Veterans from across the South West came together at Deer Park Country House near Honiton for an afternoon of conversation, entertainment and companionship, as Devonshire Freemasons joined forces with military charity The Not Forgotten for a special garden party.
Held on Tuesday 23 June, the event was designed to do something simple but important: give veterans the chance to get out, meet others with shared experiences and enjoy an afternoon in good company.
Guests were welcomed with drinks and canapés before a traditional afternoon tea, followed by entertainment from Annie and Lloyd and a raffle. Most of the veteran guests came from across the South West, with places allocated by The Not Forgotten.
There was a particularly appropriate link between the guests and their hosts. Several of the Devonshire Freemasons helping on the day were themselves military veterans, with backgrounds including the Royal Marines, Royal Engineers, Royal Navy, Royal Artillery, Guards Division and the Submarine Service.
Their role was not simply to help run the event. The Masonic hosts were able to spend time talking with the veterans and to be conscious that, for some guests, getting out and engaging socially can be difficult. That emphasis on companionship goes to the heart of what The Not Forgotten is trying to achieve.
The Honiton garden party formed part of the charity’s wider South West Regional Connect Week, a programme which also included a care-home concert in Taunton, community parties in Lympstone, Ivybridge and Helston, and an afternoon tea in Barnstaple. The regional programme brought together injured serving personnel, veterans and their families through activities intended to strengthen social connections and reduce isolation.
It also fell in the week running up to Armed Forces Day, a day dedicated to supporting our Armed Forces Community.
For The Not Forgotten, occasions like the Honiton gathering are not simply social extras. They are central to the charity’s work.
Founded in 1920 by American opera singer Marta Cunningham CBE, The Not Forgotten was established to provide “comfort, cheer and entertainment” to servicemen injured during the First World War. More than a century later, it supports serving personnel and veterans living with injury, illness or isolation through social events, respite breaks, outdoor challenges, concerts and other opportunities to reconnect with the military community. The charity now supports more than 10,000 beneficiaries and runs around 150 events each year. Its Patron is HRH The Princess Royal.
The charity’s Chief Executive, Richard Walker OBE, describes its regional activities as opportunities that “encourage friendship, improve wellbeing and reduce the isolation” experienced by members of the Armed Forces community.
For Devonshire Freemasons, supporting the day brought together two established areas of its work: involvement in local communities and a particularly strong connection with serving personnel and veterans.
Devonshire Freemasons are a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, a public commitment to recognise and support serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families. The Province signed the Covenant as part of a commitment to promote the welfare and support of both active and retired military personnel. Nationally, the United Grand Lodge of England went on to receive the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award in 2025, the highest level of recognition within the scheme.
That commitment sits alongside Devonshire Freemasons’ broader community work across the county. Speaking recently about that work, Provincial Grand Master Nicholas Ball put it simply: “Service to our communities is at the heart of Freemasonry.”
The relationship with The Not Forgotten will continue on a much larger stage later this year.
On Wednesday 11 November, The Not Forgotten and the United Grand Lodge of England will stage Not Forgotten – A Night to Remember, a special Remembrance concert in the Grand Temple at Freemasons’ Hall in London.
The programme will include tenor Russell Watson, classical trio Blake, actress and singer Anita Harris, the London Scottish Pipes and Drums, The Heroes Band and other performers. The evening will honour those who have served and conclude with an Act of Remembrance, with all funds raised going to The Not Forgotten in support of UK veterans.
The setting in London may be rather grander, but the principle is much the same as it was at Deer Park: remembering those who served matters, but so does making sure that veterans today have opportunities for friendship, companionship and a continuing sense of belonging.
