A looted book has been returned to its rightful owners after more than 70 years of searching

In January 1941, the four Masonic temples in the Channel Islands were ransacked by the Germans. The contents were loaded on to a ship called the SS Holland and taken to Granville, France. Most of the items were lost forever – some were exhibited in Berlin – but three cases were intercepted and captured by the French resistance in the area. Three members of that group were French Freemasons of Lodge Perservance No. 27, working English ritual.

From the items they recovered they realised that the cases were from the Channel Islands and kept them safe for the rest of the war. Through connections with Guernsey, arrangements were made to return the items to Guernsey Freemasons.

'We were missing one of the many books that were returned in the case, so assumed it was ours', explained Simon Hamon, President of the Guernsey and Alderney Library and Museum Committee. 'Everything else we sent across to Jersey'.

When Michael Beacham, historian and researcher for Guernsey and Alderney Museum, was studying the books, he recognised a Jersey book plate inside one of them. ‘If we had just opened it when it was returned to us and hadn't just put it straight into storage, we would have known that it belonged to Jersey,' said Michael.

The book, Kennings Masonic Encyclopaedia from about 1850, was formally returned  to the Province of Jersey, where it was accepted by their Museum and Library Curator Geoff Morris in Guernsey. 'This really goes to show that items that were looted are still out there,' he said.

Simon Hamon said that Guernsey were delighted to be able to return the book to its correct home. 'It's unbelievable that it has taken us nearly 74 years – to figure out that it belongs to Jersey – when the book plate was in there the whole time. The books are so fragile we don't like to open them too much.’

St Martin's Lodge No. 4142, in the Province of Guernsey & Alderney, held a Ladies Night fundraiser in March 2019 to help raise £500 for the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA)

The event was held at the Les Cotils Christian Centre prior to the proceeds being presented by the Master of the Lodge to the Manager of GSPCA. 

Steve Byrne, GSPCA Manager, said: ‘We are incredibly thankful to all of St Martin's Lodge for their extremely kind and generous donation of £500 raised at their Ladies Night.

‘With over 500 animals in our care and the need to build a new Wildlife Hospital at the GSPCA Animal Shelter every penny helps make a huge difference and it is wonderful when we hear of those having a great time while raising funds to help the many animals in our care.’

Steve Marti, Master of St Martin's Lodge, said: ‘We had a fabulous evening at Les Cotils for our Ladies Night and we are so pleased to be able to donate £500 raised to help the GSPCA and their work." 

‘Freemasons are taught to practice charity and to care, not only for their own, but also for the community as a whole, both by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.

'A huge thank you to all of the members that helped put on such a fantastic night, Les Cotils for their great service and food and of course to all that supported our Ladies Night.’

Four Freemasons took on the ‘Five Peaks Challenge' in September 2018 to raise over £2,200 for the charity Dogs for Good

The challenge entailed climbing and descending the highest peaks of the home nations of England (Scafell Pike), Wales (Snowdon), Scotland (Ben Nevis) and Northern Ireland (Slieve Donard), and the highest peak in the Republic of Ireland (Carrauntoohil). In just five days, the four members, all in their fifties, drove 1,800 miles and climbed over 10,000 metres.

The four members who completed the task were: Stuart Lutes, Charity Steward of La Belle Sauvage Lodge No. 3095 in London, Mark O’Shaughnessy and Jeff Wall, Secretary and Junior Deacon respectively of Bodina Lodge No. 9121 in Hertfordshire, and Eddie Higgins, of Mariners’ Lodge No. 168 in Guernsey.

Dogs for Good is a life-transforming charity, creating partnerships between people living with disability, including children with autism, and specially-trained assistance dogs.

So far, over £1,700 has been raised by online donations with La Belle Sauvage Lodge boosting this by making a generous donation of £500.

You can sponsor the Challenge by clicking here

It’s the journey  that matters

Via Rolls-Royce, camper van, horse and cart, speedboat and tandem bicycle, Lifelites chief executive Simone Enefer-Doy travelled 2,500 miles in two weeks to raise the profile of this hard-working charity

Providing life-changing assistive technology, Lifelites helps the 10,000 children and young people in hospices across the British Isles live their short lives to the full. On 25 May 2018, the charity’s chief executive, Simone Enefer-Doy, set off on an epic road, air and river trip to spread the word and raise funds.

The 2,500-mile challenge, called Lift for Lifelites, was to take in 47 famous landmarks in England and Wales in just 14 days. For each leg of the journey, Simone received a lift from Provincial supporters in an eclectic mix of transportation. After setting an initial target of raising £50,000 for Lifelites, the total now stands at over £104,000. Simone says she has been astounded at the support and generosity she encountered as she travelled around the country. 

