Author: Henry

Battle Back Thank You Letter

Divisional Visit to The Battle Back Centre

On Monday 15 July 2019 on a hot and sun drenched afternoon, the Intendant General John Tristram, Deputy Intendant General James Mulligan and members of the West Midlands division together with their wives and partners attended Battle Back.  They were met by Sally Green and Hannah Tranter who delivered a presentation explaining the aims and achievements of the Battle Back programme funded through the British Legion.

The group were then given a guided tour around the facility which ended with the Intendant General Rt Ill Kt John Tristram formally presenting a cheque for £1,000.00 to Battle Back as part of the West Midlands division’s continuing support for the charity.

The Intendant General wishes to thank members for attending to support the occasion and would also thank all the members of the West Midlands division and their families for the continued support of this very worthwhile cause.

Thank youJames MulliganDeputy Intendant General

GRANT TO RADIO LOLLIPOP

GRAND SOVEREIGN’S CARE FUND FOR CHILDREN – GRANT TO RADIO LOLLIPOP

The Intendant-General, Rt Ill Kt John Tristram, accompanied by the Deputy Intendant-General, Ill Kt Jim Mulligan and the Divisional Registrar, P Kt John Handley, was pleased to visit Radio Lollipop at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, to present a Cheque for £2500, on behalf of the Grand Sovereign’s Care Fund for Children. Darren Coleman-Heald, Charities Manager, also attended the event to represent Mark Masons’ Hall,

Hedley Finn from Radio Lollipop explained how the Radio Station started and its current activities, which are now operating in many countries throughout the world. Radio Lollipop is staffed entirely by volunteers and totally dependent on charity donations. Hedley explained that staff training is an ongoing process and the grant from the Care Fund would assist with this important function.

We wish Radio Lollipop continuing success for the future and we are please to have been able to offer some support towards their objectives.

West Midland Divisional Conclave

The Annual Divisional Conclave was held at the Moseley Masonic Centre, Kings Heath with the Division being honoured by the presence of Right Illustrious and Venerable Knight, the Reverend Timothy John Nicholas L ‘Estrange, the Grand Eusebius

The Intendant-General, Right Illustrious Knight John Tristram, had pleasure in welcoming many guests, including Most Illustrious Knight Richard V Wallis, Past Grand Sovereign and many other distinguished visitors, including the Most Worthy Grand Supreme Ruler of the Order of the Secret Monitor, Very Illustrious Knight Andrew Sweeney and the Grand High Priest of The Order Of The Holy Royal Arch Knight Templar Priests, Illustrious Knight Christopher Gavin Maiden and many visiting Intendant-Generals and Provincial Rulers of other Masonic Orders

The Intendant-General thanked the Divisional Officers for all their hard work and support during the past year, particularly P Kt Geoff Watkins, the Divisional Recorder and also his Deputy Intendant-General, Ill Kt Jim Mulligan, for his counsel and support. He made particular reference to Ill Kt Ray Nield, Divisional Viceroy, for his hard work supporting Conclaves within the Division and attending meetings in other Divisions

Right Illustrious Knight Tristram congratulated the in-coming Divisional Officers and looked forward to working with them. He spoke of the challenges facing the Order of the Red Cross of Constantine and many other Masonic Orders in attracting and retaining new members and some of the steps being taken to address these

The Intendant-General confirmed that the Division continues to support the Grand Sovereign’s Care Fund for Children and the Royal British Legion Battle-Back charities and both had received donations during the year, which was only possible due to the generosity of the members of the Order. The collection from the meeting would go to Battle-Back

The Intendant-General was pleased to introduce and welcome four new Knight-Companions attending their first Divisional Conclave, they were W Kt David Morgan and W Kt Robert Grainger, St Oswald Conclave, W Kt Sean Warner, St Dunstan Conclave and W Kt Jonathan Bryan, St Chad Conclave.

During the excellent festive-board the Knights were entertained by Grand Eusebius, who amongst other topics, regaled those attending with the joys & frustrations of the online purchase of railway tickets, a theme which seemed to strike a chord with many in the audience.

