The Mersey Valley Group held their 2nd Annual Group Ball at the DCBL Halton, Stadium in Widnes. The event started at 5:30 pm, and the ladies, gentlemen and brethren arrived for drinks and to catch up with old and new friends. The room was filled with lively chatter and laughter, and it was evident that everyone intended to have a great evening.
The meal was to be served at 6:30 pm, and in good time, Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies Ian Halsall requested everyone to start making their way into the dining room. Once everyone had found their table, Ian requested everyone to be upstanding to receive the Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews and his wife Debbie, along with Assistant Provincial Grand Master Andrew Whittle and his wife Amanda, Mersey Valley Group Chairman David Atkinson and group vice chairman John Gibbon.
After the grace was said, Ian announced that there would be waitress service, so there was no need to queue at the bar, which was definitely a plus. The meal was served in fine style by the staff, it is very doubtful that there were any complaints; the service was excellent and the food was of a very high standard.
As the evening went on, the wine continued to flow and everyone was in high spirits. There was a change from the expected entertainment, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Everyone was treated to the amazing sounds of the Soul & Motown trio called The Aim. The dance floor quickly filled up with guests showing off their moves, and even Mark Matthews was spotted strutting his stuff.
During the interval, a raffle was organized to raise funds for both Masonic and non-Masonic charities. There were numerous amazing prizes to be won, but it seemed that the ladies present were particularly interested in winning the free hairdo by Sam Gorman. When it was announced that the evening had raised £2,000, there was tremendous applause from everyone.
Andy Whittle praised Bob Williams and Dave Atkinson for putting together such a fantastic evening, and the 150 attendees showed their agreement with a rapturous round of applause. The Aim trio returned to the stage, and at this point, everyone was ready to party and dance all night long. For those who didn’t want to dance, it was a great chance to socialize and have a drink or two with members of other lodges in the Mersey Valley Group. Overall, it was an amazing evening and one to mark in the calendar for next year.
