We are delighted to report that Confrère Tony Hilton CLJ, of the Commandery of John of Gaunt, was invested as a Knight of St Gregory at the Church of The Holy Family in New Springs, Wigan, last Saturday, having been proposed for this award by his colleagues from the North West Catholic History Society in recognition of his many good works, including the production of a number of seminal books: The Lancastrian Catholic Heritage (1984), The Recusant Historian's Handbook (1993), Catholic Lancashire (1994), and Anglo-Saxon Attitudes (2006).

The Papal Equestrian Order of Saint Gregory the Great is an order of merit bestowed on “gentlemen of proven loyalty to the Holy See who, by reason of their nobility of birth and the renown of their deeds, or the degree of their munificence, are deemed worthy to be honoured by a public expression of esteem on the part of the Holy See”.

The warmth and affection in which Tony is held by his friends in the Society was exemplified by the address given by Michael Mullet, Emeritus Professor of History in the University of Lancaster, in which he outlined the breadth of Tony’s scholarship. Tony is a member of the congregation at The Holy Family and a similar respect and affection was apparent when his parish priest, Fr Kevin Foulkes invested him with the insignia of his rank. Many of his friends from the History Society and the Order of St Lazarus as well as fellow worshippers in the church congregation were there to support him on this auspicious occasion.

The English translation of Tony’s citation reads:

“BENEDICT XVI SUPREME PONTIFF gladly acceding to a request made to Us from which we have gathered that you are most deserving for what you have done for the Holy Catholic Church and its affairs, and in order that We might give a clear sign of Our pleasure and appreciation, We choose, make and declare you, John Anthony Hilton of the Diocese of Salford, a Knight of the Order of St Gregory the Great. We bestow on you the right to use and enjoy all the privileges which are attached to this high dignity.”

Given at St Peter's in Rome on 22nd October, 2012
Signed and sealed by the Cardinal Secretary of State."

One of the privileges granted to Tony in that declaration is the right to ride his horse down the aisle of his church! Tony did not avail himself of that opportunity but, since the service was held in Wigan, he did insist that the buffet afterwards should include pies.

In the photograph: (left to right) Canon Christopher Cunningham SChLJ, Chaplain of the Commandery of John of Gaunt; Kenneth Hargreaves KSG, Tony’s sponsor; Tony Hilton;  The Revd Fr Kevin Foulkes.

More pictures can be viewed here: johnofgauntcommandery.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/ja-hilton-ksg.html
 

10th October 2012 - The Carlton Club, London

At a meeting of the Grand Magistral Council in March 2011, the Grand Master announced that he had admitted the President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia in exile, HIH Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, into the Order in the rank of Knight Grand Cross of Justice. Prince Ermias is the only son of His late Imperial Highness Prince Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, the youngest son of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is very important in the history of Christianity for it is said to have been the first nation to convert to Christianity as a nation. The biblical ties to this region, however, precede the conversion for, according to ancient tradition, the first King of Ethiopia, Menelik, was the son of Solomon, king of Israel and Judah, by the Queen of Sheba (Ethiopia). But earlier than this, in remote antiquity, stands the lofty figure of the Patriarch Enoch, he who fathered Methusaleh, and lived a life of such sanctity and holy simplicity that Scripture says of him, “...he walked with God, and then at age 365, he was translated...” (i.e. taken up to heaven – see Genesis 5). So it is fitting that the Order of St Lazarus should have close ties to this cradle of Christianity at the highest level.

Unfortunately, there had been no opportunity for the Grand Master to invest Prince Ermias with the insignia of his rank, so, when the Charismatic Bishop Doyé Agama SChLJ – Moderator of Churches Together in England (CTE) and a chaplain in the Commandery of John of Gaunt – informed the Secretary-General that he was hosting a visit to the UK by Prince Ermias, it seemed proper to arrange a social occasion at which HIH could be invested and where charitable initiatives in Africa could be discussed.

Accordingly, a private dinner was held at The Carlton Club on 10th October last year, the Grand Master giving permission for our Bailiff, H.E. Charles Holloway, to invest Prince Ermias on his behalf. At the same time, the Grand Priory of England & Wales admitted the prince’s wife, Princess Saba Kebede, to the Companionate of Merit in the rank of Dame of Merit.

