Victoria Lodge No 2360 in Southport has long been a bastion of that most Masonic of virtues, charity. In addition to the normal regular lodges and charitable donations, they run two special charity events a year. The events have been going for over 23 years and as spring descended, the gentlemen of the town once again descended on Southport Masonic Hall for an evening of laughter and revelry.
The evening was once again organised by the considerable expertise of Peter Wall, who has been organising these events for many years and must have surely lost track of the many thousands of pounds he has helped to raise. Both renowned ex-professional football player Peter Beardsley and the sublime comedian Mike Munro came to support the event and help to raise money in aid of charitable causes. Peter’s events always lead to a packed hall, but the presence of these two superstars led to a palatable sense of excitement.
After the usual greetings between old friends at the bar, Peter took his customary position as director of ceremonies for the night. The evening began with a quiz on the life and career of Peter Beardsley, with a £30 prize for the winner, which raised an impressive £280. While a large number of people got full marks, leading to Peter needing to pick the winner randomly, one individual managed to put his own name for every question. The three-course meal was served in parallel to the quiz, with the chef at Southport Masonic Hall once again excelling himself, with the beef main course particularly effective at causing a lull in the chatter. The dining part of the evening concluded with a glass of port for all, which went down extremely well, although not nearly as well as the beef.
Peter Beardsley then stood to give his talk. A supremely talented sportsman, Peter started by practising using both feet as he kicked a ball walking to his job in a factory. After a few trials, he was given a chance by Carlisle Football Club, playing 43 out of 46 games in his first season. Just after he was married, an opportunity to move to Canada and play in the same league as Pelé and Beckenbauer came along, leading to three years playing with the very best in the world. Eventually, it was the lure of playing with Kevin Keegan that called him back to the UK and Newcastle. A few years later, a fantastic meeting with Kenny Dalglish led to a big-money move to Liverpool, a place he loved and learned to be a ‘passer’ as well as a ‘forward’. Future stints at Everton and Newcastle (where he would later be assistant manager) led to a number of happy years, including a lifetime friendship with the legendary Paul Gascoigne, who gave Peter’s son his first World Cup shirt!
Peter’s popularity amongst the audience was evident as soon as he stood to speak, as a lion’s cheer rose across the room to welcome him. With his customary wit and an extremely exciting life to draw upon, Peter immediately reciprocated with an after-dinner speech filled with jokes and anecdotes that left the room in stitches and wanting more. At the end, an even louder cheer rang out to thank Peter for the exceptional entertainment, as well as the support he had shown in supporting the evening’s charitable endeavour.
A quick trip to the bar for all and the attendees were treated to a second treat as popular comedian Mike Munro rose to give his set. The audience was treated to an exceptional set for the second time in the night, that left them roaring with laughter and wiping the tears from their eyes.
The evening then concluded with Peter running the raffle and auction. This included two pieces of artwork by local Mason Paul Hardman in tribute to Peter Beardsley, a signed copy of Peter’s life story, a signed picture of ‘big’ Neville Southall and several collectable Liverpool cards from 1977 and 2005. In all, a total of over £1,500 was raised on the night, a princely sum for a single evening.
Thanks are of course due to Peter Wall, Peter Beardsley and Mike Munro, not just from the charities but all those attending. It was a truly exceptional evening and Peter continues to set ever higher expectations every time he organises an event.