At the meeting of Hertfordshire Masters’ Lodge No 4090 on 26 April, the Provincial Grand Master announced the following impending changes to the make-up of the Provincial Executive:

Firstly, the retirement of James Harrison as Assistant Provincial Grand Master and the appointment of Adrian ‘Ollie’ Wells as an Assistant Provincial Grand Master; both effective from 25 September 2019.

The Provincial Grand Master also advised that Ali Osman and Daniel Harding would be appointed, respectively, as Provincial Senior and Junior Grand Wardens; Tony Nutley will move from Provincial Assistant Grand Secretary to Provincial Assistant Grand Registrar; Graham Woodman will move from Provincial Grand Tyler to Provincial Assistant Grand Secretary and Gary Woods will move from Provincial Assistant Grand Registrar to Provincial Grand Tyler. These changes will also be effective from 25 September 2019.

Finally, the Provincial Grand Master announced that Tony Reffold has succeeded Peter Trowell as the Provincial Recruitment Officer.

Started in 2016 the Fleet House Light Blues Club now numbers nearly 100 members. The members benefit from masonic events which allow them to learn more and meet other masons from the Province of Hertfordshire and beyond. The club have three main principles which are at the heart of each event that is organised:

Explore: Invitations to other lodges
Discover: Exclusive trips to masonic attractions
Engage: Social events and masonic support

Anybody who wears a Light Blue / White Apron is entitled to join the club. However if you are not a light blue but would like to attend one of our many events, please feel free to come along and support us. In the next few months the FHLBC have many interesting events planned, including a Trip to Oxford, A Masonic Bike Tour, Indian Evening and much more...

You are warmly invited to the Bi-Annual Service of Thanksgiving at The Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban on Sunday, 16 June. This event will be extra special as it will see the presentation of an icon of St Michael the Archangel by the Province of Hertfordshire and a dedication by the Dean of St Albans.

Hertfordshire Freemasons and their families and friends are invited to attend and support the Provincial Grand Master and Province at this important event in the Masonic calendar. It is hoped that all Lodges in the Province will be represented. The Dean and Provincial Grand Master also invite all attending to a reception after the service, which will be held in the North Transept.

The event will start but attendees are requested to take their seats by 14:30 to enable a timely start. Tickets will not be issued but Brethren are asked to record their intended attendance by using the link below, to assist with the arrangements and planning. It is expected the event will finish at 17.00.

Brethren are advised that dress regalia will be worn but that this should be brought to the service in a carrier bag because of space limitations.

Rosewood Lodge No 8793 will be hosting a dance event on Friday 31 May at Mayflower Place, Hertingfordbury, in support of the Maggie's Centre at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.

Maggie's Wallace supports those with cancer as well as their families. They provide counselling, advice regarding all aspects of treatments and therapies such as reflexology & massage for patients and their carers. They are a drop-in centre providing tea, coffee and excellent cakes any time during office hours or just a quiet space to sit and ponder. They also run classes in the evening using professionals from the hospital to help people understand and deal with all aspects of life with and after cancer.

The event is open to all and costs £25 per person (£12 for under-12s); inclusive of a buffet dinner. Each ticket also includes entry in to a prize draw to win four tickets (two adult and two children) to visit Silverstone for the weekend of the British Touring Championships! During the evening, guests will have the opportunity to enter a second prize draw for an additional surprise experience day at Silverstone.

To book your tickets and support this excellent cause, please contact W Bro Bob Sheppard by clicking below.

The Worshipful Master of Layston Lodge No 6699, Chris Borsberry, accompanied by his Charity Steward, Chaplain, Almoner and Secretary, recently had the great pleasure of presenting a cheque in the amount of £1,000 to Veronica Easley, Chairman of the Trustees for the Buntingford Action for the Less Able (BALA).

BALA provide help, advice and equipment to those becoming permanently or temporarily disabled. They also run an adapted minibus; providing regular shopping trips and visits to places of interest.

This was the last official duty performed by the Worshipful Master before heading off to Royston to Install his cousin Thomas in the Chair of King Solomon on 23 March.

Provincial Grand Charity Steward, Chris Noble recently enjoyed a morning touring the Prince Michael of Kent Court care home in Watford and inspecting the progress of the work for the new ‘Orangery’ extension to the Dementia ward.

Following his tour, he was delighted to be able to present a cheque for £20,000 from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hertfordshire to the Chairman of the Friends of Prince Michael of Kent Court, Julian Simpson, in support of the project.

The new Orangery will add to the already excellent level of provision at the Quality Car Commission ‘Outstanding’-rated home, which includes a scented courtyard garden, Parisian-themed hair and beauty salon and 1950s-themed Dementia Café.

An amazing 100 shooters supported the Provincial Clay Pigeon Charity Day in April. Among them were four novices who, with tuition, shot at 60 ‘birds’.

Provincial Grand Charity Steward, Chris Noble said of the event, which was held at Hertford Clay Pigeon Shooting Club: “The weather was kind and everyone had a super day’s competition shoot.”

Mick Roper and Roger Deards jointly won the individual contest with impressive scores of 88. Will Noble and Reg Vickers were runners-up; just one point behind on 87. Park Street Gun Club was the best team with Stanborough Lodge No 9523 second and Iceni Lodge No 5975 third.

The next shoot we be held on Tuesday, 10 September – watch this space for further details closer to the time.

Keeping with a  shooting theme, the National Association of Masonic Clay Shooting Societies, in conjunction with the United Grand Lodge of England, announce the first International Masonic Clay Shooting Championship Cup Event.
 
The event is to take place on Saturday, 7 September at the Doveridge Clay Sports Club in Ashbourne, Derbyshire and is open to all subscribing Freemasons under the jurisdiction of the United Grand Lodge of England, as well as those under the Grand Lodge of Scotland and Grand Lodge of Ireland.
 
The 100-bird sporting contest will see gold, silver and bronze medals awarded in the following categories:

• Top Masonic Team and Women’s Masonic Team
• Freemason (under 65 years); Veteran Freemason (over 65 years); Women Freemason;
• Lady Guest; Gentleman Guest; Junior Guest

A special prize will also be awarded the highest Masonic gun and the top prize of the Challenge Cup will be awarded to the overall winning international team. This comes with the additional honour of proposing the venue for the 2020 Championship.
 
To find out more details about this exciting event, please click here

On Thursday, 25 April, the Secretary of the Fleet House Light Blues Club, W Bro Dan O’Connell was Installed as Worshipful Master of Halsey Lodge No 1479 for the first time. He was placed in to the Chair of King Solomon in excellent form by fellow FHLBC member, W Bro Mark Pedroz and went on to invest a number of other FHLBC (and Halsey) members in to many of the key offices within the Lodge.

Nearly 70 people filled the temple for the ceremony and the meeting was followed by a bumper Festive Board where the number of guests actually out-numbered the members of the Lodge. To mark such a special occasion, W Bro O’Connell shared a very fine bottle of 1977 port that had been laid down for him when he was born.

On Tuesday, 7th May, Harry Kiss was part of the Lodge of Opportunity (no.9777) team to initiate his Grandfather Tony Theobald. Tony who is 81 years of age, said it was an honour to join Freemasonry and looks forward to spending many lodge meetings with his Grandson Harry. As the Inner Guard of the Lodge Harry also presented his grandfather with the working tools for the first time. The ceremony was a success with all the members working in harmony for this special occasion.