Hertfordshire Masonic Sports Association

We have come to the end of another year for the Sports Association and I am sorry to have to report that while there has once again been excellent support for the Bowls Competitions the entries for Golf have continued to decline.

Dick Kitchener has done his best to rally support for the golf and has been relatively successful in the numbers attending the One Day Events. Ray Borrill, on the other hand, continues to have the support of the Lodges and Bowlers for both the summer and winter events he has organised. His colleague, John Bishop, also does a great job in arranging the Inter Lodge Competitions. David Ames has also worked hard in trying to raise interest in Cricket within the Province but found it hard to find the numbers he needs.

We are fortunate to have these four organisers working so hard to maintain the necessary levels of support in their individual sports and on behalf of the Province and all the Brethren I would like to thank them on your behalf for the work they do for us.

The results for the various competitions held during the season have been fully reported in the Provincial News, which does excellent work for the Province in promoting all aspects of Freemasonry. This journal has made a substantial difference to the manner in which information is now circulated to the members of the Province.

At the beginning of the year all the entry forms and other information for the various sports was circulated to the Lodges and regular entrants. Once again support for the Bowls section has been excellent. In Golf, although the number of entrants to the competitions was still low, the special events attracted more support.  David Ames is delighted with the fact that he has been able to play one Cricket match this season. That was really a breakthrough and he hopes to build on it for next year.

In an effort to raise more support for Sport within the Province I sent personal letters to all Lodges asking them to appoint a Sports Representative so that the Organisers could contact them personally with news of the various events that were being organised. I am pleased to report that 33 Lodges to date have appointed Sports Representatives and we have their detail on file. They will receive all relevant information at the start of each season, as well as information during the season about special events. I feel sure that this change will help the Organisers in their struggle to maintain and increase the number of Lodges entering the Inter Lodge Competitions.

Much of the support has come from the newer Lodges and I hope that the older ones will reconsider my suggestion before the start of the new season in 2008. I will be including a reminder in the information we will be sending out at the end of the year. I feel sure that appointing a Sports Representative for the Lodge makes sense because the workload of the Lodge Secretaries is already very high, and Sport can only play a minor roll in the running of a Lodge. Sending the information directly to participants in the competitions must help both the Lodge Secretaries and the Sports Association.

Secretary, together with the Treasurers report, and both were published in the Provincial News.

Once again we must thank the Lodges for supporting the sale of our Membership Cards enabling us to make Donations to both Masonic and Non Masonic Charities.

Yours sincerely and fraternally

Andrew Manzie
Honorary Secretary H.M.S.A  

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2006

BALANCE SHEET AT 31st DECEMBER 2006

Dick Kitchener - Hon. Treasurer 
Andrew Manzie - Hon. Secretary