Are the Masons sinister men of mystery or kind-hearted community fundraisers? A leading South Cheshire Mason speaks to Chronicle news editor JAN ROBERTS about the aims of Freemasonry.

BOROUGH and county councillor David Brickhill says he is proud to be a Mason and sees no reason for secrecy.

Traditionally, Freemasons have kept tight-lipped about their identity, but Conservative councillor Mr Brickhill believes membership is an honour worth talking about.

As someone in public office he has no problem divulging his connection with the Masons since 1990. And a directive from the United Grand Lodge of England, the governing body, endorses such openness.

His comments follow calls for a watchdog to be set up to monitor the workings of the Freemasons.

A complaint was made by a woman to Chester's Labour MP Christine Russell who spoke out saying Freemasonry had a highly selective membership and stood in conflict with public life.

Shavington borough councillor Mr Brickhill, who also represents Doddington on the county council, fired back saying: 'Members of the Labour Party seem, for unintelligible reasons, hell-bent in destroying Freemasonry.

'This is the reaction of the unintelligent towards those things they do not understand and is usually regarded as intolerance. I am sad to see it in a Member of Parliament.

'However, I am glad Ms Russell had the freedom to express her views, as wrong and prejudiced as they are.'

The MP, former chairwoman of Chester City Council's planning committee, believes Masons who are councillors should register their interest when it comes to determining applications to avoid conflict of interest.

While admitting Masons did good deeds for charity, she said they were their own worst enemies because of their 'obsession with secrecy'.

Mr Brickhill said: 'I am happy to tell people I am a Mason.

'I became a Mason in Knutsford in 1990 in Wheatsheaf Lodge, which was largely made up of people from the Co-op where I worked.

'The Co-op, like Masonry, is a large international body with millions of members worldwide. I found they both have many praiseworthy aims in common, all directed at improving society.

'Both give enormous sums of money to charity. I found no conflict in being a member of both.

'Each year a Mason is encouraged to take a bigger part in his lodge and work his way up to become its Master for one year.

'I became Master of Wheatsheaf Lodge in 1997. I enjoyed Masonry so much that I joined the Samaritan Lodge at Sandbach where I am now the honorary secretary.

'I was elected to the chair of both the Four Cardinal Virtues Chapter at Willaston for 2001 and the Red Cross Conclave at Kidsgrove for last year.

'I hope to be elected to the chair of the Rose Croix conclave at Sand-bach for next year.'

Helping others was written in the Masonic code, whatever their job or politics.

Added Mr Brickhill: 'In the Masonic address, which is recited to a new member, usually by his proposer, he is told to treat his neighbour as he would treat himself.

'From my experience of local politicians, I would say that most of them follow this same rule, whether they are Masons or not. I have high respect for all these councillors, many from parties other than my own whose chief intention is to help others.

'Therefore, Masonry cannot be in conflict with public life. Yes, I will help a Mason when he asks me but I will help anyone else in exactly the same way - to the best of my knowledge and ability and without discrimination of ability, gender, race, colour, creed, class or learning.

'There is thus no political advantage to being a Mason. Indeed, if the Masons thought they had a member who was using his membership for that purpose, he would be disciplined up to and including losing his membership.'