Our new Provincial Grand Master is Installed

Hundreds of South Wales Freemasons turned up at Barry's Memorial Hall on 24 June 2008 to witness the Installation of Captain Sir Norman Lloyd-Edwards, KCVO, GCStJ, RD*, RNR, as their new Provincial Grand Master.

Appointed in succession to Hywel Davies, who retired from the position on 30 June, Captain Sir Norman is only the seventeenth holder of the office since the Province was formed 281 years ago! He had retired as HM Lord Lieutenant for South Glamorgan after 17 years in the position a little over a month before.

The Ceremony was presided over by Peter G. Lowndes, Deputy Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, and was attended by scores of honoured guests from United Grand Lodge and other Provinces. In his address to the gathering, the new Provincial Grand Master set out the theme for his tenure in office, which would be recruitment and retention. He was pleased to confirm the re-appointment of the Provincial Executive and all officers appointed by his predecessor.

The ceremony was followed by a splendid luncheon at Cowbridge Leisure Centre.

China Earthquake - we aid relief efforts

The President of the Grand Charity has approved a £20,000 grant to the Red Cross to support relief efforts following an earthquake measuring 7.8 in south-western China. The Freemasons’ Grand Charity is the first organisation to support the British Red Cross’ response to the worst earthquake to strike China in more than 30 years.

The Red Cross Society of China’s local branches have been active in the 48 hours following the quake providing emergency relief to the affected areas, including tents and blankets. Although the official death toll stands at 12,000 this is expected to rise sharply as rescuers gain access to previously cut off areas and thousands of people remain trapped in the debris of collapsed buildings.

The grant of £20,000 from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity will be an important contribution to the continuing rescue and relief efforts and is enough to provide approximately 200 relief tents which will provide shelter for many of those affected and act as a first aid point to treat casualties and also 850 quilts.

The announcement of this grant comes just 24 hours after details of a £20,000 grant to assist victims of Cyclone Nargis in Burma (Myanmar) were released.

Burma Cyclone - we aid relief efforts

Save the Children’s relief work in Burma (Myanmar) is to be supported by the £20,000 emergency grant approved last week, following Cyclone Nargis, by the President of the Grand Charity. The Freemasons’ Grand Charity is also in discussions with District Grand Lodges in the affected region to identify what support it may be able to provide to their own efforts.

More than 32,000 people are now believed to have been killed by the high winds and resulting tidal surge which struck Burma (Myanmar) on 2 May destroying homes, crops and infrastructure. Following the Cyclone, Save the Children quickly redirected the efforts of 500 staff already in the Country from work on longer-term projects to the emergency relief response and essential supplies including clean water and food have already been distributed to over 100,000 people including around 33,000 children.

The grant of £20,000 from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity will be an important contribution to this ongoing work and is enough to provide plastic sheeting for temporary accommodation to 1,400 families.

Visit the Freemasons' Grand Charity's website at http://www.grandcharity.org

Name Change for our Province!

At the meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge Committee at Barry this evening, the Provincial Grand Master, R.W.Bro. Hywel Davies announced that following a decision by the M.W. Grand Master, after 160 years the name of the Province would revert to "South Wales".

The Eastern and Western Divisions of South Wales were created in 1848. Prior to that, the Province of South Wales also included the counties of Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire. Those three counties made up the Province of South Wales Western Division, which has already adopted the style "West Wales".

The use of the style "Province of South Wales" will be phased in gradually.

Freemasons help for Smaller Charities

The latest grants announced by The Freemasons’ Grand Charity focus on helping smaller charities. In total £34,000 is being given towards the important activities of eighteen charities working in the areas of youth opportunities, vulnerable people and medical research.

More information can be obtained by clicking: HERE

Our next Provincial Grand Master is named

The next Provincial Grand Master for the Masonic Province of South Wales (Eastern Division) is to be R.W. Bro. Captain Sir Norman Lloyd-Edwards, KCVO, GCStJ, RD*, RNR, Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan.

He will succeed R.W.Bro. Hywel Davies, who steps down from the role after 9 years on the day after the Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge on 30 June. Sir Norman is likely to be Installed soon after the departure of his predecessor, by which time he will have retired as Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan. The precise date of Installation has yet to be determined. The appointment was made by HRH The Duke of Kent, KG, in his capacity as Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England.

Sir Norman, 74, a retired Solicitor, will be the tenth holder of the office since 1848 when the Province of South Wales (ED) was created by dividing the earlier Province of South Wales into two. He has been a Freemason for over 50 years and has already held a number of very senior positions within the fraternity and its associated charities.

His Knighthood comes by virtue of his appointment as Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the New Year’s Honours List published at the end of 2007.

Freemasons provide aid for victims of Kenyan unrest

Following civil unrest in parts of Kenya, The President of the Freemasons’ Grand Charity has approved a grant of £10,000 to the District Grand Lodge of East Africa’s Grand Charity, complementing local relief efforts.

Violent clashes and rioting following the results of the Kenyan Presidential election left hundreds dead and tens of thousands have been forced to flee their homes. Many families are now living in makeshift camps and are desperately in need of essential supplies like food, clean water and basic household items.

