Celebrating in Style Provincial Prior’s Bodyguard End of Year Dinner
The ceremonial demands and commitments following a highly successful year were celebrated in great style at this year’s annual dinner with several significant milestones to happily reflect upon.
Newcastle being well patronised with great venues came up trumps with Kt Paul Baker selecting Black Friars as the setting to celebrate a year of variety and span of ceremonial work. The medieval baronial ambience and long tables added to the splendour and spectacle of the evening. As is the tradition, distinguished guests and past members of the bodyguard were invited to help celebrate.
However, everyone had one thing in common, enjoying each other’s company, with stories of past chucklesome ceremonial gaffes and successes abounding.
The dining room prior to be set up – wow factor?
The food and the wine flowed with great joy; however, the evening was also tinged with some sadness farewells were said to Knights Martin Jackson, David Stockdale, Stephen Kirtley, Gary Breach and Nick Deakin having served so faithfully during their term. The silver lining, however, was welcoming the newbies to the Bodyguard in the form of Knights, Sir Kt Ray Coe, Sir Kt Guy Smith, Kt Phil Quearns and Kt Tony Hunter.
With the backdrop of a medieval dining room, we took our places at the tables and with drinks flowing and fantastic company we started the evening.
With the meal in full flow and drinks being enjoyed, the night went well. It was an evening to be proud of and celebrate what was a very successful year. During the after-dinner speech, both the Provincial Prior, RE Kt Kevin Stannard and the Commander of his Bodyguard provided some reflections in their speeches of which note was made of.
Providing an honour guard at Lindisfarne’s Centenary celebration in Berwick upon Tweed to the ME&S Grand Master Paul Clement GCT. Not settling for that comment was made of the trip to Germany (Herford) where the Bodyguard, by invitation, also provided an honour Guard to Grand Master of the Great Priory of Germany ME Kt Roddy MacKenzie GCT.
Certificates of Service were personally presented by RE Kt Kevin Stannard to all knights retiring from the Provincial Bodyguard adding to the sense of occasion.
Provincial Prior, RE Kt Kevin Stannard and Kt Scott Hunter, Commander Provincial Prior’s Bodyguard.
Following the speeches RE Kt Lt Col (Retd) Ian Harper KCT, an Officer of the Great Priory of Germany was invited to present, on behalf of his ME Kt Roddy MacKenzie GCT, Grand Master’s beer Steiners to members of the Provincial Bodyguard to thank them for their support to him during their visit to Germany.
In closing, Kt Scott Hunter, “It has been an amazing year with some incredible highlights. With support from the Provincial officers and past members of the bodyguard, I am sure the upcoming year will be as much a success as the one that has just gone”.
