For Freemasons throughout the world, the friendship they find at meetings often engenders a feeling that they regard their lodge as a family.
For the Essex Freemasons of Laindon Lodge, which meets at Orsett Masonic Hall in Orsett on six Tuesdays each year, the recent Installation of their new Worshipful Master, Daniel Moore was certainly a ‘Family Affair.’
Brotherhood
Daniel was installed as Master by his older brother Christopher Moore who is now the Immediate Past Master. Younger brother Charlie Moore assisted in the ceremony by presenting an explanation of the working tools of an entered apprentice. The working tools of each Craft Degree teach Freemasons' how to build a better world for others to live in.
Charlie is a member of Tothill Field Lodge which meets in London, where grandfather, Terry Moore Sr., has been a member since joining Freemasonry in 1976. Proud of his three sons, father Terry Moore Jr., a member of Laindon Lodge, assisted as one of the officers at his son’s Installation.
Charity
Aside from planning and preparing for this special occasion, in recent months Laindon Lodge have been very busy helping local charities and good causes including making a donation of £100 to St Luke’s Hospice which provides palliative care for people living in the Basildon and Thurrock districts.
£360 was raised for charity at Laindon Lodge’s very well attended Ladies Night last November and this was donated to Little Havens Children’s Hospice in Benfleet which provides palliative nursing and supportive care to babies, children and teenagers living with complex or incurable conditions.
Future Plans
The members also substantially increased donations to the Lodge’s Widows’ Fund in order to help out with any emergencies as a result of the current cost of living crisis. Laindon Lodge has built up a good reputation for being charitable and was awarded Grand Patron Status by Paul Tarrant, the Provincial Grand Master of Essex Freemasons for contributing £18,401 towards the Essex 2022 Festival which raised a total of £5.4 million for the Masonic Charitable Foundation which, in turn, has pledged £7 million to support charities and good causes in Essex over the next few years.
With an estimated six million Freemasons worldwide, there are around 8,000 Freemasons in Essex meeting in over 300 lodges at 26 masonic centres. The four principles are; Integrity, Friendship, Respect and Charity. The new Immediate Past Master of Laindon Lodge, Christopher Moore said;
'You get as much out of Freemasonry as what you put in. Freemasonry is a great support network enabling us to learn and move forward.'
