Welcome to the MBF Festival Essex 2030 website. With the launch of the Festival back in September 2020 as announced by the Prov.G.M. R.W.Bro. Terence D. Sheern, it is now well under way and has made great strides since the launch. Every so often a province will be given the opportunity to host the Mark Benevolent Fund (MBF) Festival and it will be the 5th time that Essex has been given this unique honour, having hosted it previously in 1899, 1932, 1957 and 1992. So the last time the MBF Festival was held in this province was 30 years ago and it will be 38 years by the time we reach 2030. Leading up to the MBF Festival banquet weekend celebrations in July 2030, our province will look to raise a total of money that goes towards the MBF, which will be used for distribution to charitable causes.

Money from the MBF can be drawn down in funding requests that the Essex province may make in the way of grants, and this is spent on charitable projects in Essex, so the money raised in Essex stays in Essex. A 12-man Festival committee is in place and plans are underway for a series of fundraising events over the coming months and years, which will include Family Fun Days, Charity Auctions, Extravaganza Meals and a host of other events.

The use of a regular giving form with payments towards the 2030 Festival and purchasing a Stewardship Festival Jewel are some of the ways you can support the Festival, as well as supporting the fund-raising events in the Province. Your continued support around the Province will be important to its success and it is hoped to keep you well informed on the progress of the MBF Festival in the coming months via this website, and that you and your Mark/RAM lodge will want to help the province in some way and get involved in those fund-raising schemes.

W.Bro. Richard Goodwin P.G.J.D. A.P.G.M.

Festival Chairman