Among those present were representatives of Abune (“Archbishop”) Entonios, the Ethiopian Bishop of Northwestern Europe, and His Grace, the Bishop of London, The Rt Revd. Dr Richard Chartres ECLJ; together with senior officers of the Grand Priory; the commanders of the two London Commanderies, Dame Mervyn Redding DCLJ and Chev. Norman Hunter Rose KCLJ; Sir Antony Reardon Smith Bt. GCLJ (Bailiff Emeritus) and Lady Reardon Smith; and benefactors of the Order in England & Wales.

The occasion was a convivial one. After the dignified formality of the investiture, our royal guests, became relaxed and entertaining in their conversation with all present. It is hoped that our relationship with Ethiopia, thus established, will prove a strong bond of Christian friendship in the future.

A full selection of photographs of the event can be viewed in the Gallery.

Chevalier Gareth Vaughan KCLJ
Secretary-General

In December, the Bailiff announced that the Grand Priory of England and Wales had identified, through its two charitiable bodies, two specific projects that we have promised to support. These are the Bankura Old People's home in West Bengal, which provides a safe home for 46 elderly people who are affected by leprosy, and the Rainbow Children's home at Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh. This provides care for 44 children from leprosy colonies in the region, and will also enable the rescue of a further five children affected by leprosy.

Commanderies were asked to support these two projects in a special appeal so that we can help to keep them open. Both projects are run by the Leprosy Mission, but our financial support for them both is essential.

You can view the Project sheets by clicking on one of the following links:

Bankura

Rainbow

In March 2013, we received a progress report from the Rainbow Project, which can be read here.

THE 13th EARL FERRERS, ROBERT WASHINGTON SHIRLEY

GRAND PRIOR EMERITUS

A Solemn Requiem Mass for the late Lord Ferrers was celebrated on Saturday 19th January, 2013, at 12.30pm in the Church of St Magnus the Martyr, Lower Thames Street, London, by kind permission of the Cardinal Rector, The Revd Fr Philip Warner.

The celebrant was The Revd Fr Paul Bagott ChLJ (Chaplain to the City of London Commandery), assisted by The Revd Fr Philip Warner (Deacon) and The Revd Fr John Eldridge SChLJ (chaplain in the Commandery of Londinium). The preacher was The Revd Canon Jeremy Haselock EGCLJ, Acting Spiritual Grand Prior of the Order, and the intercessions were led by The Revd Fr. David Skeoch ECLJ.

The service was attended by the Grand Master, H.E. Don Carlos Gereda de Borbon, Marques de Almazan; the Grand Commander of the Order, H.E. Drs Ron Hendriks GCLJ; the Grand Hospitaller, H.E. Dr Axel Mittelstaedt GCLJ and the Grand Justiciar, Chevalier Vincent Keaveny KCLJ. The Grand Priory of Ireland was represented by its Grand Prior, H.E. The Chevalier Bernard Barton GCLJ, accompanied by five other members of the jurisdiction, while the Grand Bailiwick of Scotland was represented by H.E. The Rt Hon. the Viscount Gough GCLJ (Prior). The Spiritual Protector of the Order was represented by The Very Revd Fr John Salter ECLJ. The event was hosted by the Bailiff of England & Wales, H.E. The Chevalier Charles Holloway GCLJ.

The following members of the Shirley family were present: The Rt Hon. Robert William Saswalo Shirley, 14th Earl Ferrers (formerly Viscount Tamworth); Lady Susannah Shirley, Countess Ferrers; The Hon. Hermione Shirley; Lady Angela Ellis; Mrs Edward Sargent; Mr David Robson; Mrs Abigail Jermain; Mr & Mrs David Sawyer; Mr Antoine Chenevière; Miss Francesca Chenevière; Miss Tatiana Chenevière; Mr Alexandre Chenevière; together with Lady Susan Hussey (Lady-in-Waiting to HM the Queen), a close family friend.
Lord and Lady Sudeley were also present.

