Levens resident Chris Band celebrated his 50th anniversary as a Freemason at a meeting of the Arthur John Brogden Lodge at Grange-over-Sands Masonic Hall.
Chris became a Mason in 1968 in Fleetwood. Although he lived on the Fylde coast he had purchased a holiday cottage in Levens in 1982 and, following his retirement as a solicitor, made the full time move to Levens in 1997. In 2009 he became a joining member of Arthur John Brogden Lodge.
He attends St John’s Church in the village and has served on the Parochial Church Council for 18 years. His garden has been a labour of love and he has turned what had been an overgrown orchard into a beautiful plot of land which has featured in magazines. For the past four years he has opened it to the public under the National Garden Scheme and raised £5,000 for charity.
He is also the trustee of a charitable foundation which distributes £140,000 per annum.
The celebrations of his jubilee were led by local Assistant Provincial Grand Master David Grainger. He gave some details of the family, business and masonic life of Chris before presenting him with a certificate commemorating the milestone.
The meeting was attended by 70 members and their guests.
A celebratory meal was enjoyed at the Grange Hotel. To mark the occasion Chris was presented with a cheque for £100 which was made out to St John’s Church.
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