Amidst Union Jack bunting and flags Heritage lodge held it’s first charity ‘Cockney Night’ at The Oakley House Banqueting Suite on Saturday 2nd December and the 70 who attended were treated to a most enjoyable evening of entertainment listening and singing along to many old favourite London songs.
Specialist show band ‘Cockney Pride’ kept the audience singing, dancing and swaying to music and musical comedy fronted by their own Pearly Queen who received a standing ovation to her rendition as Nancy of ‘as long as he needs me’ from Lionel Bart’s hit musical ‘Oliver’.
The band also treated us to an explanation of the ‘Cockney Alphabet’ and were well received overall for their very professional delivery and entertainment value.
The evening was compared by ‘Viv The Spiv’ a.k.a. W.Bro. John Ball who also entertained the crowd during the evening with table side comedy sketches and an explanation of race course ‘Tic Tac’.
A menu of traditional ‘Cockney Fayre’ including cockles, whelks and jellied eels was followed by real East End pie, mash and liquor washed down with a cup of ‘Rosie Lee’ served, or not in this case, by Heritage Lodge’s very own ‘Char Ladies’ otherwise known as W.Bro. Austin Newman of Causeway Lodge and W.Bro. Tony Saunders of Heritage Lodge.
A superb raffle with prizes donated by several well-known, and some not so well-known sponsors helped the evening raise over £700 and it is Heritage Lodge’s intention once fully reconciled to match this sum and donate £700+ to each of the two appointed charities for the evening, Help for Heroes and Young Epilepsy. (Subject to Lodge approval in January)
A huge thank you on behalf of Myself, The Lodge and the nominated Charites to all those who attended, the events committee, BHMC, Cockney Pride, W.Bros. John Ball and W,Bro. Austin Newman, Mrs Nicola Paterakis (Saunders) and others who helped make the evening such a success.
By popular demand we are already looking at running a similar event based on a ‘40s Theme Night’ in November next year and the Lodge will keep you all posted in due course.
Photos of the evening are being posted on Facebook, other media and our own website www.heritagelodge.org.uk, so if you have any taken at the event we would love you to share them!
We hope that all that all those who attended, including several non-masons, enjoyed the evening and saw at first hand ‘Freemasonry In Action’ and will be inspired to join us again at some future occasion?
Kind, Sincere and Fraternal Thanks,
Andrew Mark Saunders
