It can be acknowledged that charity is part of the foundation from which Mark Masonry rises.  It was from this perspective that the Provincial Grand Master and the Provincial Executive considered it appropriate to celebrate the Centenary of the Durham Mark Province with a Centenary Project which would benefit the Community.  The young of today are our future, so in celebrating 100 years of our past, the Centenary Project is aimed at helping our future. 

The Centenary Project was set up to allow every Lodge in the Province nominate a worthy cause which would benefit children or young people.  The aim of the Centenary Project was to raise enough funds through the generosity of Mark Masons and their Lodges to enable a significant grant to be awarded to those causes.

Centenary Project

A message from Roy Neville, the Provincial Grand Charity Steward.  January 2021

As the Centenary Year for the Province of Durham Mark Degree comes to a close, it is a timely moment to look back and enjoy the success of our Centenary Project.

Unfortunately, fate dealt the world a cruel blow in 2020 and in most respects, it would be a year to forget. However, I am pleased to report that our Centenary Project, to allow every Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Lodge in the Province to nominate a cause or charity which would benefit children and young people, to receive a grant of £1000, was completed in the early part of the year.

The idea was to support generally small local groups to which this sum of money would make a real difference and how gratifying it was to see Durham Mark Masons rise to the occasion by making suggestions covering a wide range of activities.

The project was partly financed by the magnificent support of Mark Masons given to Past Deputy Provincial Grand Master, Frank Rankin with his Centenary Fund Appeal and partly by the Province of Durham Mark Benevolent Fund which also administered the Centenary Project.

The only downside was that, because of the pandemic, not every Lodge was able to produce a presentation photo so that our booklet showing the presentation of all 64 cheques has had to be temporarily suspended.

The following is a list of Lodges and their nominated cause or charity.  The first list is for Lodges of Mark Master Masons and the second list is for Royal Ark Mariner Lodges.

Lodges of Mark Master Masons

Lodge NumberLodge NameNominated Recipient
39EclecticSpringwell School, Hartlepool
122PercyFriends of Egglescliffe Music
124UnionKaren Shiel School of Dance
250DarlingtonIn 2
293IndustryGateshead Fell Cricket Club, Junior Section
356DunelmCheesy Waffles Project
362Wouldhave Tyne DockThe Jack Heath Club for the Mentally Handicapped
596AucklandWear Valley Riding for the Disabled
605BedeDanielle Campbell Dance Enterprise
701JarrowWaves Additional Needs Support Group
718RavensworthPlains Farm Amateur Boxing Club
740HarteKaren Liddle School of Dance
761Hackworth2505 Squadron RAF Air Cadets, Bishop Auckland
778Barnard CastleTeesdale Community Resources Hub
827UnityIn Your Face Theatre Group
846SteadfastDene Valley Community Partnership
854St. Andrew's1409 Consett Squadron Royal Air Force Cadets
860Bernard GilpinHoughton Area Youth Brass Band
896ClaveringBlaydon Rugby Football Club Under 14’s
925MoseleySt John Ambulance Cadets
929William ToddThe Angel Trust
930Castle EdenPeterlee Pathways
981SpennymoorThe Oaks Secondary School
1015Ernest Dixon111 Squadron Sunderland Air Cadets
1055Penshaw3rd Washington Scout Group
1093St. LawrenceButterwick Children’s Hospice
1106WaltonNatural High Theatre Group
1112Elevation1st Dipton Scout and Guide Group
1145St. AidanDelves Lane Boys Brigade
1151CestriaOxclose Basketball Club, Washington
1269Ambrose CrowleyDunston Silver Band Youth Section
1271ShipleySalvation Army Gateshead Youth Section
1274Staindrop1st Staindrop Scouts
1492Durham Installed Masters1507 Squadron RAF Air Cadets, Chester-le-Street
1511St. ThomasFriends of Horizons Specialist Academy Trust
1551StanhopeWeardale Young Farmers Club
1560FerryhillLittle Treasures Autism Charity
1626George WashingtonValley Road Academy
1714RytonThe Hub at Barmoor
1806Chief of the BuildersWhickham Fellside Youth Football Club
1820Durham Provincial Grand StewardsYouth Connection
1936Indaba27th Darlington Scout Group

Royal Ark Mariner Lodges

Lodge NumberLodge NameNominated Recipient
39EclecticHartlepool Sea Cadets
122Stockton on TeesStillington Song Group, Stockton
124UnionKianan Karate Kai Club
250Darlington1st Darlington Girls Brigade, Cockerton
293Industry1313 Whickham Squadron Air Training Corp
356DunelmDurham Razzamatazz
362RockcliffeNu Dance
605BedeThe Buzz for Girls
761HackworthNew Shildon All Saints Scout Group
778Barnard CastleTeesdale District Scouts
854St. Andrew'sStanley Starz
860Bernard GilpinCasa Performing Arts
896ClaveringDunston Activity Centre
925MoseleySkills4Work
930Castle EdenHorden Amateur Boxing Club
981SpennymoorSolan Connor Fawcett Family Cancer Trust
1055MonumentSt John Ambulance Gateshead Cadets and Badgers
1112ElevationCatchgate Community Football Club
1492Durham Installed CommandersAukestra
1551Stanhope1st Stanhope Cubs and Scouts
1714RytonThe Gaffers, Crawcrook
1806Chief of the BuildersSunday 3 Youth Group

For more information about the charitable work we do and the Mark Benevolent Fund, visit our pages here and here.  Details of the national Mark Benevolent Fund can be found here.