Blog Posts:
Latest News and Blog Posts from Wayne “Pendragon” Owens.
BBW – A Talk at Cambrian Meridian Lodge of IM
Today I, along with Nev and Hugh attended the Cambrian Meridian Lodge of Installed Masters to give a talk on Blood Bikes Wales.
This was my first time visiting what is basically a dining lodge, and the talk went down extremely well. The people there must have really enjoyed it, and appreciated what we at Blood Bikes Wales do because and at the end of the day they favoured us with a donation of £1,110.
We were also treated to a gourmet 7 course meal, unlimited wine and port, Now I should point out that Nev was the designated driver for the event, and Hugh had brought along a Blood Bike, which left me to drink all the wine.
You gave to hand it to the North Wales Masons, they really do their bit to keep the blood bikes running.
Blood Bikes Wales
Blood Bikes Wales is a charity that transports blood, plasma, platelets, samples, vaccines, donor breast-milk & any other urgently required medical items to hospitals at night, weekends and bank holidays. This service is provided completely free of charge, allowing the NHS to divert funds where they are needed most.
Our riders are a hardy bunch that operate in all but the very worst weather.
BBW – A Talk at Old Ruthanian Lodge
This evening several of us visited Old Ruthinian Lodge to give a presentation on Blood Bikes Wales.
We took Buster the Blood Bike with us as he’s the only bike that could make it up the steep stairs to the cloisters. And as always he was a huge hit.
The Lodge gave us a donation of £250 towards Blood Bikes.
Even better, they let me win a bottle of Bourbon in the raffle
Blood Bikes Wales
Blood Bikes Wales is a charity that transports blood, plasma, platelets, samples, vaccines, donor breast-milk & any other urgently required medical items to hospitals at night, weekends and bank holidays. This service is provided completely free of charge, allowing the NHS to divert funds where they are needed most.
Our riders are a hardy bunch that operate in all but the very worst weather.
Sitting in a New Chair of King Solomon
This evening I was Installed into the Chair of King Solomon.
I am now the Worshipful Master of Wrexhamian Lodge No 6715.
Due to the long shutdown we had during Covid, neither the Senior nor Junior Wardens felt like they were ready to go into the Masters Chair of Wrexhamian Lodge. And since the current master had to do two years due to the Lockdown, he did not really fancy doing a third so the Lodge asked would I be happy to go into the chair to fill a year.
After the fun I had with my two years in the chair of Llannerch Lodge, I jumped at the chance. Plus as an egomaniac the fact I would get my name on the wall’s of two Masonic Halls was an added bonus. The only downside was that I missed out on being the Master for the 75th anniversary by a year. But we can not have everything.
On a weird twist of fate, I did go into the Chair of Wrexhamian Lodge 10 years (almost to the day) that I went into the Chair of Llannerch for the first time. What are the odds of that? I think my next opportunity to go into the chair will be in the Installed Masters Lodge, I wonder if that will be in another 10 years?
I am looking forward to my year in the Chair. Wrexhamian is a lovely lodge with a great history,
When God created Wales
In the beginning the Lord God Almighty turned to the Archangel Gabriel, and said:
“Today I am going to create a beautiful part of the Earth and I will call it Wales. I will make a country of breathtaking blue lakes, rich green forests and dark beautiful mountains from which from time to
time will be snow-covered. I will give it clear, swift rivers that will overflow with salmon and trout.
The land shall be lush and fertile on which the people can raise cattle and grow their food, as well as being rich with precious metals and stones that will be sought after, the World over.
Underneath the land I shall lay rich seams of coal for the inhabitants to mine. Around the coast I will make some of the most beautiful areas in the World. White sandy beaches and cliffs that will attract all manner of wildlife, and lots of islands that will be paradise to all who visit them. In the waters around the shores there will be abundance of sea-life.
The people who will live there will be called the Welsh, and they will be the friendliest people on my Earth. They will have magic in their blood, and songs in their souls. Their Voices when raised in song shall challenge the choir of angels.”
“Excuse me, sire” interrupted the Archangel Gabriel, “don’t you think that you are being a bit generous to these Welsh?”
The lord just smiled and replied “You have not seen the neighbours I’m giving them!”
Article: Square Magazine – THE WIDOWS SONS UK
Raise a glass and give huge congratulations to the UK Widows Sons Masonic Bikers Association as they celebrate 15 years of riding and raising funds for charity! You guys rock!
