Monday 13th June 2022 saw the Lodge celebrate its Centenary, the evening started when 3 brethren donned high vis waistcoats and supervised the car park and we thank them for their organisational skills. 6.45pm came around and the Lodge was opened, after which the Provincial Deputation were admitted led by VW Bro. S.W. Walker the Deputy Provincial Grand Master in Charge and after the usual greetings and salutations we got down to the business of the evening. It was lovely to see so many in the lodge for this wonderful occasion.
W Bro. Ian Hawkes and W Bro. Malcolm Ormiston gave a light hearted resume of the history of the lodge taken from the minutes. This was followed by the Reading of the Centenary Warrant by the Provincial Secretary and the Warrant being presented to the Worshipful Master W Bro. Bob Lydon by VW Bro. Walker. Centenary Jewels were presented to those that had asked for one and then the Lodge banner was re-dedicated after being cleaned and restored by Bowes Museum, by the Provincial Grand Chaplain W Bro J D Ward.
After the usual business of the lodge and the Lodge having been closed photographs were taken and finally everyone congregated in the dining room where  a wonderful meal had been prepared. After the various toast and presentation of gifts to the Worshipful Master and VW Bro. Walker, the raffle was held with about 24 bottles being in the draw. The raffle raised the magnificent sum of £505.00 for the Charity Steward. Celebrations came to an end at about 11.15.
We now look forward to the next 100 years.

In two days time we celebrate our Centenary with a visit from the Provincial team of officers headed by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master in Charge. It should be a memorable night. Details of the night will follow.

Provincial Grand Lodge sent out an email telling us of the virtues of Zoom meetings throughout the pandemic and how it is helping to keep Lodges alive. Having checked up, discovered that up until today we have had 63 Zoom meetings with an average of 8 members per meeting. I know that is not a very high number, but all the members are contacted each week with the details and that means all the members are aware and kept informed. We have 2 members that work off-shore on the rigs and they have managed to join in, which is good because both of these members are new to the Lodge and with the pandemic we could have easily lost them.

We talk about Masonic topics and anything else that there is to talk about, but generally we have some good banter and we toast all our Absent Brethren at 7.30.

The only meeting that didn't take place was on Monday 12th July last when the Lodge met for the first time since March 2020 and all the brethren that are on the Zoom meetings were there.
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The Zoom meetings will continue for as long as members wish them to and it has even been suggested that they should continue after we can get back to regular meetings.

On Monday night we finally got to have a lodge meeting. Altogether there were 13 brethren present and we managed to get through a lot of outstanding business. We are now looking forward to Monday 11th October when we will be having our Installation meeting and we can move on and hopefully we will have a Festive Board afterwards (Covid permitting!).

We are very please to announce that our next meeting is on Monday 12th July at 7.00pm. It has been a long time coming, but unfortunately we cannot admit any visitors to the proceeding due to the present Covis situation. Hopefully that will all change for our Installation on Monday 11th October 2021. 
We are having what can be termed a business meeting where all the items that should have been done over the last fifteen months will be approved and minuted.
To the brethren of Ryton Holy Cross Lodge thank you for your support over this long period and let us look forward to getting back to some kind of normal very shortly.

On Sunday 30th May 2021 Ryton Holy Cross Lodge has been awarded Platinum status, as we have raised the magnificent sum of £20,217.60 towards the 2021 Festival target. We received Gold in November 2019, so we should be proud that the Lodge has managed this final step during the pandemic.

W Bro Dr Mavin Macauley has been appointed Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon. Congratulations to him on his preferment, he has put in a lot of work behind the scenes as well as his work in the NHS as a Consultant. Well done Mavin.

Sadly, the Lodge has 2 funerals this month. The first is for W Bro Steve Ward which is at Mountsett Crematorium on Friday 12th March at 1.15pm, but if members would like to pay their respects before the funeral W Bro Steve's wife has suggested that the Brethren stand in their street at about 12.15 to see him off before they leave for Mountsett.
The next funeral is for an Honorary Member of the Lodge and that is W Bro David (Davey) Bell and his funeral is at Saltwell Crematorium on Tuesday 16th March at 10.30am. Please attend if it is at all possible.
As with all funeral services at this time we are not allowed into the service, but can stand outside.