Soup Kitchen

Fleetwood Masons visit soup kitchen

Fleetwood’s homeless problem may be an invisible one but it is, sadly, still there and, though they
themselves have not fallen on hard times, local Masons Jimmy Rogers, John Eastwood and David Cook went
along to a soup kitchen session held at Fleetwood’s St Peter’s Church to see the efforts that support
organisation, the Mustard Seed Group, puts in on behalf of the town’s homeless people.


	The director of the Mustard Seed
	Group,Mathew Branson, a committed
	Christian who established and has
	been running the soup kitchen on
	Monday nights for the past eight
	months, asked St Peter’s Church
	warden John Eastwood who is also
	a member of Pharos Lodge No 7421,
	if Fleetwood Masons could be of
	assistance to the group.

	John sought help from his colleague
	David Cook and Fleetwood Masonic
	Benevolent Association (FMBA).
	John and David in their turn also
	approached the secretary of Wyre
	Lodge of Mark Master Masons
	No 754 Jimmy Rogers, who leads
	the King Solomon’s Temple building
	team which is renowned for its fund
	raising efforts both at home and
Pictured above are: (back) Mustard Seed Group volunteers Kris Berry,	abroad, for further assistance.
Beckii Pilkington, Di Graveston, Ryan Faulkener and Fred Riley.
Front, from left, are Angela Hammill, Mathew Branson,	Picture courtesy of Fleetwood
Tracey Kempster and Ken Backhouse.	Weekly News (Johnston Press)

The response was one of resounding approval that help should be given to the Mustard Seed Group and the
trio of Masons went along to an open evening held to highlight the work done by the volunteers. They were
joined by other local organisations, civic leaders, local businesses and local authority support agencies.

Mathew was overwhelmed when Jimmy presented a set of new uniforms for the Mustard Seed Group
volunteers and the FMBA presented a cheque for £250 to buy provisions.

Mathew admitted that one of the issues facing his group was of funding: “Not all the people who come to
us are homeless. Some are lonely or just need different kinds of help. Thankfully we have people from
various agencies at our sessions who can offer all sorts of help. One of the biggest issues we face is
funding. We have had great support from various organisations and traders. There are so many to thank,
but we are most especially grateful to Fleetwood’s Wyre Mark Masons, Pharos Lodge and the FMBA for their
generous support.”



Pictured ‘hard at work’ at his desk is Jimmy Rogers.

On behalf of his fellow Fleetwood Masons Jimmy said that they had been delighted to help such a worthy
local good cause.

The Masons and the other visitors alike went on to enjoy the rest of the open evening interacting with their
fellow visitors and volunteers from the Mustard Seed Group. Entertainment was provided which included
African drumming and songs from WOW - the Warblers on t’Wyre... and the soup kitchen fed 50 people on
the night.

Article and Photo of Jimmy by Bob Boal
with acknowledgment to Fleetwood Weekly News

Fleetwood Masons visit soup kitchen