversary. Carl’s efforts raised the magnificent sum of £11,500 which included many donations from brethren including a contribution of £500 from Provincial Grand Lodge.

To: those brethren who have recently received certificates celebrating their 50 years in freemasonry details of which can be found on the website - See 50 Years in Craft and Chapter.

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