Freemasons from St Peters Lodge No.481, Hotspur Lodge No.1626 and Duke of Connaught Lodge No.3892, which make up the Universities Scheme Lodges here in Northumberland, are combining resources to tackle their leg of the Universities Scheme Walking Challenge 2021, on Sunday 11th July.
The DKW Loving Cup, in its role as relay baton, will receive overnight lodgings, in the most Northern Province of the country, after being safely delivered by Universities Lodge No.2352 of the Province of Durham. It will then head off the next day from Fern Avenue Masonic Building, via Wallsend Masonic Building, taking in famous landmarks along its journey, prior to heading back across the river into Durham’s jurisdiction, to be delivered to Mowbray Lodge No.5373, at Wearside Masonic Building, Sunderland, to continue its journey across the country.
The cup was presented to the Scheme by RW Bro. David Kenneth Williamson PAGM, Founder President of the Universities Scheme, on his retirement as President at the Scheme Conference on Saturday 7 November 2015.
The aim of the DKW Cup is to encourage inter-visiting between Universities Scheme Lodges and further the goals of fraternity and togetherness.
In the UGLE First Rising of 31st May, UGLE Universities Scheme challenged all of its 80 plus member Lodges to take part in a walking team relay, covering the length and breadth of England and Wales. The challenge is to visit every Masonic venue where a Scheme Lodge meets, and in so doing complete an appropriate 2021 miles, as Freemasonry emerges from what has been a unique 2021 (and 2020).
The #Challenge2021 walk set off from Freemasons’ Hall, London on June 9th, heading South East and travelling broadly clockwise around the country, and will return to Great Queen Street at the Quarterly Communication meeting on September 8th.
The Universities Scheme believes the walk, in celebrating a much-anticipated return to Freemasonry, will promote engagement between Scheme lodges, promote Freemasonry in general and help raise funds for the Duke of Edinburgh Memorial Fund, established by UGLE.
Dr Greg Smith, Northumberland Freemasons Assistant Provincial Grand Master and Universities Scheme Lead, explained “The Province of Northumberland is delighted to participate in the walk and raise awareness of the University Scheme Lodges in Northumberland and contribute to raising funds for young people. Brethren of Northumberland please support this excellent cause, supporting the young and welcoming the next generation of Freemasons. This commendable effort can be supported in several ways.”
Show your support for the Team and make a donation by scanning the attached QR code with your smart phone, which will take you to the donation page automatically, head over to https://gtap.uk/l9938 or www.justgiving.com/campaign/Relief-Chest-Scheme-L9938. It’s as simple as that.
You can follow the progress of this monumental national fundraising endeavour on Facebook at United Grand Lodge of England Universities Scheme, and Twitter at @UGLE_UniScheme, using the hashtag #Challenge2021.