Wellington Group News - Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire

Provincial tie goes on sale
The new tie for the Province “sold like hot cakes” when it went on sale for the first time at the meeting of Provincial Grand Chapter................<more>

£3,500 raised at Ladies’ Night
The Lodge of Israel No 1502 held its first Ladies’ Night for many years with an astonishing £3,500 being raised for Marie Curie Cancer Care in Woolton...............<more>

THE RED CARPET TREATMENT
Assistant Provincial Grand Master, WBro Rev Harry E Ross, may be a “Blue” supporter when it comes to football but he was delighted to be given the red carpet treatment at Bootle Leisure Centre...............<more>

Charity Cheque Presentation
The Liverpool Wellington Group Chairman, Ian Fisher P.A.G.Reg. performed one of his last duties in office at Hope Street................<more>

All change at the top!
With effect from Monday 15th May, the group welcomes it's former Vice Chairman on promotion to the Chair, W.Bro. John Roberts................<more>

The new tie for the Province “sold like hot cakes” when it went on sale for the first time at the meeting of Provincial Grand Chapter.

The “Provincial Office” in the Guildhall was kept busy as Royal Arch members took the first opportunity to buy and wear the tie. The tie has a black background, maroon and pale blue stripes (to represent Craft and Chapter colours) a red rose and the square and compasses in gold. It was designed by Les Ashcroft, a member of the True Light Lodge of Friendship No 2963.

The tie was on sale in two versions, a polyester costing £9 and a silk one at £15.

Purchasers were all given guidance on when the tie can be worn. It may be worn at any meeting of a Lodge or Chapter within the Province of West Lancashire and at the meetings of Provincial Grand Lodge and Chapter of West Lancashire.

The tie may be worn in public but must not be worn at any Masonic meeting outside the Province of West Lancashire. The tie must not be worn at meetings of Grand Lodge or Supreme Grand Chapter.

The tie will be on sale again at the meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge at Blackpool on May 12. Arrangements are being made for Groups throughout the Province to order supplies of the tie for their members.

The meeting of Provincial Grand Chapter was hosted by members of the Wellington Group and many of the Stewards sported the new Provincial tie. Pictured, left to right, are: Paul Riley, Bernard Ashley, George Crawley and Stephen Riley.

The Lodge of Israel No 1502 held its first Ladies’ Night for many years with an astonishing £3,500 being raised for Marie Curie Cancer Care in Woolton.

This Ladies’ Night was very well attended with Masons and non-Masons along with their wives or partners. The night was a great success and entertainment was provided by professional Rock Band “All or Nothing” along with one of Liverpool’s leading disco’s called “Big Entertainment”.

Everyone had a fabulous time as they wined, dined and danced the night away in Hope Street’s Banqueting Suite. The Worshipful Master, Bro Paul Rattigan and his wife Catherine paid tribute to the very hard work and organisation put in by The Lodge of Israel’s social secretary WBro Paul Hudson along with Bro Keith Jones and the younger brethren who assisted.

The Lodge of Israel has a great age range. Brethren attending ranged from a Lewis Mason aged 20 to the eldest Brother in his 90’s. This is in itself great cause for celebration particularly as the Lodge has initiated a total of five young Brethren this year.

The highlight of the evening was the auction and raffles which raised £3,500 for the WM’s chosen charity The Marie Curie Cancer Care in Woolton. The auction and top prize was a box at Liverpool FC including dinner and VIP parking for the home game on January 2nd.

The WM extended a big “Thank You” to Christopher Hargreaves and Thomas Bannister, directors of Bridgefield Building Services Limited for their support in providing the prizes.

Whe the £3,500 raised on the night is added to the amount that was raised earlier in the year with a Ladies to Dine and a “Burn’s Night” the Lodge has raised an additional £5,200 for non-Masonic charities alone. This total excludes the normal non-Masonic giving by this Lodge.

Christine O’Sullivan from Marie Curie Cancer Care is pictured with the £3,500 cheque. With her are The Lodge of Israel Worshipful Master Paul Rattigan (right) and social secretary Paul Hudson

Assistant Provincial Grand Master, WBro Rev Harry E Ross, may be a “Blue” supporter when it comes to football but he was delighted to be given the red carpet treatment at Bootle Leisure Centre.

WBro Ross and Wellington Group Chairman, WBro John D Roberts, were not attending a film premier when the red carpet was rolled out but were there to present a cheque for £1,284 to the South Sephton Gymnastics Club to pay for the carpet.

The money was the result of a successful application to the Community Fund and enabled the club to finish the floor area to competition standard with red matting.
The club, which has a membership of 150 boys and girls aged from four to 15, had to move to new premises due to vandalism. As a result of the move it had to spend several thousand pounds raised by members’ efforts on vaults, iso bars and safety mats.

Dave Foster and his wife, Wendy, have voluntarily run the club for 20 years and were delighted with the donation. The upgraded floor area meant that the club was able to host its first inter-club competition.

WBro Ross agreed that this was clearly a case of helping volunteers to help the community where modest grants can make a world of difference and which “is what the Community Fund is all about”. If only the mats had been blue the club might have received a balance beam as well!

Young members of the South Sephton Gymnastics Club were delighted to see club organiser Dave Foster receive the donation for the red matting from the West Lancashire Masonic Community Fund from Assistant Provincial Grand Master the Rev Harry Ross and Wellington Group Chairman John Roberts.

The Liverpool Wellington Group Chairman, Ian Fisher P.A.G.Reg. performed one of his last duties in office at Hope Street recently when he presented cheques totalling £5875 to eight local good causes, five of whom were non-Masonic.

Representatives of the charities and groups met in the Corinthian Suite for the presentation and were entertained to tea and biscuits, with the occasional bottle of wine thrown in for good measure in the bar afterwards.

With over 55% of the total amount going to non-Masonic charities, the recipients were,

The Marie Curie Centre, Woolton. (Cancer Care Hospice) £1000,
The Surgical Unit at Liverpool University Hospital, £1000,
The Bendrigg Trust (Outdoor Activity Centre for deprived children),£500,
Harold House, £275, (Jewish Youth Centre)
1st City of Liverpool Air Training Corps Squadron, £500,

making a total of £3,275 to non-Masonic good causes.

The remaining £2,600 to Masonic charities was presented to W.Bro. Kieth Nuttall of the W.L. Masonic Clay Pigeon Society Charities £500, W.Bro. Bob Kitchen who accepted £1000 for the Liverpool Hall Building Fund and W.Bro. John Wilcock for The Friends of Tithebarn £1000, with a further £100 to sponsor a stall in the Tithebarn 50th Anniversary Summer Fete.

With effect from Monday 15th May, the group welcomes it's former Vice Chairman on promotion to the Chair, W.Bro. John Roberts.

John has given many years steadfast service to the group and is always to be seen at every group function or meeting. One of the most approachable senior officers in Freemasonry, John brings a wealth of experience to the position and will be assisted by new Vice Chairman Les Moore.

Les, a former Group Charity Steward and present secretary of the Community Fund of W.L. Freemasons, will be joining John on their first official outing in office as guests of the group Widows Luncheon Club at their annual Banquet at Hope St on May 20th.

The outgoing Chairman, W.Bro. Ian Fisher leaves us on promotion to a Royal Arch position as Assistant to the Grand Principals. We offer our heartiest congratulations on his promotion and wish him well in his new position.