News

New Provincial Prior Installed in Nottinghamshire

Nottingham has a proud and ancient history dating back to the time of the Knights Templar and beyond. So, it was a fitting location for the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master, Paul Raymond Clement, G.C.T., to Install the new Provincial Prior for Nottinghamshire, Right Eminent Knight David James “Jim” Crossley.

The occasion was particularly special as he and his new Provincial Sub-Prior, Eminent Knight Ronald John Wimbleton, P.Gt.A-de-C., were also joined by the immediate Past Provincial Prior , now the Very High and Right Eminent Great Seneschal, Andrew Christopher Rainbow, G.C.T.

As a memento of this auspicious occasion the Right Eminent Provincial Prior presented both distinguished guests with ceramic Bramley Apples, which originate in the Great Seneschal's home town of Southwell in Nottinghamshire, and the whole Installation Team were gifted with Oak Tree saplings to remind them of the "Major Oak", the tree in Sherwood Forest which, legend suggests, Robin Hood used for shelter and cover.

Very shortly the Province will celebrate its Golden Anniversary and we wish the Brother Knights of Nottinghamshire happiness and success for the next 50 years.

The Very High and Right Eminent Great Seneschal, Andrew Christopher Rainbow, G.C.T., The Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master, Paul Raymond Clement, G.C.T., Right Eminent Knight David James “Jim” Crossley, Prov.Prior and Eminent Knight Ronald John Wimbleton, P.Gt.A-de-C., Prov.Sub-Prior.

Dorset & Wiltshire visit to Malta

Nineteen Knights from Dorset and Wiltshire set off from Bristol and Bournemouth for an action-packed trip to the historic City of Valetta, Malta.

There the Knights from Dorset and Wiltshire attended a meeting of La Vallette Priory, No. 649 as guests of honour, and were afforded the privilege of having some of their Knights take part in the ceremony. It is an experience they will never forget - taking part in a Malta degree ceremony in Malta.

The next evening, they were invited to attend the Waller Rodwell Wright Preceptory and Priory, No. 640, this time their Members were delighted to help out by assisting with the "Arch of Steel".

To read more about this fantastic trip, as well as many photographs of the memories they made during their visit to this lovely part of the world, please visit the Knights Templar Provincial Priory of Dorset and Wiltshire Website

With thanks to the Provincial Priory of Dorset and Wiltshire for supplying this article.

Knight walks over hot coals to help Charity

Having recovered from what had been thought by his doctors to be a terminal illness, E.Kt. Angus Rhodes is part of the way through a series of challenges based on the heroes of old: Samson, the Twelve Labours of Hercules and the three impossible tasks of Thor. These have included multiple runs from 5k to 10k, the gruelling Glasgow Half Marathon and then, last year, three Marathons in fifteen days (Brighton, London and then Stirling) plus successfully completing the hundred press-up challenge.

Last Sunday he completed a fire-walk as part of an overall four elements challenge (the others are to follow plus a two hundred press-up challenge!).

Why?

To provide funds for treatment for children like the girl pictured, plus other people in Jerusalem and the surrounds, who would be blind or partially sighted, but for the care of our friends at the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital. He said that he would walk through fire to help children like her... and he just did!

At present, the appeal is just short of five thousand pounds, but when recent generous sponsorship from a Surrey Preceptory comes through shortly it will pass that total. In 2018 he was seeking to hit the £3970 target to hit the symbolic individual Swift sponsorship target the Eye Hospital has set up. Having exceeded that he  is seeking to raise a further £7,700 to sponsor a Surgeon’s Chair to enable further operations to be undertaken.

if you wish to support the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital generally please visit the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group Donation Forms Page.

Spring Edition of Jerusalem Scene Magazine out now

View or download your copy of the Spring Edition of the Jerusalem Scene magazine from the St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group:

Dear Brother Knights,

I hope you enjoy your latest edition of Jerusalem Scene, detailing some of the incredible ways that together we have helped over 147,000 adults and children in the last year. Without the Knights Templar’s generous support, we simply would not have been able to help so many people – thank you so much!

Spring is a wonderful time of year. The sunshine, daffodils and cherry trees blossoming across the country are tiding in the beginnings of new life and longer, sunlit days.

In Jerusalem, this season means the magnificent swifts have begun making their way back home, where they will nest in the walls of the Old City. It is a joy for our patients and staff to see. Especially for Marlene Katansho, our Muristan Clinic coordinator, whose office overlooks our Peace Garden where we have built nesting boxes to encourage migrating swifts to settle amongst the symbolic swifts on our Tree of Hope. You can see Marlene’s pictures of the swifts on our Instagram page.

In thanks for your generous support of our work, we are running a special Swift Appeal in 2019. Any Provincial Priory or unattached Preceptory that raises £5,000 more for our work in 2019 than in 2018 will receive automatic sponsorship of a swift on our Tree of Hope. A Provincial Priory or unattached Preceptory’s total will include all individual donations and legacies associated with them. This sponsorship will also include a large swift of your own to keep, which will be presented to you with your Annual Fundraising Certificates.

Our amazing staff across our hospitals, clinics and outreach services have been so busy over the last year, as we have worked to reach more patients than ever before. I am delighted to share the news that with your support in 2018 we increased the reach of our mobile services by 34%, and we performed 5,200 major sight-saving surgeries which is an 8% increase from 2017. We are very proud to see these results and we send our thanks to you for helping us achieve this.

In September, the Sir Stephen Miller School of Nursing welcomed our Class of 2019 who have almost finished their first module and are on their way to become the next generation of ophthalmic specialists in the country. One of our students, Dua, has written an update for supporters which you can read on page 3.

We also established our second Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness. This medical research study is investigating the causes of preventable blindness across the occupied Palestinian territories. Dr. Abdelhadi, our lead ophthalmologist based in the West Bank, has shared some of his experiences which you can read on page 4. The study will come to a close in May this year and our aim is to gain further insight into the causes of preventable blindness in order to ensure we are tackling it in the most effective way. 80% of blindness across the region is preventable or treatable – we must do more to stop preventable blindness.

Finally, I am sure you were concerned about the Emergency Appeal we were pushed into last year as a result of the US Administration cuts, which left us with an immediate funding gap of £500,000. I am very pleased to let you know that with the kindness and generosity of our supporters the Emergency Appeal raised a grand total of £551,425 - this show of solidarity from within the St John family has been uplifting and hugely appreciated.

We send our heartfelt thanks to all those that helped us during this uncertain time. It has allowed us to continue to deliver our vital services, and thousands of patients will be treated as a result of this support.

We hope you enjoy reading about what we have achieved together in recent months, and once you have finished please do forward it onto friends and family in the hope they will also be inspired by our work.

Thank you once again for helping us treat and prevent blindness across Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem – you are helping to make an incredible difference to lives across the region.

With sincere thanks for all that you do,

Amy Foster

Senior Supporter Relations Officer

St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group