1072 Qualified as Festival Stewards

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1 May 2016 Issue 8 Page 1 of 5 A message from the Festival Director We are now 3 months in and the support has been overwhelming but tinged with sadness at the loss of our Past Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro the Rt Hon The Lord Barnard TD who had been a tremendous supporter to our Province over many years and had been so kind as to allow the use of the grounds of Raby Castle for many a Festival Gala including our forthcoming Gala in July. Our event will continue and I hope will be a fitting tribute to a man who gave so much for the Province of Durham. We have continued our presentations, which have been well received. In the first 8 weeks of the Festival our donations have increased by 60,739, the number of direct debit mandates has increased from 1080 to Our Festival Stewards now number 1072, up from 775 at the launch. These figures are outstanding and show a true commitment from the brethren of Durham. Thank you for your ongoing support and keep up the good work. Masonic Charitable Foundation Many Thanks A new charity: For Freemasons, for families, for everyone. The new foundation has now officially launched. It will enable opportunity, advance healthcare and education and promote independence for Masonic families and community and research charities. Although new, the Foundation has a long history and brings together the work of four national charities which have operated since the early 18th century. The legacy of these charities and the principle of relief underpin the work of the Masonic Charitable Foundation. Our Festival website will have all the latest information on the charity and how support can be accessed. All money raised from our 2021 Festival will be used to support the children formerly supported by the RMTGB. The Festival Jewel Have you got yours? We now have 1072 qualified as Festival Stewards; that s 18% of our members. The qualification amount is 480 or 8 per month over 5 years, but this will increase to 10 per month over 4 years, from July, over 4 years to allow the commitment to complete before the end of the Festival. The dripping tap will fill the bath! 1072 Qualified as Festival Stewards Total raised so far 836,000 Just some of the donations we ve had since the last newsletter. We appreciate all donations, we do apologise if yours is not mentioned. 2,000 Clarence Lodge ,000 Vedra Lodge ,000 Darlington Lodge ,000 Harte Lodge ,000 Saint Peter s Lodge Constance Chapter Lodge of Loyalty Tow Law Finchale Priory 500 St Cuthbert s Stanhope Lodge Aycliffe Lodge City Lodge The residents from Peter Stracey House 250 District Grand Council of Northumberland and Durham

2 May 2016 Issue 8 Page 2 of 5 Time to get fundraising We now have some keen masons who have taken up the challenge to raise money for the festival and to support their lodge in reaching their target along the way. Whatever the the individual or lodge can raise in donations, including Gift Aid, will be credited to the lodge or lodges he nominates; just let us know when you start fundraising. For further details of these activities and others please visit the news section of the festival website. Good luck and best wishes to the following in their endeavours: Fundraisers Steve Hanaby Lodge of Harmony No Cycling from Sunderland to Raby Castle. Steven Whatt & James Mowatt Mowbray Lodge No Running in the Colour Obstacle Rush Run at Newcastle. Duncan and Steven Turnbull Westoe Lodge No4750 Trekking to Everest base camp Go to for further details on these events. If we have missed out your event, then maybe we haven t been informed about it, so please let us know and we will get it on the social media sites, website and in the next edition. Fishing Competition She s got the Golden Buzzer 14-year-old Jasmine Elcock, who brought Alesha Dixon and Anthony McPartlin to tears. Jasmine is 14 and has been singing from the age of 4. Having taken part in a number of high profile performances including Britain s Got Variety Talent. She was also one of the artists who performed on the new single, Miss you Machine, a tribute to Fusilier Lee Rigby, and of course one of the many stars who helped us launch in January at the Sage. Jasmine is a beneficiary of RMTGB support through the talent aid programme. Please give your support to Jasmine as she moves on the Semi-finals and the live shows Thank You! DATE: 14th May 2016 LOCATION: Derwent Reservoir COST: 25 per person TIME: Check-in opens at 08:30 Lines-in at 10:00 Weigh-in at 16:00 Are you a keen angler within the Province of Durham? Or is a family member a keen angler? Why not enter a competition to raise funds for the RMTGB in the process. Prizes for heaviest bait and fly bag (8 bag limit of trout). And largest fish overall. Anglers can either bait fish or fly fish. There will be a briefing by the Northumbrian Water team before fishing commences. All money raised will go to the Festival in aid of the RMTGB. Tickets to be purchased from Mark Hoynes mark030287@hotmail.co.uk before the event. Mark s phone number is Cash is preferred but cheques can be taken if brethren prefer. This is for Freemasons and guests Congratulations to Eddie Gibson from Crook Lodge No. 2019, who completed the Manchester Marathon in 4 hrs. 12mins 12 seconds and has raised over 400 for the RMTGB in doing so. Well done Eddie.

