Sunday 29th August 2021. Nearly 150 Freemasons and their families from across Leicestershire & Rutland descended upon Bradgate Park to gather at the Memorial Wood for a service of remembrance to those lost during the pandemic.
Left to Right: Reverend Canon Michael Wilson, Peter Lowndes (Pro Grand Master, UGLE), Mike Kapur (Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire), Peter Kinder (Head of Leicestershire & Rutland Freemasons)
The Memorial Wood in Bradgate Park is a special place for many people and is close to the hearts of visitors and their families. The wood was re-opened in 2017 with the help of the Freemasons and the County Council, making it a fitting location to remember lost loved ones.
The service was opened at 11am by the Head of Leicestershire & Rutland Freemasons, Peter Kinder, who introduced the speakers as guests were led through the order of service and chosen hymns. The Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Mike Kapur, gave an address and read a touching Sanskrit Poem to the visitors and passing members of the public who paused to give their support to the service.
Also taking part was Peter Lowndes, the Pro Grand Master and representative of the United Grand Lodge of England, who had made a special journey to the county from Hampshire that very morning. The hymns and prayers were led by the Reverend Canon Michael Wilson, who, along with Peter Kinder, read out the names of eighty-two Freemasons from the county who have sadly passed away in the last 18 months.
After the service, the gates of the Memorial Wood, set in a tranquil area overlooking Cropston reservoir, were opened as the guests took a solemn moment to walk around the woodland and pay their respects. The wood is home to distinctive wooden pillars, which display beautiful bronze leaves commemorating passed loved ones and family members.
After the service, Peter Kinder, head of Leicestershire & Rutland Freemasons said, “I would like to thank all of those who attended this special service, such a fitting tribute to those who are no longer with us and who have given so much to others during their lives.”
