WBro Michael Colin
When we talk about Freemasons, the first thing that comes to mind is a man wearing an apron with white gloves; the two easily recognizable symbols of the fraternity, and his garment that has been worn for over three centuries.
Every man has a different story, different roots. Michael is no different. His story starts in the mining town of Porth, Rhondda, in South Wales in 1945. Still young, he moved with his family to Manchester in 1954 and it was here in the Northwest he grew up and qualified as a Chartered Accountant and ultimately built his own practice. He moved to initially for health reasons where his three daughters were all born.
His charitable nature started to become more apparent, and it was then that he decided to become a Freemason and was initiated in the Craft in March 1973 into Carmel Lodge 7835 in that other Province – West Lancs. He then moved back to Manchester where he became one of the 20 founders of Maccabee Lodge and is now the only surviving founder who is still a member. “Each Founder came from a different mother Lodge, bringing a wide range of tradition and Masonic experience”.
W Bro Colin, who has been appointed the Mentor for Manchester City East Area, has dealt with people of different countries and cultures in his charity work. he worked in practice until 1990 when his first wife was given a terminal diagnosis and passed away, in 1992. His second wife died 20 years later and he then got married to Sue in 2014. It was after he lost his first wife that he went into academia for 10 years during which he met and had the great privilege of working with Prof. R.W. Revans and in 2010 worked in the voluntary sector doing freelance work as well as being CEO of The Charity Service. In 2008 he jointly founded “Make It Happen in Sierra Leone” with the late Nigel Green and was its CEO until it closed in 2019. During that time, it built or rebuilt 18 schools both in the capital Freetown as well as a number in rural communities. The last project was to build a School of Architecture for the University of Sierra Leone by whom he was awarded an honorary doctorate.
Following his Presidency of the Manchester Society of Chartered Accountants and 8 years as an elected member of the ICAEW Council, the last 10 years has seen Michael on the Board of the Institute of Public Accountants in Australia where he has often travelled to meetings for just three days, as well as its Uk subsidiary.
When Michael is not busy with work, he spends time with his family. He is a father of three and has 10 grandchildren, three great grandchildren, two stepchildren and four step-grandchildren.
Freemasonry has been always part of Michael’s life; especially as his late father-in-law – Sue’s father – W Bro. Cyril Freeman was well known in the Province as a dedicated Almoner and also a Mason for over 50 years.
Like everyone else, when Michael steps outside his house in Mere near Knutsford, he enjoys theatre, music, art and a nice meal with family or friends and travelling with Sue.
“Freemasonry helps brethren in distress, every day, but it also teaches us the value of friendship, brotherhood and much more” Michael said. He is also passionate that charity isn’t just something for which we pay, it should also be very much about what we do as well.
Story by Bro Francesco Toto
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