When MAGI stars align
Metropolitan Assistant Grand Inspectors (MAGI) and their Metropolitan Rulers gathered at London’s Freemasons’ Hall to hear details about the workings of the latest appointments system that replaces the Visiting Officer (VO) hierarchy.
Photographs and interviews: W Bro Simon Greaves LGCR
Who: I’m John Parry, Director of Metropolitan Events, the Discover Freemasonry initiative and the Special Interests Lodges initiative.
What: Masonry has, of course, enabled me to make good men better, but it has also given me an outlet for many of my skillsets. It’s given me an opportunity to use them to achieve things I would never be able to do as an individual. I couldn’t give £3m to the Air Ambulance single-handed, but I can encourage others to do so. So I run our efforts for the Lord Mayor’s Show, the Banquet, the Met Mess and the Summer Party. So I’m enabling hundreds of people to have fun!
Who: My name is Tony Masella. I’m a Metropolitan Grand Inspector with responsibility for the Royal Arch. I’m a chartered surveyor by profession and I’ve been a Mason for about 22 years.
What: I’m here to support my Chapters and Lodges and to assist them in achieving their maximum potential. It’s the best organisation in the world: it’s meeting people, it’s warm, it’s friendly and you couldn’t wish to work with a better group of people.
Who: I’m Scott Dunn, a MAGI, and I’ve been in Freemasonry for some 15 years now. I’m a Mason in London, but also in several Provinces across the country and the USA.
What: It’s a big new role, but I just love Freemasonry. I joined it for the history – I collect Masonic jewels and other paraphernalia from the 1700s onwards – I just absolutely I love it. And on the social side, well, I also belong to a couple of fine dining Lodges, so that doesn’t help my waistline but it does help maintain the interest…
Who: I’m Anthony Codd, a MAGI looking after new Members’ engagement.
What: I look after the Welcome Project on behalf of Met, on the Craft side; so we’ve seen lots of progress with that in the last couple of years and I’m hoping we can build on that. We engage with new members, allowing them to see that there is much outside their own Lodge and a big future beyond it.
Who: My name is Jaimie Dunn, and I’m a MAGI in charge of VO co-ordination in my Inspectorate.
What: I think the new system will work very well and within a couple of years it will be well bedded down. For me it means a change of role – I was an SVO for quite a while. I’ve been in Freemasonry for 20 years pretty much to the day; and my father was a Freemason for many years, too. I saw what he got from it; I’ve got equally wonderful friends and education – and also the ability to speak in public as well. I love it!
Who: My name is Zac Smith. I’m a MAGI and in the Royal Arch; and I work in Tony Shepherd’s Inspectorate.
What: I’m hoping to achieve discipline, a fuller understanding of what the new structure means, how it works and where the individual MAGI fit into it. Personally, when I come to a Masonic function, the first point is being out there with my masonic mates, having fun, but also just being able to contribute to the bigger picture of doing something special for London.
Who: I’m Ian Peason. I came into the Craft almost 30 years ago. I’m responsible for a group of 11 VOs as their mentor. I’m also the trainer for the Inspectorate.
What: In the new role, I hope to create an online database inside my Inspectorate whereby all future talent is identified and captured. We can then track those individuals to where they become active officers, whether Met Grand Steward or higher. In Freemasonry, I switch off with a group of guys I’ve met from all walks of life who I would never have met in my ordinary career; it’s enriching. I’m also fortunate in having visited many Lodges in other countries but I find we’ve all got commonality in the values of being in Freemasonry.
This article is part of the Arena Magazine, Issue 54 April 2024 edition.
Arena Magazine is the official magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.
Read more articles in the Arena Issue 54 here.
