Brodyr a Gwesteion nodedig. Brethren and Distinguished Guests. I am sure we come together with a heavy heart as we continue to mourn the loss of our esteemed and well-respected friend and Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro D. Gerald Rowbottom. It was his wish that this Provincial Grand Lodge meeting continue, and we must honour his wish. As he often said, today is a celebration for those Brethren who have received appointments and promotions. We all extend our deepest sympathies and empathy to his family, and I’m sure that W Bro David, his nephew, who is here today, will see how much our Provincial Grand Master was respected, loved, and greatly missed.
On his behalf, I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to travel to Barry today. It is enormously satisfying for the whole team to see so many friendly and familiar faces in the room this afternoon.
Of Grand Lodge’s three strategic objectives, “Thriving Membership” continues to be the focus for Freemasonry as a whole and in South Wales in particular. Our goal remains a simple one. “To cement our reputation as a force for good in our communities and society at large and as a thriving organisation that people aspire to join.”
Our Membership Challenge, under the guidance of W Bro Michael Coombes, is a challenge to increase our membership. One of the great successes is the Colonnade Club for New and Young Masons in our Province. This Club, designed to provide a supportive and engaging environment for our newer members, has seen 169 new members welcomed this year, a testament to its effectiveness and the enthusiasm of our new members.
In that time, the Club has:
- Held numerous social events
- Arranged 54 official Lodge visits
- Donated over £1,200 to charity
These are clear signs of the energy, commitment, and impact The Club brings to our Province – and a strong example of how we are investing in a thriving, sustainable Masonic future.
The Club is open to Light Blue and less experienced Brethren with fewer than 10 years of Masonic experience, regardless of age. W Bro Dr Sam Williams encourages all Provincial Grand Officers and Worshipful Masters to signpost and support The Club.
Grand Lodge informs me that the aim is to have our membership consistently grow by 2% annually, but we must also ensure that we retain the members we already have. The Retention Team, a dedicated group focused on understanding and addressing the reasons for membership decline, is proving effective in stemming our losses. Last year, in 2024, we slowed down the decline – the smallest decline in over 20 years. And hopefully, by 2026, we will see the decline reversed and our membership increase. However, every one of us must identify suitable new candidates and encourage them to join our wonderful fraternity.
Currently, there are 53 awaiting the start of the Hermes process, 34 going through the process, and 184 awaiting initiation. We need to get those 184 joining as soon as possible.
As I keep saying, we should be proud of the fact that we are Masons, especially as over £1m is given to worthy causes every week. And over £6M has been given to Masons and their dependents over the last 6 months who have been suffering financial hardship, especially in this economic climate. As Masons, we make a difference in our society and communities.
Moving on to the Second Pillar of the Strategy, a Coherent Organisation. Our focus remains on the Royal Arch and our “One Journey, One Organisation” message. Pure Ancient Freemasonry contains four ceremonies. Three happen in a Craft Lodge, and the fourth occurs in a Royal Arch Chapter. We must encourage our existing members who are not members of the Royal Arch to complete their journey in Pure Ancient Freemasonry. We must also make sure that candidates for initiation understand that their knowledge of Freemasonry will not be complete until they have joined the Royal Arch. The registration fee now includes the fee to join the Royal Arch.
The new membership toolkit, “Building Together”, which has replaced the Members’ Pathway and Archway, can be found on Solomon and contains valuable information for us all. This comprehensive resource equips us with the knowledge and confidence to represent Freemasonry effectively, ensuring we are always prepared and informed.
Sir David Wootton has concluded his Third Pillar review into Community Engagement, a comprehensive assessment of our current community engagement practices and opportunities for improvement. He presented his findings at the Pro Grand Master’s Business Meeting in April, highlighting the importance of our community engagement and the potential for us to make an even greater impact in our communities.
There are three main areas under consideration. Firstly, Community Engagement itself. Sir David is Chairing a Working Party looking into best practices for engaging with the community, and RW Bro Chris Evans, the Provincial Grand Master for Monmouthshire, is representing our Region. Chris will be providing information to the Working Party on behalf of our Region, and I have appointed W Bro Karl Frowen, our Provincial Grand Communications Officer, to liaise with RW Bro Chris regarding our community activities in South Wales.
The other two areas relate to our buildings and the operation of the festival system. Both of these areas are being led by the Deputy Grand Master, Sir Michael Snyder, who is finalising the finer details, and no doubt the Pro Grand Master will announce the details in due course.
Concerning buildings, W Bro Tim Clark and his team are exploring how to optimise cost savings and enhance our 23 centres through a centrally managed purchasing scheme. I urge all centres and management committees to support and join this scheme. Substantial savings can be made.
The Armed Forces Covenant was signed last April by our Provincial Grand Master, and our four Services Lodges will, I am sure, liaise and support this initiative.
2027 will see our Tercentenary celebrations. More details will follow, but I’m sure that we all look forward to this momentous occasion, and I must pay tribute to W Bro Dr Akram Baig and his team, as well as the regional chairman and their committees, for the tremendous efforts that they have made.
We look forward to the Launch of our 2032 Festival in 2026 under the Chairmanship of W Bro Robert Payne. More details will follow.
W Bro Chris Davies and his team’s Learning and Development committee have held numerous meetings over the past year, which have proven very useful.
Their dedication and hard work are greatly appreciated and have significantly contributed to our growth and development.
It was a pleasure to attend the Annual Investiture Meetings in London at the end of April. I was delighted and honoured to be re-appointed as Deputy Grand Chaplain. We congratulate W Bro Ben Gait on his re-appointment as Assistant Grand Secretary.
W Bro John Child was promoted to PJGD.
W Bro Duncan Kennedy received first appointment to Grand Rank as PAGReg. W Bros Christopher Eveleigh, Malcolm Fairie, and Martyn Williams were appointed as PAGDC. W Bro Michael McNiff was appointed as PAGStB.
Their preferment is richly deserved. I invite you to congratulate them in the usual way.
I congratulate all those who have been appointed and promoted in Provincial Grand Lodge today. Your preferment recognises the outstanding work you have already done in your Lodges and our Province, but it is also meant to inspire you to do greater things in the future.
I applaud the outgoing acting team on a wonderful time in office. I, along with the Executive team, have enjoyed your company, and I look forward to a future time when you serve on the acting team again.
Finally, brethren, on behalf of us all, I would like to thank those brethren who have put in so much work to make today’s meetings so successful. The Provincial Grand Secretary, W Bro Ben Gait and the Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies, W Bro Merrick Jones and their teams.
In conclusion, Brethren, thank you all for attending today. I trust you will have a relaxing break from Freemasonry over the summer, and I thank you in advance for your support and enthusiasm next season as Freemasonry heads towards a bright and exciting future – diolch yn fawr iawn.