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East Lancashire |
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The Provincial Grand Master announced at the Provincial Meeting in June that during this our Centenary Year we would make substantial donations to Charity from the East Lancashire Mark Benevolent Fund the ELMBF. Donations for the coming Year At the Family Fun Day held at Middleton on the 29th August cheques were presented to the following; |
| East Lancashire Scouts |  |
Fil Ruddock from East Lancs Scouts received a cheque for £5000 from the Provincial Grand Master for their Jamboree Fund. |
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February 2011 |
| East Lancashire Scouts presented with new hooded tops |
| One of the groups who received a donation during our Centenary year were the East Lancashire Scouts who are due to go to Sweden in July for the 22nd World Scout Jamboree! The East Lancashire contingent will consists of 46 scouts and 4 leaders. Each member of the party has had to fundraise £1950, to cover the cost of travel and attending the jamboree and a contribution towards the cost of organising and running of the event. Additionally a portion of the fund will be used to subsidize scouts and contingents from countries who find the cost too prohibitive to attend. The Jamboree will be a life experience for all the scouts and they should return far more aware of the world they live in and be able to positively contribute to the local and wider community. The last Jamboree in 2007 (the centenary) was held in the UK, when approximately 40 000 scouts attended from over 160 countries A live link was created to the International Space Station so that the scouts on board could address the jamboree! |
| East Lancashire Mark Masons have provided hooded tops for those going on the trip and the first batch of these were presented by Bro John Tiler on Wednesday 26th January 2010 at 38th Rossendale Scout Head Quarters |
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| The rest were given out at a Mini Jamboree weekend at Bowley Camp Site, Dean Lane, Great Harwood |
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| We wish them well and hope they enjoy themselves and we’ll have an update on their return. | |
| Bolton, Rossendale and Pendle and the Oldham Mountain Rescue Teams |
August 2010 We have supported the Bolton Mountain Rescue Team for a number of years and the work of the local Mountain Rescue Teams was again highlighted during the severe weather last winter and the devastating floods in Cumbria the previous. All the mountain rescue teams are staffed by volunteers; they assist the Fire Brigade, the Police and Ambulance Services with their special expertise in all weathers and conditions. The leaders of the three local branches had indicated that they needed to replace ageing vehicles and update equipment with more modern technology and we donated each of them £40,000. |
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Gary Rhodes Team leader from The Bolton Mountain Rescue Team receiving a cheque for £40,000 from The Provincial Grand Master. |
| The Provincial Grand Master presenting Mike Nield and Bob from Oldham Mountain Rescue with their £40,000 cheque. |  |
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Graham Dalley received the cheque for £40,000 on behalf of Rossendale & Pendle Mountain Rescue. |
| Gary Rhodes MBE, Team Leader from The Bolton MRT replied on behalf of all the teams |
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Garry thanked those present by saying; “On behalf of all three Mountain Rescue Teams present your tremendous and unprecedented joint donation of £120,000.00 to support the cause of local mountain rescue has enabled each team to actively seek replacement of their existing specialist vehicle fleets." |
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| 2011 Update |
| The Oldham vehicles can be seen below |
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| Oldham Mountain Rescue Team Get Their New Vehicles |
| Oldham Mountain Rescue Team (OMRT) put up the bunting and laid on some hands on attractions for over one hundred supporters, friends, and families who joined them at their fun day held at the Cross Keys Inn, Uppermill, Oldham on the 8th May where visitors could try abseiling, along with side shows and raffles whilst waiting for the main event – The official handing over of the keys of two new fully equipped Land-Rovers. |
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The sun eventually broke through as the visitors, including the Mayor and Mayoress started arriving |  |
| In 1964 Oldham Mountain Rescue was formed to provide suitable rescue services on the mountains, over the years its role has changed. It is now involved in searches and rescues in difficult urban areas, working wholly on its own or with the police, fire and ambulance services. The OMRT headquarters, and garage facilities, are located at the Cross Keys Public house in Uppermill the use of which has been donated by the brewery J W Lees for the past twenty eight years. In addition to the Land-Rovers the OMRT have a Minibus to transport additional staff on large rescues or searches and a operational support vehicle which doubles as an ambulance alongside the Ambulance capability of the Land-Rovers. |
