Abbey 180

Thursday 12th March 2020 at 6PM was a day and time we all will remember. Grand Lodge suspended all Masonic activity until at that time, an undetermined date. The UKs first Covid death was recorded earlier in the day.

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The Covid19 pandemic had spread worldwide from the Chinese province of Wuhan since November 2019. A contagious disease, producing sever acute respiratory syndrome and in hundreds of thousands, hospitalization and sadly death.

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Humankind and modern society were in a place unknown for over a century, since the Spanish flu of 1918.

Following governmental order, life as we know it changed. Societal lockdown commenced. Families were not allowed to visit. Only required workers were authorized to go to work, schools closed, churches closed their doors. Nursing homes allowed no visitation to our elderly kinfolk. Funerals did not allow any family or friends to attend due to strict Covid emergency legislation. Main shops selling food remained open with the most vulnerable in society suffering from panic buying by others and the lack of basic products. Family bubbles looked afar, scared frightened for the future. Travel, hotels bars, restaurants and clubs all closed.

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Lockdown rules and legislation lessened over a protracted period. Eventually a chink of light appeared from the Masons of Antrim. Small groups would gather food and essentials for the elderly.  As the months went on employers adapted. Tele working from home became the new normal, Government furlough payments helped many but not all. As the summer ended the lockdown of individuals relaxed to a degree. Masks were commonplace as a requirement by law, to enter businesses, shops.  Retail adapted by online sales, restaurants and cafes ramped up their takeaway services.

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Abbey 180 got together socially distanced and completed our charity walks in September 2020 and 2021. Donations collected and distributed to our named charities. January 2021 saw us collect our regular donations for Masonic charities in place of the same collection we always hold at our January Installation, which along with all Masonic Communications, meetings were still in suspended animation.

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Grand Lodge, Provincial Grand Lodge, Masonic charities all started to re-engage with their work, initially slowly but by summer 2021 most leadership apparatus was back up and running.

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We as a lodge utilized the modern world of IT and used the Zoom portal to have regular fortnightly zoom sessions for encouragement, admin, passage of information and just a place to chat and keep in contact. From our start on 4th May 2020, we have to date held 33 zoom sessions.

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The Officers of the lodge, installed in 2020 will proceed into 2022 as they did into 2021 until Degree work is reactivated by order of Grand Lodge.

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Sadly, we lost two of our most dear lodge Brethren, W.Bro. Frank McNiece who we had proudly presented with his framed 65-year Masonic certificate in July 2020 and Bro. Frank Ringland who had been living in Leicester for many years. Both sadly lost during the suspension, we miss them.

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Family and friends were taken from us in the most tragic of circumstances. Their names live on as we remember them:

Sam Hanna, Sadie Moody, R. Wor. Bro. Bill McClenaghan, Allene Anderson, Elizabeth Eachus, Jim Beggs, Malachy Blair, Drew Coard, May Wilson, Sadie Lenaghan

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We also remember our Brethren and family who have had Hospital stays during this most difficult of times:

R.Wor. Bro. Neil Ritchie, W.Bro. Bill McMurdie, W.Bro. Bill Patterson, W.Bro. Fred Hoy, Bro. Hugh Blair, Angela Blair, Claire Duncan. Difficult and worrying times.

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On a happier note, we congratulate Bro. Gareth Moody and Gillian, also Bro. Ryan Mallett and Leanne on their recent marriages, congratulations from us all at the Lodge.

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Our great friend and Brother R.Wor. Bro. Neil Ritchie celebrated his 90th year in March 2021 and more recently Bro. Gareth Moody successfully completed the London Marathon in memory of his mother Sadie and our Lodge chaplain W.Bro. Lee Burnside completed the 100-mile lap of the Lough (Lough Neagh) charity bicycle event. Well done and congratulations Brethren.

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We now as a Lodge strive forward towards 2022, resilient, unbending and look to the resumption of all Masonic activities and evermore enjoying the company of the Brethren, in the body of the Lodge.