Category: News Archive

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.

Stroud Conclave No 360 – Enthronement

Wednesday 5^th April 2018 was the Enthronement meeting of Stroud Conclave, when Rt Ill Kt John Tristram, Intendant-General, was pleased to be present to see P Kt John Thornton enthrone Em Kt Raymond Vale as Puissant Sovereign and Geoffrey Watkins Consecrated as Viceroy.

The Intendant General was accompanied by Very Ill Kt Dennis Roberts, Divisional Marshal, who is also the Conclave Marshal, Puissant Knights Chris Farrer, Divisional Senior General, Les Dance, Divisional Chamberlain and Ken Starr, Most Puissant Sovereign of Forum Conclave. Ill Kt John Gillo, (who is PGM for Gloucs & Hereford Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons) acted as Prelate for the evening.

The meeting was followed by a traditional Forest of Dean festive board, the whole proceeding being conducted in perfect harmony

Tewkesbury Conclave

On Tuesday 3^rd April 2018 the Intendant-General was pleased to attend a meeting of Tewkesbury Conclave, accompanied by a good number of Divisional Officers. The Conclave was also honoured by the presence of Rt Ill Kt Roland J. Bedford KCC, Past Intendant-General for Surrey.

The Conclave Officers rehearsed the ceremony of Installing a Knight-Companion, an event which proved to be most enlightening and emphasised the importance of rehearsing and practicing the ceremonial. The rehearsal also showed that is essential for everyone, particularly those who are due to take the Chair, to use the current version of the Ritual. Everyone agreed that it a most enjoyable and thoroughly beneficial exercise, which was followed by an excellent festive board

St Oswald’s Conclave No 278 Enthronement

On the 28^th March 2018, Eminent Knight Mark Wainwright, our Deputy Captain of the Divisional Sepulchure Guard, was Enthroned as Sovereign of St Oswald Conclave No 278, Worcester, in a most sincere and accomplished manner by Puissant Knight Graham Perkins.

Mark consecrated Worthy Knight Charles Dyer as Viceroy, after which he appointed and invested the Officers of the conclave.

The evening was well attended with the Right Illustrious Knight John Tristram, Intendant-General and Illustrious Knight Jim Mulligan, Deputy Intendant-General, accompanied by Puissant Knight Geoff Watkins Divisional Recorder, a number of Divisional Officers present to support the Conclave. In honour of Mark’s position as Deputy Captain, a contingent of the Divisional Sepulchure Guard, under the direction of the Captain, Worthy Knight Martin Preece also attended the meeting.

The Conclave was also honoured to have Right Illustrious Knight Colin Young, Past Intendant-General and Very Illustrious Knight Ian Thorpe, Past Deputy Intendant-General in attendance, St Oswald being their own Conclave. The Divisional Deputy Marshal, Illustrious Knight Keith Evans, who is also the Conclave Marshal, ensured that the ceremonial preceded smoothly. The meeting was followed by an excellent festive board, altogether a thoroughly enjoyable occasion.

Divisional Meeting at Kings Heath

REPORT ON 2018 DIVISIONAL CONCLAVE

On Saturday 17^th February 2018, with 200 Worthy Knights present, the West Midlands Division hosted a very special event. The Grand Sovereign, Most Illustrious Knight Graham Leslie Flight GCC, accompanied by a team from Grand Imperial Conclave, attended the Annual Meeting of Divisional Conclave to Install the new Intendant-General, Rt Ill Kt John J Tristram. The Grand Sovereign performed the Installation ceremony in a warm and sincere manner, following which the Intendant-General Installed Ill Kt James F P Mulligan PGStdB (L) as Deputy Intendant-General.

The Grand Sovereign Then had the very pleasant task of presenting V Ill Kt N Desmond Jones with a Patent and special Breast Jewel to commemorate his 50 years of dedicated service to the Order. The Grand Sovereign was pleased to announce that, with immediate effect,t he was promoting Desmond to the rank of Past Junior Grand General.

Following a very pleasant lunch the Divisional Conclave resumed, during which the new Divisional Officers were appointed and invested. The Concave was closed in due form and the Worthy Knights retired, to reflect on a most enjoyable occasion.

The full list of Officers is shown under Divisional Officers on the website which also contains the Intendant-General’s Address to Divisional Conclave under IG Address 2018

V Ill Kt A (Tony) Bolus

The Funeral arrangements for V Ill Kt A (Tony) Bolus PG Junior General Past Deputy Intendant General are as follows

Telford Crematorium on Tuesday 21 November 2017 at 1pm

Wake at The Hundred House Hotel, Norton (Between Bridgnorth and Sutton Maddock)