Twenty-one Masonic Provinces, similar to Counties, sent 24 teams of bowlers to the beautiful County of Berkshire on Friday, 9 August 2024. They were competing for the Masonic Annual Charity Event (MACE) Trophy. This fun bowling event has been running since 2011 and moves around the country. This is the first time Berkshire has ever been the host.
The very impressive Desborough Bowling Club in Maidenhead was full of excited banter and accents from every corner of the country as competitors filled the club. This relatively newly built club opened in 2019 after they were 112 years in another part of Maidenhead!
After being welcomed to the event by Ian Keech (organiser for MACE), Anthony Howlett-Bolton OBE Leader of Berkshire’s Freemasons, Peter Woods Berkshire Masonic Bowling Association (BMBA) President and Frank Overton Secretary of the BMBA play got underway. The ladies and gentlemen players had plenty to play for, with four trophies up for grabs.
They would be raising money throughout 2024 to support the two nominated charities for the year. In 2024, these are to be the Berkshire Panto Project, a Berkshire-based event that helps children who might not otherwise see a Pantomime to do so. The Panto Project has been arranged every year since 2005, with only Covid causing a break. Lastly, Action for Children is a national charity supporting children and young people across the UK.
Halfway through the event, they were joined by Tony Allcock OBE, Chief Executive of Bowls England and Russell Race, Past Deputy Grand Master of Metropolitan Grand Lodge, whose original support for the event set it on this 14-year-long fund and friend-making journey. In the 14 years it has been running, MACE has raised over £70,000 for charities - and probably as many new friends as those taking part in this competition.
The new MACE flag that will be flown at the competition going forward was also unveiled at the halfway break. It was hung alongside the Berkshire Masonic Bowling Association flag throughout the day. The artwork now includes a lady bowler on the flag!
Anthony Howlett-Bolton OBE said,
“The Panto Project is a very special event arranged annually in Berkshire. The hard work of the organisers all come together to bring a joyous experience to children who otherwise would miss out on the magic of pantomime.”
Laura English Rose, Senior Fundraising Manager at Action for Children, said,
“Thanks for all your generous support. The contribution you are making to Action for Children will help us provide vital funds to services working hard to help children have the safe and happy childhoods they deserve.”
Action for Children protects and supports vulnerable children and young people by providing practical and emotional care and support, ensuring their voices are heard and campaigning to bring lasting improvements to their lives. With 426 services across the UK, in schools and online, in 2022/23, they helped 765,905 children, young people and families.
The teams played across eight rinks, with six ends played. The number of ends in the second half of the day reduced to 5.
Provinces that sent teams to take part in the 2024 competition (alphabetical order) and the results were:
Bedfordshire x 2 (4th place)
Berkshire x 2 (1st place)
Buckinghamshire
Surrey x 2
Cambridgeshire x 2
Devon
Dorset
Essex (3rd place)
Gloucestershire x 2
Leicestershire
London
Suffolk
Sussex
Warwickshire x 2
Wiltshire x 2 (2nd place)
Northamptonshire
(and we had a Desborough Bowling Club Team assist to even up the numbers)