 Members of the Team, with some of the Cross Keys Landlords and Landladies who have provided fantastic support and hospitality over the years  Everyone gathered in the courtyard for the presentation |
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Jim Duffy welcomed everyone and handed the microphone to Katie Johnson the Chairperson of the OMRT who gave the background of the events leading to the presentation, the culmination of an appeal which began in 2009 to raise £95,000 to purchase two new Land-Rovers to replace the Mountain Rescue Team’s dilapidated vehicles. When the appeal started in 2009 it was one of the worst winters the area had suffered and the OMRT were involved in over 40 incidents, when they not only rescued injured people, but also assisted stranded Ambulances on emergency calls. This brought the OMRT into the public eye, and the public duly responded by sending donations to their appeal. One of the main contributors to the appeal were East Lancashire Mark Masons with a donation of £40,000, other donations were made by other Masonic Degrees and members of the public. The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of the East Lancashire Mark Benevolent Fund, are shown here with one of the new vehicles, |
| The keys to the Land-Rovers were presented to Katie by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of East Lancashire Mark Masonry VWBro David Anderson, who said that this was a good example of working in the local community as during the bad weather the MR Teams were able to get out and help when others couldn’t. Jim Duffy then invited everyone to enjoy the buffet set out in the HQ building. |
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 Team Leader Mick Nield and ELMBF Chairman George Davis share a joke |
 The Deputy PGM and Katie with members of the Oldham Team and the Past Landlords and ladies and not forgetting the rescue dogs |
| The two new Land-Rovers have been given the names of – John Gardner, a member of OMRT who lost his life in a climbing accident in 2004, and the other vehicle is named John Edwards in remembrance of the previous Chairman who died last year. |
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| The OMRT consists of fifty members who meet every Tuesday throughout the year plus training sessions twice a month . These training sessions can include the Police, Fire Brigade, and Ambulance services. The OMRT members are all volunteers and give their time freely, however, the cost of running such an organisation is in excess of £20,000 annually and any donations will be thankfully received and duly applied. If you would like further information or might consider becoming a volunteer the OMRT have their own web site which is www.omrt.org/ |
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Rossendale and Pendle have received their vehicle, they have used a different type of Land Rover as they respond with ambulance personnel in the more remote and difficult areas of the region and they have to be able to carry the ambulance stretchers. |
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| You can see our logo prominently placed on the side window underneath their own.
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| Tuesday 19th April Bolton Mountain Rescue Team have taken delivery of their three brand new purpose built Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulance vehicles form Crake International, Cumbria who specialize in converting Land Rover vehicles for Mountain Rescue Teams. |
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| President Bob Hutchinson, Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, Team members Elaine Gilliland, Chris Greenhalgh, Neil Aspinall and John Dickinson, travelled up to Cumbria and are pictured here at the handover with Crake International staff, Colin Todd, Richard Grandison and Kevin Glessal. In acknowledgement of the substantial donation made by the East Lancashire Mark Benevolent Fund towards the purchase of these vehicles, 'Bolton Mobile 2' PX60 EAA, is named 'the Mark Mason' all three also carry the wording 'Sponsored by the East Lancashire Mark Masons' on each side of their bonnet lines seen in the picture below. |
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| >The vehicles are based on the Land Rover 110 TD Defender and have been specially modified and equipped for mountain rescue operations. All three were kitted out and in service on the 20th April. |
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| Garry Rhodes MBE (L), current Team Leader, and Bob Hutchinson (R), Team Leader 1981-3 (and also Team President) with the new vehicles, "The Mark Mason" is in the middle and is seen below in action at an incident over the Easter Weekend. |
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| Bolton Mountain Rescue Team Dedicate Their New Vehicles |
