News & Events

Picture

2018

Portcullis Lodge was honoured to be one of 4 Lodges chosen by the Provincial Grand Lodge to display our banner at the 27 September 2016 AGM.  We were cited on the cover of the Program, a copy of which can be found in the Gallery section of the website.  The photo at the left shows our banner in the East, 




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​​RECENT EVENTS

Charitable Contributions 2018

Our Immediate Past Master, WB Nick McGregor, nominated three charities for support in his year, and the funds have been given to these worthy organizations.  WB McGregor reports as follows:

 “One of the founding principles of Freemasonry is ‘relief’ or charity.  With this in mind, the Portcullis Lodge in Wallingford has made donations totalling £4500 to three local charities to support the work that they do in our community.  
 
Didcot Train supports youth work in Didcot and has seen demand for its services grow as the town has expanded.  Portcullis’ donation will contribute to the provision of youth outreach staff to help the charity identify and assist vulnerable young people in the town.  
 
Music For Autism is the brainchild of John Lubbock who also founded the Orchestra of St Johns and was awarded an OBE in 2015 for his charitable work.  The charity provides music therapy for autistic children and was started when a John observed the positive impact music had on his own autistic son’s levels of engagement.  Portcullis’ donation will help fund sessions in a number of specialist schools in the Oxfordshire and Berkshire areas.
 
Rosie’s Rainbow Fund provides bereavement support, massage therapy and music therapy for families in the John Radcliffe Children’s Hospital and throughout Berks, Bucks and Oxon.  Portcullis’ donation will help fund this essential work that touches the lives of so many local families.”

The charities have websites  as follows::  Rosies Rainbow Fund  www.rosiesrainbowfund.co.uk , Didcot Train Youth Project  www.didcottrain.org.uk, and Music For Autism  www.musicforautism.org.uk should you wish more information.

Thanks to all of our brethren and visitors to our Lodge for their generosity in making these goals come true.

BERKSHIRE 2023 FESTIVAL APPEAL

The Berkshire 2023 Festival Appeal has been launched in support of the MCF and most Brothers have seen the information packet sent to them by post.  Please take a few minutes to look it over.  Your contributions will help numerous charities and distressed Freemasons..

You may donate by various means,  Please ensure your donation is marked for Gift Aid which brings an additional 25% to your donation.  Please contact your Charity Steward should you have any questions or need forms for donations.


'Enough is Enough'.  UGLE has placed full page ads in several national newspapers to counter rising negative comments about Freemasonry.  You can view the ad written by Dr. Staples, CEO, in the UGLE website.  http://www.ugle.org.uk/

OF SPECIAL INTEREST ? -  Of possible interest to your partner, there are 2 Ladies Freemason Grand Lodges.  A BBC News article can be viewed at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41804543 which was part of the Victoria Derbyshire programme in November 2017.  The Order of Women Freemasons website is at https://www.owf.org.uk/ . The Honorable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons website is at http://www.hfaf.org/ .  Note that both support many worthy charitable ca
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COMING EVENTS - let your editor know if you have ideas or news about coming events.



For an interesting news article from the UGLE see the section CHARITY.



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