As fireworks lit up the Southport sky, a hardy group of Southport Freemasons gathered at Southport Masonic Hall on Duke Street to attend an information sharing evening session, regarding their duties as group stewards for the forthcoming special 200 year Provincial Grand Lodge meeting to be held at Blackpool Winter Gardens on Friday 27 November 2026, commencing at 3.00pm.
The meeting was arranged by captain of the group stewards, Iain Brown, supported by his vice captains Richard Jenkinson and Dean Walters. Leading the session was John Topping, Provincial Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Chapter advisor to the host group who had travelled from Poulton le Fylde. This was John’s 14th stewards’ briefing session since he was first involved with Provincial events which started for him in 2019. John was supported by Provincial Deputy Grand Secretary Mick Southern.
John was welcomed to Southport by Iain Brown, and John thanked him and the group for the warm welcome that he always receives at Southport Masonic Hall, especially when John was the Provincial Grand Scribe Nehemiah of the Province during 2025 and 2026. John also commented that it didn’t seem some 16 months ago since he was leading a similar steward’s briefing, when the group was previously on duty for the 2025 Provincial Grand Chapter meeting.
John worked his way through a detailed PowerPoint presentation that focused on the special 200 year event that is to follow. The slides detailed how security, bag checking and check-in will be undertaken, in particular the phone app Ticket Tailor which allows group stewards to scan visiting brethren and companions into the Provincial meeting. This was further explained by Mick Southern who gave an update as to how the numbers attending the meeting will be expected to be around 1200 brethren. Group stewards were informed how the process would work in directing the recipients to the Provincial office tables and how to ensure that all distinguished guests would be escorted to the Derham Lounge.
All group stewards were encouraged by John and Mick to ensure that their colleagues in the group are booked in for the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting and festive board, which is filling up quickly. For further information regarding booking in for this special 200 year Provincial Grand Lodge and banquet please go to PGL tickets
John said that “This is a very special celebratory meeting of 200 years of Freemasonry in West Lancashire and there are 60 brethren receiving special honours in Craft and Royal Arch. The Winter Gardens Conference Centre is the perfect venue for our Provincial meetings and the event will be supported by staff from the Provincial Office who will be selling ties, cuff links and items of jewellery related to Freemasonry. Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) will also have a table on the main floor (Floor O) which will enable some early Christmas presents to be purchased. Brethren will be able to collect a Prostate Cancer PSA kit for their home use”.
The 70 minute session came to an end and a number of great questions followed, which John and Mick answered effectively. One good idea was for the whole company of group stewards to form themselves into a Whatsapp group ahead of the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting so that they can keep in touch and ask any questions and queries which can be shared and dealt with speedily.
At the start of the session, John Topping had spoken of the recently launched Provincial Learning and Development initiative and how important it will be for us all to regularly monitor engagement and effectiveness of learning initiatives such as this group stewards’ briefing session. Equally, the recommending improvements which is so important in any learning activity. John called this phrase ‘feedback’ and requested that following the 200 year Provincial Grand Lodge meeting, that the Whatsapp group remains live for a period of time so that all constructive feedback can be shared between group members, so that John and Mick can take this information forward to May 2027, when the Warrington Group will be the group stewards for the 2027 Provincial Grand Lodge meeting.
Iain Brown thanked John for his attendance and presentation and the brethren gave John a round of applause. Iain went on to remind everyone that the coach will be leaving Duke Street at 08:00hrs on Friday 27 November 2026, so everyone must be all aboard before 08:00hrs. Iain assured everyone that the lunchtime refreshments will most certainly not disappoint anyone, as a deluxe packed lunch will be available for all involved with this most important work of ensuring the safety and happiness of all visitors to the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting.