The historic Harmonic Lodge No. 216 meets in Liverpool as part of the Gladstone Group and numbers Phil Marshall among its members. Phil, although visually impaired, intended to take part in a driving day at Three Sisters Motor Circuit in nearby Wigan, arranged by Galloway’s – a sight-loss charity that puts on lots of activities for the visually impaired around Lancashire.
Previously an HGV licence holder, Phil was diagnosed with a degenerating sight problem and informed that he would lose most of his sight due to a rare genetic condition called Stargardt disease. Phil had to surrender his driving licence.
Phil’s guide dog, Harvey, is well known within the Gladstone Group and has the distinction of being invested as a ‘Fourth Principal’ in Sefton Chapter No. 680.
Phil is an avid fundraiser for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, and he jumped at the chance to get behind the wheel once again. He messaged both Harmonic Lodge No. 216 and Liverpool Mercantile Lodge No. 4319 and obtained sponsors for the event.
Galloway’s lined up a number of driving experiences – a rally driver took Phil onto the track before a ‘driving instructor’ guided him around the course in a dual-control car. The total raised was £495, topped up to £500 with a fiver from Harvey’s piggy bank. Phil passed on two cheques of £250 to Guide Dogs for the Blind and organisers Galloway’s charity.
