Newsletter

Address from Festival Chairman
Bro. Mocky Khan
Provincial Communications Officer

Dear Brethren,

Summer has come and gone (did it ever arrive?); I hope that you managed to have a break and are recharged for the new Masonic season.

The Festival Committee has been busy throughout the summer. Some went to Harrogate for Yorkshire's Festival for a great weekend away, but also to gain insights and tips for our own Festival. The Committee has also reached out to our friends in Surrey Province who also shared issues that they had and how they overcame them. Surrey had to deal with losing their venue only weeks before their Festival Weekend. I hope that nothing like this happens to us, but we have learnt that we must look at all eventualities, so we are prepared.

The Festival Weekend Committee has been looking at activities, entertainment, excursions, hotels and food and drink for our gala weekend. After reviewing hotel availability for the weekend of 5th July 2025, it was clear due to the F1 meeting at Silverstone, Henley Regatta and Wimbledon being held at the same time was putting a lot of pressure on availability of hotel rooms. We estimate we need over 300 hotels rooms over our Festival weekend. The other sporting events being within easy reach of Oxford, this was going to be a problem to accommodate all our Brethren, friends, and family. Therefore, we made an executive decision that we want our Festival to stand out and that we needed hotels rooms and hotels near our Examination School venue, so we moved the Festival Weekend date. This is a brave decision, but also the right one. The new date for our Festival in 2025 is:

19^th July 2025

Please put this new date in your diary. Everything else will remain the same.

Our focus is now on getting all our preparations and planning for the Festival Weekend of 19th July 2025. The Festival Team, Committees, Lodges and Brethren have all been busy and are determined to deliver an event of which the Mark Province of Oxfordshire will be proud. In the newsletter, you will see details of events that have been organised and those which Brethren are supporting, which is great news.

My objective leading up to July 2025 is to have fun, create events that we can all enjoy with our friends and family, and raise money along the way. There are so many ways that you can get involved: arrange an event, buy a Festival tie, jewel or merchandise, donate to the Festival or simply turn up at events and support them.

We are ahead of the curve in terms of planning but cannot be complacent, so we must keep going and keep working hard. We are planning some headline grabbing events and stunts involving our very willing Provincial Grand Master to be our 'victim', I mean 'participant' in these stunts. Watch this space for further details!

I hope you enjoy the newsletter; we are always grateful for any articles, news, and photos for inclusion in the next edition.

Bro. Mocky Khan Prov.G.Stwd
Festival Chair
Provincial Communications Officer

Provincial Class of Improvement

Whilst the sessions of the Class of Improvement will be of particular use to those who may be still young in their Mark/ RAM Masonry and just starting out on the journey through the progressive Offices, all members of the Province (including Directors of Ceremonies and their assistants) are welcome to attend. Having a familiarity with the ritual assists in both learning, teaching, and delivery. We only get one opportunity to make a first impression which is both good and well received by the candidate. The Class of Improvement can help to supplement rehearsals as well as serving as a friendly atmosphere in which to get to know brethren from a wider circle of lodges across the province.

www.oxonmarkmasons.org.uk/province.html

Lodge MBF Honorifics So Far

Festival Year Launch River Cruise

Thursday 23^rd May 2024

The final year of the MBF 2025 Festival will be launched with a Grand River Cruise on the New Orleans, one of the largest pleasure craft on the River Thames. Thanks to John Grout's charm and organisational skills, and the generosity of the Hobbs family, we can offer a four-hour cruise with afternoon tea for the all-inclusive price of £35 per person.

This is an opportunity to have some fun, cruising with your friends and family, while raising money for the Festival as a welcome by-product. To book your place, please contact David Cumming at hcc.david@gmail.com.

Mark Lodge Meeting Dates

Calendar

Installation Dates are displayed in bold italic.

We have been advertising Lodge meeting dates on our social media exactly one week before a meeting takes place. In order to benefit from these helpful reminders, please ensure that you are following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

RAM Lodge Meeting Dates

Calendar

Installation Dates are displayed in bold italic.

We have been advertising Lodge meeting dates on our social media exactly one week before a meeting takes place. In order to benefit from these helpful reminders, please ensure that you are following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Upcoming Travelling Keystone/ Ark & Team Visits

Friday 20th October – St. Mary’s Lodge 1242

The Provincial Team will be visiting St. Mary’s Lodge on Friday 20th October, Active Provincial Officers please remember to book in with the Secretary.