Despite the inclement weather, over 50 members of the Order came to pay their respects to a man who inspired admiration and affection in all who were privileged to know him.

Apologies were received from the following members who were prevented from attending by reason of the snow and freezing conditions:  H.E. The Chev. David Gibb GCLJ (member without portfolio of the Grand Magistral Council); Chev. Stephan Henhapl KCLJ (International Grand Custodian of Insignia); Chev. Thomas Piontek KCLJ (Commander of the Hereditary Commandery of the Villa Wallendorf); Chev. Dr Michael Waters KCLJ (Deputy Hospitaller of England & Wales); Chev. Johannes Muehllechner KCLJ (member of the Grand Priory of Austria); Chev. Dr Martin Stanton KLJ; Chev. Craig Barclay KLJ; Confrere Glynn Jones CLJ; Consoeur Pamela Stanton OLJ.

Read the Memorial Address given by The Revd Canon Jeremy Haselock here

Read the Funeral Address given by The Rt Revd Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, in Norwich Cathedral on 23rd November, 2012 here

Read the Grand Master's tribute here

Read The Telegraph obituary here

The Grand Priory of England & Wales is delighted to announce that on 13th January 2013 Her Majesty The Queen was pleased to appoint The Revd Canon Jeremy Haselock EGCLJ, Bailiff Emeritus and Acting Spiritual Grand Prior of the Order, to be a Chaplain to Her Majesty in succession to the Reverend Canon Christopher Samuels.

Canon Haselock is to be warmly congratulated on this prestigious elevation among the ranks of Anglican clergy.

Copies of the Christmas messages from the Grand Master and the Bailiff can be read by clicking the following links:

Grand Master's message

Bailiff's message

A report by the Deputy Chaplain-General, the Revd Louis Baycock, on this National Investiture may be read here.

The pictures below show the reliquary holding the right hand of St Stephen being placed in position, and the Crown Jewels of the saint.

The Grand Hospitaller, Dr Axel Mittelstaedt, writes with the following news about the leprosy project at Bhubaneswar Hospital in India, which was initiated during the Pilgrimage to Kevelaer:

As a key result of the first hospitaller meeting in Kevelaer in May 2012, the leprosy project for the clinic of Dr Rémy Rouselot in India has been successfully brought to fruition.

This joint project was only realized thanks to the prompt and unbureaucratic collaboration of the jurisdictions of England & Wales, Germany, the Hereditary Commandery of Villa Wallendorf and the Hilfswerk Deutscher Zahnärzte HDZ (German Dentist's Relief Organization), and here in particular, Dr Klaus Winter.

This extremely quick response in making available the necessary funds was a most surprising and rewarding experience for me. Moreover, it should also be mentioned that Dr Rémy Rousselot sent the donation receipts very quickly indeed.

My special thanks go out to all of you who have supported this joint hospitaller project.

Dr Axel Mittelstaedt GCLJ GCMLJ
Grand Hospitaller

The photographs below show staff and patients with the sign acknowledging the work of the Order and the jurisdictions whose collective benefactions made it possible to cover the cost of all surgical interventions at the clinic for one year (€10,000).

You may read Dr Rousselot's letter of thanks to the Grand Priory here
                                                

The Revd Fr Jonathan Allen-Hemmings' inspirational address to those present at the investiture at Southwell Minster can be read here.

We are pleased to announce that His Grace, the Duke of Westminster, Grand Prior Emeritus of the Grand Priory of England & Wales, has received an award in Her Majesty the Queen's Birthday Honours, being appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) for service to the Monarchy.

Congratulations to Confrere Peter Jennins CLJ, the Receiver of Mersey Commandery, who has been awarded an OBE in Her Majesty the Queen's Birthday Honours List, for his charitable work.

Declaration on the Ninth Centenary of the Royal Recognition of the Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, signed by our Spiritual Protector and Grand Master in Kevelaer, Germany on the Feast of Pentecost.

This important document confirms the Spiritual Protection of the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem, which was granted in 1841 by Patriarch Maximos III to the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem and continued by his successors.

