To all

Lodge St John Royal Arch Saltcoats and Ardrossan No:320 are cancelling all meetings until further notice.  The health of the Brethren and their families throughout Ayrshire and beyond is paramount in our decision. We will work together with Grand Lodge and PGLA to reschedule meetings and progress candidates once this horrible pandemic is behind us.

If any brethren feel minded enough that throughout this downtime they still wish to contribute towards any missed collections, please contact us and we will make every effort to accomodate you.

Most importantly Brethren, take care of yourselves and your families! 

RWM Francis Conn

Brethren

Further to my email to you al yesterday, can I give you an update on all developments that have taken place today.

I have advised all Committee Chairmen to cancel all committee meetings but that they should maintain contact with the committees though email in order that any urgent business can be conducted.

Grand Lodge will be closed to all except staff. At a Staff Meeting this morning, all members of staff agreed t carry on working so that you will still have points of contact. Every possible precaution has been taken to ensure their health and wellbeing in Grand Lodge and we will continue to looking after their welfare, but they will be there for you if you need to contact them.  But please be aware no one will be allowed to enter the building under any circumstances except the staff.

The contractors working on the new lift will be in the building but will kept away from all the Grand Lodge staff.

Can I re-emphasise that I have suspended all Masonic activity until further notice. I have intentionally not given a specific time frame so that we can resume activities as it is felt safe to do so.

All lodges who are due to celebrate milestones in their history this year and all Provinces and Districts who are due to have installations this year should not abandon their plans. Grand Lodge will honour all commitments once it is safe to do so - this may well mean carrying out three or four celebrations on the one day, but they will be done.

My sincere thanks to you all for your forbearance. I will ensure that you are all kept up to date with any fresh developments.

Stay safe and look after each other, especially the elderly, the lonely and the vulnerable. Give them a wee phone call every day or drop them an email. Many thanks.

Yours sincerely and fraternally

W Ramsay McGhee

Grand Master Mason

 Brethren

As a result of the latest Government advice and guidance, I’m afraid that I have no option but to advise all Provinces, Districts and Lodges that all Masonic activity will be suspended forthwith until further notice.

The situation, as you are all well aware, is changing by the hour. We will monitor developments carefully in order to reduce the risk to our membership across the world.

To the many Lodges who, this year, have milestone events, please do not abandon your plans – we will work hard to carry out all the events later in the year when it is deemed safe to do so.

I will issue further information regarding points of contact later today.

Yours sincerely and fraternally

W Ramsay McGhee

Grand Master Mason

Brethren

I have received several queries about cancelling Lodge meetings as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus situation.

At the time of writing, a total of 7,690 people have been tested in the UK, of which 7,675 were confirmed negative and 15 positives. None of those cases have been in Scotland but it is almost inevitable that it will appear in Scotland at some point – the UK Chief Medical Officers have raised the risk to the public from low to moderate.

The Department of Health and Social Care will be publishing updated data every day at 2pm until further notice so we can keep abreast of developments.  The NHS Inform link also has the latest advice https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19.

In the meantime, I would urge everyone to take the precautionary measures outlined by the Health Boards at all Masonic meetings and whilst on Masonic business

• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze –
• put used tissues in the bin immediately –
• wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available –
• try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell –
• do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

If anyone in any Lodge is diagnosed with the virus, I would advise that the Lodge should immediately cancel all meetings until such time as the local health officials have indicated that it is safe to do so.

Common sense should prevail at all times – take no chances – observe the precautionary measures at all times.

If in any doubt, please contact Grand Lodge for further advice.

W RAMSAY MCGHEE