The District Grand Charity has already made 1 million Kenyan Shillings (approximately £8,500) available through its own Fund for Internally Displaced People, supporting the immediate relief efforts of the Kenya Red Cross Society and Lodges in some of the areas most affected by the events. As part of this assistance, the Chairman of the District Grand Charity recently visited Jamhuri Camp in Nairobi to donate milk, bread, rice, beans and drinking water to 3,000 displaced people including children. The grant from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity will be used to increase the current support for Masons, their dependants and other needy individuals from the wider community.

Visit The Freemasons’ Grand Charity website at www.grandcharity.org

Assistant Grand Master visits Cardiff

Hendre Lodge (of Installed Masters) No 3250 held its Centenary Celebration at Cardiff Masonic Hall last evening; exactly 100 years to the day since the consecration meeting.

The Lodge was honoured by the presence of the Right Worshipful Assistant Grand Master, R.W.Bro. David K. Williamson - the first time in almost a quarter of a century that one of the Rulers had attended a Private Lodge in this Province. He was accompanied by the Assistant Grand Secretary V.W.Bro. Graham F. Redman, PGSwdB, and W.Bro. Nicholas Bosanquet, PDepGDC.

Our own Provincial Grand Master R.W. Bro. Hywel Davies, a Past Master of the Lodge, was in attendance accompanied by his entire Executive Team. Past Deputy Provincial Grand Masters V.W.Bros. J. Stuart Peters, PGSwdB; and Peter Frost PGSwdB (also Hendre Past Masters) were in attendance as was W.Bro. Robert J. Nettleship, PSGD, PAProvGM. The Lodge was also honoured by the presence of R.W.Bro. Rodney C. Smallwood, Provincial Grand Master for Herefordshire.

More than 180 Brethren filled the Duke of Connaught Temple. The Lodge was opened by the Worshipful Master, W.Bro. Andrew L. Gretton, PSGD, Deputy Provincial Grand Master. A precis of the history of the Lodge was read by the Secretary, W.Bro. Kelvin Jones, PPrAGReg. The Centenary Warrant was read to the Brethren assembled by the Assistant Grand Secretary.

The R.W. Assistant Grand Master then addressed the Brethren. After the ceremonial element of his address, his topic was the University Lodges Scheme, which he hoped would expand into South Wales in the near future. The theme was continued by W.Bro Nicholas Bosanquet who expanded upon the merits of the system and revealed that he had been asked to co-ordinate these efforts in this part of the jurisdiction.

Earlier in the meeting, the Lodge had elected its 101st Master in the person of W.Bro. S. W. Jeffrey Clarke, PAGDC who, GAoTU permitting, will be Installed at the October Meeting of the Lodge.

Following the close of the Lodge a convivial and celebratory atmosphere pervaded the Festive Board which was attended by 150 of the Brethren. The Assistant Grand Master revealed that he had very strong links with the Province, by virtue of his wife hailing from the Swansea area. It also emerged that both the Assistant Grand Secretary and the Master Elect were celebrating their own birthdays on this auspicious day in the history of the Lodge; each was regaled with a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday to You"!

The evening was rounded off by W.Bro. H. H. Judge John C. Rutter, PJGD, proposing his customary toast to the visitors. Returning to the role after a period of poor health, he was greeted with a standing ovation by the Brethren - before he had even managed to utter a syllable!

The centenary celebrations of Hendre Lodge will live long in the memory of those present. It now turns its attention to the business of its second century. Early indications appear to suggest that its future is secure with more than 30 Brethren taking up Joining membership at the Centenary Meeting and another 19 seeking membership at the October meeting.

£600,000 in grants to Hospices in England & Wales

Hospices across England and Wales are set for a funding boost as The Freemasons’ Grand Charity distributes £600,000 towards the operating costs of the widely respected services. Although children’s and adults Hospices have always been supported through the annual grant giving scheme, this year for the very first time a sum was set aside specifically to benefit the growing number of services dedicated to children.

The money from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity will be shared between 220 hospices, with over half of the children’s services receiving more than £3,000 and each adult service receiving an average of over £2,600. A full list of the individual grants may be viewed at
http://www.grandcharity.org/data/files/hospices/Hospice_grants_list_2007.pdf

The newly announced grants will take The Freemasons’ Grand Charity’s support for the sector to over £7 million since 1984. The Freemasons' Grand Charity is the principal Masonic Charity involved in donations to non-Masonic causes as well as providing assistance to needy Freemasons and their dependents.

This Province is currently heavily engaged in raising funds for the 2010 Festival in support of the Freemasons' Grand Charity. This donation is an example of the fine work done by that organisation and an illustration of why it is important that we all give our full support to the Festival.

£20,000 donation for Bangladesh Relief

Following the devastation of parts of Bangladesh by Tropical Storm Sidr, The Freemasons' Grand Charity is supporting the relief work of the Red Cross with an emergency grant of £20,000. Around 1 million people are believed to have been affected by the storm which hit the Southern Coast of Bangladesh on 15 November, destroying homes, crops and infrastructure and triggering a tidal surge that swamped three coastal villages.

The official death toll stands at over 3,100 people, but this is expected to rise as rescuers continue to recover bodies from amongst the debris. Some remote areas are still inaccessible and many survivors are without fresh water and food.

The emergency grant approved by the President of the Grand Charity will help to fund the work of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, providing for the needs of some of the most vulnerable people affected by the storm, including the provision of blankets, food, shelter, medical supplies and basic healthcare.

The Freemasons' Grand Charity is the principal Masonic Charity involved in donations to non-Masonic causes as well as providing assistance to needy Freemasons and their dependents.