It may be read here.

George Edwin Rudkin Gardner was born in 1923 and spent his childhood and adolescent years in the Forest of Dean and Berkshire. During the war he served with distinction in the Parachute Regiment, was wounded several times (including at Arnhem) and gained the King’s Gallantry Award for Bravery. He also worked on top secret matters at Bletchley Park as a German linguist.
In 1963 George opened a tea shop in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, which rapidly expanded into a considerable business empire, now run and developed by his sons, Clive and Keith, a third son having predeceased him. After the death of his first wife, Dorothy, he married Pauline who has nursed and cared for him devotedly in recent years as his health began gradually to deteriorate.
George was an active member of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem in the Commandery of the Marches. At his funeral members of this Christian Order, resplendent in their mantles of chivalry, formed a guard of honour for his coffin. George was a Founder Member of the Commandery of the Marches and did tremendous work as its Chancellor until retiring from that office. We all miss him, his uprightness, efficiency and his stylish good humour.
As his son Clive said: ‘...he taught us many values and made us the men we are. He was the greatest man I ever met.'

RECENT GRANTS BY THE ST LAZARUS FOUNDATION AND ST LAZARUS CHARITABLE TRUST

Members will be aware that envelope collections were taken in support of our charities at both Northern and Southern Investitures in 2011, as well as at the Oxford Reunification Dinner. With the benefit of Gift Aid, and topped up by some £600 raised via easyfundraising, these initiatives have resulted in some £4,500 being available for distribution to charity.

Following meetings of the St Lazarus Foundation and the St Lazarus Charitable Trust in the last week of April, it was decided that £1,000 would be donated to the Spiritual Protector’s appeal for Syria, matched by a further £1,000 from the Charitable Trust, and £3,500 towards the Leprosy Mission’s Rainbow Project, which was made up to £10,000 by the Charitable Trust.

The trustees had been given an inspiring presentation by Kevin Baugh from the Leprosy Mission, and the project, which provides care for 44 children from leprosy colonies, received unanimous support.

It was agreed that the Rainbow Project would be our National Project for 2012, with the aim of raising a further £10,000 during the coming year. Further details can be found by clicking here.

It is with great sadness that we must report the death of Baron St John of Fawsley GCLJ on Friday 2nd March at the age of 82. Lord St John joined our noble Order in 1974 and became Grand Bailiff of the Grand Bailiwick of England and Wales in 1999, continuing that title when the two obediences in England & Wales became united as The Grand Bailiwick & Priory of England and Wales in January last year. As such, he will be the last person to hold that office.

His wit, wisdom, kindness and deep spirituality were well known and he was loved and respected by all.

Next Saturday, 10th March, we install his successor as Head of the united Jurisdiction, the Earl of Shrewsbury & Waterford, who will hold the office of Grand Prior. Lord St John would dearly have loved to be present at that installation and would undoubtedly have crowned it with some jewel of coruscating wit and elegance. While we mourn his passing he would not wish us to moderate our joy at the dawn of a new era for this jurisdiction, and we can be as sure that he will be there in spirit as we know that we shall treasure his memory in our hearts.

Please pray for the repose of his soul and the comfort of all those to whom he was dear.

 Et cum Lazaro, quondam paupere, aeternam habeat requiem.

We have been sent some photos of Lord St John, and post them below. They will bring back fond memories of this remarkable man. (Please note that they are high resolution images and, accordingly, may take some time to download.)

We have been making some changes to the way we communicate information to our members in the Grand Priory of England and Wales, and we have set up an online survey to obtain feedback from members about these changes. It would be really helpful if as many members as possible could complete this short survey, so that we can take account of the general consensus in further reviews of our communications.

The survey consists of only 9 brief questions, and is completely anonymous unless you specifically ask for a response.

Please click the link appropriate to your surname to start the survey.

Many thanks for your co-operation.