Friday 10th November – Windrush RAM 1386

The Provincial Assembly of Royal Ark Mariners will be hosted by Windrush Lodge 1386 on Friday 10th November. All Elevated Brethren across the Province please make every effort to attend and support those receiving Provincial Grand Rank. It is sure to be an excellent meeting. Please book in with the Scribe of Windrush Royal Ark Mariner Lodge.

Thursday 30th November – Abbey Lodge 225

The Travelling Keystone will be handed over at Abbey Lodge on Thursday 30th November. Abbey should also be welcoming a new member into the Order, please book in with the Secretary if you wish to attend.

Wednesday 20th December – Alfred RAM 247

The Travelling Ark will be handed over at Alfred Lodge on Wednesday 20th December. Please book in with the Scribe if you wish to attend.

A ‘Quite Interesting’ Day at Lord's

On 3rd July, the Festival Secretary was accosted outside Lord's Ground on his way to a match between MCC and, er, MCC (explanation later). Dressed in a striped blazer in the club colours and wearing a similarly-decorated tie, he looked for all the world like an "MCC Christmas tree". He was asked if he was an MCC member. Questioning the journalist's powers of observation, he laughed and moved on without answering the newspaperman's request for a comment on "The Long Room Troubles" during the Ashes Test match the previous day.

His day became even more interesting in the Long Room bar when, sharing a cup of tea (yes, tea) with Worshipful Brother Stan Crooks, he met Stephen Fry, President of MCC and sometime host of the QI (Quite Interesting) television show. Stephen was diplomatic about the previous day's happenings and said that he was saddened and disappointed by what had transpired to spoil an otherwise enjoyable match.

The purposes of the Festival Secretary's visit, made possible by John Grout, were to watch the MCC (Marylebone CC) versus MCC (Melbourne CC, Australia) match, to meet a dozen Mark Brethren and friends for a sociable afternoon, and to raise some money for the MBF Festival.

As may be seen from the accompanying photographs, everyone, including the Provincial Grand Master and his wife Wendy, and the Deputy Provincial Grand Master, enjoyed the day; some of the attendees actually watched the cricket match which was won by MCC (the English, and original, version).

Carry On Cruising ... If You Dare!

Going on a cruise is something one ought to do at least once. Some people love the idea of being on a ship with everything taken care of. Some older people have been known to sell their homes and use the resultant cash to cruise all the year round, and one can see the attraction.

It is cheaper than heating a home, paying council tax, buying food (back to this later) and, as there is a medical team on board every cruise liner, there is no need to risk the lottery of trying to get a GP appointment if you are feeling poorly.

One of the more likely causes of "poorliness" on board a cruise liner is overeating. So much food is made available that it is possible to eat unlimited breakfast, "elevenses", lunch, tea and dinner; this could easily equate to consuming one's own bodyweight in food during a 10-day cruise.

Cruises can be great fun. Ginny and I went on a trip which allowed us to visit Copenhagen, Tallinn, Stockholm, and St. Petersburg, which was the highlight if one is able to erase from the memory the grumpy and very frightening customs official who was convinced that Ginny was trying to enter Mother Russia illegally.

We also met a number of fascinating people on board. One very quiet unassuming chap was the lead choreographer of the Bolshoi Ballet, and he had some very amusing albeit unrepeatable stories to tell.

We also got into conversation with an experienced member of the crew who told us about various queries and complaints from passengers over the years. One gentleman was upset that he couldn't get his daily newspaper; at the time, the ship was in mid-Atlantic. We had a mental picture of a newspaper boy frantically rowing his dinghy to catch up with the ship to deliver the much-missed journal.

Another story concerned a frightened lady who approached the captain with the worried comment that there was water going down the stairs – this was during a force 8 gale. The captain replied, "Madam, the time to concern yourself is when the water is coming up the stairs!"

If going on a cruise liner seems all a bit too much, then why not join us on the good ship New Orleans on 23rd May 2024 for a trip on the River Thames at the bargain price of £35 for a 4-hour cruise including afternoon tea. Who knows, you may enjoy this so much that you yearn for a longer experience on the ocean!

Festival Events

The Provincial Grand Master and Festival President was keen that our MBF Festival should be fun for everyone in our Province and that events should be a way of getting Brethren together to enjoy each other's company.

Gala Night in Bicester

In March, a gala night was held in Bicester and this was a great example of what the PGM wanted. We had a brilliant evening, dancing and singing along to the Abba Girls. Ray Harrison and Nick Turner had a particularly good time and we have photographic evidence of their performances with the aforementioned ladies. Brilliantly organised by Nick Walker and Ray Harrison, the event raised a good sum towards Festival funds while giving everyone who attended a super evening. We are promised a similar event next year; I cannot wait.

