Semper Paratus Lodge 10076, the first Lodge in our Constitution to meet on Sundays, has been Consecrated at Beverley on Sunday 4 October 2025 by the Provincial Grand Master, Dr David Chambers, with APGM Mark Iveson being installed as Primus Master.
The name Semper Paratus is Latin for "always ready", a fitting title for our new emergency services lodge.
The Lodge is for brethren who are currently or at some time in their life have been a member of one of the emergency services, where their role required them to be of immediate assistance and to provide emergency response. This covers not only the Police, Fire and Rescue and Ambulance Emergency Services but also voluntary associations including the RNLI, Coast Guard, Mountain Rescue, Cave Rescue and the various water rescue boats around the Province as well as associated control room and support staff.
The Lodge will meet 4 times per year, 3 times at Beverley and one peripatetic meeting within the Province.
The RW Provincial Grand Master's Address at the Consecration Lunch
Worshipful Master and Brethren All,
It is my great privilege and pleasure to propose the toast to the newest Lodge in the Province, the Semper Paratus Lodge No 10076.
The consecration of any Lodge is a milestone for a Province, but I suspect that there are no other examples where a Lodge has been consecrated to hold its regular meetings on a Sunday. On that basis it has taken 10075 consecrations to arrive at this milestone i.e. a first, which provides the theme for what I trust you will appreciate will be a mercifully short toast from me.
My theme the is being first, and the first “first” on the list is a short speech from me!! Now that is a first!!
The Lodge is the first in the constitution to be consecrated on the basis of Sunday meetings, thus avoiding a clash with meetings of those other Lodges of which the founders are members.
The first Lodge, in my experience, which has 54 founders, a number which I suspect will prove to be unique across the constitution but, having been taught to be cautious I won’t go on record as saying definitely the first across the constitution to achieve that accolade.
Its chosen name of course chimes with the concept of being first, Semper Paratus, Always Ready. So, what is unique about its members? They come from an array of professions and organisations which represent those who are first on the scene. When we who are mere mortals back off , the members of Semper Paratus intervene and do so in circumstances where lives are at risk and time is of the essence. They are always ready to do this! They are without doubt first on the scene and when needed the last to leave. In their daily lives they are exposed to things that the majority of us can thankfully avoid. Their individual and collective experiences will make the Lodge strong and resilient and a magnet for those who are yet to become Freemasons and who come from a background of service above self.
Look at the names and the backgrounds of the founders who have come together to form the Lodge and you will see a spectrum of individuals who show devotion to service, to honour and are supporters of the communities they serve.
It is in those moments of urgency, when most of us feel uncertain, and when circumstances are tinged with fear that the members of this Lodge step forward, not for glory, not for recognition but because it’s who they are and what the organisations and professions they belong to are renowned for. In that sense they compliment what we as Freemasons hold precious in our dealings with each other and our communities.
But a Lodge is more than a collection of individualist, it is a visible statement of shared values which can be usefully summed up as dedication, reliability and professionalism. So, in their daily lives the members espouse the virtues which we as Freemasons value. This new Lodge will stand out as both a monument to its members, to us, and to those who are not yet Masons. It will be a tangible expression of what we stand for both individually and collectively.
To this end the Lodge is both a sanctuary for its members as a space to share friendship and camaraderie, with each other and families, and as a beacon to remind the world that at its most vulnerable moments there are those that will answer the call and who are always ready to do so.
Let the Lodge take up the task of being a pillar when times get tough, of shelter in times of hardship and above all a light that doesn’t fade in times of darkness.
Just think of the explanation about the carpet in a Lodge, the black and white squares and the light and dark periods of one’s life, and reflect on the fact that in Semper Paratus come together
Brethren who ensure that wherever possible we can move off the back squares and onto the white ones. We are fortunate that they do!
Brethren the toast then is to the Semper Paratus Lodge number 10076 and its members.
Consecration of Semper Paratus Lodge No. 10076
Oration given by Bro the Revd. John A Fisher B.Th., MA., M.Phil., Provincial Chaplain
Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master and brethren, today is a joyous day for the Yorkshire North and East Province as we form and consecrating a new lodge.
The consecration of a new lodge of Freemasons is conducted with solemn ceremonial, with reverence and dignity, and with some degree of splendour. This is entirely fitting and right.
The origins of our new Lodge lie in discussions held between our Provincial Grand Master, Right Worshipful Dr David Chambers and our Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Worshipful. Brother Mark Iveson.
It was determined that this lodge should provide a home for those who have devoted themselves to protecting others in times of emergency. not solely for one profession, but embracing the broad family of public service – Police, Fire, Ambulance, and Health Services - together with those dedicated organisations whose courage and skill so often preserve life and safety: Fell Rescue, the RNLI, Coastguard, and Community First Responders.
A dedicated team of Mark Iveson, Bill Glanville, Dr. Hiten Thaker and Tony Dyer worked to define the Mission and Core Values of this new lodge. Their purpose was clear: to build a Lodge firmly anchored in the principles of Freemasonry, whilst resonating deeply with the lived experience of those who knew the weight of public responsibility.
The idea was then shared more widely across the Province, to test the appeal and measure the interest. The response was nothing short of remarkable. So many came forward with enthusiasm that the number of Founders rank amongst the highest ever seen by the United Grand Lodge of England, a testament to the strength of the vision and shared pride of those who serve.
Your lodge name “Semper Paratus” derives from the Latin. “semper” meaning “always” or “ever” and “paratus“ meaning “prepared” or “equipped”- and when conjoined “Always ready”.
“Semper Paratus” is the motto of various civil and military organisations around the world. For instance in Hong Kong it is the motto of the Auxiliary Air Force and in Canada the motto of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. Perhaps one of the best examples is that of the US Coast Guard who share the same motto and whose official marching song, written in the 1930s, is entitled “Semper Paratus”
And so, with the gracious approval of the United Grand Lodge of England this new lodge, Semper Paratus takes its place in our Masonic family. Brethren, the foundation of Semper Paratus Lodge is not merely a new addition to our roll. It is a living expression of gratitude for public service, a recognition of sacrifice, and a commitment to uphold the Masonic principles of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth - principles that so naturally align with the lives of those for whom this lodge is created.
Each new lodge is designed and destined to be – from the very moment of its origin – a new centre where the true spirit of Freemasonry may live and flourish – and from which it may extend its influence far and wide.
In the earliest days of our Masonic progress it was impressed upon us that the grand principles of the Order are Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Great and continuous emphasis ever rests in our instruction upon the deepest reverence for the Most High – upon the supreme importance of the Volume of the Sacred Law – and of the moral law of which it is the expression. Hardly less importance is laid upon the virtues of Fidelity and Obedience – and the high spiritual qualities of Truth, of Honour and of Virtue – which are elevated into sacred duties to be imprinted indelibly on the heart
The whole system of Freemasonry is rooted in the ground of every moral and social virtue - so that the highest duty of a Mason is the expression of the highest motives and principles of which the human heart is capable.
These high ideals are laid down in this ceremony today. Let us then, all who share this joyous occasion, go out into the world with a new resolve, a new endeavour, a new challenge to foster joy, peace and friendship. This is the great challenge our fraternity offers to each and every one of us, May the Semper Paratus Lodge be infused with the high ideals of the great fraternity to which we all belong.
We meet today to inaugurate and consecrate this Semper Paratus Lodge No. 10076. May its founders and members alike be “always ready,” to attend, to engage and to enjoy your new lodge.
