

Who in your Lodge or Chapter should follow Honorary Royal Marine Rob Lang as winner of our Excellence in Care Award for their work in enhancing the lives of people within our communities?
Last year’s winner Rob earned his award for supporting Marines, NHS staff, and addicts through mental health issues. Scunthorpe-based Rob, who’s been a Freemason since 2022, was given the award at this year’s Provincial Grand Lodge meeting, and a similar honour awaits the next winner.
To nominate someone for the 2026 award, write a brief account of what makes them special, or why they have gone over and above the call of duty to enhance lives in the community. Send it to Assistant Provincial Almoner Mike Allen michaelallen965@btinternet.com before the end of January in time for judges to decide on the next winner, who’ll be given the award next May.
Rob has used his degree in psychotherapy to build and sustain three self-help groups for addicts in Yorkshire’s East Riding; to support more than 150 serving and retired Royal Marines, for which he’s been given honorary membership of 42 Commando; and to support NHS staff who want to, in Rob’s words, ‘vent their anguish’. This year he has helped almost 120 of them.
Rob is also the almoner for his Lodge and Chapter in Scunthorpe, and was instrumental in setting up twice-monthly coffee mornings to prevent older and more vulnerable members from becoming isolated. The coffee mornings have had the unintended benefit of being a ‘bridge to increased membership’. One Freemason returned to attending Lodges after a 38-year absence, throughout which he has continued to pay his subscription, and others have brought prospective new members who have subsequently been initiated. One prospective member saw news of the coffee mornings and called in ‘on spec’ to find out more. He later discovered former colleagues from his time in the forces were Freemasons, and as a result joined a Lodge in Gainsborough.