Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes
Grand Lodge of England
The Grand Primo 2009
Grand Primo Appeal 2009
Brethren in just a short 12 months time, we shall be
entering into the Second Decade of the Twenty-first Century and the
problems that face us remain the same that we faced in the 1950’s –
falling membership.
For example in the period 2002 – 2008 approximately
one third of our membership have stopped attending our meetings or
have been granted the privilege of not paying a registration fee. In
the same period 1000 of our Lodges have ceased to function and 47
Provincial Grand Lodges no longer exist.
The bitter lesson from this is that with fewer active members
to support the movement, those of us who are left must pay more in
our registration fee if we want to keep the current benevolent
activities provided by Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge.
In the late
Nineteenth Century when the
nation was not as affluent as it is today, and most of members did
not have two half pennies to rub together, our membership was ten
fold the number it is
today. Our Lodges had almost four times the membership
attending today. People were queuing up to join us.
Why?
Quite simply the public knew we cared. Cared about
the health of our members, cared about the welfare of members
family, cared about their presence in Lodge, AND we cared about the
Community.
If a member failed to attend a meeting, someone went
round to see them. We did not write them off, or make a telephone
call or send a letter; we went to see them in
person. If they were ill, the
Lodge did
something about it. If
necessary; food was put on the table, medicines were provided, and
the family were clothed, shod and educated. All because, WE CARED.
In this
modern world have we (the Order) stopped caring?
I now invite you to come
with me on a journey. A journey to re-discover the kind of
Buffaloism we practiced in the late 1800’s. You will find the
experience heart warming, enjoyable and caring.
In my professional life, I was obliged to write to
many Provinces or Applicants
whom had applied to Grand
Lodge for help outside of our established funds to say that there
was no money available for
a particular purpose;
was saddening indeed
Equally whenever a National of Local disaster
occurred we needed to launch special appeals before help could be
given to our members or the
local community.
It is my in tension to
launch my appeal to recapture the incentive I intend to establish
a fund whereby we can give the kind of help our brother needs;
at a time he needs it most and we can respond
immediately to the community.
Greater detail and explanation on this appeal can be found
elsewhere in this web-site.
Welcome to 2009 and let us all make it a year where
we learnt to care again,
about for our Brother and
our community in which we live
I hope to be able to meet many of you throughout the country in the coming twelve months.
The Grand Primo Appeal for 2009 is intended to
raise monies for the creation of a new R.A.O.B. Grand Lodge of
To be eligible for consideration a member must
have been a member for two years prior to application or demise and
have a minimum attendance record of fifty attendances in each of the
qualifying years and where necessary remain in voting compliance.
It shall be conditional to any grant to a member or dependant
that assistance has first been given by the Applicant Minor Lodge
and Provincial Grand Lodge.
A disaster to qualify for consideration may be as
the result of Civil Disturbance, Violence, War, Fire, Flood or
Tempest, be it as result from an Act of God or Man made, and/or have
been declared as a National Disaster by the civil authorities.
Applications for consideration in all cases must be processed by or
through a Minor Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge.
Frequently Asked Questions