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Bolton Mountain Rescue Team held a Blessing and Dedication Ceremony for their new vehicles at their Base in the grounds of the North West Ambulance Service Headquarters in Bolton on the 3rd May 2011 The event was attended by over 50 guests including past members of BMRT, supporters and sponsors and representatives of organisations who had made donations to the new vehicles and equipment. |
| There were 30 Team members present to show guests round the equipment and answer questions. It was a warm sunny evening and the guests were welcomed by Team Leader Gary Rhodes MBE in the Training room were a presentation on the work of MRT was shown. Gary then gave a brief history of the team and of the various vehicles they have used over the years. |
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| Bolton Mountain Rescue team came into existence in 1969 when a group of volunteers purchased an old laundry van from the local hospital for £35. They are all volunteers and are funded wholly by donation. They work closely with the police, fire and ambulance services who were also represented at the Dedication. They have gone from strength to strength adding vehicles and outgrowing a number of bases until today, where they are based in the grounds of the North West ambulance Service Headquarters in Bolton. In addition to the Land-Rovers they have a rescue boat and Minibus to transport additional staff and supplies on large rescues or searches. |
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 "The PGM with The Treasurer ,Chairman and Secretary of the East Lancashire Mark Benevolent Fund with Team Leader Gary Rhodes" |
 Team Leader Gary Rhodes will be bringing the Mark Mason to the Fellowship Family Fun Day at Middleton on the 28th August |
| Bob Hutchinson the President and Tony McNally Life Vice President then took over and provided an introduction to the various supporters and their contributions |
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 Tony McNally Life Vice President |
 The Provincial Grand Master explaining why we donated towards the purchase of the vehicles |
| The Provincial Grand Master Keith Schofield was asked to say a few words, he said he was glad to see that our donation along with those to Oldham MRT and the Rossendale and Pendle MRT being used to help in the local community, the decision to contribute had been made following the work done by the Teams during the severe winter of 2009/10 Other Groups represented who spoke included John Barlow from the Edgworth Beer Festival who had contributed to the purchase of the Rescue Boat and Chris Baldwin form ASDA who had donated to the Personal Protection Equipment used by Team Members and a Representative from the Keep Fit Association of Chorley and Leyland |  |
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Tony McNally then introduced The Rev Janet French who would be carrying out the Blessing and Dedication Ceremony and invited everyone to join the Team Members downstairs for the ceremony. The dedication also included the new vehicle from the Rossendale and Pendle MRT which had travelled down to Bolton. |
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| The Sponsors were asked to repeat their comments for the benefit of the Team Members who hadn’t been able to squeeze into the Training room |
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 Team Leader Gary Rhodes invites John Barlow to come forward and receive a plaque recording the contribution of the Edgworth Beer Festival to the purchase of the boat, they couldn’t figure out a way to attach it to the rubber boat without using nails or screws so they decided to give it to him instead. |
 "The PGM speaks to the guests in front of the Mark Mason" |
 The PGM and The Rev Janet French with the "Mark Mason" |
 Chris Baldwin form ASDA |
 Team Members and Guests |
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| Further information is available on the BMRT website www.boltonmrt.org.uk |
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| Marie Curie Cancer Care |  | |
| Caring for cancer sufferers by providing nursing care in the home for terminally ill patients in our local area is now carried out by Marie Curie Cancer Care. We have made a donation of £50,000 for this year with a view to further support in the coming years. |
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| The donation to Marie Curie Cancer Care was received by Lyn Fenton |
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Marie Curie Update |
| Last Year we donated £ 50,000 to Marie Curie Cancer Care as part of our Centenary Celebrations. |
| This money has been used to provide care and support for some of the 630 cancer sufferers in the region. A poignant example of the work they do was highlighted by a chance encounter at the Fellowship Family Fun Day at Middleton in August. Wendie Williams had come to the Fun day to do Face Painting for the youngsters attending the event; also in attendance was Gerald Deslandes a representative of Marie Curie Cancer Care, who had come with information and examples of the work they do in the region, Gerald had set up besides Wendie’s face painting table, I’ll let Wendie take up the story. |
