A Sad Happy Day.
 
The Acting Provincial Officers Lunch 2015/2016.
 
Sun 29th May 2016 Wyrebank, Church St, Garstang.
 
My wife was looking forward to meeting my new found friends at this special Lunch organised by the outgoing JW Tony Cross ably assisted by Andy Whittle the outgoing SW. Well for those of you who read my regular reports you will know I usually give a running commentary on my exciting trips around the Province, in the company of Snoopy and Garmin, however on this occasion I will save my comments except to say that it took approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes to cover a journey of 50 minutes !!
For the past few years around my neck of the woods we have been led to believe that families no longer go for days out to Southport or Blackpool at the weekends they just go to the Trafford Centre, well on this particular Sunday it seems that all of Manchester decided to go the seaside.!!
Anyway enough of the traffic, once we arrived we were welcomed into a lovely dining room and greeted by all present and especially the good friends I have made from Barrow in Furness who were seated around our allotted table. After being treated to drinks we settled down to enjoy an excellent meal which included a typical Sunday Lunch of Roast Beef, Yorkshire Puds and rich wine gravy. (and here’s me on a diet), served up in fine style by very attentive staff.
During the coffee and mints we had a surprise film show which had been painstakingly put together by the Wardens containing lots of photographs taken during the Provincial Team visits over the past year, they weren’t all shall say flattering poses, and in fact some were very funny, faces pulled, eyes closed, oh and one of us whom we all love seemed to be using lots and lots of hand gestures.

Following the meal the toast to The Queen, Duke of Lancaster was given by our RW Prov Grand Master W.Bro. Keith Beardmore who then gave an excellent address thanking all his Acting Officers for their support during the past year and as he said thanks also to their wives and partners for their support and making sure their other halves were presentable when they left home.
At the conclusion of the lunch a lovely bouquet was presented to June the PGM’s wife and a drop of the hard stuff for Keith, (including Tonic) it was a very pleasant afternoon spent in good company as always in our great Mark Degree.
Austin Fletcher with Kieron Mullen Firm Friends
It was also quite sad for those of us who were privileged to have had the honour as Acting Officers for 2015/16 we traveled to all parts of the Province to support our PGM on visits to Halls which I am sure most of us would never have seen in a lifetime, great times and great memories.  
The PGM with Austin, Web site reporter extraordinaire
I will finish with one of my well used comments to all Mark Masons if you are lucky enough to ever be chosen as an Acting Officer grasp it with both hands, take part in as many Team Visits as you possibly can and you too will be left with wonderful memories and new friends you didn't even know you had.
 
Mark Well.  
Austin N. Fletcher. PPrGJO.
Flixton Shepherd Eastwood Mark Lodge No.1173.
 
Many Thanks to Tony Cross PPrGJW for supplying some of the photographs.