Leopold Mark Lodge install a familiar face into the chair.

A wonderful Installation meeting of Leopold Mark Lodge

 

W Bro David Green was installed into the chair for the Nth time (they have lost count ) by W Bro Huw Hopkin, witnessed by a good number of the active Provincial Officers of the year, including the Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons – Berkshire. It was a great meeting with plenty of laughter, the festive board was also very good.

Try to support this small lodge at their next meeting as they have a candidate to advance, you will be made most welcome.

This weeks newsletter from MMH

A Double Deputies night

With thanks to W Bro Paul Wilding for this report.

Great to see the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons – Berkshire Jim Payen Installed as MEZ ( after only 39 years in the Royal Arch) of Hope Chapter at Newbury Masonic Centre. The visiting executive officer was The Deputy Grand Superintendent of the Royal Arch Province of Berkshire.

 

The Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons – Berkshire along with the Past PGM took active parts in the ceremony, and a number of Berkshire Mark Masons were there to support Jim. So: if you are in the Mark, but not in the Royal Arch – OR vice versa – why not take inspiration from this mutual support across Orders and join the other Order?

 

A big night for Provincial Deputies!!

A special evening for our Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons – Berkshire. VW Bro Jim E Payen will be installed into the chair of Hope Royal Arch Chapter this evening. The official visitor from the Berks Royal Arch executive will be Deputy Grand Superintendent of the Royal Arch Province of Berkshire. A rare treat to have two Provincial Deputies overseeing a Chapter at the same time. It demonstrates the close link we have with the Berkshire Royal Arch Province. A wonderful night ahead for all attending.

It was found at Pangbourne Mark Lodge

IT WAS FOUND ….. at Pangbourne Mark Lodge No 1094

With thanks to our Communications Team Roving Reporter, Scoop Cottrell.

The word got out that Pangbourne Mark was having an Advancement as only they can. So the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons – Berkshire, the past PGM Peter Sands, and the past DPGM Mike Sanders, plus several other Grand Officers felt it was so important that they must attend! They were accompanied by a host of acting Provincial Officers led by Ian Spence. They were treated to a superb advancement ceremony of Bro Nestor Orolloga ( PM of Victory lodge). In true Pangbourne tradition, the officers and members booed and hissed at all the right moments, the stone was eventually “Found” having made it most of the way round the Lodge without most noticing!

Credit to the WM Ian Braithwaite on his first ceremony as Master in front of such an illustrious audience ….. Lyndsey Maskell as SD in true Frank Sinatra fashion, “ Did it his way”. Then off to the festive board at Goring and Streatley golf club for a superb and “ lively” meal.

Mark Masons hit the streets of London for Charity!!

What a fantastic team effort, as always, we are delighted to see our very own Provincial Grand Charity Steward of Mark Master Masons – Berkshire W Bro Brian McCormack involved in this wonderful fundraising event.

On 16 May, a team from Mark Province of London set off to visit the London cabmen’s shelters, spread all over London, in aid of the Cabmen’s Shelter Fund in their 150th anniversary.

The 4-man team led up by R.W.Bro. David Ashbolt P.ProvG.M. and consisting of W.Bro. Marios Styliandes A.Prov.G.M., W.Bros Stacy Harman and Brian McCormack (Provincial Charity Stewards) headed off on an unusually sunny day from the St John’s Wood shelter – the oldest functioning shelter in London. Before we set off, we had the honour of being allowed inside the shelter, with the permission of the Trustees, which is normally strictly reserved for licenced taxi drivers only.
The team managed to catch a lift off the Widows Sons on the first leg, with the bikers turning up in numbers to support the challenge and whisked the team to the second shelter of the day, where we were met with what was the common theme of the day – a big smile and appreciation for what the Mark Province of London was doing for the shelters.
After a quick photo, we headed off to the next shelter where David and Marios were given a mop and bucket for a cleaning job! Once the floors were mopped, we the made our way across London, battling the traffic any way we could. After taxi rides, walking and pulling Marios around in a wheelchair – due to him trying to get the sympathy vote – the team marched on ticking off each visit as we went.
With a long day under our belts, lots of photos, fun and stories from all the shelter’s operators, the team finished off the challenge with quick dart over to Mark Masons’ Hall, where we were met by our Provincial Grand Master and the Trustees of the CSF and sat down to a celebratory meal by the team at MMH

Berkshire Mark Freemasons donate to Wessex House

A wonderful donation from Berkshire Mark Master Masons 

May 14th I was back in my mother Mark Province to attend a ribbon cutting at Wessex House. W. Bro. Bob Watson, our Provincial Grand Almoner & BeMBA secretary, and I, were representing BeMBA to present a cheque, for £3100, to The Bridge – help for young people. It’s always a pleasure to accompany Bob whose great fun to be with and is very committed to supporting our chosen recipients.

Wessex House is a newly refurbished building, providing live in accommodation for 7 young people who are transitioning from foster care, or homelessness, into adult life.

The photos show one of the flats. These flats are immaculately decorated and the electrical appliances, in each, were purchased using our donation.

The ribbon was cut by Pandora Christie, a Heart FM DJ, whose own back story is why she empathises with the aspirations of The Bridge. From the day she was born, she was in and out of care as her mother had a variety of personal issues leaving her, at times unable to care for Pandora.

To complicate matters, her mother died when Pandora was 9 and resulted in Pandora going into full time foster care. At that time nothing like Wessex House existed. When Pandora heard of it’s work she immediately got involved in supporting & promoting it.

Today was a fitting day for her to officially open it.

Brethren, on behalf of Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons – Berkshire, Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons – Berkshire & Berkshire Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Freemasons, can I thank you all for allowing BeMBA to support such an important charity. Across Berkshire, The Bridge now has the ability to support 19 young adults and this is, in part, down to you. Once again you have enabled our relatively small charity to make a huge difference, you can all be very proud of how you’ve all helped.

I hope this gives you all a better appreciation of the importance your assistance is.

My sincere & fraternal thanks,

Brian

W Bro Brian McCormack

Provincial Grand Charity Steward of Mark Master Masons of Berkshire.

The Provincial Grand Masters’ Reception and Dinner – An event not to be missed!

A new Master for The Old Rectory Lodge

This week Old Rectory Lodge held its installation meeting attended by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Mark Master Masons – Berkshire and a team of Provincial Officers.

A wonderful ceremony was performed by various members of the Lodge, it was a pleasure to see Bro Patrick O’Neil Brown take the chair for the first time.
Following the meeting, members and guests enjoyed a lovely meal in the new catering facilities adjacent to the Lodge room.

A visit to Leopold Mark Lodge

With thanks to W Bro Paul Tomlinson, one of our Communications Team roving reporters for his report on this week’s meeting of Leopold Mark Lodge.

The meeting of Leopold Mark Lodge Monday evening where the brethren were enlightened by a lecture regarding the “History and Meaning of parts of the Mark Ritual”, delivered by Brother Hopkins which was interesting if you have not heard it before. Also, Bro Todor was finally presented with his long-awaited Grand Lodge Certificate! The festive board was an enjoyable two-course meal with plenty of banter If you have never visited Leopold Mark Lodge, add it to your diary, it’s an enjoyable night and take your ritual book as you may get a job…