It has been a strange time for all of us this past year, and as a result of the current pandemic this is the first ever MLC AGM that was held on Zoom.
There were around 25 attendees, and we were honoured to host our former APGM W.Bro. Chris Welton among us as an observer, it was under his watch the MLC was formed back in 2016.
The opening saw the address given by the outgoing chairman Bro. Darren Fletcher which is posted below.
When I took over as chairman back in 2019, the level club as it was back then had a quite different dynamic.
The level club was a social club where brethren visited other lodges, and they were great days. Since then, we have come a long way with many innovations.
One of the first new concepts I raised was the MLC Learning Sessions
the introduction of learning sessions started with their humble beginnings at Bridge Street,
They went from a small group of brethren through to the phenomenally successful presentation held at Felicity lodge.
These sessions could not have existed without the help of our illustrious guru and mentor that is Philip Titterton,
These sessions are now capably managed by the “dynamic duo” of Paul Mansell and Hiten Patel; they are gaining a worldwide audience, really highlighting Manchester Masonry.
One of my main aims as a chairman was to raise the Manchester Masonry profile.
We achieved this to our internal brethren with the learning mentioned above.
Socially, we started with smaller projects we helped at broken column dinners; we had a more significant presence at entertainment evenings, we organised and helped to man the first provincial trailer visit on Armed Forces Day all the way to running the Manchester Masons Virtual Christmas Party.
No matter the impact, all these events help raise awareness of what it is to be a true Manchester Mason.
One of our most outstanding achievements and I firmly say “ours” because it has been a massive team effort by a lot of people, is our fundraising efforts which started in 2019 with our first ever MLC event.
The MLC Quiz night held at Bridge Street raised over £3500 and was a great success, albeit a team from West Lancashire won.
One of our most prestigious events was the Yorkshire Three Peaks.
The idea for the Y3P was an innovation from my sidekick Bro Dean Lynch.
It saw a fantastic number of masons and non-masons tackling a gruelling 26-mile walk; all in all, we raised over £8500 for Saint Ann’s hospice and started opening people’s eyes to Manchester Masons.
Last December, the MLC pulled together again, holding the first-ever MLC Charity Auction all in benefit for Wood Street Mission; on that night, we raised £4500 for them thanks to all who donated and bought.
The best, however, is still to come as Bro Dean Lynch is back at it again.
Dean and I are embarking on one last crusade together, this time in the guise of a Charity Skydive. In never seen proportions, over 60 people will be daft enough to fly to 15,000 feet and jump out of a perfectly serviceable aircraft, and this event is gaining nationwide notoriety.
We may even set a world record – truly cementing Manchester Masonry as a force for good.
It has been a fantastic journey at the helm of the level club, and I am sure with the nominations put forward, not only is the level club in great hands but will build on the legacy we have left behind, to that end I have made some final changes and laid foundations for new digital marketing initiatives – as they say, the future is unwritten
Massive Thanks to all those that have contributed to the success of the MLC and supported me during my term in office, in particular, our APGM, Mark Davis, the District Chairmen, Dean, Philip Titterton, Paul Mansell and Hiten Patel; it has been an honour and a pleasure.
Nominations for the below offices were received prior to the AGM for the ensuing year were then voted upon;
We would like to welcome as follows:
Chairman – Bro Paul Mansell (Caledonian 204)
Deputy Chairman – Bro Hiten Patel (Caledonian 204)
Secretary – Bro Thomas Daniel (Shakspere 1009)
After the new team was elected Bro Mansell gave a heartfelt address to the brethren, announcing new plans for 2021.
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