On a bright and sunny Sunday lunchtime, just under 100 diners gathered at midday in Longridge at the picturesque Ferrari’s Country House Hotel and Restaurant. The car park was filling up quickly with a range of beautiful classic cars attending a rally but the majority of visitors were there for a very special Crowning Glory Coronation Lunch.
This was the final social event of the year for St Michaels on Wyre Lodge No 8348, to celebrate the upcoming Coronation of King Charles III. As part of the Lancaster Group, St. Michaels on Wyre Lodge has had a very busy year of social and community focused activities which have raised a massive £3,400 under the mastership of Malcolm Worsley.
Malcolm said: “We have been very keen to support a number of non-Masonic charities, with the two main beneficiaries being The Macmillan Windmill Unit at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and the Motor Neurone Disease Association at Royal Preston Hospital. Smaller amounts are to be donated to the RSPCA Animal Centre at Stalmine, Home Start, Streetlife, and to an individual who is undertaking the Lakes hike and run marathon on behalf of MacMillan Cancer.”
Malcolm continued: “It was an honour and privilege to be asked to become WM of St Michael’s on Wyre Lodge and I was installed in April 2022. From the start, I felt that the lodge had to get back to being more involved with communal activities and be more inclusive. I had a very clear vision of how I saw the year ahead. Ably assisted by my wife Norma and Peter Pemberton and his wife Fliss, Allan Brown and Dot we agreed to hold a Jubilation Banquet in September 2022 and a Festive Christmas Lunch during December 2022, to which the widows of the lodge were invited.
Unfortunately, we had to postpone our September lunch due to the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The December lunch was held at Ferrari’s Country House Hotel and Restaurant and attracted some 80 guests. On that occasion we were entertained by Poulton-le-Fylde Brass Band.
My diamond anniversary of being a Freemason in January 2023 was held at Wyrebank, Garstang and attended by over 60 guests both Masonic and non-Masonic. The lodge had held a brief regular meeting in the lodge room to allow all the speeches and presentations to be carried out at the festive board.
Following the cancellation of the September lunch, it was decided to re-schedule a final event during mid-April 2023, to be known as the Crowning Glory Coronation Lunch, to be held at Ferrari’s. It was another superb three-course lunch with musical entertainment provided by the Chorley Silver Band, under the jovial and impressive leadership of bandmaster Alaistair Greenhalgh.
We certainly raised the roof of Ferrari’s with our ‘Last Night of the Proms’ patriotic singing and Union Flag waving by all, being conducted by Alaistair and the Chorley Silver Band. A well-stocked raffle prize table raised an impressive £460. I was delighted to present the spot prize for the couple most royally attired to the Lancaster Group Vice Chairman Scott Devine and his lady Karan. Well done to both!
The year has been a challenge with having to kick start social events post COVID back into life, but has been enormously enjoyable and satisfying to know that we have raised so much money for worthy causes. My grateful thanks to everyone who has supported me, the lodge members and the many, many guests.
Once again, a massive thank you to people at the heart of making these events happen; my wife Norma, Peter and Fliss, Allan and Dot”.