| Wendie Williams, My Experience of Marie Curie |
| On the 18th February 2008, my dad passed away several months after undergoing major heart surgery. He left hospital in November 2008 with a poor prognosis and for the next three months my sister Gillian and I cared for him at home and witnessed his slow deterioration. It was a very painful experience for us both but at the same time we felt a great sense of privilege spending the last months of his life by his side, at home, where he wanted to be. He had spoken to us both about his fear of going back into hospital. He had been a fiercely strong and independent man throughout his life and being helpless stuck in a bed on a very busy ward did not suit him at all. He wanted to be at home in familiar surroundings and to be cared for by his family. Gillian and I both believed that being at home was the right place for our dad. We wanted him to be able to end his days in his own home, in comfort and with the people who loved him most, to us this was the most natural and right thing to do. The Marie curie nurses provided an invaluable service to us at this time. They came into his home and were with him all through the night, caring and nursing our dad so that my sister and I, who were taking it in shifts by then, could get some rest during the night. They also provided us both with much needed support at this difficult time. Comforting and supporting family members is very much an important part of there role. We felt supported and knew that if we had any difficult times or difficult questions the Marie Curie nurses would always be able to answer them. The love, diligence and support they gave us as a family at this time was immense. I have nothing but admiration and respect for the Marie Curie nursing team and the work they do, they were there at our time of need. Without them I can’t imagine how we would have coped. One nurse in particular helped us both a great deal and her name was Lesley In August I was working at the Middleton Masonic Hall face painting the children that were attending the fun day. There was a Marie Curie stand at the event as the lodge has made a large donation to the service in recent years. I made a point of going over to Gerald, the Marie Curie worker to praise the work that the Marie Curie service provides. There were two cardboard cut outs on either side of the stand that I hadn’t taken much notice of, I glanced back at the cut-outs; imagine my surprise when I recognised one of the nurses. Yes, it was Lesley the very same nurse who had helped us in 2008. |
| The Marie Curie service is a wonderful service; it allowed our dad to pass away with dignity in his own surroundings and afforded us precious time with him. Marie Curie allowed us to take care of our dad until the end. I’m very proud to be able to say that! For Lesley, for My Dad; my best friend. |
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| Wendie with the cut out of Lesley on the left. |
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| The Representatives of the Five Organisations with the Provincial Grand Master |
| The Lewis Anthony Trust The Lewis Anthony Trust was formed in September 2009 after the tragic loss of Lewis Anthony Fitzsimmons aged 14 hours. Lewis' life may have been saved if the Sensor Medic Ventilator had been available at the local hospital but unfortunately it wasn't and so in memory of him, his family setup the Lewis Anthony Trust to help make sure more specialist equipment was available to hospitals and specialist baby care facilities. Lewis's Family includes Mark Masons from East Lancs, West Lancs and Cumbria and when a request was made to the ELMBF for a contribution, we provided the outstanding amount needed to purchase the machine. The machine was presented to the Royal Blackburn NICU on the 29th April 2010 at Blackburn Rovers Ground. (7 months after the Trust was set up) and Radio Lancashire covered the story with a piece about the machine and how Mark Masons had been responsible for a major part of the funding. Those attending along with the family included The DPGM and representatives from the NICU |
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The DPGM, Mark Masons, Family members and Staff from the NICU
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The Family were grateful for our support and made this comment on their website “East Lancs Marks Masons Donate the Outstanding Money – Again the masons have put their hand in their pocket to make sure this machine is supplied to the Royal Blackburn Natal Intensive Care Unit. A big thank you to the Provincial Grand Master Mr K.P. Schofield and the Finance committee and the directors of the East Lancashire Mark Benevolent Fund, under the chairmanship of Mr P. J. Conn who donated the final £4,171.75 to the Lewis Anthony Trust. This donation makes the East Lancs Mark Masons our second biggest contributor and with large contributions from West Lancs and Cumbria Mark Masons the Freemasons as an overall organisation our biggest sponsor” The fund raising continues |
