OW Lodge

In what has been one of the strangest periods of time in all our lifetimes, the Old Wellingtonian Lodge is pleased to say that it has weathered the storm well. Not being allowed to meet or dine, we have adapted to the new technologies, meeting on Zoom, keeping in contact with WhatsApp and look forward to meeting again.

£3.2m

of Freemasonry grants have supported a range of causes in the past year The last year has seen OW Masons along with all our brethren around the country focus ever harder on Charity, one of the three pillars of Freemasonry. Where our charity in previous years saw support of college causes, as well the gift of a new air ambulance for London, followed by three extended reach aerial appliances, the focus has been much more local and focused on the COVID Crisis.

Freemasonry has supported a range of causes during the current crisis, at the last count some 607 grants totalling £3.2m from 1st April 2020 alone. These range from £250,000 to provide critical Items for children and young people in their homes in London to causes local to Wellington – from 200 Samsung tablets for a care home in Sandhurst, support for the Wokingham Foodbank, support for a Kent Estuary Youth Project and the Link Visiting Scheme both in Wokingham and Berkshire Women’s Aid in Reading.

Our own James Milne (Pn 80) helped distribute PPE masks manufactured by Freemasons, Jon Rance (O 89) has been an integral member of the IT Security team protecting the UK’s largest COVID laboratory from malicious attack, whilst others including Mark Holmes (M 01), have found themselves on the front line of the medical response. The rest of us have done what we can, raising money and supporting good causes.

We look forward to meeting again, especially at College having been forced to miss two consecutive May meetings at Wellington, and to welcoming both visitors and new members to our Lodge, whether Masons or not, young or not, interested or merely curious and to being able to enjoy each other’s company again.

Please do see our website owl3404.org for more information, or contact the Secretary, Tom Hawley (T 94) on Secretary@owl3404.org or via the Wellington Community App. Come and join us for dinner next time we are at College!

We look forward to meeting at College again and dining with friends from College, the Wellington Community and friends from the other Public School Lodges.