…And we have a fantastic article – ‘Brethren, Bikers and Brothers’ – in the June issue of the Square by Widows Sons member Wayne Owens.
Widows Sons
The Widows Sons are quite simply a motorcycle-riding club. We are a non-brand specific riding Association so no matter what brand of motorcycle you ride, so long as you are a Master Mason in good standing you are welcome as a member.
We also have associate membership open to non-riding Masons. We are an internationally based group of independent Masons who have joined together to simply share the thrill of riding with other members of our fraternity.
We are not a 1% club. We are just a social riding club, which happens to have set one of its membership requirements to include being a Master Mason in good standing.
BBW – Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
Blood Bikes Wales have been honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.
The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee. Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.
This year a special designation is being given to QAVS awardees that provided impactful support to the community in response to the pandemic last year – either by managing a significant increase in their usual work or providing extra support in other ways. Based on the information gathered at the local assessment, Blood Bikes Wales has been selected for this designation and will receive a special thank you. The group will receive a slightly modified crystal with the words:
‘with special recognition – Covid 19’ included in the engraving.
Representatives of Blood Bikes Wales will receive the award crystal and certificate from Morfudd Meredith, Lord-Lieutenant of South Glamorgan later this summer. Furthermore, two volunteers from Blood Bikes Wales will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2022 (depending on restrictions at the time), along with other recipients of this year’s Award.
Nigel Ward, Chairman says: “2020 was an awful year for everyone and for charities, it’s been very challenging. As a charity, we are fortunate that not only have we managed to keep going but the goals of this charity to help our NHS aptly fitted the circumstances we found ourselves in. I am absolutely delighted that the hard work and commitment of our volunteers over many years has been recognised with this award.”
Blood Bikes Wales
Blood Bikes Wales is a charity that transports blood, plasma, platelets, samples, vaccines, donor breast-milk & any other urgently required medical items to hospitals at night, weekends and bank holidays. This service is provided completely free of charge, allowing the NHS to divert funds where they are needed most.
Our riders are a hardy bunch that operate in all but the very worst weather.
Assistant Provincial Mentor
I can now officially announce the news that I am now the first ever Assistant Provincial Grand Mentor for the Provincial Grand Lodge of North Wales.
The role and workload of Provincial Mentor has grown so much lately with its link to the Members Pathway, plus the way Mentoring keeps growing that the workload has grown. As such the Provincial grand Mentor asked the Provincial Grand Master if he could have an assistant. It also ties into progression, and would have a trained person to take over when the Mentor decides to retire.
Apparently my name was the first suggestion according to the provincial Mentor who stated “You are already established of course as SGD and with your enthusiasm for masonic knowledge and past experience as Lodge Mentor you were the first person that leapt off the page when the PGM said ‘who would you ask”.
This is a honour, and hopefully we can increase the Masonic knowledge amongst the Brethren of North Wales.
Happy New Year 2021 (Hopefully)
The Year That Was – 2020
Its that time of year again.
Where I look back over the previous year and answer the same 40 questions.
1. What did you do in 2020 that you’d never done before?
OK, New things :-
- Became ProvSGD
- Experienced a Global Pandemic
- Got put in Lockdown multiple times
- Worked from home solidly for 9.5 of the 12 months of the year.
- Hosted a SRIA Zoom meeting where the Supreme Magus Attended.
- Produced several Teams events for Robert Lomas.
2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
2020 was 2.5 months long.
The rest of the year has been basically a lockdown, with hordes of plague spreaders all over the place. Everything is closed, and nothing can be done. I am therefore counting this whole year a bust.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nobody. Well that I know about. I have not seen anyone since March 13th.
But since everyone on the planet is locked inside their houses and everywhere is closed, I expect the amount of babies next year will be astronomical.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
A fair few Masonic Friends passed away this year due to Covid and other issues.
But mostly Covid.
5. What countries did you visit?
Nowhere.
There is a Global Pandemic, all travel is banned. The only time I am legally allowed to go out the house is if I am going to collect food from a supermarket, and that was mostly click and collect.
6. What would you like to have in 2021 that you lacked in 2020?
The Vaccine.
The Vaccine.
The Vaccine.
The Vaccine!
7. What dates from 2020 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
- 13th March – Going into a Lockdown due to Global Pandemic.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Surviving Covid. This area has a very high infected rate.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Not being productive at all even with working from home for 9+ months.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing!
