The Annual Meeting of the District Grand Council of Surrey
Due to the suspension of Masonic activity the December 2020 Annual Meeting of the District Grand Council of Surrey was held as a Virtual Business Meeting using the Zoom video conferencing tool.
Attending the meeting was the District Grand Prefect, RW.Bro. John V C French, the members of the District Executive, and a number of Surrey Brethren. Also present was the Grand Master, Most Worshipful Brother Thomas Firth Jackson, the Deputy Grand Master, Right Worshipful Brother Clive Robert Manuel, and a number of visiting Brethren from other Districts, just under 100 delegates in total.
The District Grand Prefect, RW.Bro. John French, declared the meeting open and welcomed all present.
The District Grand Secretary read the Permission to hold a District Virtual Business Meeting. The Minutes of the last Annual Meeting of District Grand Council held on Saturday 7th December 2019 were approved by the Brethren.
The District Grand Prefect called upon the District Grand Secretary to call the Roll of the acting District Grand Officers. The District Grand Secretary advised that all District Grand Officers of the year were present. The District Grand Prefect called upon the District Grand Secretary to call the Roll of Councils and the District Grand Secretary advised that all the Councils in the District were well and worthily represented.
The next item was to honour the names of those Brethren who have passed to higher service since the previous Annual Meeting. The District Grand Prefect said that since our last meeting, W.Bro, George Jalfon had passed to higher service.
Bro Ray Seeley was declared duly elected Treasurer. The District Grand Treasurer, W.Bro. Gerry Yockney, presented the District Accounts for the year ending 31st August 2020, which were approved by the Brethren. The District Grand Prefect welcomed into the Order some of our newly Admitted Brethren and wished them well in this further step in Masonry. He announced that the District has supported Simon McCarthy’s 2022 mile Bike Ride and the Surrey Mark 2022 Festival and congratulated Simon on his magnificent achievement.
The next item was to confirm District Appointments and Promotions. The District Grand Prefect said how pleased he was to reappoint W.Bro. Bob Tuthill as the Deputy District Grand Prefect and thanked him for all his support over the past year.
He then asked the District Grand Secretary to read the names of the Brethren appointed to and promoted in District Grand Rank following which the District Grand Prefect congratulated those who received appointment or promotion in the District Grand Council of Surrey.
The District Grand Prefect addressed District Grand Council. Click here to read the address.
Following the District Grand Prefect’s Address the Assistant District Grand Recorder reported that that he had received apologies from a number of Brethren of the District, all of whom wished the District Grand Prefect a most successful day and sent their best wishes for the future.
And finally, the District Grand Prefect gave his personal thanks to W.Bro. Ian Clark, Provincial Grand Master of the Mark Province of Surrey, for allowing us to use their Zoom account – and a big thank you to Bro. Tim Ford, Provincial Grand Secretary of the Mark Province of Surrey, for his support behind the scenes in running the technical side of the meeting.
Before the meeting was closed the Most Worshipful Grand Master thanked the District Grand Prefect for inviting him to the meeting and said how much he had enjoyed himself.
The District Grand Prefect thanked everyone for attending and declared the meeting closed. Afterwards the Zoom remained open for a few minutes to allow everyone to chat together before saying goodbye.
Article and photos by Chris Eley, District Grand Photographer
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