Middlesex Masons In Lockdown –

W Bro Keith Gardiner PProvDepGReg has quite a musical pedigree, which is planted firmly in the era of 45rpm singles and not 78s.

Having played guitar in a 1960s R & B Band named “JC and The Flames“, with record releases and international tours to his credit, he subsequently went on after a break musically to form his own band in 2005 with the rather ominous name “KGB” (Keith Gardiner Band) which, no doubt, resisted offers to tour the newly “emancipated” Soviet Union.

Brother Keith also had a “day job” as engraver which still fills some of his time.

More importantly is that his gift of music has been an asset to the Province and he has been a member of the Middlesex Provincial Choir for 15 years together with his wife taking part in the Thanksgiving Services each year at both St Albans and Guildford Cathedrals.

He has also sung at Festive Boards in Middlesex.

Apart from this activity Keith joined the Weybridge Male Voice Choir about seven years ago with responsibility for the tenor section.

Virtual Choristers on the Web –

W Bro Keith is Secretary of the David Bonner Lodge, No. 9678, which is a Lodge for musicians and meets at Cole Court.

With this vast amount of musical experience he along with his Choir colleagues decided that a good way of raising money for Charity in lockdown might be to create a virtual choir and place the results of their efforts on You Tube and invite supporters and other friends to support them.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCv29-qQojA
They have chosen the Charity CALM – Campaign Against Living Miserably – a men’s mental health charity – ( www.thecalmzone.net) which is a leading movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and the cause of 18 deaths every day.

The You Tube shows the choir at work and our Middlesex Brother can be seen in the 2nd row from the bottom and 5th from the left.

In the first few days the Choir managed over £200 in contributions.

This is a very good example of what we might do along with others who are outside our masonic community in joining hands to help those who face difficulties in their daily lives with stress and mental health issues.