St Helens Masonic Hall was the venue for the Mersey Valley Group Dinner, brethren and companions travelled from various locations representing Widnes, Garston, Prescot and of course St Helens. and using trains, buses and cars and some people actually walked to get there!
At the hall, they were greeted by the Mersey Valley Group Chairman David Atkinson, the Deputy Grand Superintendent David Barr, Andrew Whittle Second Provincial Grand Principal, John Murphy Assistant Provincial Grand Master and other distinguished members of the Provincial team.
It was a well-attended event which was organised by Brendan Hutchison, the Mersey Group Valley Group Secretary. The evening started with David Barr circulating and welcoming any questions, he then took them on a tour of the temple for anyone who had not visited St Helens Masonic Hall before.
The brethren and companions then gathered in the main dining room where they enjoyed a two-course meal of roast chicken, potatoes and vegetables followed by a cheesecake dessert by Tony Ackroryd and his catering staff.
David Barr, in his response to the toast from Kevin Morton, discussed some of his main topics; everyone to be signed up for Portal, recruitment of new members to the Craft and Royal Arch is encouraging, also the importance of visiting officers with their assistance to lodges and chapters, just how well they are performing with information being passed onto UGLE. David also said how much he had enjoyed visiting the Mersey Valley Group.
David Atkinson, in his response to the toast from John Topping, said that the group is now four years old and is doing well and we need to build on what has been started. With the group executive working hand in hand in the background across the group keeping it in our best interests, the group will go from strength to strength. He also encouraged brethren to join the Royal Arch.
The evening activities having been completed, it just remained for David Atkinson to present David Barr with two gifts on behalf of the group; a beautiful bunch of flowers for his wife and his favourite tipple which was a bottle of Port which was gratefully received