Lodge of Gratitude Passes two of our Members

Congratulations to Bros Dr Christopher Kent and Samuel MacCuaig were Passed to the Degree of a Fellowcraft in a Double Ceremony kindly conducted by the Lodge of Gratitude No.6514 at their Regular Meeting on Tuesday 17th December 2013 at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester.

IMG_3955
Left to right: Master of The Wyggeston Lodge, Bro Dr Christopher Kent, Bro Samuel MacCuaig, Master of the Lodge of Gratitude

The Master of The Wyggeston Lodge, WBro Dipak Chauhan, and other members attended the meeting to support Bros Chris and Sam on this special occasion.

Several Brethren of the Lodge also assisted in the Ceremony namely WBro Robert Jones, who very ably acted as Senior Deacon, WBro Richard Sutton, who stood in as Assistant Director of Ceremonies, and WBro Andy Green and Bro Paul Marvin who performed specific parts of the Ceremony.

The Wyggeston Lodge are extremely grateful for the assistance of the Lodge of Gratitude in Passing two of our members who joined via the Universities’ Scheme. The Ceremony was conducted superbly and was very much enjoyed by all.

Freemasonry Today finds out why University of Leicester students have become Freemasons

fmt_winter2013The Winter 2013 issue of Freemasonry Today, the Official Journal of the United Grand Lodge of England, reports on the success that our Lodge has had since joining the Universities’ Scheme and introducing Masonry to a new generation of Leicester University students.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The full article can be read by clicking the front page above or here: http://www.freemasonrytoday.com/news/initiatives/universities/item/1185-universities-scheme-wyggeston-lodge-3448-university-of-leicester

Freemasons assist with FareShare Neighbourhood Food Collection

Image

The Master of The Wyggeston Lodge, WBro Dipak Chauhan, and other members of the Lodge volunteered for the FareShare Neighbourhood Food Collection on Sunday 1st December 2013. Customers in the Tesco store at Narborough Road, Leicester were asked to donate items of non-perishable food as they entered.

FareShare is a unique charity fighting hunger and its underlying causes by redistributing surplus food to hundreds of local charities across the UK including homeless shelters, children’s breakfast clubs and luncheon clubs for the elderly. FareShare Leicester supports a total of 54 charities including ADAPT (Supported housing young people), Contact Project (Youth project), Faith in people with HIV (HIV drop-in centre), Josephs Storehouse (Food parcels and rehab) and Healthy Living Centre (Support Centre).

Image

The shoppers at Narborough Road were extremely generous and the donations of tinned food, rice, pasta, tea, coffee and cereals came flooding in and within a short space of time two supermarket trollies were completely filled. Tesco have kindly agreed to add 30% of the total given, based on the estimated value/weight of the food donated.

Members are Appointed Officers at Provincial Grand Lodge

WBro Alan Davis as Provincial Grand Steward
WBro Alan Davis as Provincial Grand Steward

Our congratulations go to WBro Alan R Davis who received his first Appointment as an active Provincial Grand Charity Steward at the Annual Communication of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire and Rutland on Friday 29th November 2013. This reflects the dedication and hard work that WBro Alan has given to The Wyggeston Lodge since joining in 1991 and becoming the Master in 2007.

Our Secretary, WBro Andy R Green, was also Appointed the Provincial Training Officer by the Provincial Grand Master at the same meeting.

Several members of the Lodge attended the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting to support our Brethren in achieving such high recognition within the Province.

Emergency Meeting held to Pass 3 Leicester University student members

An Emergency Meeting of the Wyggeston Lodge No.3448 was held on Tuesday 26th November 2013 to Pass, to the Second Degree, three University of Leicester student members. This Ceremony was due to take place at our Regular Meeting in October but due to a power cut at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester, we were unable to conduct it (see story here).

20131127-075551.jpg

Bros Yusif Nelson, Valentin Tartacuta and Peter Clarke, who all joined the Lodge in February 2013, were Passed to the Degree of a Fellowcraft by the Immediate Past Master, WBro Tom Bodycot, by the kind invitation of the newly Installed Master, WBro Dipak Chauhan.

Members attend the University Lodges’ Ball

Members of The Wyggeston Lodge, and their partners, travelled to London on Saturday 23rd November 2013 to attend the University Lodges’ Ball held at Armoury House of the Honourable Artillery Company. For many years the tradition of the Masonic Ball in Oxford and Cambridge was one of the highlights of the University social calendar. Unfortunately it has not been held for the past 60 years. 20131124-201044.jpg

The current Ball was held to commemorate the Grand Ball held by Apollo Lodge in 1863 at Christ Church to celebrate the wedding of the Prince of Wales (later Grand Master and King Edward VII) and Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who both attended. The revived Ball was held to support of the Royal College of Surgeons and Combat Stress, the veterans’ mental health charity.

