Order of St Raphael

We are pleased to confirm that the Annual Investiture will take place at Peterborough on Saturday 14th May 2022, at 11am. Further details to follow in due course.

Annual Investiture 2021

This year’s meeting again took place at the Masonic Hall, Peterborough on the later date of 2^nd October. The 2020 meeting did not take place because of the restrictions and lockdowns related to the COVID 19 pandemic. It was felt safe to hold the meeting this year and a number of COVID precautions were taken to ensure the safety of all present. The Grand Master opened the meeting and the Grand Chancellor read out the apologies from Alan Blackstone, Howard Beber, Matthew Christmas, Lawrence Day, Alan Eadie, Cat le Huy, Graham and Isobel Smith, Colin Palmer, Vivian Palmer, Stan Smith, Mike and Anne Stephen, David Starritt, Andrew Stenson, Ian Tough, Steven Turner and John Warham.

We were delighted to have three postulants this year, and so we welcome into the Order Baizhou Cai, Kay Wilcox and Ross McEwen. There were due to be two more, but they had to cancel due to illness/other commitment, so we now already have two scheduled for 2022.

Chevalier Brian Everett and Chevalier Clive Warham were promoted in the Order to Knight Commander. In the Meritorious Order of St Mark, Chevalier Simon McIlwaine was promoted to Knight, E Chevalier Ian Cameron and E Dame Penny Bell-Wright were promoted to Commander, and Dame Helen Wilson was admitted at the rank of Officer. The Grand Chancellor took the opportunity to explain to those present, particularly those new to the Order, the workings of our award processes. He went on to explain that a new Medal of Merit has been introduced so that we can continue to recognise those members who have attained the highest grades in the Order of St Mark. This Medal will be in three categories, generally starting with Bronze, with further promotions to Silver and Gold in due course. The insignia will be the St Raphael Amalfi Cross on the red ribbon of St Mark, with a star of Bronze/Silver/Gold to differentiate. The GM then went on to explain that in view of their longstanding and exemplary service to the Order, the Grand Master Emeritus (ME Chevalier Howard Doe) and Deputy Grand Master Emeritus (RE Chevalier Barry Uttley) were to be the first recipients of this award, and with the exceptional honour of Gold Medal. We congratulate them all on their awards and thank them for their continued good work.

Following the service, the usual convivial meal took place, attended by 28 members and guests.

The Grand Council meeting took place before lunch, and following an opening prayer from the Grand Prior, items discussed were as follows:

• The minutes from the 2019 meeting had been circulated, and no matters were arising.
• The GM welcomed our new candidates and informed the meeting that several more are in the pipeline for next year, which is wonderful news, and thanked every member of the Order for their contributions. He thanked the GC and GP for their work in updating the Ritual and the Constitution. He encouraged Commanders to plan ahead and to ensure that details of events are circulated by the GC and Grand Herald. He finished by thanking the new Grand Steward, Ross McEwen, for his work in organising this year’s meeting and lunch, and in wishing him and his Fiancée, Victoria, the very best for their wedding later in the month.
• The Grand Chancellor gave a brief report on membership, and confirmed that this is broken down as follows (2019 in brackets):

Since the last meeting, 8 members had resigned, and three former members deceased (Michael Stayt, Mary Dalton and Gordon Gentry). He added that 8 members were over 80, and that Bishop Gerard Crane would be 90 in December. The Grand Almoner was asked to send a card on behalf of the Order to recognise this special Birthday.

