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Dover and Deal Cadets Mark 100 Years

Dover and Deal Cadets Mark 100 Years

Charity

Dover and Deal Sea Cadets Mark 100 Years

On Sunday, 8th June 2026, the streets of Dover were alive with excitement as the Dover and Deal Sea and Royal Marine Cadets paraded with pride to St Mary’s Church. This special day celebrated a remarkable milestone: a century of nurturing courage, friendship and adventure among young people in the picturesque White Cliffs country. Supported by the generous Globe & Laurel Lodge 4657 and Peace and Harmony Lodge 199, the Cadets have flourished and representing the Globe and Laurel Lodge at this wonderful event were Mark Simpson and Phil Rashbrook.
After a heartfelt church service, the Cadets marched with heads held high to Dover Town Hall, where families, guests and dignitaries eagerly anticipated their arrival. The hall buzzed with anticipation as the Commanding Officer inspected the Cadets, presenting each with a treasured ‘Challenge Coin’ – a symbol of achievement and belonging. Lively conversation filled the room as refreshments were shared and stories exchanged, all expressing admiration for the Cadets’ spirit.
As the afternoon drew to a close, voices united for the song ‘Sailing’ and the stirring sound of bagpipes echoed through the hall. The celebration was more than a commemoration, it was a testament to tradition and hope for the future. All joined in wishing the Dover and Deal Cadets another century of adventure and camaraderie.

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A Little goes a long way

A Little goes a long way

Charity, News

MAKE A WISH

King Edward VII Lodge No. 3252 has received a heartfelt letter of thanks from Make-A-Wish UK following a recent donation of £300 made to support the charity’s remarkable work with critically ill children and their families.

The donation was raised through the Lodge’s fundraising activities in May and follows an earlier contribution of £400 made in December, bringing the Lodge’s total support for Make-A-Wish UK to £700 within the last six months.

In their letter, Make-A-Wish UK expressed their gratitude for the generosity shown by the Brethren and supporters of King Edward VII Lodge. They explained that donations such as these help bring joy, comfort, and hope to critically ill children and their families throughout the United Kingdom.

Make-A-Wish UK is dedicated to granting life-changing wishes for children living with critical illnesses. These wishes can take many forms, from creating magical family experiences such as visits to Disneyland Paris, to helping fulfil a child’s personal dream or ambition. Sometimes the wishes are simpler but equally meaningful, providing opportunities and experiences that create treasured memories for families facing incredibly difficult circumstances.

The charity’s work recognises the importance of creating moments of happiness, hope, and togetherness, helping children and their loved ones build lasting memories at a time when they need them most.

The Lodge’s connection with Make-A-Wish UK has developed over several years through the efforts of members who have supported the charity in various capacities. The opportunity to contribute to such a worthwhile cause aligns closely with Freemasonry’s long-standing commitment to charity, compassion, and service to others.

Receiving a personal letter of thanks serves as a reminder that every fundraising event, raffle ticket purchased, and donation made can have a genuine impact on the lives of people facing extraordinary challenges.

King Edward VII Lodge No. 3252 is proud to support the work of Make-A-Wish UK and would like to thank all those who contributed towards making these donations possible.

Make-A-Wish UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (295672) and Scotland (SC037479).

Letter from make a wish foundation
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Folkestone Leas Lift CIO Appeal.

Folkestone Leas Lift CIO Appeal.

Charity, News

Folkestone Leas Lift CIO Appeal.

The Cornwallis East Kent Freemasons Charity were delighted to team up with WBro Bob Hadlow the Group 6 coordinator to assist bring together local units to support this extensive community focussed civil engineering project.

The historic Folkestone Leas Lift, a Grade II* listed funicular railway first opened in 1885, is currently being restored and will reopen in 2026. This large-scale project is overseen by the Folkestone Lease Lift Company, a Charitable Incorporated Organisation who has taken on the challenge of restoring this iconic transportation system. The scale of the project cannot be overstated, on top of the complex engineering work, fund raising falls to them too. The National Lottery made a generous match funding grant, leaving the charity to make up the difference. The charities dynamic Chair of Trustees Cathy Beare continues to work hard raising funds locally to fill the funding gap.

The Lift is at the heart of Folkestone and is much loved by the community. Consultation which took place during 2020 saw a recurrent theme in the feedback they received from the community. It identified that people; particularly the elderly, those with ill health, disabilities or with young children were unable to visit the seafront area from the town centre, due to the steepness of the only alternative route on foot the nearby footpaths. Unless they had access to a car, a visit to the beach and harbour area was very difficult all the time the lift remained closed. It became clear the local community and regular visitors to the town retained a great fondness for this historic transportation system, driving the need for action.

The Lift in 1885

The charity reached out to the community including local Lodges, Chapters and the CEKFC seeking financial assistance. Their response was truly outstanding, raising £2900. The trustees of the CEKFC were delighted to double the members contribution which led to a total donation of £5800. This is yet another example of local Masons working to make a difference in our local communities. The units involved included:

Temple Lodge No 558
Temple Chapter No 558
Castle Lodge No 1436
Castle Chapter No 1436
Wakefield Lodge No 6059
Shorncliffe Lodge No 4330
Prince Edwins Lodge No 125
Prince Edwins Chapter No 125
Commemoration Lodge No 5329
SETECH Lodge No 8185
Stour Lodge No 2305
Provincial Grand Stewards Lodge No 5866
Valley of Elham Lodge No 6649

WBro Peter West handing cheque to Cathy Beare Chair of Trustees.

