Whilst the Province may be in recess, some things never stop—and that is certainly the case for the Provincial Grand Stewards Lodge.
Over several weeks, the Directors of Ceremonies team has been busy preparing for the year ahead, with no fewer than seven training sessions held, taking place in Durham, Wearside Masonic Temple and Queen Street in Sunderland, with final sign-offs held at Queen Street and in Darlington.
Training was led by the newly appointed Director of Ceremonies for 9833, Paul Staines, who was ably assisted by the Master of the Lodge, Mark Bibby, together with some of the more experienced members of the team.
The training covered a number of important aspects of the Directors of Ceremonies' role. This included ensuring that Provincial representatives and their accompanying processions are properly introduced to the Lodge, making sure that they exit correctly, and ensuring that the appropriate formalities are observed throughout the festive board.
Behind every successful Provincial visit is a great deal of preparation, and the sessions provided an opportunity for the team to practise and refine the standards expected of them. The hard work was particularly evident during the final sign-off sessions which were undertaken by the Provincial Director of Ceremonies, David Atkinson, assisted by Gary Quinn and Paul Farrel.
Following the sessions, David congratulated everyone involved, commenting on the considerable amount of work that had clearly gone into the training and saying that he was absolutely delighted with the standard achieved.
After sign-off, Master of the Lodge, Mark, thanked everyone for their assistance and commitment throughout the various training sessions. His thanks were echoed by Lodge Director of Ceremonies, Paul, who also acknowledged the contribution of everyone involved.
The successful completion of the training means the team is now ready to take on the year ahead, carrying forward the high standards for which they are known.
We look forward to seeing them all in action over the coming year.
Lodge Director of Ceremonies, Paul Staines
