The Association of Friends, Prince George, Duke of Kent Court exists to raise funds for the home and thereby provide facilities and services to make the lives of the residents so much better.
Thursday 13 October saw a very special evening as the chair of the Association, David Barber, convened a gathering in order to see patronage certificates presented to worthy recipients. The PGM for West Kent, RW Bro Mark Estaugh, was on hand to make the presentations on behalf of the Association of Friends. In all, 51 presentations were made, 16 Patrons and 35 Grand patrons. Among the recipients was the Provincial Grand Master for the Mark Province of Kent, RW Bro Archie Torrance, who received a Grand Patron award on behalf of the Mark Province. It was excellent to see two Provincial Grand Masters together at such an important event and to see the Mark Province of Kent attaining such a high honorific.
As all will be aware, RW Bro Mark recently launched a Provincial appeal on behalf of Duke of Kent Court. The appeal has been hugely successful and this (among other activities) was recognised as RW Bro Mark received his own, much deserved, Grand Patron’s award. RW Bro Mark is, of course, Master Elect of the Kent Mark Stewards Lodge. All recipients posed for a picture at the end of proceedings, which you can see below.
The event was made all the more special when RW Bro Archie took the microphone and presented a Mark Benevolent Fund Vice-Patron collarette to WBro Eric Holder, a resident of Duke of Kent Court. WBro Eric was initiated into Lodge of the Men of Kent and Kentish Men 4273 on 26/02/1977, becoming Master on 27/09/1986. He was Advanced into King Charles the Martyr Mark 267 on 08/10/1991, becoming Master on 29/01/1999. Since then, he has been Worshipful Master of both West Kent Stewards Lodge 8565 and Kent Mark Stewards Lodge 1691. WBro Eric has been an active Mason for nearly 40 years. As a resident of Duke of Kent Court, his commitment remains undiminished as shown by the award from the Mark Benevolent Fund. WBro Eric took the microphone and spoke most eloquently. He stated that he was looking forward to attending a meeting of West Kent Stewards Lodge later in the month.
A clear example of how Duke of Kent Court is there to support older Masons and their dependents and how the home enables the residents to carry on with life and Masonry, while the Association of Friends, with the support of Lodges and individuals, works to make those lives so much happier and more fulfilled.