Birnbeck Lodge has recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, being consecrated on 11th June 1952. The Lodge meets on a Wednesday, nine times a year from September to May and is the only one in Weston-super-Mare to start at 7pm (a time introduced by our founders so that Brethren could arrive in a relaxed frame of mind after having more time to get home from work). We are extremely fortunate in having very good attendances and attracting a goodly number of guests. Although we enjoy our Masonry, we work extremely hard at our ceremonies and, in general, this results in Ritual of a very high standard. We are also, we believe rightly, proud of our Charity giving, an effort helped in no small way by our Charity status.
We have surveyed our membership and, it is fair to say, Birnbeck is a happy, content Lodge. We are well regarded by our fellow Weston Lodges and throughout the Province. Many Brethren are comfortable with the way we do things but agree there is always room for improvement and complacency must be avoided at all costs. Member’s views have been taken fully into account when formulating the following “plan”, they will be involved all through the process and consulted as and when necessary.
We have taken the opportunity offered by “The Future of My Lodge” initiative to undertake a thorough assessment of ourselves; where we were, where we are and where we are going. It is more than interesting to note that fifteen to twenty years ago Birnbeck had over 90 members, today we number in the mid-sixties. We are resolved to work together to first stem this tide and then, with some effort, reverse it. We do realise, however, that numbers are not everything and are determined to maintain the high calibre of Membership we have enjoyed in the past.
We realised some time ago that there was a problem in the area of recruitment and retention so formed a Standing Subcommittee on these issues. It still sits today and will drive through many of the ideas outlined in this document.
For more information check out our Birnbeck Guidelines
