North Meols Chapter do it by the numbers; 300, 75, 2

Companions of North Meols Chapter No 5828 delivered a brilliant night thanks to the planning and delivery by their scribe Ezra Geoffrey Jackson and Richard Snape, as director of ceremonies. The ceremony revolved around three numbers.

Newley exalted Maurice Carter (front left) and Gary Mcnulty (front right).

The significance of these numbers are; North Meols Chapter celebrated its 300th meeting, in their 75th year and were able to exalt two new companions, Gary McNulty from Victoria Lodge No 2360 and Maurice Carter from Shalom Lodge No 7541

First principal Paul Dwan, second principal Kevin Ruane MBE and third principal Jezz Williams lead the double exaltation, with excellent individual contributions by Richard Alty as principal Sojourner, Graig Clifford as 1^st assistant sojourner and Paul Carson delivering an explanation of the signs, to make the exaltation special in so many ways.

Pictured left: Southport Town Cryer, Kevin Ruane, on the 300th convocation. Pictured right: First principal PaulDwan (left) pulls a cracker with second principal Keven Ruane. — Pictured left: Southport Town Cryer, Kevin Ruane, on the 300th convocation. Pictured right: First principal Paul Dwan (left) pulls a cracker with second principal Keven Ruane.

The chapter is the largest and busiest in the Southport Group and the companions were honoured to receive the Deputy Grand Superintendent David Barr, accompanied by four grand officers, the Southport Group team of Phil Stock group chairman, Brian Griffiths group vice chairman, Richard Jenkinson group secretary and Dean Walters group assistant secretary. The Provincial team was conducted by Gary Smith, Provincial Deputy Director of Ceremonies who took control of the temple and the festive board.

To add to the special night, there was a proclamation from Southport Town Cryer, who doubles as the second principal, Kevin Ruane, on the 300th convocation. The night for the exaltees was completed with toasts from Peter Wall for Gary McNulty and Michael Braham for ‘little Mo’, Maurice Carter.

But the best was saved to last and the night was made complete for the companions of North Meols Chapter with a wonderful toast from Chris Hamilton, who regaled the festive board with some of the excellent work done by the companions who drove the chapter forward and have shaped it into the joyous, continuously exalting and brilliant ritualists of North Meols Chapter. The next North Meols Chapter convocation will be in January 2026, to book in contact the scribe Ezra on rgjackson@msn.com