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NEW PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER PROMISES
HIS TERM OF OFFICE WILL BE

‘Exciting, dynamic and enjoyable’

I begin by thanking you, RWBro Peter Lowndes, for your attendance here today and for your special contribution to this occasion by installing me as Provincial Grand Master in such a pleasing manner. I am sure that the Brethren of the Province would wish to add their own thanks with the usual West Lancashire acclamation. Sir, you have, of course, been ably supported by the acting Senior Warden, the PrGM of Cheshire RWBro Timothy Richards and by the acting Junior Warden, the PrGM of Shropshire, RWBro James Hodgson. The Grand Director of Ceremonies, Bro Jonathan Spence and his three Deputies, Acting Grand Chaplain, our own Bro the Venerable Alan Wolstencroft, the Assistant Grand Secretary, Bro Graham Redman and the Grand Tyler,  Bro Brooks have also added much to the occasion. We thank them and applaud them all. 

We are very grateful to The Provincial Grand Secretary, Bro Geoffrey Lee and his team and the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies  Bro Mark Dimelow and his team for all their hard work. They have been most helpful and supportive in preparing the Province for today, and we are fortunate to have them in office. I also wish to mention the dedication of the Southport Group ably led by their Captain of Stewards Bro Robert Wright, who have hosted Provincial Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Chapter today. Thank you all very much.

It has given me much pleasure to re-appoint as my Deputy Provincial Grand Master Bro Brian Gillbanks together with 11 Assistant Provincial Grand Masters. (I look forward to investing the eleventh, Bro Leon Tax, at an early opportunity: he is unavoidably absent today.)

 I have been very fortunate throughout my life to have been supported by a wonderful wife, Julie, and to have been surrounded by good men and true. My wife has taken her Masonic vows to continue to care for and support me, and I am sure that my Deputy and my Assistants will prove to be the good men and true I need. 

Brethren, I intend to be an active Provincial Grand Master in leading and developing this Province, but I can only do this if we work together as a team. I have a number of actions plans to enable me to build on the legacy of RWBro Colin Wright, my predecesssor. I shall be restructuring the Province so that my Deputies and Assistants oversee the evolving areas of work, thereby sharing that work with me. I shall be working more closely with my Group Officers. I shall be issuing the recently completed Code of Practice to help and support those running and managing Masonic halls. I shall be promoting our newly amalgamated West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity, so as to extend our charitable support for Masonic and non-Masonic causes.

I have already been taking steps to ensure that our Masonic Ball is revitalised, open to all members of the Province, and redeveloped as the principal social event of the Provincial calendar. I shall be developing a marketing strategy to recruit new members, whilst, at the same time, expanding our mentoring system to help retain our membership. And of course I will continue to promote our 2010 Festival so that a cheque worthy of this Province is handed over to the Samaritan Fund in 2010. I will use my best endeavours to make sure that my term of office is as exciting and dynamic as possible, but at the same time enjoyable for us all.

Brethren, there is a growing vacuum in the Society in which we live, which must be filled by good citizens who practise the highest moral and social standards of friendship, charity and integrity. Freemasonry can and must continue to help to fill that vacuum, and we Freemasons must show by our good deeds and actions that we are indeed those good citizens. It is more important than ever that Freemasons working in and for the community should quietly but purposefully lead by example. For by the kind of life we live will Freemasonry be judged.

May I conclude by saying that one of my first pleasures tomorrow will be to petition the MW The Grand Master, and to request him to recognise my Installation as Provincial Grand Master as an occasion proper for Masonic celebration. If he accedes to my request then I anticipate that he will allow me to mark the celebratory occasion by appointing Brethren to Provincial Grand Rank. Further, it would be my intention to use the celebratory ranks to begin the process of reducing the time that elapses between a Worshipful Master’s year and his first appointment in Provincial Grand Lodge.
Brethren, I thank you for your support today.  I, in turn, pledge myself to serving this Province as your Provincial Grand Master.