Today we help the members of Homelyn Lodge No.6075, which meets at Ashington Masonic Building, with a double celebration of 60 years uninterrupted service in the Craft for one of its members, as well as a promotion in the field from the Provincial Grand Master..
Last Wednesday, W.Bros Les Murray, the current Master of the Lodge, Ray Ayre, the current DC, and Paul Hudspeth, the current Secretary, visited the Lodges Charity Steward, Bro. Derek Thompson, and presented him with his certificate for 60 years of meritorious, uninterrupted service and membership of the Craft.
Derek was initiated into Freemasonry, in Homelyn Lodge, 60 years today. He never took office, nor became Master, however, in 2014 he became the Lodges Charity Steward and worked tirelessly from that day on, ensuring that the Lodge more than exceeded its Festival target by a vast margin.
In recognition of his work Derek was appointed to the acting Provincial rank of Provincial Grand Steward by the RW Provincial Grand Master, Ian Craigs, in 2016.
Away from Freemasonry Derek has two sons and grandchildren. He is a widower, lives in Morpeth and, before the pandemic, enjoyed a good social life.
Derek has been well travelled in his lifetime and from a young age dedicated his working career to assist children as a teacher and then progressing to be a headmaster for children with education difficulties.
Derek has tirelessly worked through out his life in the aid of charity.
By way of special recognition for all his hard work we can now reveal that the Provincial Grand Master has just concluded a telephone call with Derek during which time, not only did he congratulate Derek on his hard work and dedication as Charity Steward, as well as reaching the monumental milestone of 60 years service, but also to promote him, in the field, to the rank of Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon, the highest rank that can be attained by a brother who has not served as Master of a Lodge.
Congratulations to Derek on his uninterrupted 60 years in Freemasonry and his promotion to Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon.
Thanks go to W.Bro Paul Hudspeth for the submission of this article.
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