‘Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that so many people would come out to meet me on my journey and support my challenge. We have received a terrific welcome wherever we have gone, and it really spurred me on to continue whenever I felt myself flagging. I would like to thank everyone – drivers, donors and venues – for helping to make Lift for Lifelites happen. We couldn’t have done it without you.’

If you’d like Lifelites to come to one of your Provincial meetings to make a presentation about Simone’s adventure and how the charity will use the money, please get in touch via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 0207 440 4200.

Lifelites Chief Executive Simone Enefer-Doy has left Freemasons' Hall to kick-start her 2,500 mile journey to 47 famous landmarks to raise awareness of Lifelites and £50,000 for the charity

Dubbed 'A Lift for Lifelites', Simone will see Freemasons in nearly every Province in England and Wales and will be stopping at landmarks such as Hadrian’s Wall, Angel of the North and Bletchley Park in vehicles including a classic Rolls Royce, a camper van, a four seater plane, an E Type Jaguar and even a zip wire.

Simone said: 'With the help of Freemasons and their vehicles around the country, I’m on a mission to raise the profile of our work and raise more funds to reach more children whose lives could be transformed by the technology we can provide.'

We'll be updating this page regularly, including images, as Simone continues on her epic quest.

Day 14 – Thursday 7 June

That's a wrap! Simone completed her 14 day challenge and finished in style on ThamesJet speedboat with guests including United Grand Lodge of England Chief Executive Dr David Staples. Her fundraising currently stands at over £103,000.

Day 13 – Wednesday 6 June

It's the penultimate day, starting with a trip to Bedfordshire at the Shuttleworth Collection. The next stop was Silverstone racetrack in Northamptonshire, which included completing a lap in a Jaguar, before driving this to Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire. The last trip was to the home, studios and gardens of former artist Henry Moore in Hertfordshire.

Day 12 – Tuesday 5 June

Day 12 took in journeys across Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The first stop was Gordon Boswell Romany Museum in Lincolnshire before using two vehicles, a Hudson Straight Six Touring Sedan and a Range Rover, to Bressington Steam and Gardens in Norfolk. There was still time to grab lunch at Bury St Edmunds Abbey in Suffolk before a BMW took Simone to her final stop in Cambridgeshire, which included a punt on the River Cam.

Day 11 – Monday 4 June

Simone crammed in four locations to start the week, with a wide variety of vehicles used. The day started in Yorkshire Sculpture Park before driving a 1977 Bentley to the National Tramway Museum in Derbyshire. It was from here that Simone then picked up a DeLorean to take her to Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire before completing the day by driving a gold Rolls-Royce to Victoria Park in Leicestershire.

Day 10 – Sunday 3 June

The week concludes with trips to Northumberland, Durham and Yorkshire and East Riding, as well as the news that Simone had already hit her £50,000 target. Trips included the Millennium Bridge in Northumberland, the Angel of the North and a scenic drive across the Yorkshire Moors to Bolton Castle.

Day 9 – Saturday 2 June

Day nine saw visits to the Provinces of West Lancashire and Cumberland and Westmorland, with landmarks including Hadrian’s Wall in Cumbria and transport provided by a horse and cart.

Day 8 – Friday 1 June

Two Rolls-Royces helped provide the transport on day nine, with Simone starting at the Avoncroft Museum in Worcestershire, driving down to New Place in Warwickshire and then to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. There was still time to conclude the day by visiting Manchester Cathedral in East Lancashire.

Day 7 – Thursday 31 May

At the halfway point, Simone made trips to Cheshire, Shropshire and Herefordshire – starting out at the Georgian Hall Dunham Massey, then heading to the RAF Museum Cosford in a custom built Rewaco Bike and finally, to Arthur’s Stone.

Day 6 – Wednesday 30 May

Day six was solely focused in North Wales where Simone took on the challenge of the fastest zip wire in the world. This was then followed by making the journey to Chester in a six month old blue McLaren Spider and flanked by the Widows’ Sons motorcyclists and Blood Bike volunteers.

Day 5 – Tuesday 29 May

Day five was a journey across the borders for Simone as she ventured to Oxfordshire before heading west to Monmouthshire and continued to South Wales and West Wales. Landmarks included Radcliffe Camera in Oxford, Caerleon Amphitheatre in Newport, the Donald Gordon theatre in Cardiff and ending the day in the county town of Carmarthen to meet the Provincial Grand Lodge of West Wales.

