Wyvern Chapter at the Widows Sons MBA National Rally

Widows Sons MBA National Rally 29-31 July 2022

Once a year, on a stated date and at varying locations, the sounds of throbbing motorcycle engines can be heard making their way from all across the Masonic Provinces of England and Wales, Scotland, Ireland and their Provinces overseas. This year, that location was Bishop Auckland in Northumberland and it’s been a long time coming, for obvious reasons.

Wyvern Chapter, the Masonic Bikers Association chapter that draws its membership, primarily from Somerset but also from Gloucestershire and Bristol, came together, put on their helmets and set off early on Friday morning to ride the 350(ish) miles to meet with brethren from right across the country for our National Rally.

17 members of Wyvern Chapter arrived in style and turned a few heads. We are very conscious of the ‘biker’ image and are keen to ensure that we are seen as responsible and professional as we represent wider Freemasonry.

The event is always exceptionally well attended and was opened by the National Chairman, Greg Kirby, on Friday evening.

The Widows Sons have been breaking new ground since the inception of the Association. In April this year, a brand new Widows Sons Lodge was consecrated, No 10011. As the Lodge has a roaming charter, it was pure coincidence that the next Lodge meeting fell on the weekend of the National Rally.

The following is a post from the Worshipful Master of the Widows Sons Lodge No.10011

“What a brilliant weekend and I will never forget this meeting as long as I live.

This meeting was another bookmark in history as we held our third regular meeting at the Widows Sons National Rally held in Bishop Auckland.

A quick count in lodge showed that we had 150 visitors and around 40 members, when was the last time you saw 190 people in a regular lodge?

We have said from the outset that this lodge would be fun, we would dare to be different and we would ‘theme’ the lodge to suit the membership. Still work in progress but we are definitely getting there.

The Worshipful Master accompanied by his Wardens were escorted into lodge to the sound of THUNDERSTRUCK, the brethren in the lodge clapped in tune to the music as the Master and his Wardens to their seats on their Triumph bikes. Gavels are pistons, wands are made from tent poles to allow them to be collapsible for transport and so it goes on.

The Lodge welcomed two new brothers to the growing numbers and good humour all round the lodge made it a fun and extremely enjoyable afternoon of freemasonry. We had a talk on the Blood Bikes and what they do for our communities, and a good number of these bikes are supplied by Masonic groups, including the newest addition instigated by our lodge.

On our exit of the lodge, we had a collection (yes in an open face helmet) and raised a massive £501.80 for our charity of the year which is the Blood Bikes.

Thank you to the Rally organisers for allowing us to hold a lodge at the rally and accommodating us. We made history together and your help was hugely appreciated.

Another first was the forming of a circle of 300 Widows Sons with arms linked in friendship.

Wyvern Chapter then formed a circle, within the circle, to carry out a very special ceremony of ‘patching in’ a new brother.

Eight new Chapters were presented their Charters on Saturday evening, including Wyvern. The Widows Sons MBA is reaching far and wide and now boast Chapters in Portugal, Gibraltar and most recently in Holland.

This was a truly great event, as it is every year. Please find many more pictures on our Facebook page Wyvern Chapter – Widows Sons Masonic Bikers Association | Facebook.

If any brother wishes to know more about us, please feel free to email our secretary at ws-wyvern-secretary@outlook.com and he’ll be only too happy to give you any information about our rides and events, or alternatively take a look at our page on the Somerset Provincial web site https://test.pglsom.org/wsmba-wyvern-chapter/