At last, we’re off! Our 2024 MCF Festival is under way.
Over the weekend, despite arctic conditions, successful launch dinners were held on Friday 2 March 2018 and Saturday 3 March, respectively at Peterborough and Northampton. About 300 braved the treacherous conditions to attend.
The PGM, RWBro Max Bayes was pleased to announce the official launch of the Festival. He thanked the members of Lodges who had already contributed just over £450,000 towards the Festival.
VWBro His Honour Judge Richard Hone QC, MCF President, & David Innes, MCF CEO, at the Northampton event
The PGM said:
This is an excellent start for which I, and I’m sure the MCF, are most grateful. We now need to carry on in this vein as we progress towards our £2.024m target by 2024. I am not only supremely confident that we will reach our target but we will enjoy ourselves in pulling together for the benefit of this most worthy of causes - the Masonic Charitable Foundation.
Les Hutchinson, MCF Chief Operating Officer, chatting with the Provincial Grand Master, RWBro Max Bayes, at the Peterborough event
The following speeches, which were very well received, were given by the guests of honour at each dinner:
- pdf Speech by James Newman OBE (MCF Deputy President & Chairman) and Les Hutchinson (MCF Chief Operating Officer) on the 2nd of March 2018 (80 KB)
- pdf Speech by Richard Hone QC (MCF President) and David Innes (MCF Chief Executive Officer) on the 3rd of March 2018 (76 KB)
During the events, draws were made for the prizes that money can't buy (being hosted on an official visit by a member of the Provincial Executive). The winners were:
- 1st Prize won by WBro Graham Minett, Lodge of Fidelity No 445 & WBro Robert Mackie, Vale of Welland Lodge No 8845
- 2nd Prize won by WBro Nick Yates, Wilavestone Lodge No 9829 & Bro Matthew Sharpe, Fitzwilliam Lodge No 2533
The DPGM, VWBro Trevor Boswell, took great care of Bro Matthew Sharpe during his official visit to Lodge of St Paul No. 6515 on Tuesday the 13th of March 2018
- 3rd Prize won by WBro Andrew Constable Lodge of Prudence No 8946, WBro Fred Dudley, Old Kimboltonians Lodge No 7204
Click the following links to view the photos taken at each launch dinner:
Follow Festival progress on this website and on:
- Facebook @2024festival N&H 2024 Festival
- Twitter @2024festival https://twitter.com/2024Festival