London Freemasons aid hospitals live music charity
W Bro John Little SLGR reports A grant of £5,000 has been donated by London Freemasonry to Music in Hospitals & Care, a charity that improves the health and wellbeing of children and adults through the healing power of live music. Every year, the charity’s professional musicians share live music with people from across […]
FOREWORD RW Bro Warren Duke Deputy Metropolitan Grand Master
RW Bro Warren Duke Deputy Metropolitan Grand Master There are so many positive aspects to Freemasonry in London at the moment. Two excellent examples are the 200 members of the public who attended the recent “Discover Freemasonry” event in the Grand Temple; and the 600 brethren who attended the recent London Rugby Lodge meeting. […]
EDITORIAL
Brethren and friends, welcome to Arena 53, and may I take this opportunity to wish you a wonderful festive season with family and friends, and an optimistic start to 2024. I say this not least because, since the last edition of Arena, the world has continued to be thrown into turmoil. I have never […]
We asked you… Dining
Dining is a contentious issue – especially here in London. So we asked The Festive Board Facebook group of Masons for their comment and insights. Everyone is aware of the challenges of the cost of living (see the Foreword to this issue of Arena by RW Bro Warren Duke), so we also asked for contributions […]
Dining: Update from the Metropolitan Grand Secretary
We are all victims of the escalating cost of living and, in London, we are especially affected by the cost of eating – particularly in areas such as Covent Garden, the City of London, Clubland and Mayfair. The Covid crisis saw lots of the cheaper restaurants close, never to re-open. Few new such restaurants have […]
Welcome and Acceptance: Meet two trans Brethren
By W Bro Omaid Hiwaizi PAGDC, MetGCO The United Grand Lodge of England adopted its transgender Policy on 17th July 2018 – closely followed by both the Order of Women Freemasons and Freemasonry for Women (FFW, previously known as the Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons or HFAF). Needless to say, this attracted widespread […]
Special Interest Lodge News: The Scots are Coming!
On Saturday 2nd June at Freemasons’ Hall, Caledonian Lodge No 134 had its inaugural meeting as London’s Scottish Lodge. Caledonian’s Worshipful Master, W Bro Fred Bain PAGDC, and W. Bro Paul Tweedale PM report… Two years ago, the members of Caledonian Lodge embraced the potential of becoming a ‘Special Interest Lodge’ under the Metropolitan […]
Special Interest Lodge News: On your Bike!
Citizen Lodge: London’s New Cycling Lodge, report by W Bro Richard Cavanagh Picture the scene. A crowd of men, each atop their metal frames, individually distinct by their colourful threads. They jostle for space, pushing against each other, swaying and trying to keep their balance. A green flag ascends above, filling the sky and […]
Special Interest Lodge News: Howzat!
St John’s No 80: A cricket Lodge for London St. John’s Lodge No 80 – the London Cricket Lodge – truly exemplifies the value of Special Interest Lodges (SILs), fostering social connections both inside and outside the Lodge; and sometimes bringing people together around a common interest who otherwise might never have met. Case […]
New Faces: Meet 7 new men
Photographs and interviews: W Bro Simon Greaves Why are we Masons? A small sample of new members threw up the traditional reasons – family history, brotherhood and fraternity – but also some unexpected motives. But the underlying bonds of friendship and mutual interest in self-improvement quickly surfaced among seven newcomers we interviewed in […]
Beating the Book
From the gentle joshing between champions of Emulation and Taylor’s to the less decorous “tut” sometimes felt by those trying their best, we have all faced the challenges of ritual. It’s worth remembering that everyone, at some stage, has experienced the cloying fear and dry mouth of utter stage fright. Even the most polished […]
Hungry school children in Tower Hamlets will be provided a Magic Breakfast
W Bro Richard Cavanagh LGR reports Over 1,000 hungry children will get their morning off to a better start, thanks to a grant of £60,000 from London Freemasons to children’s charity Magic Breakfast. Magic Breakfast currently provides school breakfasts in Primary, Secondary, Special Educational Needs schools and Pupil Referral Units across Scotland and […]