North Meols Chapter No 5828, meeting in in Southport, held an extra meeting in May 2026 to try and clear the back log of candidates wishing to join the Royal Arch. The chapter was opened at 6pm by the three principals; Paul Dwan first principal, Kevin Ruane second principal and Jez Williams third principal.
Once the chapter was opened, the three principals welcomed Assistant to the Provincial Grand Principals John Selley, who was visiting in his own right. Being an extra meeting, there was no additional business to carry out, so the chapter proceeded to the main event, which was to exalt Mark Cunningham and Daniel Cornish.
The second assistant sojourner Paul Hanley then left the chapter room to entrust the candidates, making sure they were conversant with the degrees of the Craft. This being completed, Mark Cunningham and Daniel Cornish were admitted. In what proved to be a fantastic and well managed ceremony, in no small part to the work of Richard Snape the DC had done during the rehearsals, which the majority of the companions had attended.
The ceremony was split between all three sojourners and the three principals with Paul Hardman doing the readings throughout the ceremony. First assistant sojourner Craig Clifford did a faultless explanation, setting the scene for the companions who had applied to help in rebuilding the temple, and the principal sojourner Steven Baldam, although reciting his words like a machine gun, was also clear and concise after winning the ballot to explore the secrets they had found in more detail.
Following the ceremony, Paul Carson, scribe Nehemiah, delivered a great rendition of first part of the Mystical Lecture explaining the signs, and the chapter mentor Richard Alty congratulated the newly exalted companions before asking John Selley to provide them with a booklet which would explain most of the ritual, they had just been a part of. John added that they were both very lucky to have been exalted into North Meols Chapter as the ceremony he had just witnessed would be up there with one of the best he had seen for a long time.
The chapter was then closed and the companions headed downstairs to the dining room where they were treated to a fabulous meal of sweet chili chicken skewers, a lamb hotpot and finally crème brulé and plenty of good cheer. The principal officers also supported some new royal Arch cravats, which may now be a new trend.