AN organisation traditionally painted as sinister and secretive raised nearly £700,000 for charity in Essex last year.

Freemasons from the Hutton lodge this week came out of the shadows to talk to the Gazette about their organisation and the influence they have on the world.

In 2012, freemasons in Essex donated money to 370 charities, including those involved with medical research, children and hospitals, not to mention schools and regimental organisations.

Essex's assistant provincial grandmaster, Cliff Thoms, said: "This sensationalist stuff – that we have all these mysterious secrets that enable us to be superior – have been exploited.

"They paint us as a sinister organisation simply because people who have made those charges are now aware of the reality.

"We have been as guilty as others as we haven't defended ourselves."

Mr Thoms, 67, of Hutton Mount, said masons do have some secret practices, but that these are not for menacing purposes.

They are, he says, simply ancient rituals which each group, or lodge as they are known by masons, have.

He added that the customs are historical and reflect the ways one mason would identify another in days gone by.

"A lot of symbolism is about what went on in the olden days," he said.

"For instance we have wooden guards for knocking and people that carry wands – a bit like church wardens."

The freemasons have been criticised in the past for appearing to be an exclusive society which only those with money or social standing can join.

However, Mr Thoms said that this couldn't be further from the truth, explaining that men from all walks of life join the masons regardless of their profession, social standing, race or religion.

He said: "The only exclusivity is the quality of the member – road sweeper or lord, we don't distinguish between the two as long as they are a quality, moral member."

The Masonic Hall in Mount Avenue, Shenfield, was built in 1925 and 15 different lodges hold their meetings there.

The large number of lodges congregating in this Masonic temple is down to two factors – the significant number of masons in the area and the fact that many choose to meet at this centre over others.

Mr Thoms said that, in an area like Brentwood, there will be more than 750 Freemasons.

The temple where many of these masons meet is laid out with a large black and white rug in the centre, called the Square Pavement, with the black squares representing the lows in life and the white the highs.

The master's chair stands as the focus of the room with candle holders either side.

Mr Thoms said there are a number of women's Masonic groups like The Order of Women Freemasons, The Honourable Fraternity of Ancient Freemasons and also the co-free Masons, which both men and women can join.

As for the Hutton lodge, he said: "Having just men is the way it's always been in our lodge – the women don't want to be with the men and the men don't want to be with the women."

However, he went on to explain that during the interview process one of the questions they always ask prospective members is how their wife or partner feels about them joining as they do not want to disrupt family life.

Mr Thoms added: "We do have numerous social events that include partners and family."

Those who are interested in learning more about the Freemasons or would like to become a member should visit www.ugle.org.uk

A LIFELINE for pensioners may vanish as the borough council bids to slash £30,000 from its catering budget.

Basildon Borough Council is trying to reduce costs – and a hot meals service for pensioners in Wickford could suffer.

This follows the closure of the Billericay No 1 Senior Citizens Club earlier this year.

The organisation was priced out by spiralling rental costs imposed by the council-owned Billericay Day Centre, which introduced a £6 hourly charge in 2011 before increasing it to £18.60 an hour this month. It had previously been free to hire the hall.

Wickford Priority Club, Lower Southend Road, currently serves dinners for senior citizens three days a week.

Two courses, served by volunteers at the centre, are currently subsidised to the tune of £4.40 per meal. Pensioners pay £3.20 on top of this per meal.

The pensioners who use the service, many of whom are lonely and unable to cook for themselves, are deeply concerned a cut in subsidy could see their hot meals replaced with a less substantial option.

Fears surfaced in February when the borough council announced its budget.

Jean Harper, who runs the Wickford Priority Club and has worked there since 1967, said: "We're hoping the council might rethink this.

"Although we're smaller than the other centres, the service is still very important."

Mrs Harper explained that over the three days they have around 26 to 27 different people coming in for hot food.

Mrs Harper continued: "We would be in serious trouble if we didn't have our dinners.

"People who come in would have to sit at home and eat there instead – social eating is much better. Many of them travel in and it's important for them to have a chat – it breaks up their week.

"Meals on Wheels aren't the same and many don't bother eating if they don't come out – they eat better when they come here. We really hope the service doesn't stop because it is important to us."

