FESTIVAL 2006
The 21st Anniversary Festival was supported by the Provincial Grand Lodge of Yorkshire, North and East Ridings. The format of the Festival broke with tradition and the announcement of the total raised was made at the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting on Saturday 21st May 2006.
The meeting was presided over by RW Bro Richard Anderson, Provincial Grand Master and the guest of honour was RW Bro David Williamson, Assistant Grand Master. Also present was RW Bro Iain Bryce, Past Deputy Grand Master and a former Provincial Grand Master for Yorkshire, North and East Ridings, together with RW Bros John Hale, Provincial Grand Master for Cumberland and Westmorland, Gordon Smith, Provincial Grand Master for Lincolnshire, John Clayton, Provincial Grand Master for Yorkshire, West Riding, Derek Richmond, the newly installed Provincial Grand Master for Durham and John Raylor, Past Provincial Grand Master for Yorkshire, North and East Ridings together with a number of Deputy and Assistant Provincial Grand Masters from neighbouring Provinces and nearly one thousand members of the Province.
The Provincial Grand Master, in true theatrical tradition, kept everyone present in suspense before two members of the Province came forward with a tightly-furled banner. At the given signal, this was slowly unfurled and RW Bro Anderson read out the final result a truly magnificent total of £2,325,736, of which £2,087,056 came from the Province of Yorkshire, North and East Ridings with only 99 Lodges. London achieved £160,883, other Provinces raised £73,655 and Districts and Lodges Overseas realised £4,142.
