Publicity team welcomes Peter Hosker

The Provincial Grand Master was the principal guest at the annual publicity officers’ dinner, which was held for the second year in Bryn Masonic Hall.

Peter (centre) congratulated Frank (left) and Mike (right) on their forthcoming appointments.

Also in attendance were Ian Boswell (APrGM responsible for the team) and Derek Hunt the former Provincial Publicity Officer. Derek was invited to attend the dinner by Mark Holloway because Derek was unable to attend the dinner last year due to poor health, which had led to his decision to retire early. Mark said he was delighted Derek was able to attend as it enabled the team to say thank you to Derek for his hard work over the years he led the publicity team.

After the meal Peter gave a talk to the team titled ‘Sharing and Growing Freemasonry’. He started his talk by congratulating two members of the team who will be appointed to the rank of Provincial Grand Steward in May; Mike Cunliffe (Warrington GPO) and Frank Parle (Region one PO and Widnes GPO).

Peter then said how pleased he was that the new team structure that was announced at last year’s dinner was working so well and was an example he wanted to replicate in other teams in the Province.

He then spoke about the aims and objectives he announced when he was invested four years ago:

1. To share more widely our mission of Being Good citizens by practising the highest moral and social standards of friendship, charity and integrity;

2. To extend our ever growing support for those less fortunate than ourselves;

3. To give even greater service in aid for our community.

Mark presents flowers to Peter.

Peter said that the context of sharing in his first aim means not only attracting more men into Freemasonry, but, also promoting Freemasonry as a force for good in our communities. With the aim of growing Freemasonry with a discreet marketing strategy. He then said the work of the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity was well known and very well reported on the website.

Peter then gave a review of the work of the team by measuring their work against his declared aims. At this point there were some worried looks on the team members around the table! However, the atmosphere improved as Peter said that the Provincial website did a good job in sharing Provincial and group news and events with Masons, particularly West Lancashire Masons by delivering a type of newspaper for Masons and non-Masons who visited the website. Peter said there is a host of information about the Province along with contact details and that when he compared the definition of news to what the team delivers he said the team do rather well.

Peter concluded by saying that the one area of the website that was in need of development was the visitors area and that with the appointment of the new Provincial Membership Officer which will be announced in the coming weeks he hope that the new PMO and his team will work closely with Mark (Provincial Publicity Officer) and his team to improve the information that is delivered to visitor to the visitors area of the website.

At the end of the evening Mark thanked Peter for attending the dinner and for the interesting insight into his view of the future of Freemasonry in the Province. He then presented Peter with flowers for his wife Julie. 

Members of the publicity team pictured with Peter, Ian and Derek.