The Gladstone Group Dinner is always a well-attended event and reminds brethren that whilst they may meet in individual lodges and chapters within the group, they are all members of one organisation. It is a pleasant opportunity to catch up with brethren that we may not have seen for a while and to find out what has been happening within the group itself.
Gladstone Group Vice Chairman Matt Casson, who is instrumental in the organisation of the biennial event, was on hand outside of the Pearce Suite at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool. With a ready band of able and willing stewards serving drinks, nibbles and name badges, ushering light blue Masons, masters of lodges and first principals of chapters into the Sefton Suite, to meet with principal guest, Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews, for a pre-dinner drinks reception.
This is an opportunity for new members, masters and first principals to meet with senior members of the group, as well as our own assistant Provincial Grand Master John James, Assistant to the Provincial Grand Principals Ian Sanderson, and the leadership of the esteemed Province of West Lancashire.
The reception was soon thronged with lively conversation and laughter, as time was passing by quickly, and in the meantime members of the group were slowly filing into the Pearce Suite, and enjoying a glass of fizz as the preparations for the group dinner took place. Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies Barry Fitzgerald, announced would all in the reception please begin to file into the main dining suite, and members of the group and guests took their places at the round tables, ready for the main event.
A delicious dinner was enjoyed by all, and with the wine flowing the event was in full swing. Deputy Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies David Boyes, requested the Gladstone Group Community Engagement Officer Mike Fox, to please present a short talk on community engagement and what it means for the group.
Mike explained the principles behind community engagement and why the Province, and indeed United Grand Lodge, have placed such a focus on recording our collective community engagement efforts. With over £100,000 raised for charitable causes, and nearly 11,000 hours of community service, Mike congratulated the brethren of the Gladstone Group for their amazing generosity in engaging in their communities. Encouraging brethren to come forward with detail of activities they may be involved in helps to promote the selflessness of Freemasons and the positive contribution they make to the communities in which they live and work.
At the conclusion of the talk, the master of University Lodge of Liverpool No 4274, Cameron Molyneux, was then invited to deliver a toast to the health of principal guest, Provincial Grand Master Mark Matthews. Cameron’s toast was warm, humorous and met with acclamation and praised the obvious affection and respect for our own Provincial Grand Master from the Gladstone Group.
In response, Mark Matthews, thanked Cameron to the toast to his health, and praised the group for their community engagement efforts, and encouraged all to continue to enjoy their Freemasonry. Mark highlighted and encouraged all the brethren to consider joining the Royal Arch and explained how beneficial it is to their Masonic journey, but Mark’s main theme and clear message to all the brethren assembled was how he wanted all to enjoy the evening and Freemasonry. With that he thanked Cameron for his humorous toast and offered a toast in return to his good health.
The Gladstone Group was particularly pleased to have the Provincial Senior Grand Warden John Reynolds, who is also group secretary, as well as the Provincial Junior Grand Warden Ezra McGowan in attendance. It fell to Ezra, to deliver a toast to the health of the Gladstone Group which he did with aplomb. Ezra always delivers addresses with a likeable and humorous manner, and he was very well applauded for his toast to the group.
Gladstone Group Chairman Paul Storrar, then rose in response to that toast. Paul explained that at the last group dinner, our assistant to the Provincial Grand Master, John James, was unable to attend, and how pleased he was that John was here on this special evening. Thanking the group officers for their assistance throughout, he welcomed two new group officers, Shaun Brookhouse as social events organiser, and Cameron Molyneux as group mentor.
In the interim period, the group has welcomed a new meeting place, The League of Welldoers, which is now home to lodges and chapters of the group, and Paul thanked the brethren of the lodges for their efforts in setting up of the lodge room at ‘The League’. In a humorous twist, Paul remarked that the hall could cater for 50 Masons, no problem, the only issue being that we couldn’t find 50 Masons without a problem!
Extolling the talent and enthusiasm of the brethren within the group, citing some recent examples, Aaron Craigie, has developed an app for a complete lodge management solution, from summonses, account management, recording minutes, all from a light blue Mason. With the continued focus on Royal Arch membership, Paul mentioned some recent research and a presentation carried out by the Provincial Grand Orator, Kai Hughes, on why the Royal Arch is important and emphasises that it is the completion on one’s Masonic journey. Paul concluded by thanking the Provincial Grand Master for his continued support of the group and to Ezra McGowan, for his toast to it.
As everyone is aware, good things always have to come to an end, and the Gladstone Group dinner is no exception, it was the turn of Mike Clarke, secretary of Abercromby Lodge No 3699, to give the last toast of the evening, and the brethren and guests could look back with fond memories of another successful evening in the history of the Gladstone Group.