A Masonic lodge has donated £500 to help fund new equipment for Mold air cadets.
The money will go towards equipment for the 1378 (Mold) RAF Air Cadets Squadron, including high visibility jackets printed with the squadron's crest and the badge of Mold Masonic Lodge No.9150.
The air cadets recently wore the jackets while volunteering at the Mold Food and Drink Festival, where they showcased their flight simulator to the public.
Mold Masonic Lodge No. 9150's donation is part of the United Grand Lodge of England’s Community Engagement initiative, supported by the Province of North Wales.
Mold Lodge members invited cadets, staff, and parents to a presentation at the Masonic Temple by Dr. Bro. Robert Lomas.
Dr Lomas discussed the Masonic links with early aviation pioneers, among other topics.
As the annual Armistice Day commemorations approach, the event's highlight was a BBC interview recording from 1976.
This featured the father of W. Bro. Norman Harvey PPGSuptWks, one of Mold Lodge 9150's three remaining founding members.
He received his 60 years of service certificate in 2022.
W. Bro. Harvey's father fought in the trenches during World War I, including the Battle of the Somme.
After the battle, he continued his military career in the Royal Flying Corps and was awarded a commission, before becoming a founding pilot in the newly formed Royal Air Force in 1918.
His story has now been turned into a YouTube video by his grandson, Tommy.
The video, titled 'Flight Into Memory: From Somme to the Sky' was edited by Chloe Hodgson, the daughter of a squadron civilian instructor, who is in her third year of studying stage management and lighting at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.
W. Bro. Norman Harvey said: "For me, it’s a question of keeping alive the memory of the sacrifices made to safeguard our democratic freedom."
The idea for Mold Masonic Lodge No. 9150 to support the Mold Air Cadets, a registered charity, came from Bro. Barry Thomas.
He is an ex-cadet flight sergeant who served 13 years in the Royal Air Force.
The lodge reached out to the 1378 (Mold) Squadron earlier in the year to see if they had any specific needs for financial support.
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They were invited to attend a passing-out parade of new recruits at the Gwernymynydd Community Centre.
The lodge members, including WM W.Bro Gareth Johns, W.Bro’s Norman Harvey, David Fink, Geoff Woolfenden, John Carlin, Chris Shaw, Dr. Lomas and Bro. Barry Thomas, then coordinated with acting pilot officer Chris Morter and civilian instructor Keiron Hodgson to organise the cheque presentation.
A £500 cheque was presented to acting pilot officer Mr Morter, followed by a quiz and refreshments provided by the lodge.
One cadet even won a replica Airbus Beluga XL.
Mold Masonic Lodge No. 9150 said: "Building links in local communities, like Mold, in Flintshire, is really important for Masonic Lodges and cadet organisations alike, which saw numbers decline during the Covid-19 pandemic, but starting to improve again."
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