Construction Project – view from The Leas

Construction Project – sea level

The lift in action circa 1965 (2)

The lift in action circa 1965

The lifts opening 1885

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East Kent Golfers – Captain’s Welcome Day

East Kent Golfers – Captain’s Welcome Day

Golf, News

Winner – Steve Allen

With temperatures soaring and the fairways firming up nicely, Paul Ames hosted the first home fixture of his year as Captain on the East Kent Masonic Golfing calendar.

Set in the heart of Kent, Tenterden Golf Club provided the perfect venue for this event. Free from the pressures of inter-provincial competition, the day was designed to be a relaxed and enjoyable occasion, with fellowship and good humour taking centre stage.

A total of 33 golfers attended, including two prospective members from Richard Watts Lodge No. 8534. We were also delighted to welcome a team of four from Commemoration Lodge No. 5329.

Following a hearty breakfast and the usual efficient organisation from our Secretary, the players headed to the course, with our Captain taking the honour of striking the first shot from the opening tee — a challenging 170-yard par three. The course itself is a picturesque parkland layout featuring several demanding holes that require careful thought and course management.

Adding to the camaraderie and enjoyment of the day was a special team competition involving the now-famous “Amesy Ball” — a golf ball emblazoned with our Captain’s likeness. Teams rotated the ball throughout the round, recording its score on each hole, with a prize awarded to the team accumulating the most points.

Once the golfing battles had concluded and the scores were counted, the individual honours went to Steve Allen, who claimed first place with an impressive 41 points off a handicap of 17. Close behind was Roger Smith of Commemoration Lodge with 40 points, while Glen Porter of Richard Watts Lodge secured third place with 38 points.

A special award for the “Longest Walk” was presented to Keith Bennett.

Longest Walk – Keith Bennett

Nearest-the-pin prizes on the par threes were won by Keith Hodgson, Derek Reed, Steve Allen, Keith Bennett and Andy Humber, while Nigel Mann claimed the longest drive prize on the 12th hole.

In the team competition, five teams successfully returned their “Amesy Ball,” with the winning team comprising Steve Allen, Tony Calver, Alan Harries and Tony Beaney.

Third Place – Tony Calver

Afterwards, we enjoyed a bumper rolling lunch which incorporated a raffle and an Auction for a 4 ball kindly donated by Tenterden Golf Club.   In all this raised another £375 towards Paul Ames Charities of the year which are The Ellenor Hospice and The Butterfly AVM Charity.

Ladies Winner – Ellen Farrant

A wonderful day of golf, friendship and fellowship was enjoyed by all, and our thanks go to Captain Paul Ames for hosting such an enjoyable and memorable occasion.

Competition Report (Full Net Result) – Captains Welcome Day – 29 May 2026

An Evening of Inspiration and Remembrance: Dover Castle Lodge Backs Paralympian Hopeful and Honours a Legacy

An Evening of Inspiration and Remembrance: Dover Castle Lodge Backs Paralympian Hopeful and Honours a Legacy

Charity, News

Dover Castle Lodge Paralympian hopeful donation and memorial Donation

Write up from WBro Tony Watkins:

A presentation at a white table evening held on the 15th May 2026 by Dover Castle Lodge No 7202 was made to Miss Ella Briant, a 15-year-old schoolgirl who suffers from Albinism, is registered blind and has life limiting conditions. Ella, through her own ambition and her mother’s dedication, has undertaken a remarkable journey to become a Paralympian in the tandem cycling team for the 2028 Olympics.

This requires acceptance to the British Cycling Association and she is well supported by many famous Paralympians in her endeavours. She has a total commitment to training and this requires travelling countrywide in the qualification phase of team selection.

The Worshipful Master W.Bro. Ian Swallow on behalf of Dover Castle Lodge, and the sister Lodges/Chapters/CEKMC presented Ella and her mother Zoe with cheques totalling £2800.00 which will be used in the provision of training equipment and ancillary services.

In accepting the donation both Zoe and Ella gave a very interesting response to not only her condition, but to the long and arduous requirements of selection for Team GB.

On the same evening W.Bro. Fred Ross, Lodge of Harmony 133 Faversham, provided to the assembled audience a very interesting talk on ‘Hill 112 Normandy’ which was a pivotal battle allowing Allied forces to progress following the D Day Landings on the 6th June 1944. The Worshipful Master in thanking W.Bro. Fred, presented a cheque to assist in the maintenance of ‘The Hill 112 Memorial Foundation’

Photos showing – Worshipful Master Ina with Worshipful Brother Fred. Worshipful Master. Ian and Chantalle Swallow, Zoe & Ella Briant, Worshipful Brother. Tony and Alison Watkins.

We need your stories, so please let the comms team know of the the good work your Lodges and Chapters are doing throughout East Kent. Just drop us a line on news@ekprovince.co.uk