"We feel it's the wrong thing to do – when they set up the service it was for the benefit of those who desperately needed it.

"It has done so much good for people."

She added: "Although the dinners don't keep us going it might query our existence. It would have a negative effect on our club – if the dinners go we would have to try to get them some other way, but we don't want to have go down that route."

Christine Nurse, manager at Age Concern Basildon, said: "I think it's the wrong way to go, it will ruin the day centres who are slowly being destroyed.

"The elderly people at the Wickford Priority Club are quite vulnerable and if they're not going there to get a hot meal they are not going to go in and then what happens? They stay in their houses or their flat for weeks and no one would visit them. "They don't have visitors at home and the only social interaction they get is when they come for their meals.

"Many are unable to cook and they will be left isolated and socially excluded.

"It's outrageous and even Cameron admits the fact that the services for the elderly are grossly inadequate and I agree."

Terri Sargent, Basildon Council's cabinet member for community, said: "I would like to make it clear that the welfare catering service is not being stopped.

"However, as we have made clear in the past, and as announced in February's budget, it must and will be changed. What we are now doing is reviewing what is a heavily subsidised service, to ensure that we are getting good value for money.

"Welfare catering across four facilities costs local taxpayers £158,600 a year, and at the moment, I do not think that this represents good value for money for the council, local people, or the users of the centre. In past meetings, members of the GHC, the user committee, have agreed with this.

"I understand this is an emotive issue, but I would remind our day centre members that we are one of the only councils in Essex to still run and subsidise day centres and provide a welfare catering service, and one of the only councils in the area to be investing heavily in our community and voluntary sectors."

Councillor Sargent added that there are a number of services provided for the borough's elderly residents which council staff manage and maintain.

Speaking of the Billericay No 1 Senior Citizens Club, she said: "Independent elderly groups who run clubs all over the borough can apply for a grant towards their hall rental charges.

"Many of these clubs are run in council-owned buildings that are managed by the local community associations independently.

"The Billericay No1 Senior Citizens Club received a grant."

She added that, as well as other services: "Everyone over 60 receives a free national bus pass and housing services provide a careline service and landlord services provide sheltered housing for vulnerable and elderly residents.

"I believe this demonstrates that the council are not overlooking the elderly residents."

What do you think? Write to us at The Billericay and Wickford Gazette, Kestrel House, Hedgerows Business Park, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 5PR

LUCIANO BACHETA insists there is much more to come from him in AutoGP after claiming his first win in the series.

The Brentwood racer grabbed top spot in the second of two races in Marrakech this weekend, having started on pole.

The win takes him up to third place in the drivers standings, but the 22-year-old – who drives for Zele Racing in the series – expects the car to perform better in races to come.

"It's been an ok start," he told the Gazette. "I'm quite disappointed that we haven't been as quick as I would have liked us to be, but we kind of knew that before we started.

"The plan was always to get through the first couple of events and now we can start working. We've got a bit of testing coming up so we can work on the car.

"I'm very pleased with my points haul. We knew it wouldn't be like F2 last year, but I just wanted to pick up as many points as I can."

Bacheta has been joined at Zele Racing by former F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan.

The 36-year-old Indian was on the F1 grid with HRT last season, but after the team folded in the winter, he has moved to AutoGP, where his experience is helping Bacheta take his first steps in the series. "He helps a lot," Bacheta added. "He's pretty quick and he raced these cars in A1 GP, so he's got quite a lot of experience of the brakes and chassis so I'm able to learn a lot from him which is good."

Bacheta started eighth in Saturday's first race, and finished in the same position, with the reverse grid ruling meaning that – just as in the previous round in Monza – he started the second race from pole.

There he finished third, but this time he made no mistake despite suffering a technical problem during the race.

He added: "The race should have been straightforward. I got away well and got the lead but then the safety car came out and we had a slow pit stop which dropped us down to P3.

"But we got back through. There was a lot of action, a lot of crashes. With it being a street circuit, it was good to get through it.

"I had a broken steering rack as well, so even driving on the straights it was difficult to drive in a straight line."

Despite his excellent start, Bacheta is still demanding better of himself, and with four weeks until the next race in Budapest, he is hoping to be at the front again – and has set his sights on the title.

