Craft News
- Written by: Gerry Crawford
An Oundle based charity has benefitted from a Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) grant of £15,000. Volunteer Action is a small charity with one full-time and four part-time staff members and 147 volunteers. They run a community transport service and befriending scheme.
These services are open to anyone aged 65 years plus or registered disabled within the East North Northants area and combat isolation and loneliness, as well as having positive health benefits.
The charity has 800 registered users of the transport scheme, which enables people to keep medical appointments, go shopping, to the hairdresser and to social events.
The befriending scheme has 100 registered users who receive personal home visits or telephone calls.
(l to r) Trustees Valerie Chesser, Moira Froggatt, Richard Allinson, Chairman David Cashmore, Trustee Lloyd Martin, ProvGChStwd Gerry Crawford,
St Wilfrid Lodge WM David Burton, Manager Rachel Dixon, & St Wilfrid Lodge members Alan Welsh, Graham Sands & David Bland
Long-time supporter and local Freemason, John Grubb, visited Volunteer Action’s offices on 16 November 2024 with the Master of St Wilfrid Lodge, David Burton and Provincial Grand Charity Steward, Gerry Crawford, to meet Volunteer Action’s Manager, Rachel Dixon and Chairman, David Cashmore and other Trustees.
Rachel Dixon said
I heard about the MCF through local Freemasons and decided to apply for a grant. We had suffered from a perfect storm of diminishing sources of funding with a huge increase in demand for our services. This MCF grant is a lifeline for us.
David Cashmore said
This grant will guarantee the sustainability of our services in the face of a 44% increase in demand. We are extremely grateful.
Anyone who can give a little time as a volunteer can do so by contacting on 01832 275433
- Written by: Peter Robinson
The Provincial Gala Ball, held in support of the 2024 MCF Festival on Friday 17th November 2023 in Northampton, was a great success with an amazing evening of fun, entertainment and fundraising !
Overall, the Gala Dinner event raised the magnificent sum of £13,000, with an additional £10,000 presented as the proceeds from the PGMs Bonus Ball Lottery, making a grand total of £23,000 that will benefit the Festival Appeal !
- Written by: Jason Brice
Saturday 28th October 2023 was the lodge’s Installation Meeting, this turned out to be a very busy day, even calling off at one point for a comfort break. Not only was a new WM installed, WBro Andrew Leeson, the 16 joining members were successfully balloted, with 13 of them taking office for the year ahead. This set up the rest of the afternoon well as the lodge also went on to initiate their first candidate in almost 10 years, Mr Lloyd Roberts. A baptism of fire for the Junior Deacon Bro Touka Cosens, who after just being invested had his first candidate to conduct through the ceremony of Initiation.
The aim of the meeting was to combine the Lodge of Prudence and 16 Brethren of the Province of Northamptonshire & Huntingdonshire who were initially looking into forming a new specialist Lodge for followers of Martial Arts. The idea for those interested to join Prudence was put forward by our Provincial Grand Master, Right Worshipful Bro Mark Constant and Prudence’s Group Officer, WBro Rob Pues. As Bro Craig Sparham announced in his Toast to the Visitors, “Today is not a takeover, it is a day of Masonic Union”. Which was a great description of the day.
- Written by: Jason Brice
On Friday 10th November 2023, St Crispin Lodge held their installation evening when WBro Wayne Dobson was expertly installed into the Chair of King Solomon by WBro Simon Rotchell. The official visitor on the evening was WBro Tim Almond our Assistant Provincial Grand Master who was escorted by his DC WBro Eddie Storey Provincial Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies.
