Cheshire Helps Belarus Children

For the last three years members of Marlowe Lodge, No. 6506, of Freemasons in Wallasey have brought children from Belarus to Cheshire on holiday. Recently fifteen children from Belarus, who are all suffering from some form of radiation sickness due to the Chernobyl disaster, were entertained to an ‘Easter Bunny’ party with face-painting, balloon sculpture, disco dancing and a surprise visit by the Easter bunny himself.

Bicester Helps Hospices

The Jersey Lodge, No. 2334, meeting at Bicester, Oxfordshire recently held a Ladies’ Festival weekend at Bournemouth. A raffle was held which raised £500 for Vale House, the hospice for Alzheimer sufferers in Oxford. The Jersey Lodge was founded by the Earl of Jersey in 1889 and has played a part in community affairs throughout its history. This is not the first time the Lodge has gone all out for a local charity. They have supported local childrens’ playgroups, air ambulance, and have made a sizable donation to the Scout Association’s Holiday Homes Trust for the handicapped.

East Yorks Affairs of the Heart

Humber Lodge, No. 57, and Humber Chapter each recently presented a cheque for £500 to the Cardiac Support Team at Castle Hill Hospital, East Yorkshire. The Support team, who give support and advice to patients and raise funds, comprises those who have undergone heart bypass surgery at the hospital. They are aiming to purchase a Transoesphagus Heart Echo machine at a cost of £40,000. Present in the Temple to receive the cheques were James Ryan, Secretary of the Group, and Stephen Griffin, Cardiac Surgeon, who gave a short talk about the technology of the Echo Machine, and described the benefits it would give the hospital.

Hants Wheelchair for Needy Child

Ron Ames, Secretary of the Eling Manor Lodge, No. 7337, in Hampshire, recently heard of the case of a child suffering from hypotania. This is a degenerative disease affecting children, which affects muscle development. The condition leads to a delay in all-round development of the child. Jordan Ifould is five years old and lives in the Hampshire village of Totton. Her disability means that she cannot stand, talk or walk.
    Ron persuaded a number of local Lodges from the Totton and Southampton Centres, in the Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight, to donate £2,500 so that a wheelchair could be purchased.

Canonbury Masonic Research Centre

Seventh International Conference
Saturday 5 November and Sunday 6 November
    Seeking the Light: Freemasonry and Initiatic Traditions
    Speakers from countries including Canada, Netherlands, Sweden, USA
    Topics include:
    - Masonic Rituals as Symbols of Universal Order
    - Entering the Courts of Heaven: Initiation Rituals in Late Antiquity
    - Initiatic Journey through the Central Themes of Druidry
    Registration forms from "http://www.canonbury.ac.uk" For further information, contact Carole McGilvery tel. 020 7226 6256 email mcgilvery@canonbury.ac.uk

Centre for Research into Freemasonry
Sheffield University

    4 October: Pierre Mollier (Grand Orient of France) Two Centuries of French Masonic Historiography (organised with the Department of French. This seminar will be held at 3pm in the Departmental Library, Department of French, Room 7.28, Floor 7, Arts Tower, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN)
    10 November: Tom Steele (University of Glasgow) Freemasonry and Positivist Philosophy in Nineteenth-century European Popular Education Movements
    7 December: Jeffrey Tyssens (Free University of Brussels) Processes of Politicising Freemasonry: the Belgian example in the 19th century
    Unless otherwise stated, seminars are held at 5.15pm in the Department of History, 387 Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2HQ. Admission free. All welcome.
    Contact Julie Banham, telephone: 0114 222 9890 email j.p.banham@sheffield.ac.uk

The Cornerstone Society

The fifth Northern Conference, entit-led The Three Great Pillars, will be held at the Salford Masonic Hall, Hemsley House, The Crescent, Salford, Lancs, M5 4PE on Saturday 12 November 2005. A number of speakers, each an expert in his own field, have been invited and this Conference will feature a number of interesting aspects of Freemasonry and its interaction with society and inner values. Details will be made known shortly. Because of the nature of Conference material, it is open to Master Masons only.
    Those interested should write to The Cornerstone Society, 17 Park Avenue, Timperley, Altrincham, Ches. WA14 5AX.
    The series of lectures to private lodges will continue. The Society is planning lecture tours taking in a number of lodges up and down the country. Leading masonic speakers from both sides of the Atlantic will be invited to take part in these tours. Any lodge or chapter interested in hosting one of these lectures should contact The Cornerstone Society at 26 Park View Road, Lytham, Lancashire, FY8 4JE, or at 68 Foxley Lane, Purley, Surrey, CR8 3EE, or by email as below. Website – www.cornerstonesociety.com Email – workingtools@aol.com

Quatuor Coronati

Thursday 8 September 2005 Within and Without – the Hidden Mysteries of Nature and Science as a Key to Early Grand Lodge Freemasonry Speaker: Charles Lawrence

Thursday 10 November 2005 Investiture of Jacques Litvine as Master. Contact: yasha@intercol.co.uk Tel 077 6829 2066