3 May 2016 Issue 8 Page 3 of 5 Two Lodges have gone gold Congratulations to Congratulations to Agricola Lodge and Flambard Lodge who have reached their Festival lodge target. This is an amazing achievement so early on. This hard work started back in 2010 when both lodges and the brethren committed themselves to continuous giving and have continued this on into the Festival. Now the race is on to achieve Platinum. Well done to all concerned! Everest, here we come! Those lodges who have raised 66% of their target have been awarded with the Silver award. Since our launch the following lodges have achieved this accomplishment: Beaconsfield 7768 Harte Lodge 4217 Marquess of Ripon 1379 Stanhope 3520 Yoden Lodges have also shown their commitment to raising 33% of their target They have therefore been awarded the bronze award. The commitment from these lodges will make a very noticeable difference to the lives of the children this money will support. Trekking to Everest Base Camp in aid of the Festival. A father and son from Westoe Lodge No. 4750, based in South Shields, are taking part in an experience of a lifetime. In October 2016 they are to fulfil an ambition that has been on their minds for some time. The start of the festival was the opportunity to raise funds and complete their ambition. W Bro Duncan Turnbull PPJGW and his son Steven, who is now a Master Mason having completed his final steps in April 2016 within the lodge, having been Initiated in 2015, are embarking on the trip to the Himalayas, trekking three high passes and ascending three walking peaks as part of their ultimate aim of achieving Mount Everest base camp. All of the passes and peaks are between 5388 metres and 5550 metres above sea level. W Bro Duncan, only three years ago, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro raising in sponsorship for the Children s Charity Children Today. On this occasion Duncan & Steven, having already paid for the trip, have agreed that every penny in sponsorship that they raise will go towards the Festival for the RMTGB. This incredible effort and commitment is to be congratulated and they ask that you would consider sponsoring them as generously as you can. For details of sponsorship please contact Ian Turnbull by in the first instance: jeanian@blueyonder.co.uk

4 May 2016 Issue 8 Page 4 of 5 Our Summer Challenges We have two exciting opportunities to help our Festival at the start of the summer with the Euro 2016 finals and our Smarties challenge. Euro 2016 Enter our Euro 2016 Predict a Score competition. It s a bit of fun over the finals to pit your wits against your friends, family and fellow Freemasons to see who can get the best score. It s only 5 per entry and you can enter as many teams as you like. Strictly comes to Sunderland Points will be awarded for predicting the correct score and results, with bonus points for getting them both right. Final bonus points will be awarded at the end of the tournament for predicting the winner or the runnerup. Prize money going to the winner. Entry forms are on the festival website, durham2021.org or by contacting john.thompson@durham2021.org Smarties Challenge Would you please kindly support the Festival Team in a novel and different way of raising funds for our 2021 Festival over the summer recess? We invite you to fill a Smarties Hexatube (see below) with 20p pieces from the small change you collect and to return it to the Charity Steward when it s full. It s a fun way of raising a little extra for the Festival. Each Hexatube holds and if the brethren are UK tax payers this can be increased to with gift aid. May we suggest that your lodge purchase a supply (cost about 45p each) and hand out to those members of your lodge who wish to take part, maybe during the summer recess or over 2-3 months? As you can see, it is a really simple idea and a fun concept which could raise a serious amount of money for the Festival. For example, if just 10 members of a lodge took part - and we have about 175 lodges in our Province - this would have the effect of raising a staggering 27,125 including Gift Aid. Full details are on the website durham2021.org. Please help if you can. Nautilus Lodge Inner Guard Gavin Leng and his wife Fiona, from the Martino s restaurant chain, took part in a dancing competition in Sunderland and, after wowing the crowd with a salsa version of Viva Las Vegas, they took the top title at the Quayside Exchange, on High Street East, in a hotly-fought contest. They shimmied their way to victory and, in doing so, won 2,000 which they both promptly donated to the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys via the lodge. A very generous donation from our strictly stars. Have Your Say... The festival committee wants to hear your ideas. We will shortly be sending out a survey to members of the Province via , website and social media to get your ideas on future Festival activities.

5 May 2016 Issue 8 Page 5 of 5 Get the date in your diary Set Your Stall Out With more than 80 Lodge Stalls at Raby Gala, hosting one is a great way to enjoy the day, as well as raise funds for your lodge target. Be it books, biscuits, bottles or buckaroo, all ideas are welcome. Ideally, we would like each Lodge represented, so, if you ve not signed up yet, please do so by contacting Bill Crutchley, Gala Deputy Director on , or bill6457@gmail.com Caravan & Camping Places are going quickly Don t miss out! Why not make a full weekend of the Gala? Contact George Slater on , or george@gcslater.co.uk Gala Brochure These brochures are now on sale from your Charity Steward. Purchase yours before the day at 10 or on the day for 15. One brochure admits one car. Why not purchase extra to give to lodge widows or your friends? All proceeds from the brochures will be allocated against your Lodge target. Grand Prize Draw Each lodge should now have been issued with a quantity of prize draw tickets to sell. These tickets can be sold to family and friends, not just the lodge members. If you need more please contact your hall ambassador. All proceeds from the sale of tickets will be allocated against your lodge target The draw will take place at the Gala and the prizes total 7,700! (1 x 5,000, 1 x 1,000, 2 x 500, 5 x 100 and 10 x 20). Gala Evening Entertainment FRIDAY NIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT HAWAIIAN NIGHT with music by The Stonecutters Tickets (includes Hog Roast) Contact Billy Duck on / or wduck100@aol.com Organised by the Mark Master Masons Tickets (Includes Beach Party Food). Contact Barrie Tudberry on barrietudberry@hotmail.com Organised by the North East Corner