I was first introduced to Freemasonry by a very good friend and attended the white table last Christmas 2014. I had a very enjoyable evening and a good amount was raised for Charity, it was clear how much everyone enjoyed the evening.

A long time ago one of my relations was a Freemason, but I never really knew much about Masonry or what they did. I only heard rumours, the same as a lot of other people. When asked if I thought of becoming a Mason I thought it would be good as the people were very friendly and welcoming and I had started to understand how much work they do for charity, which I was not aware of previously. I thought that it was a secret club rather that a club with secrets.

At my initiation I wondered what I had let myself in for but it was an enjoyable experience to remember; and knowing that every Mason had to go through the same procedure it made it easy to trust the Unknown, which is something I was not used to doing.

I have now been in Masonry for almost a year and found it very rewarding and interesting, the more effort you put in the more you will get out. There is a lot to learn but that is part of Masonry, but there is no pressure to learn quickly and you can move at your own pace and get involved as much as you want, you can progress through masonry at a pace that suits you personally. I have found it has helped me develop myself personally in many areas since joining and to be more confident in daily life including sharing this experience. I have met masons from other lodges since joining and found them all to be very welcoming and helpful I can recommend joining Masonry and I am personally looking forward to continuing my journey within it.

Bro. M Simmonds