The 2023/24 season was a busy one in the District especially for our Inspector General and me. We attended all 12 Enthronements and 6 Perfections, enjoyed Ill.Bro. Andy Sharpe's ritual workshop and talk on esoteric masonry, participated in 3 Rose Table presentations and saw 10 Brethren promoted in Higher Degree ceremonies at Duke Street.​

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Congratulations to Kevin Gibbons (Crewe 250) and Peter Whalley (Vivat 1074) who received their 30th Degree; Derek Ankers (Cheshire St. Thomas 367), James Carrington (De Tabley 508), Mark Keyworth (Staveleigh 518) and David Trueman (Crewe 250) who were promoted to the 31st Degree and Simon Hay (Good Shepherd 380), Anthony Lynch (Stockport 299), Charles Sharman (Sandbach 814) and Peter Tucker (De Tabley 508) who all received their 32nd Degree.

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Some members may not realise that the Inspector General and District Recorder also represent the District at meetings in other Districts and this year we have been to Garstang for North West Lancashire, Rochdale for North East Lancashire, Wigan for South West Lancashire and Rhyl for North Wales, all AGMs.  We also attended the King Edward VII Chapter of Improvement Demonstration Team demonstration of the 17th Degree in Gateshead in June with John Brown. It was an excellent day and a fantastic peformance by the KEVII team as always. These events are always a sell out and rightly so. In March we were present to see the new Inspector General for the District of Yorkshire NE Riding installed by the Soveraign Grand Commander in York.

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​Our own Annual General Meeting was held at The Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham on 23 March 2024 and this year received an illuminating and fascinating talk from Ill.Bro. Kai Hughes who is the District Recorder for South East Lancashire and a well known masonic orator.  Drawing on his experiences of American Freemasonry his illustrated talk entitled;  "From 1 to 33 Degrees - The Importance of the Scottish Rite in American Craft Freemasonry" provoked a lively question and answer session as well as considerable praise.

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The initiative to reinvigorate Toft Chapter as a Past Sovereigns' Chapter has paid dividends with 16 new members recruited in the year and forms already in for next year. Our efforts continue and every Sovereign receives a personal invitation from the Inspector General to become a joining member upon Enthroning his successor in his mother chapter.

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The Toft Chapter travelling altar and furniture built by John Brown has been put to good use not only at the meetings of Toft Chapter itself held at Altrincham and Knutsford but also by Branxholm Chapter 844 who are temporarily meeting in a hotel whilst waiting from the new hall at Clay Lane to be finished. We really have proven we can now hold a Rose Croix Chapter almost anywhere.

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Our Inspector General announced his intention to retire having fulfilled two five year terms of his patent which expires on 30 June 2025.  There cannot be anyone in the District who does not know what a force for the Ancient & Accepted Rite Nigel is. As our Inspector General he is hugely respected amongst his peers as well as at Duke Street and in this District he leads from the front.  In typical style Nigel's determination for this Rite will undoubtedley give rise to a desire to leave the District in the best health possible.

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We are however losing a chapter as Macclesfield Chapter 354 resolved to surrender its warrant. The meeting in September 2024 will be the last although membership retention is high with Silk Chapter 1093 also meeting at Macclesfield taking up the Macclesfield members.

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Our Inspector General announced at the Annual General Meeting he has appointed E&P Bro. Paul Bradley to implement a membership taskforce in the District to be assisted by Ill.Bro. Simon Hay who will act as liaison with the Royal Arch as we hold Rose Table events in Royal Arch Chapters. The first Rose Table to take place in a Royal Arch Chapter was held in Stockport and proved very successful.

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John Brown will continue to lead the Demonstration Team and Andy Sharp will conduct Ritual Workshops as the new universal 2024 Ritual comes into effect. Our Inspector General's wish is that all his chapters are using the new ritual from 1 September 2024 before its use becomes mandatory on 1 January 2025.

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The Demonstration Team has enjoyed a busy year assisting in ceremonies in Willaston and Sandbach. ​The change to universality implemented by Supreme Council in 2024 was arguably the biggest single change we have epxerienced in the Ancient & Accepted Rite in our lifetimes. We have embraced the change wholeheartedly in this District and welcome the inclusiveness it brings.​​​​

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The Travelling Toby Jug moved from Crewe to Middlewich when he was captured by Vivat Chapter 1074 and he even ended up at a Higher Degrees meeting at Duke Street and dining at Mark Masons Hall. Hopefully you saw his antics on our Facebook page which continues to prove popular not just in this District but around the constitution.

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And in December Simon Palfreyman as MWS of Vivat Chapter presented Andy Bailey as Chairman of the 2027 Craft Festival with a cheque demonstrating the close ties between the A&AR and the Craft with one APGM presenting another with a cheque watched over by our Inspector General; who of course is a Past APGM himself.