Brethren, gentlemen
Thank you all for attending this evening.
It gives me great pleasure to report another highly successful year for The Kent Club, the Social Club for London Freemasons and now firmly recognised as the fourth pillar within the Metropolitan events programme, led by the Very Worshipful Brother, John Parry.
At our last AGM, our membership stood at 930. I am delighted to report that this has now increased to 1,080 members—an impressive net growth of 150. When we take into account the natural attrition through resignations, unavoidable losses, and inadvertent membership lapses, this represents sustained growth of just over 10%. This is a tremendous achievement and one for which our membership and recruitment team deserve sincere congratulations.
As The Kent Club has continued to grow, so too has the need to strengthen and formalise our committee structure. Over the past year, we have introduced a number of key appointments to ensure we are well positioned for the future.
Bogdan has taken on the role of Deputy Chairman. Mauro and Wade have assumed responsibility for Communications (IT) and Contact Officer’s respectively. Our Events Team has been strengthened with the appointment of Eddie and, more recently, Robert as Deputy Events Officers. Finally, Adarsh has accepted the permanent position of Secretary of The Kent Club. Together with the other committee members, they form an exceptional team, and I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to each of them for their commitment and dedication.
I would also like to thank Andrei Padure for his valuable contribution during his time on the Committee providing IT support to the Club.
Despite undertaking this restructuring, we successfully delivered 42 events during the year. Event turnover increased from approximately £10,000 to over £40,000, with more than 800 members and guests attending our events. These figures clearly demonstrate both the continued popularity of our programme and the growing reputation of The Kent Club.
Our events have offered something for everyone. Highlights include our President’s Dinner, which sold out within a single day and welcomed 130 attendees; the Gala Night at The Dilly Hotel in Piccadilly; a private tour of No. 1 London, the Duke of Wellington’s historic residence; an exclusive visit to Goldsmiths’ Hall; and even a guided—and carefully supervised—historic London pub tour. The overwhelming majority of these events have been enjoyed not only by our members but also by their partners, families and friends.
Looking ahead, our events calendar continues to expand with an exciting programme of new and distinctive experiences extending well into next year. A particular emphasis will be placed on encouraging members to bring their families and friends, creating opportunities to share memorable experiences whilst strengthening the friendships that underpin our Masonic community.
Equally important is the opportunity these events provide to introduce prospective candidates to Freemasonry in a relaxed social setting. They allow potential candidates to meet members outside of the Lodge room, develop meaningful relationships and gain a genuine understanding of our fraternity before taking the next step. This is invaluable, not only for those considering membership but also for our Lodges and their existing members.
I am also pleased to report continued progress with Pythagorean Chapter No. 79. Rescued from closure by members of The Kent Club Committee, it has been successfully repurposed as a Chapter for Kent Club members. It also provides an excellent pathway for Freemasons from outside London to join London Masonry and thereby become eligible for Kent Club membership. I know this has already happened on at least one occasion during the past year. The Chapter is now approaching 40 members and stands as yet another success story for The Kent Club.
Our promotional initiatives have also continued to gather momentum. Our hymn cards have been extremely well received, while our A5 promotional flyers and business cards continue to be distributed in significant numbers and are now available across several London Masonic Centres including Southgate, Penge, Croydon & Ealing. We will shortly extend our advertising strategy further by placing our A5 flyers on the noticeboards outside both Lodge and Chapter rooms within Freemasons’ Hall. In addition, we have introduced a new digital newsletter, (try the link) which is now available for distribution to Lodge Membership Officers and through a variety of other communication channels. This is an exciting development, and I look forward to seeing it continue to grow.
Perhaps my greatest source of pride is the recognition and standing that The Kent Club has now achieved across Metropolitan Freemasonry. Whether working alongside other Metropolitan events teams, attending national occasions such as the National Remembrance Service at the National Memorial Arboretum with Tom and Norman, supporting Discover Freemasonry events, or engaging with either Past Active Officers or Masters of Lodges, The Kent Club continues to create opportunities for Brethren to contribute their time, talents and enthusiasm in new and meaningful ways.
As I said at the beginning of my report, I shall finish by repeating what is, in my view, our greatest achievement: The Kent Club is now recognised as the fourth pillar of the Metropolitan events team. That recognition reflects the hard work, dedication and commitment of every member of our committee and the continued support of our membership.
Brethren, it is both an honour and a privilege to serve as Chairman of this remarkable Club. I am immensely grateful to my committee for their unwavering support, professionalism and friendship, and equally grateful to every one of our members for their continued encouragement and commitment.
Together, we have built something truly special, and I look forward with great enthusiasm to what we will achieve in the year ahead.
Thank you.
Jason Read
Chairman of the Kent Club
The Social Club for London Freemasons