Surname A - F     Click here to take survey

Surname G - M    Click here to take survey

Surname N - S    Click here to take survey

Surname T - Z     Click here to take survey

James Cropper, CMLJ

We are pleased to announce that James Cropper, Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria, has been made a Knight Commander (KCVO) of the Royal Victorian Order in the Queen’s New Year's Honours 2011. James has been an honorary member of Cumbria Commandery within The Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus for a number of years being a Commander in the Companionate of Merit (CMLJ).The Royal Victorian Order was founded in April 1896 by Queen Victoria as a way of rewarding personal service to her, on her own initiative rather than by ministerial recommendation. The Order is entirely within the Sovereign’s personal gift and we send James our congratulations and very best wishes on receiving this new accolade.

We are delighted to publish Christmas messages to members of the Order from the Grand Master and the Bailiff of England and Wales. Please click on the appropriate line to read the message.

Message from the Grand Master

Message from the Bailiff

Message from the Spiritual Protector

Following the succesful completion of this year's National Investitures at Arundel and Grappenhall, a selection of photos is now available for viewing in the Gallery.

For the Northern Investiture, a further selection of photos, including individual photos with the Bailiff, is available on David Green's Blog page.

At the end of October, a delegation from the Commandery of Londinium undertook a "twinning" visit to Malta, with some guests from the Commandery of John of Gaunt. Photos from the visit can be found on the following Commandery page.

On behalf of the Grand Bailiff and Grand Prior of England and Wales respectively, The Bailiff, H.E. Chevalier Charles Holloway GCLJ, has been pleased to make the following appointments:

25/06/2011  Commandery of Rose d'Or: Chancellor - Confrere Jonathan Charles Whitaker CLJ

06/08/2011  Commandery of King Offa: Commander - Confere John Anthony Reid CLJ 

06/08/2011  Commandery of King Offa: Chancellor - Chevalier Peter Barry Whalley KLJ

17/09/2011  Commandery of Edward the Confessor: Commander - Dame Maria Louise Landragin DLJ

17/09/2011  Commandery of Edward the Confessor: Chancellor - Confrere Michael Leslie Doak CLJ
 

A report of this pilgrimage can be read here

Pictures of the recent Investiture can be found at

Confrere Donald William Thomas Watson, CLJ

It is with deep regret that we report that Confrere Donald Watson passed away on 23rd April 2011.

Please click here to read the full obituary, written by H.E. The Chevalier Dr Geoffrey Thompson.

The Executive Council have produced a new promotional leaflet for use by Commanderies and members in promoting the Order to prospective new members.

A supply will be sent to each Commandery, and your feedback on the leaflet would be really helpful so that we can take account of any comments before requisitioning a further supply. You can do this by making a comment below this news item.

Ignorance is our greatest enemy. Please read this article here

The Grand Master's letter to the Order on the death of His Imperial & Royal Highness Archduke Otto von Habsburg may be read here

***IMPORTANT***

Please read Grand Magistral Degree 64/11, issued on the 30th June 2011, here

The Celebratory events at Oxford on 13th and 14th May went extremely well.Over the next few days we will publish various reports, photos and videos as they become available, so please do continue to return to this page to see what is new. The links below will become active once the items are ready.

• Report 
• Ecclesiastical Grand Prior's Homily
• The Reverend Prebendary Norman Wallwork's sermon
• Photos from the Service of Reconcilliation and Investiture and Gala Dinner. (note - if you require high resolution images to print, go to the photographer's website)
• Videos of the Investiture and Awards as follows - these are viewable in YouTube. Note that you can make the screen full size and change the resolution to HD using the small buttons in the bottom right hand corner of the video when it appears.

- Investiture of Earl Shrewsbury

- Presentaion of Gold Medal to the Grand Bailiff, The Rt Hon Lord St John of Fawsley

- Presentation of Gold Medal of Merit to the Grand Prior, The Rt Hon Earl Ferrers

- Presentation of 20 Year Meritorious Service Medal to Chevalier Dr Michael Waters

John Douglas Mitchell, 1951 - 2011

We are saddened to report the passing of Chevalier John Douglas Mitchell, KLJ.

Please click here to read a full obituary.

Following the Grand Magistral Council meeting on 26th March, 2011, in London, the Grand Master has written to all members. His letter can be read here.

