Page 30 - Essex Mason Issue 84

UGLE News

A PERSONAL LETTER BY DR DAVID STAPLES, CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OF THE UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND. THIS HAS ALSO
BEEN PLACED AS A FULL PAGE ADVERT IN THE TIMES, DAILY
TELEGRAPH AND GUARDIAN

At the United Grand Lodge of England, we
value honesty, integrity and service to the
community above all else. Last year we raised
over £33 million for good causes.

s an organisation we welcome individuals from all walks of life, of any faith, age, class or political
Apersuasion. Throughout our 300 year history, when people have suffered discrimination Freemasonry
has embraced them into our lodges as equals.
The United Grand Lodge of England believes that the ongoing gross misrepresentation of its 200,000
plus members is discrimination. Pure and simple.
We owe it to our membership to take this stance, they shouldn’t have to feel undeservedly stigmatised. No other organisation
would stand for this and nor shall we.
I have written to the Equality and Human Rights Commission to make this case.
I appreciate that you may have questions about who we are and what we do, so over the next six months our members will be
running a series of open evenings and Q&A events up and down the country. These will be promoted in the local media and on
our website.
I am also happy to answer any queries directly. Please feel free to write to me
here at Freemasons’ Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ and I
will come back to you.

We’re Open.
Dr David Staples
Chief Executive
United Grand Lodge of England

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