Freemasons sign up to Armed Forces Covenant

THE Freemasons have signed the Armed Forces Covenant during a ceremony at Freemasons' Hall in Covent Garden on 20 October led by His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent, Prince Edward. The partnership aims to support members of the Armed Forces community and ensure they have the same access to Government as well as commercial services and products as any other citizen. By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) will be able to demonstrate its support to members of the Armed Forces in a number of areas, including education, family wellbeing, getting a home, starting a new career, access to healthcare, financial assistance and discounted services.

UGLE has a strong Armed Forces background through its military Lodges. This partnership therefore represents an important step in further supporting both active and retired military personnel. Important Armed Forces personnel such as:- Admiral Sir Peter Parker, Francis Rawden Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, General Viscount Kitchener of Khartoum, Lieutenant Elias Henry Jones, Marshal of the Royal Air Force Cyril Louis Norton Newall, Commodore Wilfred Henderson and Thomas William Gould VC were all well known Freemasons.

UGLE's Grand Master, His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent, has a longstanding relationship with the military. In 1955, The Duke of Kent graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as a Second Lieutenant. That was only the beginning of a military career that lasted more than 20 years. He was promoted to Captain in 1961 and after having served in Hong Kong, His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent was promoted again to Major in 1967. Three years later, he commanded a squadron of his regiment serving in the British Sovereign Base Area in Cyprus. In 1970, His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent, also served in Northern Ireland, before being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 30 June 1973.

The Duke retired from active service on 15 April 1976. He was subsequently promoted to Major General ,on 11 June 1983, and to Field Marshal, on 11 June 1993. His Royal Highness, The Duke of Kent, said:- "It is my great pleasure to sign the Armed Forces Covenant on behalf of the United Grand Lodge of England. This document represents part of our ongoing commitment to support active and retired military personnel. We are proud of our long standing relationship with the Armed Forces and we will continue to promote their welfare, support, and respect amongst all our members."

By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, UGLE demonstrates its intention to support the Armed Forces community which, in turn, allows UGLE to be recognised by the UK Government's Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS). An ERS award shows that the recipient is delivering tangible support for the Armed Forces community.

Major General Simon Graham, Director Reserves Army, signing of behalf of the Military of Defence, said:- "The Armed Forces Covenant is a commitment to support those who have served and their families. The support of employers and making a public pledge of support to the Armed Forces community that they are valued by society is vital. This year we celebrate the Armed Forces Covenant's 10th anniversary, and for centuries the United Grand Lodge of England has a solid connection to the Armed Forces, and it makes perfect sense for us to have the Freemasons signing up to Armed Forces Covenant this year. I'd like to thank the United Grand Lodge of England for supporting the Armed Forces community."

Dr David Staples, UGLE's Chief Executive, said:- "It is a great honour to be able to sign the Armed Forces Covenant. From its earliest foundations, Freemasonry has always had a strong relationship with the Armed Forces. Today, we want to thank those brave men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting our country and the people who live here. They deserve all our thanks, our respect and this is one of many steps we aim to take in helping both active and retired members of the Armed Forces and their families."

On the same day that the UGLE signed the covenant at Freemasons' Hall, heads of Freemasonry in the Isle of Man, Cheshire, East Lancashire, West Lancashire and North Wales also made their commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant. This is in addition to Staffordshire and Yorkshire North and East Riding Regions. In total 24 Provinces have either signed or will sign the Covenant. The Masonic Charitable Foundation and the RMBI will also sign the covenant in December 2021 at their AGM.
 

Crowdfunder launched to help forgotten Argentinian veterans of The Falklands War

A Crowdfunder has been launched to help forgotten Argentinian veterans of The Falklands (Malvinas) War receive recognition. The campaign in the UK is being led by Edward Denmark, a terminally ill British veteran of The Falklands War, as he aims to bring about justice for his former enemy.

With the 40th Anniversary of the 1982 war between the UK and Argentina approaching, there are around 10,000 Argentinian war veterans who have not been recognized by their Government for their part in defending their country. Many of these men suffer from PTSD, with some living in arduous conditions, and have still not received recognition, healthcare or pensions from their Government.

British war veteran, Edward Denmark, from Wirral, who served in the conflict suffers from PTSD and terminal blood cancer. Edward became friends with his former enemy through social media and when he became aware of their plight, he decided to help these men achieve recognition.

Edward has since been campaigning for their justice, visiting Argentina in January 2020 and appearing on all the major news channels and also visiting the Argentine Embassy in London recently. Despite his efforts, their Government insists that the soldiers guarding mainland Patagonia do not deserve veteran status:- despite the fact that they were under attack, some died during the conflict and many suffer from PTSD.

The new Crowdfunder aims to raise funds so that Edward can re-visit Argentina alongside a key new British witness and senior military figure to present evidence to Congress. The project will fund flights and accommodation so that the pair can appear on the biggest news channels in Argentina and meet with Government officials to discuss this humanitarian issue.

The project will also fund a 30 minute documentary about the cause and Edward's quest for justice that will be distributed throughout the UK and South America, raising awareness of the plight of the veterans. The documentary will be put together by award winning filmmaker, Phil Perez, who has worked alongside Ridley Scott and other top Directors.

Edward Denmark said:- "I have been campaigning for justice for my former enemy for a couple of years now but the Argentinian Government continues to deny them official veteran status, healthcare and pensions. The Argentinian men defending mainland Patagonia during the war were under threat, of this there is no doubt, so they deserve recognition by their Government. I have met my former enemy, become friends with them and come to realise that they are human beings just like me. The British soldiers have received veteran status, medals, healthcare and pensions; even the ones who were at home during the war; yet these Argentinian men who were under attack have received nothing. It is a grave injustice and a humanitarian issue and I will not stop campaigning for their justice."

The terminally ill British veteran has had much media exposure during his campaign, appearing on Argentina's TN News, A24 News and in various other media outlets, but the Crowdfunder aims to fund his biggest push yet. Edward will be travelling to Argentina with a top British military figure to present evidence that the unrecognised Argentinian soldiers were under threat and undoubtedly need to be granted official veteran status.

Edward summarised:- "We have been on national television in Argentina to address their Government and even visited the Argentine Embassy in London to speak with the Defence Attaché Captain Morello. Captain Morello admitted that their unrecognised veterans were under threat yet insisted they will still not receive recognition as veterans. I'm a terminally ill man but I am determined to achieve justice for these men before I die. Our Crowdfunder will mean being able to visit Argentina again, appear on national television with our new evidence and address Congress. If we can fund the documentary too that will be an added bonus as it will put even more pressure on the Argentinian Government to do what's right."