Building a caring society with integrity

Integrity, friendship, respect and charity; the four guiding principles of Freemasonry that shape and define the path in which members of Freemasonry lead their lives. Surely these are principles by which we should all be aspiring to lead our lives; principles which would underpin the foundations of strong communities across the world.

One of the oldest secular, social and charitable organisations in the world, modern Freemasonry’s roots lie in the traditions of the mediaeval stonemasons who built our castles and cathedrals. Steeped in tradition, my links with the Old Worksopian Lodge have given me a deeper understanding of Freemasonry and how it works, at both a regional and even more local level, and have dispelled some of those myths that it is often connected with. You might wonder why there are so many different Lodges and what they all mean. Well, the different Lodges are made up of smaller units of members, where meetings are held and members meet together. A Freemason Lodge is a place where members will spend a significant part of their journey and each member can freely choose the Lodge they wish to be a part of. The Old Worksopian Lodge is, as you would expect, made up of Old Workspians, or those who have a strong connection to the College, such as former members of staff.

One of the least known facts of Freemasonry is the charitable work they do. As one of the largest charitable givers in the country, the Freemasons contributed £51.1m to a wide range of deserving causes in 2020. Here at the College we have been very fortunate to benefit from their charitable work and, in September 2021 we welcomed one of our first transformational bursary recipients – a significant milestone in the College’s history. A combination of support from the OW Lodge, the Provincial Grand Lodge of Nottinghamshire and the Masonic Charitable Foundation, we have been able to facilitate the entirety of one student’s education for five years.

The Old Worksopian caught up with the Worshipful Master of the OW Lodge, Roger Pegg, to find out a bit more about what it means to be a Freemason. Roger, you were initiated as a Freemason in 2006. Tell me about the role you have taken on this year and what it means.

I am now one of the two provincial members of the Masonic Charitable Foundation for the province of Nottinghamshire. We are tasked with helping people, both within the Freemason community and the wider community within Nottinghamshire. We make financial grants to charities, aiming to benefit as many people as possible, especially those who need it the most.

People are often surprised to hear of the Charitable work the Freemasons do. Why is this such an important arm of the organisation?

In short, charity is one of the fundamental principles of Freemasonry; it’s so important to us and always has been. Each year we give £46 million to charitable causes nationally.

Why are educational opportunities of particular importance to you?

We think it imperative that young people have a positive view of Freemasons, as they are our future members. We are also keen that we provide the best possible opportunity to those who wouldn’t be able to have it otherwise. Essentially, people are central to us and our principles, and we are deeply passionate about the importance of a good education.

OW Lodge Members; James Parry, Roger Pegg and and Howard Jackson

Historically, membership of the Freemasons has only been available to men – are there any opportunities for women to become involved?

There are actually a number of female-only Masonic Lodges, including one in Nottinghamshire. To date, there has been no cross-over of the male and female lodges, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this were to happen going forward. Taking Worksop College as an example, it was a boys’ school up until my second-to-last year in 1971, but now 50% of students are female, and the addition has made it the brilliant community it is today. Things are certainly progressing in the Freemason community. At one stage, a Freemason’s family might not even know they were a part of the Freemason lodge. Now, we are open to educating and involving the public; there are often tours around the temples, and we have also embraced the use of social media, both of which we have found to be hugely beneficial.

For someone considering becoming a Freemason, what can they expect?

I suppose the most crucial thing to expect is a development in self-confidence and to make lifelong friends. Community is at the heart of Freemasonry, looking out for one another through life. Our older Freemasons, who may struggle to look after themselves, will be taken care of by their lodge and province. We help anyone within our community to the very end, attending funerals, supporting the bereaved and keeping their memory alive. What is the vision for the Old Worksopian Lodge in 2022?

We want to continue developing forward, growing from our 37 members, while looking after those we’ve already got.

Old Worksopian Lodge charitable donation/achievements 2021:

• We raised money to support the restoration of St Cuthbert’s Chapel • We contributed to the Provincial charity fund to meet Covid-19 related emergencies • In conjunction with Lincolnshire

Province, we made a charitable donation to put one student through their entire education at Worksop

College. • We donated the Old Worksopian

Lodge award to Worksop College to be awarded on Prizegiving • We donated the OW Dorm Run Cup