FEATURE
A Message from the Chairman At 9pm on Friday 8th May 2020, Her Majesty The Queen spoke to the nation to mark the 75th anniversary of V.E. Day. This was exactly the same time her father, the late King George VI, had addressed the nation 75 years earlier, to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe.
The main theme of his message was “Never give up, never despair”. These thoughts were echoed in the Queen’s closing words of encouragement to the nation:
“Today it may seem hard that we cannot mark this special anniversary as we would wish. Instead we remember from our homes and
our doorsteps. But our streets are not empty; they are filled with the love and the care that we have for each other.” That momentous occasion was six months ago, yet those sentiments still ring true today as we continue the fight against Covid19 which is still depriving us of those normal things we hold so dear. For example, attending a Masonic meeting conducted in the
Editor’s Welcome Dear Readers
The last issue of Leicester Square had a somewhat different tone to usual, with the country entering a national lockdown and Freemasonry seemingly on hold for a few months until the pandemic had blown over. How wrong was I to assume that by the time we came to put this issue together, we would be back in our respective Lodges enjoying each other’s company as is usual for this time of year. Usually by this time we would have collated stories of Lodge visits and charity collections, lists of the new Brethren who have been initiated since the last edition, and of course a report of Provincial Grand Lodge. As you know, none of this has taken place in the form we are all used to, which has made putting this edition together even more of a challenge than usual. Over the summer and autumn, the Provincial Communications Group have been working tirelessly to
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traditional manner and afterwards being able to share our friendship and companionship with each other at a festive board in normal happy surroundings.
where we left off but with renewed energy to ensure that Freemasonry survives and flourishes, just as it did in the years following the war.
That is what I miss the most in these strange times, and I believe most brethren feel the same way, waiting to get back but only as before. Don’t give up and don’t despair. Be assured, normality will return, and we must be ready to resume
With my very best wishes to you and your families for a happy Christmas. Make the best of it that you can and may the New Year bring better fortune for us all.
Jim Williamson,
Chairman Leicester Square
keep everyone informed of the latest news and guidelines, extending our reach by using bulletins, websites and podcasts, to supplement the usual news contained within Leicester Square. I was expecting to be busy but had no idea of the hard work needed to keep on top of all of the changes coming our way. This edition has a different feel to what you will be used to, we do hope you enjoy reading it; as ever your feedback is crucial to helping us deliver a quality publication with relevant and interesting stories. One of the first changes you may notice is the timing of this edition. In the past we have aimed to bring this to you in October; we changed this to December to ensure we could capture Provincial Grand Lodge, and also have a good few months’ worth of news stories from the new season. Stay safe, and have a great Christmas.
Richard Barnett
Editor Leicester Square
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