Autumn 2020 - Page 1
Freemasons Victoria News
Meet Paul Brennand, Grand Super, Membership ■ “Happy, healthy and engaged lodges,” is the motto of Paul Brennand, Chair of the 2020-21 Membership Volunteer Action Team. VWor. Bro. Brennand has dissolved the previous Team, and is now advertising for volunteers across Victoria to join him in a deliberate, planned effort to develop and retain members. Paul is enthusiastic about the membership prospects for Freemasons Victoria. Paul was born in post-war London, “within the sound of Bow Bells”. Bomb sites were his childhood playground. He was schooled at Tottenham Grammar, and he has been a lifetime supporter of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Paul grew up in a happy, loving working-class family. His father, Ben, was a public servant, who started work at age 12 as a Post Office boy. Ben served in the Navy. Ben and wife Marge married in July 1939. World War II started in September 1939. Paul had an older sister, Sandra; and a younger brother, Garry, who studied for a Master of Economics, and settled in Vienna. Paul was born in 1948, first attending Risley Avenue Primary School in Tottenham. He did well but did not enjoy school; he mentions that he did not attend university. His first job, at age 17 in 1965, was with Honeywell: “Instantly I became an IT person.” Paul said he took to information technology in a big wya. Within a few years he became the UK trouble shooter, moving around the country.
● Pam and Paul Brennand (Grand Superintendent of Membership). Elder son Stuart had alHe and wife Pam met at a tralia. Pam was pregnant with ready moved to Merimbula. country location in July 1969. Pam came from Lough- twin sons - Robin and Mar- (Robin and Martin stayed in tin. Paul describes Pam as the UK.) borough in the Midlands. Stuart was diagnosed with They were engaged one “the most wonderful supportmonth later, and married in ing person that I could have”. Multiple Sclerosis at age 28, There were further career about 20 years ago. At the September 1970. Pam had been working in fashion, as moves to Western Australia, time, Paul had also been dia designer, particularly with being headhunted for a senior agnosed with serious illness, position in the United King- and they were both hospitalchildren’s wear. Paul was offered promo- dom, then being ‘recycled’ ised together for a year. Stuart, although wheeltion, and was given Scotland into the Honeywell operachair-bound, walked down as his territory. From his sales tions in Australia. The Brennands moved to the aisle when he was marsuccess, he won a trip to Jamaica where he met Honey- Cairns in Far North Queens- ried to Amanda. Stuart is a well team members from land, and Paul worked with Lewis. an Indian software company Son Robin is married to Australia. Six weeks later, Paul re- for 10 years, Telstra, intro- Chez, and they have two ceived a letter with a job of- duced Optus to the region, grand-daughters, Isabelle fer, and by 1974, the couple and also had a decade-long and Jessica. Robin has a senior posiand their young son Stuart stint with the Department of tion with Virgin Money. had arrived in Sydney, Aus- Main Roads.
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Freemasons Victoria News Martin, who is single, is director of a technology company. Paul started his Masonic life in the United Kingdom, after discussions with a golfing friend, who became his proposer. Paul was initiated into the Archbishop Abbott Lodge in Godalming, in the county of Surrey, in 1989. He said that all lodges in the area were in a healthy condition, with 20-30 at monthly meetings, plus weekly Lodges of Instruction. By 1994, he was in the Chair, and he went on to join other orders including Chapter, Mark, Royal Ark Mariners and Rose Croix. Ten years later, after arrival in Cairns, Paul joined the Allen Lodge. He noticed quite a difference. In the UK, he was used to the classical emulation ritual: “You had to know everything.” A Master would do all the charges. He said Freemasonry in Tropical North Queensland was relaxed, and this “threw” him at first. Attire was white shirt sleeves, although formal occasions had a white evening jacket. For ceremony, “everyone sharpened up”. Queensland lodge life demonstrated skill, ability, more fun and happiness. He was Master of the Lodge three times, later serving as Secretary. Paul was also a member of the Duyfken Lodge, named after the first European ship to come to Australia in the early 1600s. Paul and Pam’s move to Victoria came after Stuart became quite ill, and there were concerns that Stuart might be lost to them after a coronary arrest. They moved to Lakes Entrance, and Paul joined the Gippsland Lakes Lodge in 2017. He was promptly invested as the Lodge’s Junior Warden.
● Paul Brennand, son Stuart at his initiation, and Wor. Bro. John Young. Outside of Freemasonry, After having been in the Paul had been an imporChair five times, it became tant part of the District Grand Paul enjoys golf, travel and six (the first in Victoria). Lodge of Carpentaria, part of gardening. He has also been an active Paul also joined a number the United Grand Lodge of member of Rotary and of Bairnsdale-based orders. Queensland. He started visiting, and He was part of the Grand Probus: “I’ve tried to be in that is when he met incom- Lodge team, occupied just service.” He has definite aims for ing Grand Master, Richard about every rank, was PresiElkington. dent of the Board of General the membership portfolio. Paul became District Co- Purposes there, served as His vision for “happy, Ordinator, and he started his District Grand Registrar, Dis- healthy and engaged lodges” Grand Lodge journey. trict Grand Director of Cer- has a first priority of “stemHe made application last emonies, and as Distrct ming the leak”. Paul says that Freemasons year to become Grand Super- Grand Secretary. intendent of Membership, He had been looking for- must look to change some of and was appointed by the ward to retirement, but duty the ways we have done things in regard to membership. Board of General Purposes. called in Victoria.
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Freemasons Victoria News One aspect is to examine why people have left lodges. He describes as having a “come back” attitude, where former members are enthusiastically welcomed back. We need to say: “Do you know, we’d really love you to come back.” He says there is a wealth of fabulous ideas, and there is a lot of listening needed. Paul especially wants to listen to the viewpoints of members in regional and rural Victoria. He says Brethren in country Victoria feel that they are not being listened to by their metropolitan peers. Country lodges are different to city and metropolitan lodges, and have different needs. Paul says the role of the Membership Volunteer Action Team is to help all Lodges across Victoria. There needs to be a mood where members are happy, and want to go. The ‘healthy’ aspect is for Freemasons to enjoy doing their ritual, “not necessarily millimetre perfect”, but it is about making good men better. ‘Engagement’ is about doing things, not just being passive. Paul Brennand is serious
about improving the way that the four Volunteer Action Teams - Membership, Communications and Marketing, Works and Masonic Knowledge - work together. He has been key in getting the four Superintendents working together. Paul says he is eager for Lodges across Victoria to resume their meetings.
All in the family
● Paul Brennand with son Stuart Brennand.
● Paul Brennand, son Stuart, with Lodge members.
■ Son Stuart’s membership of Freemasonry is something of great pride for Paul. “He left the UK to come back to Australia about a year after we returned. “Whilst there, Stuart was approached by a close friend who was then Worshipful Master of my mother Lodge (Archbishop Abbott), with a view to joining and he was initiated in January 2006. “I was given the privilege of participating so Pam and I flew back to the UK for a week and I did the second half of his Initiation. “He then did his Second Degree in UK prior to coming home and I was in the chair in Allan Lodge in Cairns where we performed his Third Degree. “Stuart is currently a member of Pambula Daylight Lodge which has a regular visitation from and with Gippsland Lakes and Bairnsdale Daylight which is great. “Stuart has been in various roles in his Lodge including Secretary, but is currently Inner Guard to accommodate his frailty. “It is both his and his Lodge’s ambition to get Stuart through the Chair at soonest. “The Secretary of my Lodge (Gippsland Lakes) has applied for Lewis Pins for Stuart and me,” Paul said.