Race Night in Henley

Stephen Quant ran a very enjoyable Race Night in April at The Salisbury Club in Henley and, again, great fun was had by all while we raised money for the Festival. The Provincial Grand Master subcontracted his wife, Wendy, as his "bookie's runner" for the evening, but this surprisingly brought him very little luck. There are plans to repeat the event here in September, and possibly at a venue in the north of the Province.

3^rd-5^th November Provincial Ladies Weekend in Stratford-Upon-Avon

After last year's Mark Ladies Festival were you one of those thinking, "that was a great weekend" or one of those thinking "I wish I had attended the Ladies Festival"? Now is the time to put the date and event into your diaries!

The Ladies Festival of the Mark Master Masons Province of Oxfordshire 2023 will take place over the weekend of 3^rd-5^th November when you will be invited to join the Provincial Grand Master's Lady, Wendy (and of course the Provincial Grand Master, Ian) for a weekend which will fully live up to our reputation of being "the friendly Degree".

We will be hopefully swapping the wind and sea mist of Bournemouth for the country views and beautiful surroundings of the Stratford Park Hotel and Golf Club at Snittersfield near Stratford-on-Avon.

All of the amenities and sights of historic Stratford will be close to hand. Look out for more information and ticket and booking details in the coming weeks.

Numbers will be limited as we anticipate taking over the whole hotel so don't miss out when the tickets become available.

Wendy's Winner and Other Tales From Newbury

Brethren of a certain vintage who listened to the wireless at the turn of the century will have the heard the utterances of a chubby-cheeked Irishman who gave daily racing tips known as "Wogan's Winners."

Attending the Newbury race meeting with her husband and a group of Mark Masons, their families and friends, Wendy Wright continued the alliterative theme by backing Bettie's Bay in the first race and this duly became "Wendy's Winner." Our photograph shows her celebrating with the Provincial Grand Master, the Festival Secretary and his wife, Ginny.

Most racegoers in our group had a reasonable afternoon financially. However, our relatively minor successes were brought into perspective when the Festival Secretary and Ginny were queuing at the bookmaker's stand proudly clutching their £15 winning ticket. The chap in front of them in the queue took ages collecting his winnings, about £2500! The Festival Secretary, anxious to glean information from someone who clearly knew what he was doing, asked this gentleman what he was backing in the next race. His reply was, "Nothing. I am going home." Very wise.

Our thanks are due to Allan Dishington and Barry Weston who organised the day. We had a lot of enjoyment, got a chance to meet Brethren away from the Temple, and raised some money for the Festival as a welcome by-product.

How can I support the Oxfordshire Mark Festival?

A Mark Festival in support of the Mark Benevolent Fund (MBF) is hosted by a single Province for the year. The Mark Province of Oxfordshire will be hosting the celebratory dinner on Saturday 19^th July 2025 being the conclusion of our current fund raising efforts. At this event we also be receiving many guests from Provinces from around England and Wales together with a deputation from Mark Grand Lodge.

Donations and fund raising in support of the Festival can be as individuals, the Lodge, and the Province. All events held should be fun and enjoyable.

As Individuals

Purchase the Oxfordshire MBF Festival Stewardship Jewel. The application form may be downloaded here.

Now that the Craft Festival has finished you may wish to this opportunity of making the regular contribution by

         Standing order to the MBF.

         Ad-hoc single donations.

         The forms may be downloaded here.

         Arrange an event to raise funds.

A range of merchandise is also available, please contact your Lodge Charity Representative, your Lodge's Festival Area Representative or visit the website here.

The Lodge

Arrange an event or series of events to raise funds. Don't forget to invite other members and Lodges from around the Province.

Hold a raffle at the end of the meeting.

Province

A number of events to be held have been planned. The exact dates will be announced in good time to enable you to reserve the timing in your diary.

Details of Lodge and Provincial events will be publicised here.

The Oxfordshire Mark Masons Benevolent Association (OMMBA)

Where funds are raised through an event either as a Lodge or by an individual, our own charity OMMBA has agreed to match the funds raised to a limit of £1,000 per event for a Lodge or £100 for an individual.

Further information

Our dedicated Festival Website.

The motto of the MBF is "Bis dat qui cito dat" – he gives twice who gives promptly