Worshipful Brother David Wood, Janet Shaw, Worshipful Brother Peter Odling and Major Peter Haylett

Two weeks after his Installation, Worshipful Brother David Wood was pleased to invite Salvation Army Major Peter Haylett to the Lodge room to receive a donation for the Community Fund.

The consideration of this donation originated from a conversation at a local garden centre one morning, where mature and “some younger” members meet for coffee and good humoured banter. Recognising one of the group (Worshipful Brother Peter Odling),  Mrs Janet Shaw, a volunteer at the Salvation Army Charity Shop in the Market Place, regailed us with her recent endeavour raising in excess of £4000 for the Community Fund.

Having been unaware of the Community Fund, it clearly fell within the Lodges remit and a proposition was duly made and approved. In the last five years (2017-2022) including this donation the Lodge has supported the local community with just short of £7000 not counting other funds from various social functions. The Worshipful Master duly presented a cheque and invited his guests into the Lodge room for an insight into the history furnishings and conduct of a Masonic Lodge. Janet Shaw was invited to take the chair in which she sensed the antiquity of her surroundings and presence of those members past and present. The guests viewed our Honours Boards the decorated ceiling of the constellations in the night sky in 1872 when the Lodge was consecrated and searched for the eight mice which are ever present in the Lodge room.