The Generosity of the Knights of St Saviours Preceptory
It’s amazing what can happen when people talk to each other. Whilst arriving at Sutton Masonic Hall for our May meeting our candidate, David McShane, got into a conversation with Lauren, who works at the centre. She was moving her car to make way for me to park with David, who is wheelchair bound due to Multiple Sclerosis.
The conversation got round to what it was like to be wheelchair bound and it transpired that Lauren’s dad, Jeff, was also a wheelchair user. Jeff had his left leg amputated a few years ago and like most found it difficult to adjust to this situation. He uses a wheel chair which sometimes Lauren and her Mum, Kerry, have to push.
David, knowing what difficulties they were experiencing, enquired if there was anything that we, as a Preceptory, could do to help and it was thought a power chair could be purchased. A proposal to buy a power chair was put forward to which there was a great response from the Members of St Saviours Preceptory and the purchase went ahead. Lauren was informed and was under strict orders not to tell her dad.
A time and date was agreed and on Thursday 19th July Laurens dad, Jeff, was brought to Sutton Masonic Centre under the pretext of having lunch with some of Lauren’s friends. After a little while of getting to know Jeff, David got Jeff to wheel himself to a corner of the room where the power chair was hidden from his view.
The chair was then uncovered and presented to Jeff. The look on Jeff’s face was most heartening as he powered the chair around the dining room. Having explained to Jeff that this was for him he said that this would really change his life and that of his wife, Kerry.
Thanks to a group of Surrey Masons from Sutton it means Jeff has more independence and Kerry and Lauren no longer have to push him around.
Article by Tony Mullard and photos by Chris Eley
It’s amazing what can happen when people talk to each other. Whilst arriving at Sutton Masonic Hall for our May meeting our candidate, David McShane, got into a conversation with Lauren, who works at the centre. She was moving her car to make way for me to park with David, who is wheelchair bound due to Multiple Sclerosis.
The conversation got round to what it was like to be wheelchair bound and it transpired that Lauren’s dad, Jeff, was also a wheelchair user. Jeff had his left leg amputated a few years ago and like most found it difficult to adjust to this situation. He uses a wheel chair which sometimes Lauren and her Mum, Kerry, have to push.David, knowing what difficulties they were experiencing, enquired if there was anything that we, as a Preceptory, could do to help and it was thought a power chair could be purchased. A proposal to buy a power chair was put forward to which there was a great response from the Members of St Saviours Preceptory and the purchase went ahead. Lauren was informed and was under strict orders not to tell her dad.
A time and date was agreed and on Thursday 19th July Laurens dad, Jeff, was brought to Sutton Masonic Centre under the pretext of having lunch with some of Lauren’s friends. After a little while of getting to know Jeff, David got Jeff to wheel himself to a corner of the room where the power chair was hidden from his view.
The chair was then uncovered and presented to Jeff. The look on Jeff’s face was most heartening as he powered the chair around the dining room. Having explained to Jeff that this was for him he said that this would really change his life and that of his wife, Kerry.
Thanks to a group of Surrey Masons from Sutton it means Jeff has more independence and Kerry and Lauren no longer have to push him around.
Article by Tony Mullard and photos by Chris Eley
