Provincial Grand Lodge Of Essex

Provincial Media and Communications Committee

Provincial Information Officer

Brian C. Wright, BSc (Hons).

Provincial Information Officers were first appointed in the early 1990s with the specific intention of responding to, and making regular contact with local media. Challenging misconceptions and inaccurate media reports formed a surprisingly small part of the task as, contrary to popular belief, the press are not 'anti Masonic'. More often than not the problem was nothing other than a starvation of accurate information and our unwillingness to answer questions in an open and straightforward way.

As well as media communications, the committee has a wider role of encouraging communications within the Essex fraternity by distributing a 'Team Brief' three or four times a year to keep Brethren up-to-date with things that are happening in Freemasonry generally and Essex in particular. Additional information is distributed on an area basis according to need.

The Committee
Has eight Communication Officers representing the eight areas of the province, a Secretary, the Provincial Information Officer and the Deputy Provincial Grand Master as Chairman. Also co-opted as members of the committee are the Essex Mason Editor and the Provincial Web Master.

Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of April, July, October and December. The meeting venue is the Chelmsford Masonic Hall at the County Hotel.

Provincial Information Officer

Internal

Communicate regularly with the Grand Lodge Information Officer to keep up-to-date on areas of policy and information.
Ensure proper coverage of presentations by the Provincial Grand Master or his Deputy and the preparation of press releases as appropriate.

External

Challenge and correct any inaccurate or malicious media reports which appear in Essex media.
In cooperation with other committee members, compile and distribute the Team Brief three or four times a year.
Prepare updates for the media page of the Provincial Web Site.
Provide talks on Freemasonry to non-Masonic groups when invited.
Ensure circulation of Press and information releases from Grand Lodge and the Freemasons Grand Charity as widely as possible within the Province.
Challenge all external bodies who discriminate against Freemasons and any Media reports that are inaccurate or misleading.
Monitor and report on Media reports that may bring Freemasonry into disrepute.

Communication Officers

Internal

Encourage, and assist where needed, articles for publication in the Essex Mason magazine and other Masonic publications.
Promote communications with Lodges by adding local (area) information to the Team Briefing and circulate the Briefing to Lodge and Chapter Officers and any other interested members within the Group.
Circulate Press releases and information from Grand Lodge, Grand Charities, Provincial and local items to Lodges and Chapters within their area.

External

Promote liaison with the public Media in Essex.
Encourage a Masonic 'presence' in lists of community organisations.
Encourage regular Masonic media coverage by writing and distributing press. releases about Masonic activities taking place within the Lodges and Centres in their area.
Encourage Lodges and centres to take part in this process.
Provide talks on Freemasonry to non-Masonic groups when invited.

The Media and Communications Team

Office	Person	Area
Chairman Deputy Provincial Grand Master	Peter Holland PGSwdB
Provincial Information Officer	Brian Wright, PJGD. 'Caradon' School Lane Great Wigborough Colchester CO5 7RJ 01206 735 524 07711 285 626 bwright4609@yahoo.co.uk	Province
Secretary	Gerald Chevin, PGStB. 7 Rowland Crescent Chigwell Essex IG7 6HU 020 8500 7885 07721 918 123 gchevin@aol.com	Committee
Communications Officer Area 1	Brian Watts PGStB. The Orchard Wignall Street Lawford CO11 2JQ 01206 392 348 briantwatts@sky.com	Brightlingsea Clacton Colchester Frinton Halstead Harwich Manningtree West Mersea Wivenhoe
Communications Officer Area 2	Brian Mead PPJGW. 23 Bearsted Drive, Eversley, Basildon, Essex. SS13 2NJ 01268 583 920 07840 491 938 bwmead@sky.com	Upminster
Communications Officer Area 3	Chris Smith ProvAGDC. 89 MacDonald Avenue Westcliff-on-Sea Essex SS0 9BP 01702 213 313 07802 330 010 chris.m.smith@sky.com	Ilford Loughton
Communications Officer Area 4	Chris Stoner PGStB. 24 Barbrook Way Bicknacre Chelmsford Essex CM3 4HP 01245 224 804 07718 204 233 chris.stoner@talktalk.net	Chelmsford Braintree Harlow
Communications Officer Area 5	Phil Walker PPSGD. 19 Catharine Close Chafford Hundred Grays Essex RM16 6QH 020 7921 8140 07710 603 904 phil.walker@tiscali.co.uk	Hutton Orsett Thurrock
Communications Officer Area 6	Frank James PPJGW. 441 Church Road Benfleet Essex SS7 3HG 01268 794 015 07785 381 353 frank@james441.fsnet.co.uk	Southend
Communications Officer Area 7	Gerald Chevin PGStB. 7 Rowland Crescent Chigwell Essex IG7 6HU 020 8500 7885 07721 918 123 gchevin@aol.com	Chingford
Communications Officer Area 8	Chris Hicks PPSGD 36 Mosbach Gardens Hutton Brentwood Essex CM13 2UW 01277 260 532 07702 848878 chris.hicks@communication.mosbach.co.uk	Burnham Kelvedon Maldon Rochford Saffron Walden Stansted Tollsbury Witham
Essex Mason Editor	David Silk PPGSwdB. Oak Lodge 3 Beaufort Road Billericay Essex CM12 9JL 01277 653 693 07515 509 751 em_editor@btinternet.com	Province
Provincial Webmaster	Ian Greig PProvDepGSwdB. 4 Hawthorn Avenue Sawston Cambridge CB22 3TE 01223 832 471 webmaster@essex-lodges.org	Province