Not leaving your house really cuts down on injury’s.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I do not think I bought anything cool this year, since the whole year has been a stay indoors just watching the world burn kind of year.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
- The NHS workers who have spent 9 months fighting in the front lines of a Pandemic, surrounded by the infected and having to watch the idiots ignoring the rules and gathering in mass helping the virus spread.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
- The Idiots breaking lockdown rules and having mass parties, etc.
- The idiots rioting and smashing up the world because they can.
- Those who are spreading lies and fear, claiming the virus is a hoax.
2020 is the year of idiots.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Amazon I think 🙂.
The only place still open and selling none essential stuff.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The possibility of a vaccine.
16. What song will always remind you of 2020?
2020 has been a clusterfuck of a year. I think we are best just forgetting it fully.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- a) happier or sadder? Sadder.
- b) thinner or fatter? Fatter.
- c) richer or poorer? Richer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? .
Being in Lockdown.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Wales is in a full lockdown. No visiting, No Pubs, No Shops, No seeing anyone.
So I will spending Christmas in a post-apocalyptic lockdown.
21. What was your favourite month of 2020?
January. Well January & February were the only 2 months without a lockdown, and Jan has a few more days.
22. Did you fall in love in 2020?
I did not even see many human people in 2020.
And those I did were in masks staying several meters apart.
23. How many one-night stands?
I did not even see many human people in 2020, and those I did were in masks staying several meters apart.
24. What was your favourite TV programme?
Way too many to mention, There has been nothing else to do that binge watch TV shows & Films.
Unfortunately since TV studios are also locked down, all shows have been old ones.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Yes. All the anti-mask, Covid denying idiots!
Not to mention all the people rioting and burning down businesses to protest something that happened on the other side of the world!
26. What was the best book you read?
Too many to mention.
I think i read over 200 books this year since there was little else to do.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
None. all music/shows/etc are canceled. Wait…
Granger Smith.
28. What did you want and get?
Brexit.
29. What did you want and not get?
- Enthusiasm
- Vaccinated
- Return to Normal
30. What was your favourite film of this year?
- Songbird.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I am still not having birthdays. I have decided to stop having them so that I can live forever.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2020?
Scruffy, since not allowed to leave the house.
I considered I was smartly dressed if I remembered to put pants on.
34. What kept you sane?
Sane? I do not think any of us will get out of 2020 still sane.
We are talking the year of global fires, earthquakes, riots, civil unrest, deadly weather storms, global pandemics, murder hornets, odd shapes in space, high placed people saying aliens are real, space force, Zombie Minks, etc.
Nobody is leaving 2020 sane!
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I guess Harley Quinn.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
This year is basically the same thing as last two three years. he same screaming angry nazi fascists who believe their echo-chambers and scream death threats against everyone who is different to them, or who does not think 100% the same as them.
37. Who did you miss?
Everyone. I have not seen anyone due to the global pandemic.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Nobody, since I have not met anyone due to…
(Say it with me)
the Global pandemic!!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2020?.
People are dumb, and getting dumber!.
As a species we are doomed.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
From EvilGothGnome’s Covid Christmas Carols: Sing away your fears
Silent night, Covid night
All is closed, all have blight
‘lone yon shielding Mother and Child
Fearful infant so tender and mild
Sleep in lockdowned peace
Sleep in lockdowned peaceSilent night, Covid night!
Everyone’s suffering, incredible plight!
Conspiracies stream from Facebook cries;
Anti vaxers sing its-all-lies!
Covid the Destroyer is born!
Covid the Destroyer is born!
Covid the Destroyer is born!Silent night, Covid night
Six-foot gaps, mask’s in sight
Everywhere closed, no one goes out,
Do not sing, do not shout!
Stay Home, Stay Safe, Save Lives
Stay Home, Stay Safe, Save Lives
Stay Home, Stay Safe, Save Lives
Second Craft Promotion – AKA Goodbye to the Red
Today I went along to the Provincial AGM, to receive my second honours.
I was very lucky to get Provincial Senior Grand Deacon!
So it is time to sat goodbye to the Red regalia and hello to the blue. Well I say goodbye to the red, but I do still get to wear it while acting as a steward at events like the Provincial AGM, or when I am in a Stewards Lodge. I also have to wear a tailcoat while out on duty with the PGM.
It was a great honour to get a second active rank in a row.