Craft News
- Written by: Rob Taylor
The Northants & Hunts Branch held five events this season: - April: Ringstead Grange fly fishing, - May Earith Lakes fly fishing, - June Ringstead Island coarse fishing, - July Earith Lakes coarse fishing, - September Ringstead Island coarse fishing.
The participants for these events came from Corby Business Academy, Wren Spinney School, Mather Franks Care Group, Samuel Pepys School, Landowne Care Centre, East Hunsbury Primary School, Olympus Care Services and Ashgrove Outreach. They were supported by our dedicated team of casters, and helpers, who set up camp and prepared refreshments throughout the day.
We were grateful for the support from Provincial Office with the presence of WBros Norman Pope, Brian Silsby, Ged Dempsey, Trevor Boswell and Tim Arnold who each spent a day at one of the events, and we received a surprise visit by our PGM RWBro Max Bayes at our last event of the year. The other distinguished visitors were Dr Ahmed Mukhtar, High Sheriff of Northamptonshire, and WBro Barry Rogers, Charity Steward of the Lodge of Perseverance and a trustee of The Margaret Giffin Charitable Trust.
We were pleased to receive donations from these, also from the Douglas Compton James Charitable Trust, the Piscator Lodge and Chapter. Their donations enabled the purchase of two new ‘pop up’ marquees, which we look forward to using during 2016.
I am pleased to report that our new box trailer, sign written ‘Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire Branch’ over the MTSFC logo, proved to be very beneficial this year for the storing and movement of all our equipment from event to event.
During February David Houghton, after consultation with the local Environmental Health Office responsible for food preparation, health and safety, produced an operation manual for our events. Adam French, a Senior Health officer, made an inspection at our event on the 23rd April and was pleased to advise that we had achieved a FIVE STAR RATING for food safety under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
Finally, I am pleased to report that all the Special Needs participants were seen to ‘Catch the Smile.’
- Written by: Rob Taylor
At their December meeting, the Lodge of Perseverance 455 hosted a presentation of the Prestonian Lecture entitled, `Music in Masonry and Beyond` superbly delivered by W Bro Wayne Warlow. This excellent & interactive lecture was first presented by W Bro Wayne in 2010 and a full house in Kettering were treated to a most enjoyable & informative evening.
The Lodge and visitors were honoured by the presence of the Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Max Bayes, the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, W Bro David Burton and many other esteemed brethren.
- Written by: Michael Genner
As in all Lodges at Christmas, the Almoners of Daventry’s four main Craft Lodges, WBro Bill Mead of Beneventa, WBro John Percival of Coritani, Bro Ivor King of Danetre and WBro Robin Hitchcock of Buckby Castle, thought about the Widows of our much missed, departed brethren.
Whereas the brethren of most lodges usually ensure their widows are stocked up with Christmas Hampers and Department Store Gift Vouchers, Coritani Lodge had for many years been fortunate to add a ‘little extra’. The little extra was a Christmas lunch hosted from their home by WBro Burt and Bridget Pointing; their home was also before their retirement the highly popular restaurant, The Windsor Lodge, which with Burt’s son WBro Anthony they used to run. Unfortunately, that tradition ended this year in April when WBro Burt sadly passed away.
Unfazed, Coritani’s WM, WBro Max Reynolds, together with WBro Graham Ballinger, PM in Buckby Castle Lodge, approached the WM’s of Beneventa, WBro John Henley; WBro Dick Godwin of Danetre and WBro Alan Hutchinson of Buckby Castle who agreed to organize and share the costs of hosting a joint lunch at the Daventry Masonic Centre.
The lunch was held on Sunday 13th December with a menu of Prawn Cocktail, Roast Beef & trimmings and various Deserts prepared by Spencer Richards and his team of waitresses from The Buffet Company, DMC’s usual caterer in their usual professional and yet homely fashion.
Congratulations to WBro Bill Mead who managed to capture a snap of a very special guest – Santa (or was it?) who dropped in to hand out some special prizes.
This year the event was pleased to welcome 22 widows, who with the several lodge WM’s and Almoners along with their wives and other guests, made a party of over 40 people; a very Merry throng.
Hearty congratulations are due to WBros Max and Graham for creating and organizing a new ‘Tradition’; The Daventry Lodge Widow’s Combined Christmas Lunch.
- Written by: Michael Genner
The presentation to Daventry's Guide Dogs for the Blind by Buckby Castle lodge took place in the “Early Doors” Micro Pub in Sheaf Street, Daventry.
It costs up to £50,000 to train a guide dog, the WM W Bro Mike Raine wanted to donate to a local charity and selected the Guide Dogs for the Blind. This particular charity seeks to raise £5000 annually so this donation was gratefully received.
The donation was the result of a very successful year of fund raising, including a Ladies Festival and auction of promises.
WBro Mike A Raine, IPM of the Buckby Castle Lodge said that it gave him great pleasure, on behalf of the Freemasons of Buckby Castle Lodge, which is associated with the village of Long Buckby and Daventry, to present a cheque of £1000 to the Daventry Association of the Guide Dogs for the Blind.
This is just the sort of organization that we, as Freemasons, are committed to helping, important community services that provide real assistance to people with visual impairments.
The picture shows WBro Mike Raine, (left) and WBro Malcolm Payne presenting the cheque to Ms Rachel Nafzger with her dog Nikita