He added: "We'll have three hours of testing before the Budapest weekend so that'll be really beneficial for us.

"So far we've just been turning up at the races, like in Marrakech where we only had one practice session, so it was pretty difficult. At least now we can actually test the car.

"The title is the aim. The way I set my target was to get through the first two events and pick up some points, which I've done and we're lying third in the Championship.

"Now we can improve the car to get more wins and be on the podium regularly.

"I'm 100 per cent focused on winning the Championship, as is my team-mate, so I have a feeling that once we do get everything sorted out with the car, it's going to get quite competitive between the two of us."

SHOPPING centre managers are growing increasingly frustrated at the number of advertising boards "cluttering" Chelmsford High Street.

In February 2013, Essex County Council ruled that businesses are limited to just one advertising board at their entrance after it backtracked on a proposed ban.

Instead the council will leave it to local authorities to decide how to tackle the issue locally.

But Mick McDonagh and Carley Beck, managers at High Chelmer shopping centre, say they have counted more than 132 boards in the city centre and that many shops are flouting the rules.

Some cafes and bars boast more than half-a-dozen boards, which stretch into the High Street pathway creating obstacles for pedestrians and particularly the blind and partially-sighted, wheelchair users and parents with buggies.

"It's a bone of contention," said 32-year-old Ms Beck, who has battled with the A-boards topic for her entire five years in the job.

"It's like a free-for-all for any business to advertise what they want in the city for free.

"You see people on mobile scooters struggling sometimes, and people collide with them."

Mr McDonagh said: "A-boards make things extremely difficult, particularly for blind and partially-sighted people to negotiate the townscape.

"People think they have a god-given right to advertise on the High Street at the expense of people who have to navigate them.

"Nothing will be done until, God forbid, someone is killed."

Mr McDonagh cited Section 132 of the Highways Act 1980 which says it is an offence to affix a sign on a highway. Section 137 also states it is an offence to obstruct free passage along the highway.

Both Mr McDonagh and his deputy Ms Beck suggest businesses should use banners on lampposts to advertise.

Mr McDonagh also claimed that if the proposed multi-million pound revamp of the High Street's pedestrian area goes ahead, it would be a waste if the clutter continued to be tolerated.

A Chelmsford City Council spokesman said: "The council has been looking in detail at Essex County Council's tolerance policy for A-boards and taking this into account is developing draft plans for the city centre that are linked to the wider consideration of the public realm and city centre going forward. A report setting out the proposals and options will go to the council's cabinet after which we will look forward to working with Essex County Council to implement the agreed outcome."

THE mother of a British expatriate left with severe brain injuries after being struck by a loose wardrobe panel in an Abu Dhabi hotel is fighting a "devastating" court ruling.

Angie Smith, of Green Trees Avenue in Cold Norton, watched on as an Abu Dhabi court found the hotel, its owners and hospital staff guilty of negligence for the incident involving her daughter Natalie Creane, 34, in 2008.

Mrs Smith is furious that the court granted her daughter just £35 for a £24,000 legal bill.

The family were also given £36,000 compensation, but have spent £170,000 in medical and flight bills, while Mrs Creane has lost £500,000 in earnings.

Mrs Smith, 63, will return to the Middle East on Monday for an appeal on April 17.

"It is just devastating and the £35 is an absolute insult," she said. "The hotel had no defence – their gross negligence caused this accident and has devastated all our lives and could possibly kill my daughter.

"We have begged them to help us on numerous occasions and every single time they have ignored our pleas."

In 2008, Mrs Creane, who moved to Dubai ten years ago, was enjoying a £150-a-night holiday with her partner Trevor at the Emirates Palace Hotel.

While unpacking, she was struck by the 2.2kg panel after it fell from an 11-foot wardrobe. By the time it hit her, the panel had gathered force equal to "three house bricks" weighing 7.5kg.

Mrs Creane was immediately sick and lost consciousness, before hotel staff dragged her into the bathroom rather than calling an ambulance.

She sustained traumatic brain injuries and now suffers from post-traumatic epilepsy, causing her to slip in and out of comas.

