Richard Steel and Lou Apcevski
Middlesex Freemasonry was pleased to have a stand at this year’s Hanwell Carnival, representing our amazing Province and reinforcing the excellent work we carry out in the local communities.
Our stand was supported throughout the day by four members, so a big thank you to Richard Steel, Guy Barlow, Lou and Deepak Damodar for their assistance and good company. We had some interesting discussions with a wide range of people, breaking down some barriers of misconceptions and bizarre conspiracy theories. It was encouraging to discuss the true meanings of Freemasonry and what it means to us as individuals, as can differ greatly from brother to brother. A few minds and views were changed in the process, and many members of the public left us viewing Freemasons in a much more positive light.
The Carnival opened at 12:00 to the public, and a 12-piece ukulele band opened up the main stage. Soon after, the RnB stage kicked off to our left and resulted in a cacophony of mixed genres, enlightening the mind, body and soul. With the musical prowess going on around us, we revelled in the atmosphere and settled into the day.
The event was very well attended, and we had a steady flow of visitors to our stand. We were particularly pleased to receive genuine expressions of interest from ladies looking to understand more about female lodges in the province, and all went away with further information to read through and links to the website.
There were also four completed expressions of interest.
Although the day was very hot, it was very enjoyable and gave many members of the public the opportunity to speak directly with Freemasons to gain answers to questions that were previously shrouded in mystery.
Our thanks go to everyone who helped on the stand and to the organisers of the Hanwell Carnival for another enjoyable and well-supported community event.
We would be delighted to hear from other members who would be interested in volunteering at future fairs and public engagement events. Whether you can offer a full day or just a few hours, your support can make a real difference.
