Mark News

Message from the Provincial Grand Master

The news from Mark Masons’ Hall confirming the concessions being applied to Grand Lodge annual dues, registration fees, and also joining fees, has been very well received. Together with my Provincial Executive team, we have been considering what additional help we can make available to our Leicestershire & Rutland members. I am very pleased to report that we have decided the Provincial Annual Dues payable for 2020/2021 will be waived. As we slowly move towards a resumption of our regular meetings, the substantial cost savings these concessions will deliver to every lodge should present a timely boost for lodge accounts and provide a fighting fund to support our members and aid retention and recruitment.

The spirit and enthusiasm with which our Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Lodges have embraced the Virtual Business Meetings initiative is one of the real good news stories to come out of the pandemic. Our Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Lodges have enjoyed tremendous benefits in progressing essential administrative matters which leaves them very well positioned ready to resume face-toface meetings and ceremonies. During April, the Assistant Grand Master, Steve Davison and I were pleased to accept an invitation from the Light Blue Club to join them at their virtual breakfast meeting to talk about the Mark and Royal Ark Mariner degrees and their importance in a Brother’s journey through Freemasonry. Our brethren will by now be aware of the Mark Grand Rank Honours for 2021. Steve Davison is re-appointed as the Assistant Grand Master, and Tony Avery re-appointed as Deputy Grand Chaplain. Geoff Hibbert is receiving a promotion to Past Grand Senior Deacon; with first appointments for Steve Finnigan and Mike Fahey as Past Assistant Grand Directors of Ceremonies, and . Rick Morris and John Reynolds as Past Assistant Grand Sword Bearers. I congratulate them all on their welldeserved preferments.

Finally, I must express my thanks to the members of the Provincial Executive for the hard work each of them has been doing over the last year. Most of their work goes unseen to the wider membership, but thanks to their collective efforts, our Provincial Grand Lodge and all its lodges are in fine fettle in readiness to resume regular meetings. Brethren, thank you for your support and kindness. Keep smiling and may The Great Overseer and Supreme Commander Of The Universe bless and keep you all safe and healthy.

R.W.Bro. Phillip J. Mann,

Mark Provincial Grand Master for Leicestershire & Rutland

Mark Masons Donate £2,000 to Guide Dogs

At a 2019 meeting of The Progress Lodge of Installed Mark Masters No.1786, the Master, John Reynolds held a raffle which raised £300 with the intention of donating it to representatives from Guide Dogs. The representatives were due to pay a visit to the April 2020 white table meeting to talk about the wonderful work that the charity does. Sadly, the impacts of the pandemic prompted a postponement. Now, arrangements are being made to host Guide Dogs as soon as it is safe to do so, and the Provincial Grand Master Phillip Mann, having supplemented the £300 by a further £1,700 from the Provincial Grand Master’s Discretionary Fund, sent a donation of £2,000 to Frank Lynn, who represents the Guide Dogs Volunteer Group in this area. When a date is finally confirmed for Frank, his colleagues and dogs will pay their visit to Progress Lodge’s next meeting, it promises to be a heart-warming gathering, followed by a luncheon. The Provincial Grand Master expresses his thanks to all our Mark Masons whose generous contributions to the Discretionary Fund have made this donation possible.

Donation of £500 to The Ark Pre-school in Leicester

Thanks to the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Andy Lee, The Ark Preschool in Humberstone, Leicester, has received a £500 donation from the Provincial Grand Master’s Discretionary Fund. The Ark provides funded childcare for many from families on low incomes. Receiving the donation, The Ark’s Alison Hadley expressed her delight. “We at The Ark just wanted to say a huge thank you for the money you have given to us. The children have been consulted and we intend to buy a piece of equipment for the children to role play at The Ark. We also love books and will create a really inviting book corner with seats and furniture to display the books. Books are such a vital part of children’s learning and development, and this is such a wonderful gift to enable us to invest in an area for the children to enjoy and develop a love of reading. As soon as it is allowed, we would love you to come and visit us at The Ark. Once again, thank you.”