• The GC proposed several changes to the Constitution.  Due to COVID, the Order had had to make some urgent changes to the way it worked, and these had now been included in the Constitution to cover future eventualities. A full list of changes to be made had been circulated to all members of the Grand Council prior to the AGM, and these were proposed by Howard Doe and seconded by Penny Bell-Wright, and passed nem con. A copy of the list of changes can be found below. A copy of the revised Constitution will be sent to Grand Officers and Commanders in due course, and published on the Order’s website.
• The Service of Thanksgiving had been planned to take place in Lichfield on Advent weekend in 2020, but in view of the restrictions, this was cancelled and instead the Grand Prior produced a virtual service, which took place on the same weekend via Zoom. There had been a good turnout for this, and the GP was thanked for his work. It was decided that it was still too much of a risk to ask members to gather in a public place this year, and once again the Service of Thanksgiving will take place via Zoom, at 11am on Saturday 27^th November.
• The Grand Treasurer circulated a copy of the accounts to 31^st December 2020. The accounts had been independently examined by Chevalier David Gibb. The full accounts can be seen on the website. £500 donation agreed to Alzheimers Society which Brian Everett is walking for.
• Each of the three Conclave Commanders gave brief reports of their activities, and copies of the reports or events can be found on the website.
• The date for the 2022 Investiture is Saturday 14^th May.

ORDER OF ST RAPHAEL

PROPOSED CHANGES TO CONSTITUTION FOR 2021

Copies of the latest Newsletters from the Order can be viewed here

Copies of the latest article by the Grand Prior can be found here

A copy of the latest newsletter can be downloaded here

A report can be found here

Unlike last year’s report, which reflected the losses over the previous two years, there has been no significant costs arising from the website and newsletter or other commitments.

I am therefore pleased to report that the Order is in a sound financial position as at the end of the Financial Year 2018, and that the accounts show an improvement of £412 over the opening balance. As the accounts reflect a more stable position I would recommend that the surplus

accrued should be passed to the Conclaves for redistribution to charitable causes.

Nevertheless, there is still need for caution. We should bear in mind the recommendations that I made at last year’s AGM, that oblations should be regularly reviewed to ensure that they reflect increasing costs and commitments of the Order.

Brian D Everett, Grand Treasurer

Grand Treasurer’s Report May 2018

The report presented reflects the position set out by my predecessor David Starritt as at 1 Jan 2018 and audited by Rhoda Ross at the end of January 2018. It reflects the accurate position as at the time. As the incoming Treasurer, however, I have to advise you on how I perceive the accounts in regard to our future as they show a continued deficit in 2017, following a similar loss in 2016.

As you will note the position at the end of 2016 showed a deficit of £524.66 and this was followed by a further deficit in 2017 of £760.53. The latter reflecting two aspects. Firstly, the transfer of £960 to the conclaves. Secondly, new costs of £558 for the website and newsletter.

Whichever way these figures are addressed, one obvious message remains, we are living beyond our means. For example, our income from subscriptions is £1,000 and yet we transfer £980 of this to the Conclaves at the same time as our assets are reducing. I understand the explanation given but it seems to be a strange way of transferring funds. Moreover, it raises the question as to why the Conclaves are not recovering subscriptions and raising their own funds. Clearly there is a need to offset some of the administrative costs arising from the Grand Council of the Order, but the individual membership aspect and fund-raising activities should be controlled by the individual Conclave.

If we continue with this trend of expenditure, in 4 years’ time we will run out of funds. I would advise that this aspect needs to be urgently addressed by the Grand Council. I’m also of the view that it would be prudent to increase subs by £5 and to review this on an annual basis. This would result in a modest increase of about £265 on our current membership, which would go some way to covering the central administrative costs. Whatever decision is taken, we must either find ways of increasing our income or cutting back on expenditure. We are existing on the earlier contributions made by those who are now life members – 14 in total, whilst the remaining 53 must fund the organisation through their subscriptions, aided by other donations.

I could suggest that the costs of running the Order must be separated from the support costs of the Conclaves or reliance on charitable donations. Membership subscriptions should rest with the Conclaves and part of this, an amount to be agreed, should be passed on to support the central administration of the Order, not the reverse way around. There should also be greater encouragement to grow the membership if the organisation is to become financially viable;

I don’t have all the answers, but I do know that the matter needs to be addressed as a matter of some urgency if the Order is to survive as a financial entity.

“Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen shillings and sixpence, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure  twenty pounds and sixpence, result misery”

(Charles Dickens)

Brian D. Everett, MBE (Grand Treasurer)

May 2018

Annual Investiture 2018 (see also attachments at end of page)

This year’s meeting again took place at the Masonic Hall, Peterborough on 13^th May. The Grand Master opened the meeting and the Grand Chancellor read out the apologies.

