Page 3 - Triangle Summer 2006 Issue 1

Benevolent The Somerset Mark Benevolent Fund is a central 150th Anniversary
Provincial Charity with several important objectives.
Fund & It provides funds for the relief of Mark Masons of update

500 Club the Province or their widows who f nd themselves Many of you are aware that on the
in distressed circumstances. As decisions are made
26th October Grand Mark Lodge
locally it can provide help very quickly should the celebrates its 150th Anniversary
need arise. It can provide small local grants to local with a Special meeting at the Royal
charities and it enables Somerset as a Province Albert Hall in London. Indeed 146
to support other Provinces when they have an annual festival for the Mark members and partners from Somerset
Benevolent Fund (National). The Lodges of the Province have been very have applied to go to this meeting.
generous over the years in support of this worthwhile cause and we hope Unfortunately the Albert Hall can only
that support will continue, but the demands on the fund always seem to be accommodate 5,374 people and there
increasing. Eric Kellet and John Nicholson have between them started a were applications from 6,500.
500 club the proceeds of which will all go to the Somerset Mark Benevolent Of our 146 applicants 39 will not be
Fund. able to go to the Albert Hall. As an
Many of you will be quite familiar with the concept of 200/550 clubs, for alternative they have been offered
those who aren’t the idea is that shares of £10 are bought by individuals, seats at Freemason’s Hall in Great
hopefully 500 of them (bearing in mind we have over 1000 members). That Queen Street where the event will be
will raise £5000, of that amount half goes directly to the Fund the other half relayed live from the Albert Hall and
is returned to the share holders in winnings from a prize draw to be held displayed on large video screens.
every month starting this September and running until next June, 10 draws. Those who have not been able to get
So far, thanks to the magnif cent efforts of John, Eric and Lodge Charity tickets will have had an explanatory
Stewards 340 shares have been sold. letter from Mark G.L. There will
It is not two late to join the club and support the fund as well as giving inevitably be some disappointment
yourself 10 chances of winning some good cash prizes. An entry form is over this, bearing in mind that it
enclosed with this magazine simply decide how many shares you would like was intimated that places would be
to buy, f ll in the form and return it. If you don’t have a form simply put your allocated on a f rst come f rst served
name, address and phone number on a piece of paper, indicate how any basis, Grand Mark Lodge have tried
shares you want and send it with your cheque for the correct amount to Eric to quell any disquiet by putting on a
Kellet, 23 Mendip Lea Close, Draycott, BS27 3SY. champagne reception at Freemason’s
Hall after the event. The reception
Prostate Only £4,000 to reach the target of £20,000 to will be attended by John Hale, the
enable the Province to purchase an endoscope
M.W.Pro Grand Master and other
Cancer to complement the “Brachytherapy” unit at Bath senior members of the Mark Degree.
RUH Urology dept. It is now almost two years since One Lodge remains unaffected by
Appeal the Mark Benevolent Fund donated £2 million to all this, Royal Cumberland Lodge in
help in the f ght against prostate cancer. Compass Bath, one of the four founding Lodges
carried an article in issue 23, May 2005 outlining the of Grand Mark Lodge in 1856. The
donation and specif cally referring to the provision Lodge will receive a new banner at the
£20,000 of a £100,000 “Brachytherapy” unit to Bath RUH meeting and all R.C. members who
Urology dept. applied will get tickets.
This photo shows
David Nelson, Did You know?
accompanied The Portal Lodge MMM in Frome
by members of takes its name from a very prominent
£15,000 the Mark at the Mark Master Mason. M.W. Brother the
off cial hand over Rev. Canon George Raymond Portal
in December was the Grand Master from 1869 -
2004. The 1873. He became the f rst Provincial
machine sows Grand Master for Hampshire and
tiny radio-active Isle of Wight in 1873 serving in
£10,000 pellets in the that position until his death in1889.
prostate to reduce However his lasting achievement was
the cancer. the founding of the Mark Benevolent
The staff at Bath RUH and particularly the Senior Consultant of Fund in 1868. Portal felt very strongly
the Urology dept Chris Gallegos were delighted with the unit. Mr that the Mark degree should have its
Gallegos subsequently attended the dinner at Provincial Grand own charity and he was convinced
£5,000 Lodge in May last year to thank the brethren and report on that f nancial assistance could only be
progress. Our PGM says “I am delighted with the way Lodges effective if it was dispensed quickly
have supported the endoscope appeal, despite all the other and eff ciently. He introduced the
calls on their charity the response has been truly magnif cent. Latin motto ‘Bis dat qui cito dat’ - ‘he
We have raised almost £16,000 so far and I thank the brethren gives twice who gives promptly’ - this
sincerely for their kindness. I hope that their continued support has always been the guiding
£0 will the presentation of the endoscope possible by December”. principle. 3