Mrs Creane, who worked as an HR director in Dubai, must always have someone by her side.

Yet husband Trevor has to work in the day to keep the couple afloat.

"That's why it's terrifying – she has broken her arm three or four times through seizures," said her mother.

Mrs Smith and her husband Derick, 65, have flown to Dubai a dozen times for various court cases and in February concluded five years of toing-and-froing when the hotel, its owners and the hospital were all found guilty.

The family have appealed to their MP for help and the British Embassy in Dubai without success.

Mrs Smithhas praised the support of her friends who set up a Facebook page called Justice for Natalie.

The page has 30,295 "likes" and friends have arranged a fundraiser on April 26 at the Victoria Arms near Brentwood.

"They've been absolutely amazing and their support is uplifting – it helps her keep going," said Mrs Smith.

"Our neighbours and friends have been incredible.

"They pick us up from the airport, make sure our house is warm, they mow the lawn, they look after our plants, make sure there is bread in the freezer – they can't do enough," she added.

GAMES of roulette, chinking cocktail glasses and tuxedos might normally be associated with Las Vegas but, for one night only, the glitz and glamour of Sin City is coming to Brentwood later this month.

The White Horse pub, in Coxtie Green Road, will be turned into a casino next Saturday, (April 20) to raise money for Help for Heroes, the venue's chosen charity for 2013.

The glitzy night will feature roulette, a wheel of fortune, blackjack and a poker tournament, not to mention music and cocktails.

The building will be decked out with James Bond-themed back-drops and there will be a photo booth in which people can have their pictures taken.

There will be also be a Rat Pack singer, a buffet and a cocktail bar.

Guests are encouraged to dress up – men in black tie and ladies in cocktail dresses – although this is not compulsory.

Pub owner Jason Jopson said: "I thought it would be something different – we haven't done anything like this before. It will be a nice event for regulars and for people that don't usually use the pub – we want everyone to enjoy themselves and raise some money for Help for Heroes.

"We have dedicated this year to raise money for the charity and we want to present a cheque for £10,000 to them at the Brentwood Festival this summer."

The company which will be running the casino is called Ace of Diamonds and is based in Billericay.

Owner Karl Rank said: "We will be bringing two roulette tables, three blackjack tables, one wheel of fortune and one poker table.

"We're having a Texas hold 'em poker tournament and there will be a prize for the winner."

Mr Jopson, 46, of Days Lane, Pilgrims Hatch, said that if the casino was a success he planned to recreate it at Christmas.

The pub is also hosting a fundraising event over the May Bank Holiday weekend – a charity bike ride going from Coxtie Green Road to Blackmore and back.

Mr Jopson said: "It will be a bit of a pub crawl and when we return to The White Horse there will be a barbecue and beer festival.

"Anyone who wants to join in can and we have sponsor forms which can be collected from the pub or people can turn up on the day and pay £5 entry."

The casino evening will start at 6pm and close at midnight.

The £10 entry fee includes the buffet and casino, with all proceeds going to Help for Heroes.

BILLERICAY manager Craig Edwards has placed huge importance on their remaining home matches and says they are "must win" if his team are to stay up this season.

With more than half of their remaining matches this season coming at New Lodge, Edwards is confident they can get the points they need.

He said: "The home games are key to us.

"We've got four games at home of the six remaining and I think we need to win all of them and see if we can pick something up on the road. It's a big ask now."

Edwards admitted there he had no complaints after watching his side slip to a 3-0 defeat at Sutton United on Saturday.

He said: "There were no excuses. I thought we were very much in it in the first half and probably created the better chances. But in the second half we gave a soft second goal away and after that, they've completely outplayed us."

With their last win away from home coming two months ago at Truro City, the Blues will have to show spirit and good home form to remain in the Blue Square South next season.

Edwards revealed it was hard to take anything from the defeat and explained: "There aren't a lot of positives, I thought in the second half we got overrun.

"I think the positives are that our first-half performance was good.

"I also thought Chris Wild did very well at right-back against a tremendous opponent."

After Sutton's third goal on Saturday, Edwards replaced skipper Glenn Poole and Jay May with one eye on last night's (Tuesday) game against Eastbourne Borough.

