Vision 2020 Northern Provinces £10,000 Charity Draw October 2021
The Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Ireland, a fraternal Order is a non-political and nonreligious organisation, where members enjoy the social aspects of a club while aiming to become better people through moral instruction and charitable work.
Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest and largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organisations. Its roots lie in the traditions and ceremonies of the medieval stonemasons who built our cathedrals and castles. Some rituals are still celebrated today.
In 2019 the Order’s Grand Master, Most Worshipful Bro. Douglas T. Grey announced that it was his intention to hold a charitable festival in the year 2020 and asked Lodges to consider donating money to external charities. The four chosen charities being, Simon Communities of Ireland, Simon Community Northern Ireland, RNLI Lifeboats and Médecins Sans Frontieres.
Unfortunately owing to the global pandemic many events planned, both major and minor to raise monies for the charities were unable to take place. One event that has gone ahead but somewhat later than originally planned is a Grand Charity Draw. With a total Prize fund of £10,000 the draw was organised by the Brethren of the Vision 2020 Northern Provinces Committee consisting of representatives from the five Provincial Grand Lodges in the North of Ireland, i.e., PGL Antrim, PGL Armagh, PGL Down, PGL Londonderry & Donegal and PGL Tyrone & Fermanagh and licensed through Fermanagh & Omagh District Council and all under the Chairmanship of Right Worshipful Brother Brian Gardner, Provincial Deputy Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Down.
The drawing of the winning ballot tickets was made on Saturday 2nd October 2021 at Galwally House, Belfast the Provincial Grand Administrative Centre for the Province of Down by Right Worshipful Brother Rodney L. McCurley the Deputy Grand Master of the Order and overseen by ????? an independent observer.
The Draw prizes consist of one first prize of £5,000, one second prize of £2,000, one third prizes of £1,000., and four fourth prizes of £500.
The Chairman and members of the Committee are very grateful for the support the Brethren of the Northern Provinces have given to the Draw and other events in aid of the Festival. Their generosity particularly to Non-Masonic causes throughout the course of the recent pandemic has been exemplary. Goodwill to all and a desire to help those less fortunate are fundamental principles of the Masonic Fraternity and therefore charitable giving is a major part of membership of the Freemasons.
The Committee consists of; R. W. Bro Ian Kirkpatrick, (Festival Chairman), R. W. Bro Brian Gardner, (Committee Chairman), V. W. Bro Terence Luney, (Committee Treasurer), W. Bro. Eric Williamson, (Committee Secretary), V. W. Bro David Robinson, Grand Lodge Representative, R. W. Bro Paul Harvey, (Rep. PGL Antrim), W. Bro. Allen Hawthorne,
(Rep. PGL Armagh), W. Bro. Adrian McQuillan, (Rep. PGL Down), R. W. Bro Raymond Eakin, (Rep. PGL Londonderry & Donegal), V. W. Bro Ivan Kee, (Rep. PGL Tyrone & Fermanagh, and Draw Promoter) and W. Bro. Gordon Jackson, (Tyrone & Fermanagh).
