The second week in June always hosts the final meeting of the Season for both the United Grand Lodge of England and Strumble Lodge. Due to an ancient scheduling error in London, the Quarterly Communication of UGLE always clashes with a regular meeting of Strumble Lodge.

The brethren of Strumble didn’t let this deter them and the WM, W Bro Colin Hancock approached the Provincial Secretary to see if they could move their June meeting to the Saturday after their normal date, so that the brethren could travel to London for the June Quarterly Communication.

The master plan was to travel to London with the Provincial Grand Master on Tuesday morning. Spend Tuesday afternoon and evening in his company and then attend both QC and a domestic London Lodge Meeting on Wednesday. With the return journey back to Fishguard booked for Thursday lunchtime.

The  trip went very smoothly as can be judged by the Strumble Lodge Twitter account.

Awesome to be in QC today. What a building & the best rendition of God Save The King too! Very enjoyable meeting. #QuarterlyCommunicaion #freemasons #freemasonshall @UGLE_GrandLodge @WestWalesMason @JamesRossAJR #fishguardfreemasons #TheKingandTheCraft

That wasn’t the end of the excitement of the week for the brethren of Strumble Lodge. The lodge had designated their moved Saturday meeting to be Super Saturday, with the lodge conducting a 3^rd Degree Ceremony, followed by a 2^nd Degree Ceremony, with a dessert of an Initiation. The meeting started at 12.30 and the brethren were in the Festive Board by 5.30, including calling off for a cup of tea and a slice of cake twice!

Well, #StrumbleSuperSaturday didn’t disappoint! What a day we had. 3 ceremonies: 3rd, 2nd, 1st. Called Off twice, many visitors inc @TeifiLodge & our PGM @JamesRossAJR great FB completed with a silent & seated Tyler’s Toast. #freemasons @WestWalesMason

Super Saturday was the brainchild of our Worshipful Master, W Bro. Colin Hancock who wanted to do something a little bit different. Not everyone was on board with the idea as first but his tenacity paid off and the result was a truly memorable day for the lodge and for freemasonry in West Wales.

Three different candidates in three different ceremonies in one afternoon followed by a well-deserved Festive Board and a quiet pint!

Planning was crucial as there was much to do; everybody was asked to be prompt and efficient in whatever tasks they undertook. The day started with light refreshments and we Tyled at 12 Noon.

We did a Third-degree Raising ceremony first then we Called Off for a comfort break (45 minutes, as our Second-Degree candidate was caught in traffic!). A bell was sounded to inform the brethren that they needed to finish their coffee and the Passing ceremony was duly performed before the lodge was called to Refreshment again, giving the officers another chance to re-prepare for their next ceremony. The ring of the bell confirmed that we were downhill towards the finish line and an Initiation of a brand new mason took place to complete the super performance of our Super Saturday and we were downstairs at 5.15pm all done & dusted and forming an orderly queue at the bar!

Some brethren stayed all day, some could only stay for the first ceremony, others came for the last two and one brother missed all of the ceremonies but attended the festive Board but that was part of why we held Super Saturday – to accommodate & welcome every brother to enjoy their freemasonry and our WM was quick to thank and praise his officers and the brethren of the lodge for ‘running with him’ and providing such a great day.

Our Provincial Grand Master, RW Alasdair James Ross, who was present throughout, heaped praise on our WM for performing the Three Ceremonies and congratulated him and his officers for providing a spectacular day of Freemasonry. He also congratulated the three candidates that took part in this memorable event and told the lodge that they could be very proud of their achievements which were a great advert for freemasonry.