FIDELITY & UNANIMITY RAM 348 HOST THE ADVENTOR CLUB
Report from WBro Graham Jeffrey, Adventor Club Chairman
Fidelity & Unanimity Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners No. 348 were the first RAM lodge to enjoy the company of the Adventor Club or should that be the other way round!! No I think that from the atmosphere during the whole evening it was very noticeable that everyone present fully appreciated that the evening was a great success.
In total there were 19 members of the Club on the dining plan and by the end of the evening another 11 members proudly wore their A/c Lapel Badges after completing the membership application form.
The Lodge was opened by the Worshipful Commander W Bro Harry Price and his Officers who then welcomed The Provincial Grand Master R W Bro Philip Voisey, Phil responded by saying that he was attending as a member of the Adventor Club and to support their visit.
The next Item on the agenda was to welcome the Chairman and members of the Adventor Club, at this point over half of the brethren present assembled in the East, The Chairman thanked the Worshipful Commander for the welcome and said that they were looking forward to the rest of the evening.
Brother Bob Purdy was then Elevated to the degree of Royal Ark Mariner by the Officers of the Lodge, all who took part in the Elevation made it a special night for Bob but I must mention Bro. Ian Clift on his presentation of the Tools and the lodge DC W Bro George Small for giving the Signs and Secrets.
Congratulations to Bro James Brown on becoming Worshipful Commander Elect.
Hopefully the Chairman in his response to the toast to the visitors did not bore the Brethren too much but explained the growing interest and membership numbers, the benefits of membership of the Adventor Club , and having access to information on lodge summonses as a result of becoming a member.
The Chairman also thanked the lodge scribe W Bro Rod Green and W Bro Paul Brice-Bullows the Adventor Club secretary for their hard work in making the evening a great success.
The Festive Board was excellent as is expected from Karen and her team, I am sure no one went away hungry.
The next Adventor Club visit is to the Mendip Mark Lodge No781 on the 21st January.
Report from WBro Rod Green, Lodge Scribe
On Friday 10th January The Lodge were pleased to be selected as the first RAM Lodge to host an official visit from the Adventor Club.
When the Worshipful Commander WBro Harry Price called for the DC to assemble the Adventor Club members so he could officially greet them, 19 members formed up, that being 10 visiting and 9 lodge members. ( See photo above)
Apart from the visit the main item on the Agenda was to Elevate Bro Bob Purdy a member of 348 Mark Lodge. The Worshipful Commander and Lodge officers carried out an excellent ceremony, with a number of officers performing their role’s for the first time.
Bro Bob had invited his twin brother, Richard a Past Commander of his RAM Lodge in Berkshire to attend which he planned to do but in the end due to the adverse weather conditions he decided not to travel down.
The Lodge had 45 booked in for the meeting but a number had to withdraw at the last moment due to this flu bug that is currently circulating.
The festive Board was really lively, with the PGM RWBro Phil Voisey asking to be sat among the Brethren as a Adventor member. There was a lot of banter going around.
WBro Graham Jeffery the Adventor Club Chairman was soon on his feet passing among those seated and signing them up to become Club members.
WBro Barrie Baker gave an amusing speech in his own style as the toast to the visitors especially with a hoaxed telephone call from WBro Darren Sinclair’s wife, our IPC and Mark SW saying he was well and would be home shortly . This done with an old STD phone handset he had hidden in his pocket.
WBro Graham responded to the toast on behalf of the visitors but agreed he could not match the humour of Barrie. He thanked the Lodge for a super evening and announced that he had signed up a further 11 members that night.
All in all a good evening and the Lodge thanks the Adventor Club for their attendance and wishes them well for the rest of their planned visits for this year.