There were no postulants this year, and so the Grand Chancellor and Grand Prior changed the format slightly to compensate for the loss of this part of the proceedings.

E Chevalier Leslie Grout was promoted in the Order of St Mark to Knight Grand Cross, Chevalier Ken Shipman and Dame Penny Bell-Wright were admitted to the Order of St Mark as Members, and E Dame Helen Neaves-Wilde was promoted to Officer. Unfortunately, Helen suffered some nasty injuries from a fall at home and was unable to travel, and the Grand Master agreed that the Grand Chancellor could present the certificate to her at home.

Lawrence Bell-Wright was then appointed as Commander of St Thomas Becket Conclave, and Grand Officer certificates presented to Penny Bell-Wright as Grand Custodian of Insignia and Helen Wilson as Grand Steward.

Following the service, the usual convivial meal took place, attended by 26 members and guests.

The Grand Council meeting took place after lunch, and items discussed were as follows:

• The Grand Chancellor announced that the Order was required to comply with the new General Data Protection Regulations, and letters were being sent out today to all new members requesting completion of a form. It is important that our database is kept up to date, and those officers holding a separate list must ensure that this is also kept up to date. The Grand Chancellor will sent out updates of changes from time to time.
• The Grand Chancellor said that a lot of positive reports were received following the Service of Thanksgiving at Rugeley, with an informal lunch. It has been decided to make this an annual event, but to move it to locations close to one of the Conclaves each year, on a rotating basis. This would give members of the Order an extra opportunity to meet and it was hoped numbers would swell over time. It is, however, too late to do this for 2018 and so we will once again meet at Rugeley on Saturday 13^th A comment was made that the sound was not good in the Cathedral and the GC will ensure that we use a suitable sound system. Full details and application forms will be sent out later in the summer.
• The new Grand Treasurer circulated a copy of the accounts to 31^st December 2017 which had been presented to him, which showed a deficit for the year of £760.53, due mainly to donations now being made via the Conclaves, and a double year cost of the website and newsletter. The accounts had been independently examined by Dame Rhoda Ross. The new Grand Treasurer was concerned about our reducing assets, and issued a lengthy report, which can be read in full on the Order website.
• The Grand Hospitaller explained how we had now changed our distribution process for donations and this is now split between the Conclaves to enable them to choose and distribute to local charities. The only criteria is that the charity must have a “human healing” aspect to it, and that details of any charities chosen must be submitted to the Grand Hospitaller and Grand Chancellor for approval before the cheques are issued by the Grand Treasurer. Commanders are to invite the local press and radio to any donations to ensure a photo opportunity.
• Each of the three Conclave Commanders gave brief reports of their activities, and copies of the reports or events can be found on the website.
• Chevalier Steven Turner updated the meeting about the International Confederation of Chivalric Orders (ICCO) which we agreed to join last year on a trial basis. It is still early days so we will wait another year to see what developments there have been.
• Steven Turner also talked about the benefits of easyfundraising, which enables people shopping or searching on the internet to have a small amount donated to their charitable cause and issued instructions as to how members can support this.
• The Grand Chancellor encouraged members to view our website and Facebook pages where up to date information can be found about events in the Order. He also thanked Helen Wilson for taking photos on the day, and it is hoped that these will be published on the website shortly.
• The date for the 2019 Investiture is Saturday 11th May

St Mark Awards :

E Chevalier Leslie Grout (DGCSM)

Dame Helen Neaves-Wilde (OSM)

Chevalier Ken Shipman (MSM)

Dame Penny Bell-Wright (MSM)

Photographs of the event can be viewed in the Gallery on the website. www.orderofstraphael.org.uk

Attachments:

Lion Rampant Commander report 2018

St Martin Commander report 2018

St Thomas Becket Commander report 2018

Annual accounts 2017

GT report 2018

easyfundraising

The Lion Rampant held a special Investiture service, authorised by the Grand Master, on 24^th September 2017 at Masonic Lodge, Inverurie

A report can be found here.