The Wyggeston Lodge, No.3448 Leicester
A Freemasons' University Lodge – Building friendships, expanding minds, and making a difference
Congratulations to Lodge members W.Bro. Robert Hutchinson PPJGW on his Promotion and to W.Bros. Andy Green ProvSGD and Robert Taylor PPSGD on their Appointments to Provincial Grand Rank at the Annual Communication Provincial Grand Lodge on Friday 30th November 2012. The meeting was held at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester and presided by the Provincial Grand Master, R.W.Bro. David Hagger.
Congratulations to W.Bro. Tom Bodycot who was installed as Master of the Lodge for a second year on Friday 16th November 2012.The meeting was held in the Holmes Lodge Room, Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester and we were honoured to welcome the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, W.Bro. Peter Kinder as the Provincial visitor.
Not only was W.Bro. Tom Installed as Master, he conducted a double Second Degree Ceremony for two of our University of Leicester students, Bros. Alex Pohl and Jeff Zhu who joined the Lodge via the Universities’ Scheme.
The Annual Lodge Curry Night, organised by W.Bro. Andy Green, was held at the award-winning Kayal Southern Indian Restaurant in Leicester on Saturday 6th October 2012.
A number of members and their wives/partners attended and was a very enjoyable evening. Proceeds were in aid of the Leicester (Mablethorpe) Children’s Holiday Centre.
We once again had a stand at the Fresh Fair in the University of Leicester Student Union on Monday 1st October 2012 in order to promote Freemasonry, the Universities’ Scheme and The Wyggeston Lodge to students.
It was a very busy day and we ended up handing out over 1,000 information booklets to students.
Over 20 students signed up to attend a free tour of our meeting place, Freemasons’ Hall, on London Road, Leicester for the following month.
This year, the Wyggeston Lodge has donated £1,400 to two local charities:
• PROSTaid – A local charity helping to fight Prostate Cancer.
• Breast Care Centre, Glenfield Hospital
Cheques were presented to the charities at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester in September 2012. Both charities were extremely grateful for the kind donations and thanked the Lodge for their generosity.
A total of £97,400 was also donated by Leicestershire & Rutland Freemasons to over 50 local non-Masonic charities supporting medical research, youth opportunities and support for vulnerable people (including older people and children). One recipient was the new Cardiovascular Research Centre at the University of Leicester which received £35,000.
The Lodge Skittles Evening was held on Friday 27th July 2012 at the Red Lion in Huncote, Leicestershire.
We had great fun playing a number of different games and enjoyed a wonderful summer buffet. At the end of the evening, the Master presented a prize to the highest overall scoring female (Mrs Patsy Bodycot) and male (W.Bro. Robert Jones) and a wooden spoon to the each of the lowest scorers.
The Wyggeston Lodge Skittles Trophy, last won by W.Bro. Robert Hutchinson back in 2006, was presented W.Bro. Robert Jones as the highest scoring Brother.
We raised a total of £113 which will be split equally between the local charities (Breast Care Centre, Glenfield Hospital and PROSTaid).
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The ‘End of Term’ Social was held on Friday 22nd June 2012 at The Lansdowne pub in Leicester where members enjoyed a drink and a catch up before the summer break.
At our Emergency meeting on the 29th May 2013, W.Bro. Douglas Ball, PGStB, Grand Officer of The Wyggeston Lodge, was presented a certificate by the Provincial Grand Master of Leicestershire & Rutland, R.W. Bro. David Hagger, to mark his 50 years of service to the Freemasonry and the Craft.
On Saturday 26th May 2012, the Worshipful Master, W.Bro. Tom Bodycot, and Brethren of the Wyggeston Lodge, together with their wives/partners held a coffee morning for the residents at the RMBI care home, Devonshire Court, at Oadby.
Not only were coffee and biscuits provided to the residents of Devonshire Court but each enjoyed a mid-morning tipple of sherry. We also had a quiz, put together by W.Bro. Richard Sutton, and a raffle where several prizes of chocolates and wine were won by the residents.
Freemasonry is the World’s oldest non-religious fraternal societies. The Wyggeston Lodge is a Freemasons’ Lodge which meets at Freemasons’ Hall, Leicester and is the designated University Lodge for students, staff and alumni of the University of Leicester.
It has been an exceptional year as the Wyggeston Lodge has initiated five students, together with a local business man, into Freemasonry. The last time we initiated six new members in one year was 72 years ago in 1940.
Our most recent members, University of Leicester undergraduate students joined the lodge in a unique double joining ceremony in May.
The last time Wyggeston Lodge performed such a ceremony was almost 50 years ago in December 1962. It was a wonderful occasion which was celebrated afterwards in style with a four-course dinner, wine and plenty of laughter.
The Wyggeston Lodge, No.3448 Leicester