He added: "Glenn is no spring chicken any more.

"He wants to play every minute of every game but we've got to be sensible.

"It's the same with Jay May, he had a bit of a groin strain and we've got to look after him and look at the bigger picture."

IT was a tale of two games last weekend for the league champions as they destroyed a Milton Keynes side in Buckinghamshire, but were unable to beat the same side 24 hours later back in Essex.

The tie was out of sight after one period on Saturday, as the Chieftains went into the first break 4-1 up, with goals coming from Darren Brown, Ross Brears and a brace from player-coach Gary Clarke.

Maxims Petruks got the consolation goal for the Thunder.

With no further goals in the second period, but plenty of action and incident, it set things up for a tense final period.

The Chieftains came out showing why they are the league champions and put the tie beyond doubt with three unanswered goals through James Ayling, Danny Hammond and Julius Sinkovic.

Former Milton Keynes man Clarke, took home the much-deserved man of the match award for a fine performance on his old stomping ground.

On to Sunday, and it was a different story altogether as the Chieftains lost at home for the first time since November, going down 3-2.

The impressive Jordan Hedley in the Thunder net, stole the show on the night with an incredible performance that was essentially the difference between the two sides.

The youngster put on a fine display and only Michael Ranby and Sinkovic were able to get the puck past the young stopper.

The former found himself getting in the showers first after a melee in front of Ryan Bainborough's net in the third period, and fists flew and the Chelmsford hard-man was dismissed.

He will miss the first leg of the semi-finals against Invicta Dynamos next weekend.

MK's goals came from Nidal Phillips and one each for the Goode brothers, Connor and Harrison.

Sinkovic was given the man of the match award after a fine play-off hockey display.

On an emotional evening, former Chieftains coach and current Thunder player-coach Simon Howard announced his retirement from the sport after a long and distinguished career that stretches all the way back to the 1988-89 season.

The Chieftains move on to face one of their old rivals Invicta Dynamos next weekend in the semi-finals of the play-offs, where one of the Raiders (either Romford or Wightlink) will meet the victors in the final over the weekend of April 20-21.

Next Games: Home: April 14 v Invicta Dynamos 18:30 (Play-off S/F second leg)

Away: April 13 at Invicta Dynamos 17:15 (Play-off S/F first leg)

Police are appealing for information after jewellery, cash and electrical items were stolen from a Tiptree house.

Between 5.30pm and 10pm on April 5, burglars broke into a house in Barbrook Lane.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pc Natalie King at Colchester police station on 101.

Christopher Cheater won the hotly contested Rettendon Parish Council by-election by just 20 votes.

Mr Cheater garnered 270 votes in Thursday's poll, compared to 250 for Glenys Jones.

The turnout for the election was 40 per cent and was initiated after Cllr Bob Sankey stood down at the end of last year.

Cheater, Christopher: 270.

Jones, Glenys: 250.

Four men have been arrested and charged by detectives in Clacton in connection with a stabbing incident.

Unemployed Johnathan Blaize, 26, of Lightermans Way, Greenhithe, Kent has been charged with affray and theft, while unemployed 23-year-old Jamal Coipel of St Andrews Road, Clacton, 27-year-old unemployed Markel Greenidge, of Dunbar Street, London, and 28-year-old Damien Dunstan of Grange Road, London have all been charged with affray.

They will be appearing at Colchester Magistrates Court this afternoon (Friday, April 12).

Police were called after a man in his 20s from London suffered puncture wounds to his buttocks, leg and arm during an altercation at a shop in Old Road at about 6.50pm on Wednesday April 10.

He was taken to hospital but discharged himself some hours later.

In addition, but unconnected to this incident, a 16-year-old boy from Clacton was arrested on suspicion of having an offensive weapon when he was stopped by police at Old Road at about 7.30pm.

He has been charged and will appear at Colchester Youth Court on May 1.
 

Police need to speak to two people captured on CCTV in Nandos in Brewery Yard, Chelmsford, on March 23 about a missing IPhone 4.

A teenage girl accidentally left her phone in the restaurant but it was missing when she returned.

The two people captured on CCTV are asked to contact Pc Andrew Wood at Chelmsford police station on 101.