Group News

The Floral Hall, Southport was packed with 550 Freemasons and their partners for the Tenth Annual Festival; this year being the first of the new West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity.
More than £2,500 was raised at this splendid event.
Provincial Grand Master Peter Hosker proposed a toast to The West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity. He congratulated the Chairman of the Charity, David McCormick and the Principal Officers, Roy Skidmore and John Dutchman-Smith. Additional congratulations were extended to the Joint Festival Chairmen, John Wreyford (Liverpool Sandon Group) and Paul Shepherd (Liverpool Gladstone Group) whose Groups have together over the last year raised the impressive sum of £34,000, along with the sum raised at this Tenth Annual Festival event.
The Provincial Grand Master spoke of the tradition of monies raised by the host groups being handed over to the West Lancashire Charities Fund which are then distributed to other West Lancashire Charities according to need. The charity on this occasion has kindly and generously agreed to the combined amount being handed to the 2010 Festival, which is raising money for the Masonic Samaritan Fund. The Provincial Grand Master spoke of the 2010 Festival and the Masonic Samaritan Fund, commenting that the fund “provides medical support for sick and infirmed Freemasons, their families and dependents”.
In his response to the toast, John Wreyford paid tribute to the two groups for their support. Also, he thanked Frank Wilkinson, who is a member of the Samaritan Fund Council, and his colleagues on the Festival Organising Committee for their good work.
An excellent meal was accompanied by the relaxing piano music of Frank Flynn
The Grand Raffle was drawn by Mrs Julie Hosker and the four prizes were well received by the lucky winners.
A top class cabaret line-up commenced with comedian Martin Gold and followed with the classical voices of ‘Imagine Jack’ and top-of-the-bill ‘Fake Bee Gees’.
Now everyone is looking forward to next year when the eleventh Annual Festival will take place in the Floral Hall on Saturday 9 May 2009.