NYMCC 2017
Saturday 13th of October saw the New and Young Mason’s Club conference landing in Birmingham, in the beautiful Severn Street Masonic Lodge Rooms. Along with 100 attendees, from 35 Provinces, we were honoured to receive speeches from Provincial Grand Masters, RW Bro David Macey and RW Bro Gareth Jones and exceptionally privileged by the attendance of Deputy Grand Master RW Bro Jonathan Spence both attending and giving the keynote address.
Saturday 13th of October saw the New and Young Mason’s Club conference landing in Birmingham, in the beautiful Severn Street Masonic Lodge Rooms
Along with 100 attendees, from 35 Provinces, we were honoured to receive speeches from Provincial Grand Masters, RW Bro David Macey and RW Bro Gareth Jones and exceptionally privileged by the attendance of Deputy Grand Master RW Bro Jonathan Spence both attending and giving the keynote address.
"There was an obvious buzz and excitement from the presence of our esteemed guests".
The day was a fantastic opportunity to meet other young Freemasons, network and socialise, however, there was a serious theme to the event.
New and young Freemasons will constantly consider how to engage with new members, our families and communities while learning and growing as Freemasons. This is exceptionally pertinent in our Tercentenary year and as we look towards the future.
The theme of the day was “Building and maintaining the foundations” and was split into three presentations and focus group activities to take advantage of the experience and creative ability present.
Wbro Dan Thomas, Chairman of the Five of Nine Club, did an excellent job in hosting the day and introducing our first speaker.
RW Bro David Macey thanked the organising Five of Nine Club Committee and introduced the first topics of the day. The attendees split into groups to discuss and generate ideas on 4 key areas: Sustainability, Governance, Marketing and Events.
Following lunch each group feedback their key discussion points, providing learning for all. It was excellent to see a number of “ah-ha” moments of assistance to Clubs looking to generate ideas, get support and benefit their members.
Conference partners Toye Kenning and Square Events gave fantastic presentations on their businesses that support Masonry. Our gratitude to both Nick and Guy for their input and support.
RW Bro Gareth Jones then set a challenge in the second presentation – how we maintain the quality of engagement, community, expectations and introduction to the Craft.
This led to some passionate group discussion as to how to involve and improve membership and the key aspects of Freemasonry – family, community and charity. Again, this was feedback to the Conference to benefit all attendees and respond to the Provincial Grand Master’s challenge.
We were exceptionally privileged to have RW Bro Jonathan Spence, Deputy Grand Master give the keynote address. It was inspiring to have one of the most senior Freemasons in the World recognise the challenges to today’s New and Young Masons and provide a thoroughly entertaining and articulate synopsis of the day, seemingly delivered off the cuff!
"I have no doubt everyone present will agree it was a fun, vibrant and stimulating day".
Finally, we found out that the 2018 New and Young Masons Clubs Conference was to be hosted by the Provincial Grand Lodge of South Wales NYMC The Colonnade Club, we wish them well with their preparations and look forward to renewing friendships in a years’ time.
The Conference closed with a well-earned social event in Pennyblacks in Birmingham’s trendy Mailbox, with many of the visiting Brethren staying for a beer and to further discuss the opportunities discovered during the day.
By Dan Norman
The Masonic Paper Competition 2017/18
As part of the Development and Education Committee, we are continuing to set up a central database of papers written by members of our Lodges, and which can be drawn on by all. This will be in addition to continuing to deliver Orations.
As part of the Development and Education Committee, we are continuing to set up a central database of papers written by members of our Lodges, and which can be drawn on by all. This will be in addition to continuing to deliver Orations.
The Development and Education Committee is chaired by Assistant Provincial Grand Master W Bro. Peter Manning, PJGD. We have had some wonderful papers submitted over the last two years and, I am looking for further interesting papers this year.
As I am sure you are aware, there are two silver cups available to the winners, one to keep and the other to return after 1 year. There are two categories also, one for Bros. below the Chair and the other for W. Bros. The committee has decided that new papers be sent to me in the first instance to collate and, through our Communications Officer, update the database. I would, therefore, welcome any submissions you may have whether these are old or new.
Papers can easily be sent to me at kmarchington@sky.com. The closing date is 30th April 2018. The papers are adjudicated by the Orations team and myself with the winners announced at the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting in May of next year. They will also be able to present their papers to an Installed Masters Lodge meeting later in that year as last year’s winners will this year. If they prefer I would happily deliver them on their behalf.
To give you a few ideas, the following may encourage you to put pen to paper! I have selected 10 categories which you may wish to consider as areas of research. The internet is a great source of material. A 20 minute delivery time would be perfection!
- 300 Years of English Freemasonry and beyond.
- Freemasonry during the Second World War.
- The development of today’s lodge room and its furniture.
- Masonic etiquette.
- The bible and Freemasonry (e.g. Chronicles and Kings).
- Famous Freemasons over the years.
- The Three Grand Masters, their lives and background.
- How foreign English Lodges developed, where and why (e.g. Naval Lodges in the Commonwealth)
- 960 BC – what was happening?
- The Priory of Zion and its relationship to today’s Freemasonry.