The proceedings closed in perfect harmony with many expressing their wish to attend next year’s meeting on Saturday 15^th February 2020

Rose of Sharon Conclave No 161 Centenary Meeting

ROSE OF SHARON CONCLAVE No 161– CENTENARY WARRANT

On Saturday 1st December 2018 an audience of over 100 Worthy Knights assembled at Moseley Masonic Centre, Kings Heath to witness the Grand Sovereign, Most Illustrious Knight Graham Leslie Fight, G.C.C., present a Centenary Warrant to Rose of Sharon Conclave No 161, the Conclave having Consecrated on 11^th July 1918.

The Grand Sovereign was accompanied by Right Ill Kt Neil Matthews KCC, Grand Marshal, V Ill Kt Raymond Smith, Grand Senior General, V Ill Kt Michael Spencer, Grand Junior General, Ill Kt Graham Redman, Grand Sword Bearer and Ill Kt Glyn Hewitt, Grand Standard Bearer (C). The Conclave was also pleased to welcome Most Illustrious Knight Richard V Wallis, G.C.C., Past Grand Sovereign and Rt Ill Kt Colin V Young, K.C.C., Past Intendant-General, for the West Midlands

Illustrious Knight Justin Parker, Grand Sub-Prelate gave an oration on the significance of the Rose of Sharon, after which Puissant Knight John Handley gave a history of the formation and development of the Conclave. P Kt John had taken on responsibility for organising the whole event and his efforts were very much appreciated by everyone.

The presentation was made to Puissant Knight Joseph Khalil-Marzouk, as Past Sovereign of the Conclave, who took the Chair owing to the unavoidable absence of P Kt Paul Whitefield the current MPS. The Grand Sovereign congratulated the Conclave on having achieved a remarkable milestone in the history of the Conclave.

Prior to the presentation of the Warrant, the Conclave was very pleased to Install a new Knight-Companion, Worthy Knight James Woodhall. The ceremony was conducted by P Kt Chris Hallam, the current MPS of the Richard Wallis Conclave No 520, the youngest Conclave in the Division, who Installed the new Knight-Companion in an exemplary manner. The Grand Sovereign was pleased to bestow the accolade on W Kt James, an event which will be remembered for a long time by everyone present.

The meeting was followed by an excellent Festive Board, at which P Kt Joseph Marzouk thank the Grand Sovereign for his attendance at the meeting and the honour shown to the Conclave by the granting of the Centenary Warrant

Cheque Presentation to Cirencester Opportunity Group

The Grand Sovereign’s Care Fund for Children supports Cirencester Opportunity Group with a Grant of £2500

Members of Forum Conclave accompanied Rt Ill Kt John Tristram when he presented a cheque for £2500 to the Cirencester Opportunity Group, on behalf of the Grand Sovereign’s Care Fund for Children. John said that having applied for a grant from the Fund he was delighted to have received a very generous donation

Cirencester Opportunity Group is a small, registered charity which has been providing a service to the community since 1973. This Specialist Early Years Centre offers inclusive care and education to children and toddlers, and much needed support to their families.

The charity’s constitution states that at least 51% of the children who attend the Group must have a special need or a disability and the children who come to the centre have a range of needs including: Autism Spectrum disorders, global developmental delay, genetic disorders and speech and language difficulties.  Some of the children that the charity works with are also growing up within challenging circumstances and experiencing deprivation.  Cirencester Opportunity Group is the only group of its kind in the area and are widely respected by local health professionals, such as health visitors and social workers who refer many children.  They serve the town of Cirencester and the surrounding villages within a 15-mile radius and endeavour to help all children reach their potential and prepare them for school life, through Speech and Language Therapy, Music Therapy, Home cooked meals, Soft play facilities, Forest School, practical, emotional and one-to-one support.

Cath Fowler, Centre Manager, said “Cirencester Opportunity Group is delighted to be chosen to receive this grant of £2,500 and plan to spend the money on providing the home-cooked two-course meals for the children five days a week, throughout 2019, to ensure that the children have a nutritiously balanced meal, with many opportunities provided for the children to experience and learn about new food tastes and textures to support their development”.

