On Friday the 8th December 2023 the Worshipful Master and Director of Ceremonies of the Samuel Pepys Lodge 8330 visited the St Johns Hospice at Moggerhanger to present a cheque for £1,000.
WBro Rob Barron, Nick Burr, Sarah Ashton, WBro Rob Taylor, not forgetting Amber the guide dog.
The reason behind the presentation was due to a valued member of the Lodge who spent his last days in the Hospice and was treated with special care, giving him the dignity required in his last days. W.Bro Bob Barron was a stalwart of Samuel Pepys Lodge holding many offices over the years including Worshipful Master and Director of Ceremonies.
After he passed away his son, W.Bro Robert Barron, Bob’s son and now DC of the Lodge, asked if the Lodge would make a donation to the Hospice. The treatment they gave to Bob was second to none and deserved a small appreciation of their splendid care.
The Lodge unanimously voted for the donation and immediately granted £500 to be drawn from the Relief Chest. This was forwarded to the Province of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire with a request for match funding. The Province kindly agreed to match the £500 with another of the same amount. The cheque was raised and W.Bros Rob Taylor (W.M.) and Rob Barron (D.C.) arranged with Sarah Ashton, the Fund Manager for the Hospice to come along and present it to them.
On their arrival at the Hospice they were met by Sarah and her assistant Nick Burr, who lost his sight due to cancer, along with his trusty helper Amber, the lovely guide dog. Rob Barron thanked the both of them for the care and attention they gave his father during his last days and was very happy to jointly hand over the cheque to help the Hospice.
Bob was a well loved member of the Lodge who lived respected and died regretted.