The Provincial Grand Master’s Cheese & Wine Luncheon at Worksop College – Sunday 29th June 08

A few thoughts from W Bro Malcolm Beecroft, PM Old Worksopian Lodge 6963 –Organiser.

I suppose the work began on New Year’s Day when I could leave it no longer. By mid February more than 1,500 personal invitations had been circulated to every Mason in the North and East of the Province, (via Lodge Secretaries) followed by more at Provincial functions and the printer needed an oil change.

In March we were struck down by the death of W Bro Brian Grainger who possessed remarkable organisational skills and had run the event successfully for many years. Having ‘lost my right arm’, I began to swim very quickly (or drown) with W Bro Roy and Angela Brown and Deidre Grainger only a phone or fax call away. Guesstimates at Cheese / Wine / Drinks and ‘all sorts’ were ‘no problem’ as Brian would say and Bookers Cash and Carry had good trade.

Cometh the day, cometh the hour – by 12 noon a small army had transformed the enormous marquee from ‘Summer Ball’ to ‘Cheese & Wine Sunday Lunch’ – with tables, chairs, food tables and wine bars set and prepared.

Then the avalanche swept us away as more than 380 came through the door after the Rose Croix service in the College Chapel.

It seems that all enjoyed the day with much cheese and wine being consumed, tombolas, raffles, quiz, plant sales being eagerly played amid a display from our nominated charities.

With the aid of two Mediterranean holiday villas, Man United executive tickets, an executive box at the races, gourmet dinners, golf prizes and many more, the sum of £2,700 at John Waller’s auction.

The ‘organiser’ trusts that the participants enjoyed their day and will be with us again. He also knows the many who came and ‘did their bit’ – seen and unseen – and is very grateful.

It is also most satisfying to see £6,190 in the Provincial Charity pot towards Macmillan Nursing and Rainbow Hospices, with a further £2,500 from Worksop & Retford tombolas and raffles towards their buildings’ maintenance funds.

A very happy and prosperous day and I thank you all on behalf of all involved.

NARPO Masons. I, W Bro Malcolm Beecroft, would also like to thank the NARPO Masons amongst us and Elliott Lodge who contributed £500 to the Alzheimer’s Society to the better memory of a former Police Dog Handler Dan Wallace who is now severely stricken with the disease.

(NARPO Masons – National Association of Retired Police Officers.)

Additionally thank you to the roving reporter who beat me to reporting this – I’ll have to be quicker off the mark next year.