Photographs of the recent Quiz Night can be downloaded at: http://demgreen.blogspot.com/2011/02/john-of-gaunt-quiz-2011.html

It has come to our attention that another St Lazarus Organisation has also registered for easyfundraising. When registering please ensure that you type St Lazarus Foundation, and not just St Lazarus, so that your donations support the correct cause.

We are delighted to announce that the commission raised by our members through our easyfundraising link has now reached the £300 mark. This is a fantastic achievement considering that we have been in the scheme for only twelve months.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with easyfundraising, you can find out more by clicking here. Essentially, though, it is an incredibly simple way of raising funds for our charity every time that you purchase goods on the Internet.

At the end of January we had 37 people registered on our easyfundraising page, but it easy to become forgetful, and we need to remind those 37 to keep using the site for their shopping, and to ask other members to consider registering. There is nothing dodgy or suspicious about this - the retailers are happy to pay a small commission in return for shoppers using their site.

You can now help us without doing any shopping yourself simply by referring other organisations. Surely everybody knows a church, scout group, charitable organisation, etc, which is constantly holding fundraising events. If you refer them to easyfundraising using our unique reference number and they sign up (free of charge), then St Lazarus Foundation will receive 20% of all their commission! (They still receive the full commission). So don't delay, refer today! Click here to find out our reference number.

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM THE BAILIFF
Chevalier Charles Holloway, KCLJ

I thought that I would write a few words to all members as we approach this Christmas, and the New Year of 2011. I hope that it will be a happy one for all of us in the Order of St Lazarus worldwide and, in particular, for our own Jurisdiction of England and Wales.

We will at last be fully united as from the 1st January 2011 as the “Grand Bailiwick & Priory of England and Wales”. As you know, the whole process of coming together will be officially celebrated with a Church Services and a Gala Dinner to be held at Oxford on the weekend of 13/14 May 2011. I do hope that as many of you as possible will support this very special occasion at which our Grand Master, H.E. Don Carlos Gereda de Borbón, Marqués de Almazan, will preside.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your hard work in 2010. Both Lynne and myself have enjoyed meeting everyone, and sharing happy times at the many Investitures and Events that took place this year. Please continue to support your Commanderies in fulfilling the main aim of our beloved Christian Order, which is to raise funds for our Charities and people less fortunate than ourselves.

I will be thinking of you all on Christmas Day as we celebrate the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ whose life gave hope and salvation to the world.

So may we all go forth in Faith, Hope and Charity into this coming New Year.

With my very best wishes to you all for a Very Happy Christmas.

Charles Holloway
 

The Grand Master's Christmas Message to the Order may be read here.

We are delighted to announce that during the first six months of operation, our agreements with easyfundraising and thegivingmachine have raised over £140 for our charitable causes, even though only a handful of members are supporting them.

This scheme costs those using it nothing more than a couple of clicks of the mouse when shopping online, yet generates a donation for every item purchased. Please promote the scheme not just to fellow members, but to friends and businesses that are known to you. There are over 2000 retailers taking part in the scheme, and everybody knows somebody who uses, for example, trains, planes, hotels and computer equipment, to name just a few.

To find out more, just visit the Charitable Work section of our website.

David Haywood (Webmaster)

At the AGM of the Mersey Commandery, Chevalier Sab Losy KLJ retired after nearly five years as Commander. The Chancellor has been pleased to appoint Dame Lesley Martin-Wright DLJ as his successor.

Lesley writes: “I am both delighted and honoured to be the new Mersey Commander.

"By way of background information, by birth I am a native of Northumberland, and one of my ancestors was the highly regarded romantic painter, engraver and illustrator, John Martin. Sadly, I do not possess any of his paintings. I left the North East in my early twenties to spend 12 months working and living in Singapore, which was a wonderful experience. After my return I spent 10 years living and working in London, during which time I got was married and had two children (Alexander Martin-Wright, now 23, who joined the Order in the rank of Esquire in 2008). Approximately 20 years ago the family had the opportunity to relocate to Liverpool, which we now call 'home'. I have recently changed career, from head of marketing in a commercial law firm, to become Chief Executive of Knowsley Chamber of Commerce.

