Santa and his helpers at York Hospital Children’s Ward

The run up to the seasonal break was busy once again down in Selby… after welcoming Comp Craig Walker to the Salebeia Chapter, we also were very pleased to initiate Bro Mark Lodge, who listed amongst his reasons for joining freemasonry “to be part of something that makes a difference to people’s lives”.

As a Blood Bank Rider, Mark certainly does that already. Our WM, W Bro Duncan McDougall and his wife Gillie continued the tradition of hosting the Lodge Christmas Lunch, and of course Santa was able to make his usual stop. In collaboration with our caterers, the Lodge again played host to 40 members of local community organisations with a superb Christmas Lunch and musical entertainment provided by Adrian and Mick. The staff on duty and patients over Christmas at Selby Hospital, and the children at York Hospital have once again received gifts from the Lodge. As Bro Dom Tyler commented after visiting the Children’s Wards in York with his helpers, “it was a very humbling experience seeing the joy on the faces of the children in hospital when they received a present”. Rounding off the year we held our December “getting to know you” pork pie social at the Lodge with Christmas Jumpers being worn for charity, and our last Lodge of Instruction of the year with 17 brethren in attendance making their daily advancement and enjoying a Christmas Curry afterwards. Happy New Year!