The PGC of Essex Annual Convocation is on 21st Sept 2023
Russell Race DL, the ME 2ndGP, and Col Andrew Jackson (Ret’d) CEO of ‘Support Our Paras’ are the principal guests.
The Most Excellent Second Grand Principal, Russell Race DL, was the Metropolitan Grand Superintendent from 2009 until October 2015. After graduating as an economist, he worked for most of his career as a director of corporate finance with a City of London firm of stockbrokers. Since taking early retirement Russell has served as a non-executive director of a number of public and private companies. Russell is a former Court Chairman at Medway Magistrates’ Court and a past Senior Warden of the Rochester Bridge Trust on which he continues to serve as well as being President of the Friends of Medway Archives and chairs the foundation Trustees of the Mathematical School at Rochester. His trusteeships include the Kent Community Foundation, Rochester Cathedral Trust, Rochester Cathedral Council.
A short presentation will be given by Col (Ret’d) Andrew Jackson who was commissioned into the Parachute Regiment in 1992 as a graduate and served for 30 years. He completed many operational tours worldwide and was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service (QCVS) for service in Afghanistan. Andrew also had extensive overseas exchange service in both the USA and Pakistan. He commanded the unit which trains and selects all paratroopers and his last appointment was as Deputy Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team.
The invitation to Col Jackson follows his presentation giving an amazing insight into the Parachute Regiment and ‘Save Our Paras’ to the Combined Chapter Convocation at Colchester on 30th June 2023 which is well worth visiting at:
Essex Royal Arch Masons SUPPORT OUR PARAS.
On leaving the Army Andrew worked in the financial sector before returning to the regimental fold as CEO of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces Charity (PRAFC) known as ‘Support Our Paras’ of which His Majesty King Charles III is the Royal Patron, a title he has held for many years as well as being the Colonel in Chief of the Parachute Regiment since June 1977. The Loyal Toast to ‘The King and Royal Arch Masonry’ will therefore have an extra special significance on this occasion and even more so as The Parachute Regiment was founded by Bro Winston Churchill in 1942.