Day 4 – Monday 28 May

Simone began day four by driving an Aston Martin DB9 to the Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare with help from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Somerset. A 1928 MG Riley saloon then took Simone to her next port of call, Clifton Suspension Bridge where the Provincial Grand Lodge of Bristol had a 1966 Austin Mini Cooper waiting to take her to Caen Hill Locks. It was here that Simone met representatives from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Wiltshire, before the final stop of the day saw her clock up the miles to Shaw House in Berkshire to be greeted by members of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Berkshire.

Day 3 – Sunday 27 May

Day three involved journeys to Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. It started with a visit to Lulworth Cove in Dorset to be met by members from the Provincial Grand Lodge in a yellow camper van and to receive a donation of £2,000. Simone then ventured to Buckfast Abbey to receive a donation of £5,000 from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire before departing in a classic Rover to head to Lanhydrock House and Garden in Cornwall, where she received another donation of £1,750.

Day 2 – Saturday 26 May

Simone took to the sky for day two, meeting a representative from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hampshire and Isle of Wight who drove her to Southampton to board a flight to Jersey, to meet members of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Guernsey and Alderney.

Day 1 – Friday 25 May

Simone has begun her challenge, leaving in a taxi escorted by a fleet of Widows Sons motorcyclists. This is the start of her 14 day road trip with a difference, using a variety of unusual and extraordinary forms of transport.

The next destination for Friday was Richmond Park where Simone was met by representatives from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex after arriving in a Porsche 550 Spyder. Further destinations included Guildford Cathedral, where Simone was met by a Noddy car, and Brighton Royal Pavilion, where the Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex made a donation of £5,000.

Lifelites has a package of their magical technology at every children’s hospice across the British Isles and their work is entirely funded by donations. Through the journey they are seeking to raise £50,000 – that’s the cost of one of their projects for four years.

You can sponsor Simone by clicking here

Guernsey and Alderney Freemasons have donated £2,160 to bring a number of Chelsea Pensioners to the Channel Islands to celebrate Liberation Day on 9th May

On that day in 1945 the towns of both St Helier in Jersey and St Peter Port in Guernsey were inundated by vast crowds of rapturously joyous islanders thronging the seafront to welcome the arrival of British troops.

The subsequent annual celebrations in Guernsey include a parade prior to a church service of Thanksgiving, a cavalcade of military and vintage vehicles of the era and tea dances for liberated islanders. Chelsea Pensioners have been providing a grand spectacle at all of these events for the past 40 years.

Since 2008, lodges in the Province of Guernsey and Alderney have been providing them with substantial financial support to meet the costs involved with their visits.

The Chelsea Pensioners visit the Masonic Centre every year and those who are Freemasons attend a lodge meeting during their stay. In recent years, they have been accompanied on their visits by a party of Ghurkhas.

The visiting party, which was led by Captain of Invalids Royal Hospital Chelsea, Lt-Colonel Johnny Lowe, was welcomed by Past Provincial Grand Master David Hodgetts.

More than 300 Freemasons and their families attended a service in Guernsey in celebration of the Tercentenary of the United Grand Lodge of England, which was represented by Past Assistant Grand Master David Williamson

The service was held at the island’s principal church and was led by the Dean of Guernsey, the Very Reverend Tim Barker.

Prior to the service, the brethren paraded in full regalia through the town of St Peter Port for the first time since the bicentenary in 1917.

They were joined by Jersey Provincial Grand Master Kenneth Rondel, who formally handed over the South West Provinces Tercentenary banner to Guernsey & Alderney Provincial Grand Master David Hodgetts. The service was followed by a festive lunch, at which the Dean was an honoured guest.

The Province of Guernsey & Alderney kicked off its Tercentenary celebrations with the opening of an exhibition at the Guernsey Museum at Candie, which attracted wide media coverage

The exhibition featured a range of local masonic memorabilia, mainly from the Province’s own museum and library.

£30,000 for island community groups

Guernsey and Alderney Freemasons have donated more than £30,000 to support local groups, with charity representatives attending a special gathering at the masonic centre in St Martin to receive their cheques. PGM David Hodgetts said the organisation was keen to support as many local groups as possible on the island. Charities receiving funding included Guernsey Jumbulance Holidays, Headway Guernsey, the Guernsey Sailing Trust, Wigwam Support Group and the Bailiwick of Guernsey Scout Association.

Keeping it local in Guernsey

Masons in Guernsey have contributed around £30,000 to 10 local charities, with donations ranging from more than £2,000 to £5,000 each. Three of the charities received £5,000: Guernsey Welfare Service, Male Uprising Guernsey Charitable Foundation, and Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation. Every year, Guernsey masons raise a large sum from their membership that is donated to charity, usually a local cause.