The North Fylde Group, in association with Fylde Light blues Club, held a Remembrance Sunday Lunch to honour military veterans from all services and all conflicts. The event was hosted by the WM Martin Poole of Royal Oak Lodge No 5919, who also serves as the Armed Forces Covenant Officer for the North Fylde Group.
The luncheon featured two inspiring guest speakers, Adam Diver and Kevin Gray, whose moving personal stories reflected on their military experiences and their journeys since leaving the armed forces. Their heartfelt accounts offered a poignant reminder of the courage, sacrifice and resilience of those who have served our nation.
Adam, a former Army Captain with 27 years of service, achieved an extraordinary feat by becoming the first person to swim from England to the Isle of Man, a gruelling 32-mile challenge. Setting off from St Bees in Cumbria at 8:00am on a Monday morning and arriving at Port Mooar around 3:00pm on the following Wednesday afternoon. Adam described the experience as both’“amazing’ and’“horrendous’, particularly due to the constant presence of jellyfish.
A lifelong swimmer since the age of five, Adam also represented Great Britain at the 2021 Europe Triathlon Championship; his remarkable swim raised over £20,000 for Healthier Heroes, a charity supporting the mental health and wellbeing of veterans. Accompanied by a team of around 12 former servicemen in boats and kayaks, many of whom have faced their own mental health challenges, Adam continues to dedicate himself to supporting veterans. Towards the end of his military career, he served as a welfare officer, helping soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder and related issues, demonstrating his enduring commitment to his comrades.
Kevin, an Army veteran who served in both the Gulf War and Northern Ireland, shared a deeply personal account of his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder. Medically discharged more than 20 years ago, Kevin described how devastating it was to lose the career he had dreamed of since childhood. Kevin said that he had spent his whole life wanting nothing more than to be in the armed forces, going on to say that when that was taken away, he felt like a failure. For years, Kevin was in a really dark place.
The turning point for Kevin came after attending Help for Heroes, where he learned the traditional craft of rocking horse making, a skill that helped him rediscover pride and purpose. Kevin started to realise that he could still create things, something tactile, something beautiful and he was proud of what he had made. Kevin said that pride was something he had been missing since leaving the army.
Kevin is now a proud member of the Guild of Rocking Horse Makers and creates beautiful, handcrafted rocking horses. He also raises awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder and invisible disabilities through public speaking, something he could never have imagined doing two decades ago.
The room was captivated by Adam and Kevin’s stories, which were at times deeply emotional, often uplifting and occasionally humorous. Chairman of the North Fylde Group, John Cross, delivered warm and articulate thanks to all those present, especially the guest speakers and proposed the traditional toasts.
A superb Sunday Lunch at Fleetwood Masonic Hall was provided by Shaun and his team at Masonic Catering Ltd. Treasurer of the Fylde Light Blues Club, Andrew Greenlees, conducted a ‘Chorley auction’, which raised an amazing £240, fittingly donated to support local cadet forces. The Remembrance Sunday Lunch proved a meaningful occasion for reflection, gratitude and fellowship, bringing together Freemasons and guests to honour those who have served and to continue supporting veterans within the community.