News - Visit to Devon and Cornwall District Council Meeting held on 29 July 2023

On Friday 28 July at 10am the District Grand Prefect, RW. Bro Brian Ward, accompanied by his long-suffering wife Toni, set out from a sunny Folkestone. Both were looking forward to a leisurely drive to Plymouth which should have taken about five hours?

The purpose of the trip was two-fold: the first, was so that Brian could attend the Allied District Council meeting of Devon and Cornwall and, the second was to have a relaxing weekend away. It is quite possible that our District Grand Prefect might have got those reasons round the wrong way! Either way, what could be better?

Suffice it to say, that a ‘leisurely drive’ is not how the journey could be described- for it took just over nine hours to reach their hotel in Plymouth. The traffic was appalling(!) the weather was dreadful(!) and the sunny easy-going disposition of our District Grand Prefect was undergoing a sense of humour-bypass.

However, after a couple of pints of the local brew, his tranquillity had been restored and blood pressure returned to normal.

R. W. Bro's. Barry Slade (DGP for Devon & Cornwall) and Brian Ward

As expected, the Allied District Council meeting for Devon and Cornwall held the next day on Saturday 29 July, was a splendid occasion and was attended by seven District Grand Prefects from Districts around the country. The only thing to dampen the enjoyment of the day was that the District Grand Secretary for Devon and Cornwall, FW Bro Brian Martyn, was admitted to hospital the night before.

The Devon & Cornwall 2023 District Meeting - a persuasion of Prefects

A splendid Festive Board followed the meeting, which was enjoyed by all those who attended, and especially those who had come long distances!

The rest of the weekend was excellent, and the journey home was without incident! Next year, however, the journey will be by train. That is, assuming that there is not another rail strike.

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