The Featherstone Lodge held its 199th Regular meeting on Saturday 12 February 2010 at the Uxbridge Masonic Centre in Hillingdon.
The meeting was attended by 17 members with 12 guests who included our Visiting Officer from the Middlesex Provincial Office W.Bro Mike Purdy on his maiden voyage to Featherstone, and a return visit of an old friend and Grand Officer W. Bro Barry Cole, a guest of W. Bro Pete Webb.
The meeting saw the initiation of a new Brother in Bro Campbell Caraher with a ceremony carried out by our Master W.Bro Rob Davies, the father-in-law of Bro Campbell. The meeting also included the presentation of a Grand Lodge Certificate to Bro Liam Delahunty by W. Bro Stuart Robinson, Bro Liam’s proposer into the Lodge, and the presentation of Masonic watch to Bro Albert Allen by our Visiting Officer, to mark Bro Albert’s 30 years as a freemason. The members were advised by the Secretary W.Bro Mike Long that W.Bro Pete Webb had been promoted within the Province and Bro Albert Allen had been awarded his first Provincial Honours.
Those present witnessed the continuing progress of Featherstone Lodge as a forward thinking, progressive and radical Lodge. The Visiting Officer from the Province afterwards repeatedly commented on the excellent quality of the work throughout the meeting and the ambience generally within the Lodge. The initiation of Bro Campbell as a member further demonstrates the success that Featherstone continues to achieve in the drive to recruit enthusiastic, proactive and caring members to build upon the excellent foundations that have been formed in regards to the membership which will carry the Lodge forward in a diligent and successful manner.
The announcement during the meeting that W.Bro Pete Webb had been promoted by The Province and that Bro Albert Allen had received Provincial Honours, indicates that the efforts made by the Lodge both in terms of our charitable donations and the quality of our work generally is acknowledged by the Provincial Executive. Furthermore, these appointments also demonstrates the recognition within of the Provincial office of the considerable efforts and contributions made by Featherstone Lodge in the promotion of Freemasonry generally and the generating of a happy, conscientious and hard working environment in which the reinvigorating of the craft will thrive and prosper.
Following the conclusion of a very successful lodge meeting, the members and their guests enjoyed refreshments in the Centre bar, followed by a gourmet feast (!!) and an affable festive board where Bro Campbell was formally welcomed into our Lodge with a toast from his proposer, W.Bro Rob Davies, and the Initiates song superbly sung by W.Bro Mike Long. This rendition of the Initiates song inspired the Brethren to perform their own interpretation of “Happy Birthday” to Brothers Keith Browne and Caraher. The Brethren dined in love and harmony and closed the festive board with the sombre and thought provoking Peace Love and Harmony followed by The Tyler’s Toast.
Everyone left feeling good about the meeting and the festive board and looking forward to our milestone 200th meeting in June.