Do have a go, you will find it more interesting than you think!
Yours sincerely and fraternally
Keith
W Bro K Marchington PAGDC
Reaching out to the Homeless…
In a meeting last year in November the Five of Nine Club’s committee members met to discuss and plan our forthcoming activities. It was unanimously agreed that we all wanted to give back to the most vulnerable and those in need over the festive season. Although we came up with a number of ideas, it was felt that we should pursue an activity that would have a real, practical and immediate effect on those that we sought assist and support.
In a meeting last year in November the Five of Nine Club’s committee members met to discuss and plan our forthcoming activities. It was unanimously agreed that we all wanted to give back to the most vulnerable and those in need over the festive season. Although we came up with a number of ideas, it was felt that we should pursue an activity that would have a real, practical and immediate effect on those that we sought assist and support.
So we decided to build on the great work and success of our last Freemasonry in the Community event at Acorns Children’s Hospice, where Five of Nine members got stuck in, rolled their sleeves up and completely redecorated their function room with friends and family. Our efforts were even captured in the local press, and our Chairman also explored our hands-on commitment to charities in the Winter (2016) edition of Freemasonry Today.
At a time when many are enjoying spending time with their families, and frankly enjoying the excesses of life, who has the least? The homeless. With that in mind the search began, and we managed to locate a small friendly local charity based in the centre of Birmingham called Birmingham Homeless Outreach. Having received the support of our Patron the Right Worshipful Brother David F. Macey PGM and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire, our initiative soon turned into a provincial activity. The Five of Nine Club’s appeal for food, clothing, blankets, and any items that brethren could spare spread across the province.
The donation boxes that were left in many of the Masonic Centres were over flowing, from Rugby to Redditch, and Birmingham to Coventry the brethren and their families made us proud. Although there are too many individual lodges that supported us to name them individually, we have to mention Monolithos Lodge No. 8475. The Master and brethren of Monolithos Lodge raised over £150 for our ‘Help Us Help the Homeless’ event, and went on a shopping spree to purchase to specific items to help the homeless through the cold wet winter. In addition, Dan Norman deserves a mention for his colossal achievements in raising support from the Lodge of Development who donated two large boxes of body-warmers, over sixty blankets, and bags and bags of clothes.
Monolithos Lodge No. 8475
Monolithos Lodge No. 8475
hope & jeff robinson
Finally, we also have to mention the efforts of a special young lady, Hope Robinson. The daughter of our brother Jeff from the Lodge of Happiness No. 7952, who not only gave her free time to help on the day, but handmade over 85 bags each packed with essential items to assist the vulnerable individuals we sought to help. From what started as Hope simply giving her Christmas chocolate away, her efforts inspired others to contribute to her efforts and quickly snowballed whereby individuals from the local school, her friends and shops all contributed items. Each draw string bag contained, dog food, gloves, socks, tissues, deodorant, crisps, cereal bars, chocolate bars, tooth paste and a toothbrush, while the ladies bags included feminine items as well.
The lead up to our event was ground breaking, we have never before been aware of any group within Warwickshire Freemasonry that has carried off such a feat and been able to rally such support and generosity from the brethren to support a cause that in most cases had nothing to do with their own lodges charitable aims.
Our event took place on a grey, wet and drizzly Saturday morning, as we all gathered in the cold it soon became clear why our initiative was so important and desperately needed. Homelessness is a growing problem in the UK, and ‘…rough sleeping in Birmingham has hit record levels after rising 53 per cent in one year’. The Five of Nine Club’s organisation and planning was first class, we managed to get over 35 members of the club with their families and friends to join with us at the location, all on time, with many bringing extra donations to hand out on the day.
Unfortunately, the rest of the day didn’t quite go to plan. In short we were let down. We were let down as the charity simply didn’t turn up. We were somewhat disappointed to say the least. However, we were more disappointed by the possibility that so many homeless people may have missed out, and the fact it was beyond our control.
Nevertheless, we were committed to seeing our good work through. We created a distribution point at the side of St. Martins Church in the Bullring, and encouraged a number of homeless people to spread the word across the town centre to those that were sleeping rough - about the clothes, blankets, food and other numerous items that were available to them. And come they did, it was buzzing and it was a hive of activity for a number of hours. Our members along our families and friends were fully involved, distributing many items directly to those we set out to help, everyone interacted well and made a difference to people’s lives with a positive meaningful impact.
We received so many donation from across the province we were able to give a large number of items directly to St. Martins Church, where the vulnerable who sleep rough often visit in their hour of need for support. It doesn’t stop there either. We were also were able to support a tremendous well established charity called ‘Shelter’. We felt more confident that this organisation with its own team of specialist outreach workers would reach the people we sought to serve. The manager and workers at Shelter were extremely delighted to receive such a huge amount of items and donations, which they will be able to distribute and also sell on to raise money for their charitable exercises.
a fully laden van filled to the brim with items donated to the homeless from across the warwickshire province
So regardless that the day didn't go quite to plan we are very positive when we look back at what we have achieved with the support of our members and the brethren from across the province of Warwickshire, it was fantastic. Thank you again to everybody that helped us help the homeless.
By C. Burke
