Let me introduce you to Worshipful Brother Glen Nicholls. Glen was born at home, in St Marys Road, Fratton, on 10th June 1963. He grew up there and met his “now wife” Stephanie when he was 19, and she was 17. They met through a mutual interest in scooters (as in Lambretta and Vespa) and were married on the 21st of June 1986. Stephanie was listening intently as Glen recalled that date!
A Pompey boy, his Mum was also from Portsmouth. His Dad was from Shrewsbury, moving due to service in the Royal Navy. Interestingly his Father had joined the Royal Navy after being given a white feather at the time when the Korean war was being fought.
Glen is the youngest of two brothers and one sister. He is the only Freemason from amongst them, however his wife Stephanie did have Masons in her family. Her Grandfather, Jack Atkins was a member of Wayfarers Lodge.
Glen was schooled at Kingston boys’ school and then the City of Portsmouth boys’ school, leaving at 16 to undertake an apprenticeship at Portsmouth dockyard as a Ship’s Joiner. He left the dockyard at the end of his apprenticeship and has worked for others and himself in domestic carpentry throughout his working life.
They have three children. Samuel, the eldest now 37. Jack who is 36 (both are currently unattached masons – “cause life gets in the way”) and Alice who is 23. Between them they have gifted Glen and Stephanie with 3 grandchildren. They all live fairly locally and are a close family.
After COVID, Glen worked for his son Jack’s firm carrying out a wide range of domestic refurbishment work. This was a period of his life that he really enjoyed, and it continued until April 2024 when a month-long period of sickness struck. During this time, he lost over a stone in weight. Glen rested and tried to recover, knowing he was due to have his right hip replaced on May 17th. The operation went ahead and afterwards, all appeared well.
On June 5th, 2024, Glen started feeling unwell. He spoke to a doctor on June 6th and complained of pains in his side and back. The doctor suspected the pains were muscular and advised him to take painkillers. His daughter was with him for his birthday on June 10th when the pains became so intense that she took him to the walk-in centre at St Mary’s Hospital. His “sats” were taken, and shown to be 82% (normal is 95-100%). The clinic called an ambulance and he was taken immediately to QA hospital. He was diagnosed with a collapsed lung, Pneumonia, Pleurisy, and Cold Sepsis. These conditions eventually resulted in Emphysema, which is an infection in the lung wall. By the 12th of June, with his condition deteriorating, he was rushed into the intensive care unit and placed in an induced coma which lasted for 15 days. His family were twice told to expect the worst.
He was operated on at QA to have the infection removed from the outside of his lung and was eventually brought out of his coma on the 26th of June.
The only parts of his body that he could initially move were his hands and parts of his left arm. He could not speak and was utterly dependent on the nursing staff. Glen praises the ICU department at QA hospital, and the doctors who saved his life.
Shockingly though, he was disgusted with his treatment on some other wards, and the lack of caring shown by some nursing staff. He carries with him an impression that he was made to feel a hindrance, despite being incapable of doing things for himself. He emphasised that not all of the staff were bad.
Glen was eventually transferred to the Spinnaker ward at St Mary’s Hospital on July 25th. In his own words, “it was like a breath of fresh air,” and he says that the care was “second to none.” At this time, he was still utterly dependent on others. From quite early on Glen adopted a positive attitude that he was going to recover. His rehabilitation has been a slow process. Initially just trying to move all parts of his body. Something that he, along with most of us, takes for granted. His personal prognosis, as to the extent of his physical recovery, remains uncertain. Nerve damage has affected his hands and he now suffers neuropathy in them and other parts of his body.
During his stay at the Spinnaker ward Glen spoke openly about his being a Freemason. It was clear to him that the ward were lacking some basic equipment, such as steadies. These are a device for transferring a patient from a bed to a chair. They only had one steady between 16 patients, a frustration both for the nursing staff and patients.
