Alex Riley and David Banks are just two of the junior members of Makerfield Lodge No 2155 in the Leigh Group. They last did their double passing in October 2023 and were delighted at the sharing of their experiences, this helped then decide they would both love to be raised at the same time as it helped to enforce their friendship even further.
Alex runs two companies; Horizon Human Factors, where he is mainly engaged in human factors engineering for the defence and civil nuclear sectors, he is also a head coach Black Dog BJJ, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu club. He became a Freemason after being interested in it most of his life by a previous family member and then by his long-standing mate Dan Ackers who is a member of Makerfield Lodge, he asked if he could join him and find out what it’s all about. Alex then joined the lodge in March 2023 and has proved to be a great asset to the lodge.
His motto is whoever you meet, there’s always something they know that you don’t, he is very humble and tries to learn from everyone and every experience. Even in failure, Alex believes this to be his greatest teacher. This eventually led him to develop an interest into the history of Freemasonry. He is obviously a big believer in self-development and mixing with people. Alex is very eager to join Makerfield Chapter No 2155 with David as soon as possible this year, also with Dan Ackers, that’s three members who want to join Makerfield Chapter.
David works in the civil and structural engineering design sector which has afforded him the opportunity to work in many parts of the UK and in the Far East, the nature of his work has also been very diverse, spanning from waste water treatment works in the Lake District to the world’s largest marine viaduct between Hong Kong and Macau, and currently a high speed rail project in Birmingham, this exposure to new challenges has developed him professionally and personally whilst also keeping him humble and grounded.
He became a Freemason through the Members Pathway and was initiated in April 2023, his intentions for joining the fraternity stemmed from a desire to get re-connected with people post COVID-19, as his interactions with friends and colleagues diminished as the culture of working from home became the norm and people changed their socialising habits.
Prior to his initiation, he was invited to an Olde English Night hosted by Makerfield Lodge, he especially enjoyed the mix of pomp and ceremony assimilated with the joviality and good nature of all those present. He left that evening with a strong desire to join the brotherhood. He has every intention of joining the Royal Arch once he becomes a master Mason and has already made enquiries with his local chapter and hopes to join Makerfield Chapter this year. David said: “As a new member of Freemasonry and to Makerfield Lodge I can testify to how welcome I’ve been made to feel, the culture within the Lodge is very supportive with senior members more than willing to give their time to share their knowledge in the aid of progressing myself and other junior members.”
All the hard work of the lodge certainly paid off in the previous weeks, David Bridge was the senior warden and Phill Kearns, a past master, was junior warden, Alan Slater was senior deacon and Dan Ackers was junior deacon. The candidates where exemplary in their questions and answers. Micheal O`Neill WM of the lodge was delighted to perform this double third-degree ceremony, while Peter Beswick was given the task of prompting if required for the whole occasion, never faltering.
Alan Slater finished the ceremony by doing the Traditional History, Andrew Boardman ADC assisted Alan in the presentation of the candidates in lodge, Anthony Roe was DC. All in all, a very satisfying and rewarding effort for Makerfield Lodge. After over two hours of hard work the lodge was closed in peace and harmony. Everybody was very hungry and thirsty, there was the usual dash to get to the social board.
The joviality was abounded with lots to talk and laugh about with the visitors. The look on Alex and Davids faces really did show when they were given the blue book for something they both worked very hard in supporting each other in their Masonic journey. After a lovely meal of French and onion soup, chicken with roasted vegetables, tea and coffee, eventually it was time to part and happy meet again but not before the brethren sang the usual Auld Lang Syne.
Story by Anthony Roe, Leigh Group Publicity Officer.