Salisbury Electric Wheelchair

Members of Tisbury Lodge, 8718, Wiltshire, handing over an electric wheelchair to the Spinal Unit at Salisbury Hospital. One of the members of the Lodge has a relative who suffers from the debilitating disease muscular sclerosis and could no longer operate the chair. The Lodge started fund raising and in just two meetings acquired sufficient funds to purchase the chair and donate it to the Hospital. WM John King (bottom right) said that the Lodge hopes to contribute to similar causes over the coming years.

Burns Night

Two South Lincolnshire Lodges, Welland Lodge, 9556 and The Hundred of Elloe Lodge, 469, joined forces to celebrate "Burn’s Night" at the Masonic Hall, Spalding. Over 100 Brethren attended with their ladies and non-masonic guests. Guests were treated to a display of Scottish dancing and an impressive piper. The traditional meal included Scotch Broth, Beef and, of course, Haggis and Neeps. Such was the success of the occasion that planning has begun for Burn’s Night 2002. Photograph shows WM of The Hundred of Elloe Lodge, David Trawford and his lady, Jenny on the left; the festival secretary Colin Ward and his lady, Daphne. Between them stands the all-important piper.

Motor Cyclists Lodge

A lodge with a difference has been consecrated at Bordon, Hampshire: the Lodge of the Chevaliers de Fer, No.9732, was formed by thirty-nine brethren from all over England who had a common interest in motor cycles. Internet Lodge put out an item on the proposed "Biker Lodge"; one of the founders, Arthur Agate, the first master, (centre of the photograph), put a letter in Freemasonry Today. Letters of support and enquiry flooded in. But Provincial Grand Lodge was initially uncertain: they wanted to be sure that the initial momentum would be maintained, and that support would not be drawn away from existing lodges. Marlon Brando also gave motor cyclists an image problem which dies hard. For the first two years the lodge will meet at Basingstoke. There are future plans to hold meetings in other parts of the country timed to coincide with race meetings or other motor cycling events. The first will probably be on the Isle of Man. Machines owned by brethren range from light-weight town bikes to massive Honda Gold Wings and Harley-Davidsons.

Fight Against Meningitis

The Grand Charity donated £5000 to the Spencer Dayman Meningitis Laboratories to aid vital research for a vaccine against the deadly disease. Gloucestershire Provincial Almoner, Adrian Davies (left) and Steve Dayman, Operations Officer of the SDML Charity (centre) met with Professor Mumtaz Virj (right) who heads the Meningitis Research Unit at Bristol University which is at the cutting edge of vaccine research. "Support like this from the Freemasons and others across the UK is essential to fund the search for the B vaccine and thus avoid the loss of thousands more – often far too young – lives."

Help For Limbs

A little in Sri Lanka goes much farther than it would in the UK. The London based Commonwealth Lodges’ Association (founded 1972 and comprising 36 Lodges) recently donated £300 to the Colombo Branch of the Jaipur Limbs Association to provide assistance for amputees. This small donation enabled artificial limbs to be given to seven individuals aged between 15 and 65 years, most of whom had lost limbs in accidents. The Chairman of the CLA, W.Bro. David Pitcher, recently visited the location and saw the Jaipur Limbs Association in operation for himself. While this is the first time this charity has been supported, it is unlikely to be the last, commented David Hopkirk of the CLA. The Jaipur Limbs Association exists in India, Sri Lanka and Africa. It manufactures inexpensive and efficient artificial limbs and gives training to amputees.

Canonbury Masonic Research Centre

The Autumn public lecture programme has now been finalised. It runs Wednesdays, 7.00 – 9.00 pm.
    Wednesday 17th October: Clive Hicks, B.Arch., RIBA, on, "Chartres Cathedral – From Earth to Heaven. The Architecture of Consciousness".
    Wednesday 21st November: Dr. Dominic Selwood, on, Templars and Hospitallers in Central-Southern Occitania.
    Wednesday 12th December: Warren Kenton, Kabbalist, on, "School of the Soul".
    Entry fee is £5.00. For further information contact Carole McGilvery, 020 7226 6256 or email: mcgilvery@canonbury.ac.uk .

Masonic Fire Screen

WM Keith Robins of Lodge of the Open Road, No.5983, recently renovated a masonic fire-screen and donated it to the Grand Lodge Museum. It is a fret-sawn design of quarter inch brass mounted on wood. It had been the property of the Stanley Club at Southgate. In 1876 the Stanley Bicycle Club was formed and they organised the first cycle shows during the 1880s. Considerable profits accrued from the shows and they purchased a large house which became the Stanley Club. In 1910 some members founded the Stanley Lodge. In 1997 the club went into bankruptcy and the Lodge handed back its warrant. During the clearing of the Club this fire-screen, with masonic and astrological symbols, was found in the attic.