HOO Open Day

The Masonic centre at Hoo is now home to just one Craft Lodge and a combination of seven side degrees and Lodges from the Order of Women Freemasons. As such, the financial demands on each of the members is not insignificant.

In an attempt to draw attention to the centre, and perhaps grow their membership, the Trustees decided to take a big step and host an Open Day.

A date of September 7th was settled on, which would coincide with a Festival on the Hoo Peninsula commemorating Thomas Aveling (the inventor of the Traction Engine). Flyers were designed, printed and distributed – as a point of note for us all, during this distribution it was alarming to see how many of the centre’s near neighbours did not know that there was a Masonic hall within a hundred yards of them.

Full use was also made of the Provincial Open Day team, their advice, banners, literature and Gazebo – and despite the start time being publicised as 10:00am, the first visitor was knocking on the door at 9:30am.

The day ebbed and flowed with busy periods during both the morning and afternoon with a bit of a respite during the middle of the day. Those who attended gave positive feedback as they left with all acknowledging that “they had learned a great deal”.

The positives from the day were that the Masonic centre at Hoo was now very much “on the map”. Social engagement with the local community has been established and local charities now know that there is the possibility of support on their own doorstep. Five Masons that had moved to the area had attended the day and are now looking to make Hoo their new Masonic home and two potential initiates are in the diary to be interviewed.

On the back of these triumphs, the Trustees are now looking for other innovative ways to promote their centre – it seems that success can become addictive?

If you would like to know more about joining Freemasonry in East Kent, take a look at our dedicated site, JUST  ASK ONE www.justaskone.org

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