On Saturday 11 February 2012, Vale of Itchen Lodge (No. 7816) in the Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight held its 50th Anniversary meeting at the Eastleigh Masonic Centre near Southampton.

In addition to celebrating their 50th Anniversary, the meeting provided an opportunity for the Lodge to show its support for Hampshire and Isle of Wight’s 2016 Festival in aid of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys.

Two cheques which together amounted to £1,591 were presented to Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Michael Codd – also a member of the RMTGB’s Council – and Provincial Grand Charity Steward Barrie Hewitt.

During the meeting, five members of the Lodge were presented with Festival Jewels, having qualified as Stewards of the 2016 Festival.

The Lodge was consecrated in February 1962 and was originally for staff who worked at nearby railway workshops. The Lodge name was taken from the plains surrounding the River Itchen that runs aside the railway workshops and although the Lodge is now open for other members to join, there are still four members who were once employed at these workshops.

Following the meeting, a coincidental total of 50 members dined at a special Festive Board to continue the 50th Anniversary celebrations.

The Cowes Masonic Centre on the Isle of Wight was full to capacity on Tuesday 24th January 2012 to see the Provincial Grand Master, Rt W. Bro Michael Wilks, supported by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, other members of the Provincial Cabinet and senior Hampshire masons work the First Degree Lecture in support of Hampshire and Isle of Wight's 2016 Festival for the RMTGB.

Vectis Fairway Lodge (No. 8923) hosted the evening as deserving winners of the Charity Lecture Auction following a magnificent donation of £8,000 in aid of the RMTGB, but their support for the 2016 Festival didn't stop there; at this ‘special’ meeting, the Lodge clearly demonstrated what is achievable when Lodge Charity Steward, W. Bro Adrian Bolton, presented a further ‘surprise’ donation of £4,400 to the PGM on the night. He then called upon 10 Lodge members to be presented with their Festival Charity Jewels by the Provincial Grand Charity Steward W. Bro Barrie Hewitt.

In addition, £1,293 was also raised at the Festive Board by the collection of Alms, gift aid donations, raffle and the sale of lecture booklets.

As a result of their tremendous efforts, Vectis Fairway Lodge became the first Lodge on the Isle of Wight, and the fourth in the Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight, to receive their Gold Certificate which was presented to the Worshipful Master by the 2016 Festival Director W. Bro Geoff Tuck.

The success of the Charity Auction and the evening in particular once again proved that ‘fundraising and fun’ can go hand in hand and everyone involved expressed their appreciation of what was both an extremely enjoyable occasion and solid support for the 2016 Festival.

The Charity Lecture Auction, which was organised by W. Bro Frank Milner, raised a grand total of £46,430 in aid of the 2016 Festival, with 26 lodges submitting bids and 18 of those generously choosing to donate their pledges despite not having made the winning bid. A second auction is planned for later this year.

The Charity Auction Lecture Team (pictured): From Left to right: W. Bro David Perkis, W. Bro Alan Hamilton, V W Bro Graham, Williams, W. Bro Les Hipwell, Rt W Bro. Michael Wilks, W. Bro Ian Preece, W. Bro Mike Codd, W. Bro Geoff Tuck, W. Bro Andrew Weldycz and W. Bro Frank Milner.

On 3 January 2012, Les Hutchinson, Chief Executive of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys and Conrad Donaldson, Provincial Grand Charity Steward for Devonshire presented a special Supreme Gold Certificate to John Hodkinson, Master of the Loyal Lodge of Industry (No. 421), to recognise the magnificent achievement of raising over £50,000 towards Devonshire’s 2012 Festival in support of the RMTGB.

Les thanked the members on behalf of the children and young people who will benefit from their donation and said that they were “a shining example of what can be achieved with organised fundraising, enthusiastic support and generosity.”

Devon has raised £3m and with just under a year to go, they are aiming to raise as large a sum as possible. The Appeal will conclude with an event on Saturday 17 November at the Riviera International Conference Centre in Torquay.