AFOCC AGM Chairman’s Report 5 November 2023
At last, we can start our AGM without saying it has been a challenging year; it has been a good year!
The only downside was that we lost our previous Chairman, Mark Payne in May.
He was a lovely man and a true Friend of Connaught Court both for our Association and his work for the RMBI. I think we all miss him.
In 1973, the AFOCC, The Association of Friends of Connaught Court was formed by the three Provinces of Yorkshire West Riding, Yorkshire North and East and Lincolnshire.
Now, in our 50[th] Year, we are delighted that our three Provinces continue to support our lovely Connaught Court in so many ways big and small, by Individual Freemasons and especially our Provincial Grand Masters. Thank you all.
Marinda has settled into her new role very well and I thank her and her team for making us so welcome here on many occasions.
Last year, I highlighted the aims we had for this year, and I am delighted to say we have certainly achieved them all plus a few other bits!
We started our projects with more storage facilities, which involved creating a level and solid base upon which we placed a large storage container which would hold various items including marquees, tables, etc.
It wasn’t a simple task but thanks to John Day and his various contacts, it has succeeded very well. Thank you John.
Thanks to contact from Neill Smith, the Prince Frederick Lodge 307 in Yorkshire West Riding, who were sadly returning their warrant to Grand Lodge, informed Neill that they wanted to give something to Connaught Court; they asked Neill what we needed, and he informed Bob Taylor, the Trustee, that we could do with a new minibus. Bob basically said, you’ve got it and the eventual donation amounted to £50,000.
I hope you’ve seen the new minibus outside, if not, please check it out on your way home.
Then Barrie Graham got involved with Neill and managed to sell the old Peugeot and £12,000 went to the home (or perhaps it was RMBI, I couldn’t possibly comment!)
Barrie found Gowrings in Theale who provide and fit minibuses for wheelchair uses.
They were to become a very patient and helpful company to work with.
As there was a long lead-time for the bus, we hired a similar vehicle from Gowrings until the new one was delivered.
Barrie and Neill sorted out the decoration for the bus acknowledging the wonderful help from Prince Frederick Lodge.
You will have seen the Facebook page showing Barrie and Neill handing the keys to Marinda.
We invited Bob Taylor and his wife to our Summer Fayre and Neil collected and returned them to Aysgarth, and they thoroughly enjoyed the day and our three PGM’s all made a big fuss of them !
We hope soon to take the new vehicle to Aysgarth to give Bob and his wife a little trip around the Dales, (Bob’s wife needs to use a wheelchair)
The minibus project was completed when we purchased a couple of new “crash tested” wheelchairs which were required under new regulations.
Our Grateful thanks to Neill and Barrie.
Another very generous donation we received some years ago was from Owen Brooks-Duxbury who wanted Connaught Court to have an Orangery.
As previously explained, due to costs and Planning Restrictions, our Committee decided to up-date the two existing conservatories.
The work was carried out by a local company, Eliments, who have done a great job on both units, after holding their prices for over a year!
Connaught Court now have two great conservatories which are “fit for purpose” throughout the year.
Special thanks again to John Day who obtained a gift of an Air Conditioner for the front conservatory from one of his suppliers!
We also bought a dozen small folding tables for indoor or outside use which are proving very useful.
Oh yes, we held a Summer Fayre this year; remember those?
It was one of the hottest days of the year, blue skies and sunshine!
About 30 stalls on the field behind the home, Brass Band, Food, Drink, Cake Stalls, Books, Raffle, Bouncy Castle, Curry tasting, vintage cars, a few motorbikes and lots more.
About £7000 was taken on the day.
A tremendous and happy Day.
The whole committee, wives, husbands, partners plus the Team from Connaught Court, Walter and Co, putting up marquees (and taking them down at the end), power, water and lots more before and after the day.
All the Connaught Court people making sandwiches, cakes; Steph and Fran organising stalls and fetching and carrying the residents to the Fayre
Kevin Priestley worked so very hard in organising the day; these events don’t just happen.
Thank you Kevin ( and your P.A. Margaret!) a massive effort and a great result.
Next year ? Saturday 8th June , the King’s official Birthday and a Connaught Court party to celebrate it.
Put it in your diaries now please.
One of the Trustees of the RMBI, David Snowden was appointed to “caretake” Connaught Court, Scarborough Court and Harry Priestley homes.
I met him at Connaught Court with Marinda in February, and I think it will be very positive moving forward to have better contact with RMBI.
Away from the Home, John Boyington brought back the meetings of Associations of Friends at Grand Lodge on 11 October.
I participated along with Bruce Lowis and David Wadsworth, and we all enjoyed an interesting and informative day.
I hope that they are going to continue in the future as a very useful tool to know what is happening within RMBI and to meet our counterparts from other homes.
The function of our Association is to provide the “little extras” for the residents, home and staff of Connaught Court and we must be careful that we use the funds we are given for that purpose and not simply build a big deposit account; I don’t think we do judging by what we have achieved in the past year.
We are a Team and I thank each one of that Team for their support, time,
effort and friendship they have given me for nearly three years as Chairman.
Especial thanks have to go to our Secretary, Martin, for putting up with me; we have had some fun and so we should have as Masonry has to have fun to succeed.
Sincere thanks also to Bruce and David and of course Marinda who tolerates my phone calls on many occasions !
When I look at Connaught Court, it is filled fun, laughter, caring and love and long may it continue.
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