The evening began with a Champagne reception accompanied by a string quartet. A Pre-Ball Banquet was then enjoyed by approximately 400 diners which consisted of a roulade of Scottish salmon, oven braised lamb shank and classic hot chocolate fondant.

20131124-181633.jpgAfter dinner, guests enjoyed a wide range of entertainment including Romany, Diva of Magic, Rockall Ceilidh, Oxford University Big Band, The Mariachis (from the Doritos Advert). The evening concluded with a disco and a silent disco until 2am.

Members of the Lodge, who are students at the University of Leicester, were joined by other Freemasons from the Province of Leicestershire and Rutland and the Universities’ Scheme Lodges and was a most enjoyable evening.

 

New Master is Installed at 800th Meeting

On Friday 15th November 2013, The Wyggeston Lodge, No.3448 held a double celebration at their Meeting where not only was a new Master Installed but the Lodge’s 800th Meeting was also marked.

Dipak Chauhan - Master of The Wyggeston Lodge
Dipak Chauhan – Master of The Wyggeston Lodge

WBro Dipak Chauhan was Installed as the 102nd Master of the Lodge in a very sincere manner by the Installing Master WBro Thomas Bodycot at a Ceremony held in the Holmes Lodge Room, Freemason’s Hall, Leicester.

The Lodge was extremely honoured to have the company of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, VWBro Jim Buckle along with other distinguished visitors. We were particularly pleased to welcome the Master of the Lodge of Science and Art, No.8429 which is the Universities’ Scheme Lodge for Loughborough University. Among the personal guests of the Master was WBro Terry Porter, a previous member of The Wyggeston Lodge and WBro Dipak’s Proposer into Freemasonry and the Lodge.

IMG_3416
Members of The Wyggeston Lodge at the 800th Meeting

The full list of Officers of the Lodge invested at the Meeting are listed here.

The landmark 800th Meeting, was marked by a specially made surprise ‘Birthday’ cake, kindly provided by the Master and the Secretary, WBro Andy Green, which was presented at the Festive Board.

IMG_3445 IMG_3448

At the meeting, a total of £162 was raised for the The Freemasons’ Grand Charity Relief Chest specifically for victims of the Typhoon Haiyan, Philippines and £180 for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance.

Leicester University students visit Freemasons’ Hall

On Wednesday 6th November 2013, the doors of Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester were opened for University of Leicester students to hear about Freemasonry and see inside the wonderful Grade II listed building.

IMG_3171

The Wyggeston Lodge, the Universities’ Scheme Lodge for the University of Leicester, welcomed students who were given a tour of the Holmes Lodge Room, where the Lodge meets, which was built in 1910. Prof David Hughes gave a wonderful insight into the history about the building by Prof David Hughes. Dr Andy Green, Secretary of the Lodge, also gave a short talk on the aspects of Freemasonry and what it is all about.

If you are a Leicester University student, staff or alumnus and interested in becoming a Freemason then please contact us.

Lodge meeting curtailed by power cut

Our Lodge meeting on Friday 18th October 2013 was sadly cut short due to an unavoidable power cut at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester. Despite attempts by the power company to restore light in the Lodge Room, the planned Quadruple Passing Ceremony of University of Leicester students had to be regrettably abandoned along with the Festive Board.

Some of the Brethren of the Lodge were however undeterred by this and held an impromptu Festive Board in an Indian restaurant opposite Freemasons’ Hall which was thoroughly enjoyed by all who went.

Image

The Lodge is to hold an Emergency Meeting on Tuesday 26th November 2013 to conduct the multiple Passing Ceremony.

Lodge members attend Universities’ Scheme National Conference

The Master, Secretary, Assistant Secretary and three student members from Wyggeston Lodge attended the United Grand Lodge of England Universities’ Scheme National Conference which was held on Saturday 2nd November 2013 at Nottingham Masonic Hall. The Wyggeston Lodge, is the Universities’ Scheme Lodge for the University of Leicester.

Wyggeston Lodge student members with the Assistant Grand Master (RW Bro David Williamson) and Assistant Grand Master Elect (VW Bro David Wotton)
Wyggeston Lodge student members with the Assistant Grand Master (RW Bro David Williamson) and Assistant Grand Master Designate (VW Bro Sir David Wootton)

This was an opportunity for Lodge members to meet other University Lodges to share skills and experience and meet together.

IMG_3140

The Lodge was extremely honoured to have it’s Secretary, Andy Green, deliver a superb presentation at the morning plenary session on the use of social media. This was well received and was aimed at encouraging Universities’ Scheme Lodges to consider adopting Facebook and Twitter as a means of communication between it’s own members and also the wider academic community. Other sessions included the recruitment and retention of younger Masons, a demonstration on a multiple ceremony and the experiences of the Scheme Lodge, President Lodge No.8053, in South Africa.

photo

It was an extremely informative day which was enjoyed by all and was attended by over 160 delegates representing the 58 Universities’ Scheme Lodges.