At St Annes Palace, the annual Burns Night is always a spectacle to behold. A formal black-tie event with many of the brethren and gents choosing to don formal highland wear and the ladies adorning their gowns with a tartan flourish.
The table setting, which accommodated 106 eager diners, was all things Caledonian with plaid runners and floral centrepieces featuring purple Scottish thistles offset with gypsophila and made a delightful backdrop for what was about to come. The evening began with guests being greeted by the ‘skirl o’ the pipes’ by professional bagpiper, Steve Plumb.
After reception drinks, a sumptuous four course Burna supper was served by Lee Munro and his team consisting of Scotch broth, a modern twist on Haggis, neaps and tatties, melt in the mouth Aberdeen Angus beef dinner, and a sensationally presented raspberry cheesecake in a white chocolate dome.
Master of ceremonies, Chris Thompson of Fairhaven Lodge No 5076, delivered an animated and highly entertaining recitation of Burns’ Ode to the Haggis as well as delivering the Selkirk Grace. This, however, all of this was just a backdrop to what was about to happen.
At this event each year, St Annes Palace nominates a local charity to be the beneficiary of the raffle proceeds for the night. This year, it was held in favour of Feet First Worldwide, a charity run by Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Steve Mannion who is also a Fylde Freemason.
Steve was in attendance on the night along with Clive Chenery, who was installed in January 2024 as master of Progress Lodge No 4120 in Blackpool, Clive is a Senior Operating Department Practitioner. Also present were Nurse Florence Angashang and Clive’s wife Debra, all of whom are involved in the amazing work which this charity does.
The charity allows Steve and his team of volunteers to regularly travel to Malawi in Africa, which is hugely underserved by medical staff and facilities, to perform life changing surgery and treatment on children born with club foot and other orthopaedic conditions.
On the night, the guests rose to the challenge and in traditional Masonic style, emptied their pockets to the value of £820. But this was not all. Event organiser, John Nicholls and Steward of St Annes Palace, who’s granddaughter was born with cub foot and successfully treated by Steve, had a surprise up his sleeve.
Calling in all his favours, he had manged to obtain pledges to the value of £1,527 from Lodge Ansdell Lodge No 3607, Fairhaven Lodge, Semper Fidelis and Foxhall Lodge No 7484, making a total of £2.347 donated on the night. To quote the Bard of Ayrshire and fellow Freemason: “The heart that is generous and kind, most resembles God.”