The Provincial and Grand Teams at PGL 2021
Wednesday 13th October 2021 the day of our Annual Provincial Meeting. The day when Mark Masons came from across East Anglia and beyond to gather together for this much anticipated masonic occasion, and what a day it was.
In so many ways it felt like a new beginning, no longer were we meeting on the now familiar zoom calls but at last face to face with our friends from other lodges that we hadn’t seen or spoken to for far too long. From the banter and laughter that was evident throughout it was obvious this was going to be a memorable day.
The meeting was held this year at Venue 16 (formerly Greshams) in Ipswich which proved to be an excellent choice. The management and staff could not have been more helpful or friendly, nothing was too much trouble and everything was done with a smile. The meal itself was well presented and served and I for one was dreading standing on the scales in the morning!
Before I describe the main event, I should point out that as always a lot of work had been done behind the scenes by our Provincial Secretary and his team, our Provincial DC and his team plus our ever present hard working Provincial Stewards. They had arrived the previous afternoon to set up the lodge room and rehearse some of the ceremonial so that the spectacle that we would see would be so enjoyable. Thank you, as always brethren your combined contributions were greatly appreciated by us all.
I have tried to set the scene so those of you who were unfortunately not able to be with us can appreciate just how special this day really was. You see brethren this was the day the Pro Grand Master selected to come to East Anglia with his Grand Director of Ceremonies and assisting officers to confirm the appointment of RWBro David Boswell as our Provincial Grand Master. Because of the pandemic and lockdowns, around the country several Provincial Grand Masters including ours, received their appointments by mail. Our PGMs Patent of Appointment started on January 1st and this was the first opportunity there had been for one of the Rulers to confirm his appointment. The fact that it was the Pro Grand Master who came shows the high regard with which our PGM is held. The ceremony had been specially written by the Grand DC Frank Spencer, and it was the first time it had been used. As you would expect it was expertly delivered and warmly received.
Once the Pro Grand Master had retired from the lodge we continued with an abridged version of our usual Provincial meeting. Abridged it may have been but none the less special. All the housekeeping agenda items of proposing and adopting were still there and the Provincial Grand Officers for the year together with those being first appointed and promoted were confirmed.
I started this report by saying this day felt like a new beginning and so it did. Although the Pandemic is still with us we are slowly getting back to normal, the restrictions are beginning to ease and hopefully our brethren will feel a new confidence and gradually start to venture back to their Mark Lodges where they will be enthusiastically welcomed.
By now you will realise our Provincial meeting was a great success, and with your help and assistance, together we can build upon this success to make this a wonderful year for our lodges and our Province. I thank you for your company and friendship, and look forward to seeing you all again soon.
Kindest regards
Gary Allen
Deputy Provincial Grand Master