Darren Colman-Heald, Charities Manager from Mark Masons’ Hall, who also attended the presentation, said “The Grand Sovereigns Care Fund for Children has been pleased to make a contribution to Cirencester Opportunity Group and wishes them well for the future”

Divisional Trip to The Battle Back Centre at Lilleshall

Visit to Royal British Legion Battle Back

On Monday 6^th August, members of the West Midlands Division, some accompanied by their wives, visited the Royal British Legion Battle Back centre at Lilleshall. We were warmly received and following a presentation explaining the aims & objectives of Battle Back, we split into two groups to tour the on-site facilities. The weather was glorious, which was a real bonus, since the site covers a large area.

Following a visit to the sports hall, to view a new group playing wheelchair basket-ball, their first team-building activity, we returned to the reception area where Rt Ill Kt Colin Young had great pleasure in presenting a cheque for £1000 as donation towards future developments.

More information on Battle Back can be found at

Members and wiveson tour at Battle Back

Cheque Presentation

St Georges Conclave No 344

ST GEORGE CONCLAVE – 17^TH MAY 2018

On 17^th May, Rt Ill Kt John Tristram, Intendant-General attended the Enthronement meeting of St George Conclave at Wellington, accompanied by Ill Kt Jim Mulligan, Deputy Intendant-General, V Ill Kt Dennis Roberts Divisional Marshal, P Kt Tony Cheesman, Divisional Sword Bearer and Ill Kt Stephen Wall, Divisional Janitor. Ill Kt Ray Nield, Divisional Viceroy, who is a member of St George Conclave was also there and acted as Conclave Viceroy for the evening

P Kt David Orme is serving a second year as Sovereign and was duly proclaimed before appointing and investing his Officers. The Intendant-General congratulated those who had been invested and then gave a brief update on the Division, the meeting was followed by an excellent Festive-Board. The Intendant-General expressed his delight seeing Ill Kt E D Humphries in attendance following recovery for his recent illness

It is an indication of the dedication of the Divisional Officers that Tony Cheesman & Stephen Wall had travelled from Rugby and Dennis Roberts from Ross-on Wye to attend the meeting, which the Division greatly appreciates and thanks them.

Holy Trinity Conclave

The Intendant General, Rt Ill Kt John Tristram, accompanied by the Divisional Viceroy, Ill Kt Ray Nield, the Divisional Junior, Ill Kt Gary Comer and P Kt David Orme, Sovereign of St George Conclave, had the pleasure of attending the Enthronement meeting of Holy Trinity Conclave in Sutton Coldfield. Unfortunately, the Sovereign elect, Em Kt Simon Evans, was unable to attend due to illness, however the Viceroy was consecrated in fine form by Ill Kt Ted Belcher. The Marshal, Very Ill Kt Richard Ayling kept the proceedings moving and it was good to see P Kt Paul Wheeler up & about after his accident.

The Intendant General was pleased to present Certificates to W Kt Chris A Young, together with a copy of a booklet about various aspects of the Order

The meeting was followed by an excellent festive board and the evening closed in perfect harmony.

St Chad’s Conclave – Official Visit bi The Intendent General

The meeting of St Chad Conclave, Stafford was an official Divisional Team visit, Right Illustrious Knight John Tristram, Intendant-General and Illustrious Knight Jim Mulligan, Deputy Intendant-General were accompanied by six Divisional Officers and four members of the Divisional Sepulchure Guard. The meeting was also supported by a number of visitors from other Conclaves in the Division and it was particularly pleasing to see V Ill Kt Michael Adams & Ill Kt Bill Watts in attendance, together with P Kt David Orme, Sovereign of St George Conclave

The team witnessed an excellent ceremony, which saw Illustrious Knight Richard Thompson enthroned as Sovereign of the Conclave and Eminent Knight Michael Sharples consecrated as Viceroy, The Marshal, Very Illustrious Knight David Leigh, ensured that the evening ran smoothly and everyone agreed that it had been a thoroughly enjoyable evening.