Glasgow Commandery 2023-2025
Over the weekend of June 17th & 18th 2025, the Glasgow Commandery hosted a successful investiture which saw six aspirants being put forward to become Knights and Dames with the Presiding Officer H.E. Conventual Bailiff Grand Marshal Richard Earthy, GCSJ, CMSJ, MMSJ conducting the proceedings. Between the excellent Saint Bride’s Episcopalian Church, on Glasgow’s Hyndland Road with a forty strong Phoenix Choir in attendance and in fine voice The formal celebratory dinner was at the renowned Devonshire Gardens Hotel where the members were entertained by Gordon Cree, keyboardist extraordinaire, and his mezzo soprano wife Cheryl Forbes. A fun time was had by all.
On November 17th 2024 the Glasgow Commandery put on a charity fundraising event in support Motor Neurone Disease Scotland, a local charity which helps support MND patients and their families. This event was held at the Glasgow Art Club which was founded in 1867 and is a significant charity in its own right. Through a successful evening of fine dining and musical entertainment, where we had several potential aspirants present we were able to raise enough funds to see us donate £3,000 to the MND cause.
Glasgow Commandery 2019-2021
Since 2019 The Glasgow Commandery has disbursed £29,700 to 16 separate organisations. Below you will find some background information on the charities we have supported:
Alive & Kicking Project (https://www.aliveandkickingproject.com) was established in 1988 by community activists to provide a centre for elderly and physically disabled people living in Glasgow’s Greater Springburn area. Over the past thirty years the Centre has grown and developed a wide range of services and facilities for its service users.
BeYonder (https://www.beyonder.org.uk/involve/) exists to advance education and to advance citizenship and community development particularly (although not exclusively) for the benefit of children and young people through the provision in partnership with schools, voluntary and community organisations and other bodies, of projects that aim to encourage learning, identify and develop talent and skills, promote volunteering and provide opportunities for participants to take an active part in the social, civic and economic life of their communities.
Dumbarton District Women’s Aid (http://www.ddwa.org.uk) is a confidential organisation which provides information, support and, where appropriate, refuge for women and any accompanying children who have experienced or at risk of domestic abuse. The abuse may be from a partner, ex-partner or someone they are living with. Services provided are:
- Refuge Accommodation;
- follow-on resettlement support;
- Outreach/Drop-in Service’
- Children & Young People’s services are provided to children and young people in their own right, mirroring those provided to their mothers. Children’s support workers work with children and young people in refuge and when they move into their new home and also provide an outreach service to children and young people in the community.
Erskine (https://www.erskine.org.uk) provides support to veterans in Scotland, through four care homes and a Veterans Village, comprising of 44 cottages, an Activity Centre, five Assisted Living Apartments and 24 Transitional Supported Apartments.
Glasgow Battalion, The Boys’ Brigade (http://www.bbglasgow.org.uk). The BB holds as its object, “The advancement of Christ’s kingdom among boys and the promotion of habits of obedience, reverence, discipline, self-respect, and all that tends towards a true Christian manliness”
Glasgow Care Foundation (https://glasgowcarefoundation.org) have been helping the people of Glasgow for over 140 years. For those who cannot receive any assistance from other agencies and have exhausted all options – The Glasgow Care Foundation can provide basic household goods. They also support key local community projects, families holidays and we put back the magic into Christmas with food vouchers and toys for families.
The Glasgow Phoenix Choir (http://www.phoenixchoir.org) is one of the foremost and longest established choral groups in Scotland, and indeed, the UK. Their motto is “In honour of all who believe that life was made for Friendship”
Heartstart (https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/how-to-save-a-life/cpr-training-in-communities/heartstart-communities) has been a long-standing British Heart Foundation initiative, teaching emergency life saving skills to the public. We’ve been continually amazed by the commitment and dedication of everyone involved in running Heartstart courses and the passion that has powered people on to continue with it over the years. Heartstart ran a course for our members which was greatly appreciated.
Helensburgh & Lomond Foodbank (https://helensburghlomondfoodbank.org) is an independent Foodbank run entirely by volunteers. All of the food issued is donated by the local community and shared with those in need within the local community.
Numerous bags of food are issued every week to individuals and families experiencing food poverty in the Helensburgh & Lomond Area.
Loaves & Fishes (https://loavesandfishesek.com) is a registered Scottish charity established for over 20 years, based in East Kilbride, they support people in the local community. They depend entirely on the generous donations of individuals, organisations and companies to help people in need by providing food parcels, toiletries and a sit down meal.
musicALL (https://musicallscotland.uk) focuses on:
- creating access to high quality opportunities in music and the expressive arts;
- bringing people together to get to know one another through the fun and joy of making music;
- transition opportunities for young people who require support to develop skills in music/expressive art after leaving school;
- partnership working and collaborations with schools and organisations/
- training and disability awareness raising for tutors, students and staff in inclusive expressive arts delivery.
Our Lady & St Patrick High School (https://sites.google.com/ourcloud.buzz/olsp-highschool/home), Dumbarton asked us to support them in the purchase of chess sets. We were able to donate 10 chess sets.
Project 81 (http://route81.org.uk) exists to provide positive and supportive leadership, dynamic opportunities for personal development and a fully resourced and dedicated facility for young people within Hermitage Academy catchment area, in order that they may reach their full potential mentally, physically and spiritually, as individuals and as members of society
Rothesay Academy (http://www.rothesayacademy.argyll-bute.sch.uk) Music department received a grant from us to purchase musical instruments.
Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (https://www.scaa.org.uk) responds, on average, to one time-critical emergency call out every single day. They are a national charity and receive no statutory government funding, so rely 100% on donations from the public to fuel life-saving flights.
Taught By Muhammad (http://www.taughtbymuhammad.com) is an outreach project aimed at building an understanding between Muslims and the wider community. The project also helps tackle social injustices within Dundee. The project launched in summer 2013. The they started their first curry kitchen which saw us cook and serve food to the homeless in Dundee on a monthly basis. Since 2013, they have been running a Curry kitchen in partnership with the Salvation Army. On the first Friday of each month, volunteers from Taught by Muhammad will prepare a warm 3 course meal for the local community. This is served at the Salvation Army, Thurso Crescent, Dundee. On most Fridays they will serve around 40 people – many of whom are either homeless or suffering from poverty.