Young Mason?

[PeterJ1990]

Dear Sirs,

I am a nineteen year old student and have read a few books on masonry - some defining UGLE's opinion on masonry and others containing just authors' personal opinions.

As I'm continuing to read and learn about the craft, I am accumulating a genuine interest in masonry.
Next year I will be starting undergraduate study at the University ofHertfordshire but have noticed there is no such lodge tied to the university in particular.

I will greatly appreciate any information on a lodge which is suitable for persons of my age in my local area of Luton, Bedfordshire.

Yours Sincerely and Fraternally

Peter Johnson

[Lloyd Wiebe]

Welcome aboard Peter.

[admin]

Welcome to the forum Peter.

You can gain information from UGLE, http://www.ugle.org.uk/how-to-become-a- ... y-section/ , they are not all covered in cobwebs at 'Great Queen Street' so don't hesitate to ask for info.

[Burnham]

Welcome on board, Peter.

Although there are no Lodges in the Universities' Scheme near to Luton, I am sure that there is a suitable Lodge for you. I'd suggest contacting the Bedfordshire Provincial Office in the first instance - they Provincial Grand Secretary (the local chief admin officer) has excellent knowledge of all the Lodges within his purview and can make sensible recommendations. Contact details are at http://www.ugle.org.uk/about-ugle/ugle- ... fordshire/

[Peter Taylor]

A warm welcome to LRUK! Looking forward to your comments and questions!
Good luck!

[Bernie]

Welcome Peter, and good luck on your quest to join the Craft.

Even if there isn't a local lodge for you to join under the universities scheme, you can always join us at the age of 21. In some lodges, my own included, it can take a couple of years from expressing an interest to being admitted. Of course, many other lodges have a smaller waiting list and, therefore, quicker admission.

[Peter Moir]

Welcome Peter from another Peter. Do you know if any member of your family has a Masonic connection? if so they may be able to point you in the right direction.

[Angler89]

Welcome Peter.

[wayne cowley]

A very warm welcome from me too

Wayne

[Janner]

Welcome to the forum Peter

[rjgs]

Welcome Peter. Julesthebit is the man who has excellent links to some of the Lodges in the University Scheme. Why not send him a PM? I have links with AMULL as its Webmaster (www.amull.org.uk). There's a list of Lodges on there too.

Best wishes,

Roger.

[PeterJ1990]

Hello All,

Thank you for a very warm welcoming - it's greatly appreciated.

I have visited all the links provided, they have given me some more food for thought - I have previously sent an e-mail to the UGLE but am patiently waiting for some response.

I think the university scheme is a great idea I hope it expands further.

Thanks Roger for the info, are the uni lodges only looking to initiate local uni students?

Best regards

Peter

[Ant]

Hi Peter,

I'm 22 years of age, and a member of Grey Friars Lodge, the university lodge for Reading. Although I wasn't initiated into that lodge, having been initiated into my school's Old Boys lodge when I was 18, I can say that the universities scheme is doing a wonderful job at getting younger men such us ourselves into Masonry.

Your best port of call would be the Provincial Grand Secretary of Bedfordshire, as it is entirely possible that a lodge in that Province has been put forward for membership of the Universities Scheme, but it hasn't become official yet. That's the status Grey Friars had when I became a joining member, and it has since joined the scheme. In January, we will be initiating two undergraduates from the University of Reading.

Best of luck with it all, and please do keep us updated!

[Ant]

Thanks Roger for the info, are the uni lodges only looking to initiate local uni students?

I forgot to follow this one up.

I know that some will only initiate students of that university - the Oxford and Cambridge lodges are the prime examples. However, in Grey Friars, we are more than happy to initiate students from other universities, should they want to join our lodge, or even men who are not students (we'll be initiating someone in February who has no connection at all with the University of Reading)

With the exception of Apollo (Oxford) and Isaac Newton (Cambridge), and one or two others, most of the other lodges are lodges that have only recently taken an interest in University students. As I said, when I became a joining member of Grey Friars, it was not a Universities Scheme lodge, but became so in 2008. Most are in the same situation as Grey Friars - more than willing to initiate men who are not students of the University that they are attached to, or even not students at all!