On Thursday 21st May, The Lodge Of Union No 268, hosted their final meeting of the current Masonic season. But this was a meeting with a difference, the lodge had two very special events taking place this evening.

Firstly, W/Bro Wes Marchant PSGD, the Assistant Provincial Grandmaster for the Southern Area, was in attendance, accompanied by the Southern Area team . The APGM, had the wonderful pleasure of presenting the lodge with a celebratory Maul, confirming they had reached the status of Grand Patron of the East Lancashire 2026 Festival. The lodge and its members have continued to donate to the festival, also partaking in provincial events and individual fundraising.

The second special event, was the Official Launch of the East Lancashire Level Club in the Southern Area. The ELLC was first formed in November 2024, and since then its numbers have continued to grow. In January of this year, the club, with the support of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grandmaster, changed its rules to auto enrol all light blue masons in the province.

This evening the clubs Deputy Chairman Bro Andy Robson (who is also the lodges Senior Warden), prepared a special presentation for the light blues in attendance. The lodge had many visitors this evening, but only four light blues attended. (Including the City West ELLC Chairman W/Bro Tim Poole and the ELLC Secretary Bro Alan Nadine)

Bro Robson opened his presentation saying he hoped to have more light blues here this evening, but he felt it gave them all an opportunity to talk about how best the SA and is senior members can help support new masons coming in to their lodges and importantly help them enjoy their masonry.

In an open floor format, Bro Robson talked to members of the lodge and the area team about what they feel would best encourage light blues and freemasonry in the southern area.

All members present were keen to talk about their joy of freemasonry and how they could best support our junior brethren, they discussed past successes and what they had seen work in other parts of the province.

The session gained some wonderful ideas about how to move forward and had lots on engagement from the light blues in attendance.

With a strategy now in place, the SA ELLC has truly launched and will be setting up some learning sessions and events in the coming weeks

All light blues are encouraged to reach out to the ELLC team via the area Chairman W/Bro Craig Pattison at pattisons159@googlemail.com, or the club deputy chairman at deputychairman@ellc.uk, if they have any ideas or suggestions for their ELLC

Article by Bro Andy Robson