Woodend Epworth Lodge No 5381 installation is the last meeting of the formal Masonic season, but the first duty of the new master of the lodge is to open the ‘summer season’ for the brethren of the lodge.
Each year, the lodge has a full calendar of family events and 2024 is no exception with a ‘family hike’ as the starter event, this being in conjunction with the brethren of Blenheim Lodge No 7519. Several members and their children walked to the summit of Snowdon, raising £1,500 for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
The next event was the Annual Summer Party, where families competed for the ‘Woodend Epworth Cup,’ as they have done since 2016. The competition is a kind of international games / Olympics, with axe-throwing, boules, pitch’n’putt, limbo and other games for the families of members. Over 70 attended this year’s party and they all enjoyed the unique atmosphere of a summer meeting, culminating in a bonfire and communal meal.
With a salsa afternoon planned as the finale, 2024 is living up to the expectations of our summer season but more significantly, these events emphasise the importance of including our families in our Masonic lives. It is also significant that each year, at least two candidates come forward, citing these events as their catalyst for joining, creating a ‘virtuous circle’ as they add to the variety of Woodend Epworth’s membership.
