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Queen’s College, Taunton, Lodge Install Their New WM After A Two Years (Covid) Delay!

Our new WM, W.Bro Ray Conneely, has just informed us that a remarkable £2,700 was collected towards the MCF Ukraine Appeal at our Installation meeting held on Saturday 19th March – through Alms, 25% gift aid, raffle and ‘heads & tails’.  Having said previously that the Lodge charity fund would ‘match fund’ donations to a maximum of £2,000, this gives a total of £4,700.  56 dined, half of whom were guests to whom we are most grateful for their generosity.  Inevitably, Covid / Omicron thinned our numbers at the last moment.  If any Brother feels they may have missed out on the opportunity to contribute I’m sure our Charity Steward, Peter Thomas, will still be delighted to hear from you!!!

L-R. W.Bro’s Guy Adams: Lindsay Edmunds (Senior Warden): WM. Ray Conneely: Jonathan Dolling (Junior Warden):  IPM. Graham Ten Broeke.

W.Bro Graham Ten Broeke made an excellent job of installing his successor after an unheard-of three years of shouldering the responsibility of Worshipful Master.  W.Bro Guy Adams, representing the RW Provincial Grand Master kept a watchful eye on the proceedings.  (We later learned that he had two daughters who went to Queen’s, making him a most eligible joining member!).  W.Bro Ray thanked W.Bro Graham for his commitment over the extended period when handing him the special jewel of an IPM.

Among the retiring officers was W.Bro Mike Kinnersley who has completed nearly two decades as our Almoner, a role he has fulfilled with legendary dedication.  By way of thanks for such exceptional service, W.Bro Ray presented W.Bro Mike with a bottle of malt whisky.  W.Bro Jim Virjee accepted the role of Almoner in Mike’s stead.  Come the toast to the Installing Master at the Festive Board later in the evening, IPM, W.Bro Graham was presented with a similar malt whisky.

A fine bottle of Uisge beatha for the IPM. Slainte Mhath!!

At the conclusion of the ceremony, our new WM generously provided a ‘sparkling’ reception and port with the cheese at the festive board.  W.Bro Jonathan Dolling sang the ‘Master’s Song’ accompanied by Bro Barry Renwick on piano and the evening concluded with the singing of two verses of the hymn ‘God be with you ’til we meet again’ after the Tyler’s Toast.

W.Bro Richard Baker. Lodge Communication Officer

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