Masons’ ‘incredible journey’ for charity

The members of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Nottinghamshire completed the gruelling 179-mile walk in 12 days, with around half the 10-strong party hailing from Mansfield and Ashfield.

The oldest walker was a sprightly 79-year-old, while the average age of the group was 65, and the expedition was led by Mansfield resident and Provincial Grand Master for Nottinghamshire Robin Wilson.

Starting from Freemasons Hall, in Great Queen Street, London, the party walked along the towpaths of the Grand Union Canal to their provincial headquarters, in Goldsmith Street, Nottingham.

The walk was in aid of Nottinghamshire Masons’ 2018 Festival Appeal – a six-year period of fundraising which aims to raise £3m for the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (RMTGB). The final total raised on the walk is expected to exceed £45,000.

Spokesman David Eades told Chad: “It really was an incredible journey, especially when you consider the age of a lot of the walkers.

“At our first meeting after they completed the walk we let them wear trainers because there were a few sore feet.

“Somebody came up with the idea of doing a sponsored walk and eventually we ended up walking from London to Nottingham.”