PGM Address at Province of Wessex Athelstan AGM - October 2021 Stroud Brethren good morning and it is good to see you all here. You know this is our first Provincial Meeting since my Installation in January 2020 and despite all that we have done with Zoom to keep in touch, there is nothing like meeting together so we can truly enjoy each-others company. I have already welcomed our guests and once again we thank them for their efforts to be with us this morning. I am thrilled to see that we have not lost anyone during the past 12 months and I have very much enjoyed the opportunity of speaking with so many of you this morning. I would especially like to pass on special thanks to my Provincial team who have worked so hard during the Covid crisis in keeping everyone informed. Particular thanks to my Deputy Andrew Barrett who has worked so hard in co- ordinating so much of what we do and our Provincial Secretary George Paskins who has worked tirelessly in keeping us up to date. So where are we as a Province and what have we been during a break of almost 2 years. Firstly, we have had regular Zoom Meeting with all of our Courts and the Provincial Executive have had regular Zoom Meetings to discuss the various Provincial Initiatives. I am thrilled that we have Candidates for all of our Courts and re-joining members as well. This all bodes well for the future and we must continue to identify quality people to share with us the delights of our Order. On Wednesday 10 th . November we will be consecrating King Ecgberht of Wessex Court No. 98 at Wokingham in Berkshire, and in the last few weeks we have carried out the Instruction and special progression of its Founders. I am delighted to say that we have some of the Founders with us this morning and I would ask them to stand so that they may be introduced. On Sunday 10 th . October I attended the Gloucester Cathedral Service at the Invitation of the Craft PGM. I did attend in my Regalia and received a very warm welcome at what was a wonderful day and another step in being welcomed by Craft Provinces. I have written to all Provincial Grand Masters of the Craft and Grand Superintendents of the Royal Arch covered by our Province, asking for permission to place our New Tri-Fold Brochures in the Masonic Centres and I am delighted to say I have had no refusals. In January 2022, I am having lunch with the Craft PGM of Herefordshire at which I will discuss forming a new Court in Hereford. I am also delighted to inform you that Right Worshipful Brother James Hilditch the Craft PGM of Oxford has no objection at all to us founding a new Court in his Province of Oxford which is wonderful news. Our Provincial Junior Warden Peter Hartland has been looking at centres along the M4 corridor with a view to another Court and our Provincial Treasurer, Tony Pinnell has looked at other Provinces. We have been here at Stroud before and I am sure you will agree it is a wonderful place to have a Meeting, so much so that we will almost certainly be forming a Court here. Tony Pinnell is working on that and we will announce more firm plans in due course. Wessex was of course split two years ago and the then PGM Roger Freeman took charge of the New Province of Dumnonia and I became PGM of Wessex. Roger is with us today and we are delighted to have him with us. This year we somehow managed to be honoured with 5 Grand Ranks. Very worshipful Brother Ron Bridger has been honoured with a Promotion to Past Grand Junior Warden which he will receive next Saturday at the Grand Court AGM, my Deputy Andrew Barrett has been honoured with the Rank of Past Grand Sword Bearer, Dave Attwater has been re-appointed as Deputy Grand Secretary, Rod Clifton is to be Promoted to Past Junior Grand Deacon and Paul Deacon has a First Appointment to Past Grand Captain of the Guard, I am sure Brethren we should all congratulate those Brethren. Brethren, Wessex is a vibrant and excellent Athelstan Province and I know as we grow it will always have that feeling of a family Province. We, as I said previously, are looking at Courts in all the Provinces that make up Wessex, there is also the possibility of an Installed Masters Court, but a Court where we can socialise with our partners and build on that feeling of family, as I go round the Province in the year ahead I will chat to you all about these options and will listen carefully to all the views and feedback. Our plan is to revert to April in 2022 for our Provincial Meeting, the meeting will be held on the 4 th . Saturday in April which is the 23 rd . April 2022. Please make sure you have it in your Diaries for next Year. Brethren, I can tell you that I am very proud of Wessex and I feel very privileged to be your Provincial Grand Master and I thank you all for your support and warm friendship. Please look after yourselves and those close to you and may God Bless you all. Keith Waters R.W. Bro. Keith Waters, KAG Provincial Grand Master - Wessex