"The North West offers huge potential, and, of course, immense challenges. In my new role as Commander of Mersey I will be continuing the excellent work commenced by Dr Andrew Zsigmond and continued latterly by Sab Losy. St Lazarus has an international remit and sphere of influence; the Mersey Commandery will continue to play an important part in raising funds and supporting the Order's charitable works across the globe. We will also strive to make an impact on those less well known charities within our borders, which, during these difficult economic climes, are also in great need. Mersey Commandery is drafting a programme of events for 2010-2011 which will be circulated and advertised shortly.”

We offer our congratulations to the following members of the Companionate of Merit, and of the Order, in the Grand Bailiwick & Priory of England and Wales who have been honoured in Her Majesty the Queen's Birthday Honours List:

Norman Stoller, OBE, CStJ, KMLJ, Don2LJ, DL has been made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE).

Norman has been an honorary member of the Commandery of John of Gaunt for many years, and, through the Stoller Charitable Trust, makes regular and significant donations towards the charitable work of the Order. He is consistently supportive and attends our events whenever possible. We are enormously grateful to Norman and his wife, Sheila, for the unstinting and often anonymous work they do for our Order.

Sir Christian Bonington, Kt., CBE, CMLJ, DL has been made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO).

Sir Chris was admitted to the Companionate of Merit in the rank of Commander at The Guards’ Chapel, Wellington Barracks, in October 2005. His distinguished achievements are well known and we are very grateful for his support for the work of our Order, especially in Cumbria Commandery, of which he is an honorary member.

Dan Clayton-Jones, TD, KStJ, KLJ, MMLJ, DL has been made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Major Dan Clayton-Jones (brother of the late Major Huw Bartle-Jones TD, GCLJ, CMLJ, sometime Chancellor of the Grand Priory of England & Wales) has been a long-standing member of the Commandery of Wales in which he was for some years Commandery Hospitaller. Among the many distinguished offices he holds, he is Deputy Chairman of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund, Chairman of the Committee for Wales. A former High Sheriff of the County of Glamorgan, he is currently also Chancellor of the Venerable Order of St John in Wales.

Following The Revd Gareth Powell's promotion to a senior administrative post at Methodist Church House in London, the Chancellor of the Grand Prory, Chevalier Vincent Keaveny KCLJ, has been pleased to appoint Professor Norman Doe OLJ as Commander of the Commandery of Wales.

Norman was admitted to the Order at the investiture at Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff, in May 2009. Having experienced the hospitality and fellowship of the Order on numerous occasions before investiture, his admission was stimulated in large measure by the dynamism and potential of its ecumenical character, the value of its traditions of spirituality, and the importance of its charitable work to combat leprosy. Over the coming three years, he hopes to serve the commandery through the recruitment of new members (so that it enjoys a presence throughout Wales), the development of its liturgical life (in ecumenical celebrations of the days of obligation, and in exploring the possibility of retreats, pilgrimages and the formation of a rule of life for members in Wales). The promotion of hospitaller activities at home (particularly with regard to palliative care for children) and overseas (in support for institutions which work with leprosy) will be the prime focus of his commandery's charitable work.

Professor Norman Doe is Director of the Centre for Law & Religion at the Law School, Cardiff University.

The Bailiff of the Grand Bailiwick of England & Wales, The Chevalier Charles Holloway KCLJ, has been pleased to appoint Chev. David Haywood to the position of Commander of John of Gaunt with immediate effect.

David will be well-known to most people in the Grand Bailiwick as he has been Receiver-General of the jurisdiction since 2007. His tireless work for the Order has earned him many awards, and the respect of his colleagues, not only in the Grand Bailiwick, but in the Grand Priory too, where he has recently been appointed a trustee of the St Lazarus Charitable Trust. He is a member of the Joint Implementation Commission, and was responsible for supervising the construction of the much-praised England & Wales website, of which he is webmaster.

David's genial nature makes him a popular and pleasant person with whom to work and I have no doubt that he will be a committed and inspiring Commander of the John of Gaunt Commandery.