The Travelling Loving Cup having been in the possession of Abbey Chapter No 432 since October, has now moved on to Trinity Chapter No 254 at one of the last Chapter meetings of 2023. Trinity Chapter traditionally hold a Christmas meeting on the 3rd Tuesday in December, at which a delegation from Abbey Chapter was delighted to attend, to hand over the Cup. There is already a strong bond between the two Chapters, Abbey Lodge having been sponsored by Trinity Lodge, way back in 1836.
E Comp Ray Archer, MEZ of Abbey Chapter, accompanied by at least seven Abbey members, was pleased to pass the Cup over to E Comp Obi Ugwu, MEZ of Trinity Chapter.
So it is now up to Trinity Chapter to move the cup on to another Chapter, at another venue, and ensure that its travels continue throughout the Province. Trinity Chapter have been provided with the names of Chapters who have expressed a wish to hold the Cup for a period, and will decide where the Chapter members wish to go to continue the tradition.
Many thanks to E Comp Gerry Logue, SE of Trinity Chapter and E Comp Nick Shaw, SE of Abbey Chapter, for their assistance in arranging the continued travels of the Cup.
The updated Travelling Loving Cup travels and rules for movement are appended to this article.
John Hayward
The Travelling Loving Cup – Rules of Movement
To follow the rules governing the Cup’s travels, the Holding Chapter must select another Chapter, at another Warwickshire centre, with at least three members taking the cup to its destination. The holding Chapter must not keep it for long, so that it continues its journey throughout the Province, and encourages visiting between Chapters. The cup is now kept in a box to protect it on its travels, together with a record of its movements to date. See the Royal Arch website for more information.
Past holders:-
Shakespeare Chapter No.284 – 6 July 2019 to 25 July 2019
Leigh Chapter No 887 – 25 July 2019 to 6 September 2019
Athol Chapter No 74 – 6 September 2019 to 16 September 2019
Leigh Chapter No 887 – 16 September 2019 to 19th January 2022
(Pandemic Restrictions period and rule change in July 2020)
Bedeword Chapter No 7274 – 19th January 2022 to 16th May 2022
Athelstan Chapter No 1333 – 16th May 2022 to 17th October 2022
Chapter of Faith and Hope No 4772 – 17th October 2022 to 7th February 2023
Forest of Arden Chapter No 3826 – 7th February 2023 to 16th May 2023
Fletcher Chapter 1031 – 16th May 2023 to 12th June 2023
Guy’s Cliffe Chapter – 12th June 2023 to 21st June 2023
Apollo Chapter 301 – 21st June 2023 – 17th July 2023
Grosvenor Chapter 938 – 17th July 2023 (Briefly!)
Athelstan Chapter 1333 – 17th July 2023 – 9th October 2023
Abbey Chapter 432 – 9th October 2023 – 19th December 2023
Trinity Chapter 254 – 19th December 2023 – To be confirmed