Glen has been active in raising money for charity throughout his life, not just with Freemasonry. He told the staff that, when discharged, he intended to return the kindness they had shown him by raising funds to supply some essential equipment to the ward. It was with some shock, after his discharge, that the Ward Manager received a call from Glen, enquiring what equipment they most needed. He was put in contact with their Physiotherapist, and following a conversation together, they identified how Glen could best help.
Glen’s aim is to raise approximately £5,600.00, of which he has already raised £2,150.00, £1353.00 being raised by Taverners Lodge, of which Glen is a member, at their Christmas white table evening, the rest having been raised through his “Go Fund page,” and the auctioning of several items, which included a voucher for a glider flight, donated by Worshipful Brother Richard Lovell-Butt of Royal Sussex Lodge, as well as a football signed by the players of Portsmouth FC (£100.00) and two tickets to a cricket match, donated by Hampshire cricket club (£30.00). Glen has some additional items to auction in the future including a signed football from West Ham United players. Donations can be made to
Donate to Spinnaker Ward, St. Mary’s Hospital, Portsmouth, organised by Glenn Nicholls.
Glen would like to raise enough money to provide Spinnaker ward with three steadies, and a piece of lower and upper body rehabilitation equipment.
Glen was exposed to Freemasonry through relatives of his wife Stephanie, who were Masons. He attended several social events and was asked if he would like to join Excelsior Lodge. After much consideration, he decided that Freemasonry was right for him, and he was initiated in May 2000 into Excelsior Lodge, being the last candidate they initiated at Guildhall Walk before the Lodge relocated to Horndean. Befriended by the then Worshipful Master of Prudence Lodge it was they who Passed him to the second degree. He was raised at his mother lodge Excelsior, and requested that the then IPM of Prudence Lodge, W. Bro Alan Nevitt present his Pillars Certificate.
Due to his work schedule Glen found attending Excelsior lodge on a Tuesday difficult, so he took his clearance and Joined Prudence Lodge who meet on a Friday.
Whilst he was Junior Deacon at Prudence Lodge, he had the privilege of taking both his sons around the Lodge during their initiation. Glen was installed into the chair of Prudence Lodge in time for the COVID years, and as for many other Masters of that time, he spent three years in the office.
He is due to take up the office of Junior Warden on his return to Prudence. Laughing, he said that “floor work was not for him at this time.”
Glen says that both of his Lodges (Taverners and Prudence) have kept in contact with him throughout his illness. He mentions several brethren in particular, but thanks all. Glen managed to return to Prudence for their January 2025 meeting, which was an official visit under the watchful eye of APGM Chris Lockwood. He requested that he deliver the First Degree tools, and although this was an effort for him, the great pleasure he derived from it was clear in his voice. Glen spoke highly of Chris Lockwood.
Glen is currently unable to drive. The physical effort required for his own rehabilitation is great, and it is with great determination that he meets this challenge.
MCF
A lack of progress through the NHS for help with his ongoing treatments led Glen to contact the MCF directly for financial assistance to undergo private medical consultations. He has been awarded a minor grant to see a consultant at the Spire hospital. Dependant on the outcome of that consultation a larger grant may be available for him. Glen speaks very highly of the advice and assistance which has thus far been given to him by the MCF.
Glen has severe mobility difficulties and had a need for a collapsable electric wheelchair, light enough for his wife to be able to lift into and out of their car. Assisted by Pat McCaw (Provincial Almoner) he has been supplied with one, financed by the MCF at a cost in excess of £4,000.00. He points out that the financial assistance he has received is of course means tested. In his own words “fair enough, if you are a millionaire then you don’t need the MCF.”
When the 2027 festival began Glen signed up to a direct debit, not because he thought he would need
assistance, but because he felt it was “the right thing to do”.
As my meeting with Glen drew to a close, he wanted to pass on a message to all of you. “ your donations to the MCF have given me independence, have given me some hope of getting back (my body) as much as possible.”
Glen has a positive mental attitude and is living testament to the vagaries that life can throw at any of us.
I am sure we all wish him well for a continued recovery back to good health.