Extract from Chester Chronicle 2nd March 2017:

BRICKLAND NICK February 18, 2017 Peacefully at the Countess of Chester surrounded by all his loving family aged 64 years. Much loved husband of Gillian, loving dad to Amy and Sophie and a dear son and brother. Nick recently retired after over 40 years in the family fishmongers business. He will be greatly missed by all his family and friends.

The funeral service is to take place Thursday 16th March 11.00am at St. James Parish Church, Christleton. Family flowers only please, donations in aid of The British Heart Foundation/ Kidney Research would be appreciated. Nick's family wish to express sincere thanks for all messages and many cards received during their sad loss. All enquiries Dutton & Hallmark. Tel: 01244 310966.

Nick Brickland was a Freemason, a member of Belgrave and Francis Columbine Lodges and of Belgrave Chapter. He suffered from renal failure and spent many hours each week on a dialysis machine at the Countess of Chester Hospital, and later at home in a specially adapted room, connected to an expensive German machine to refresh his blood. He died in February 2017.

Members of his Lodges and Chapter remembered him as a loving, polite, enthusiastic and determined Freemason. They collected a sum of money, match funded by the Province of Cheshire, to donate to the Countess of Chester Hospital towards the purchase of a new dialysis machine costing £14,000.

On 23 October [2017] representatives of Francis Columbine and Belgrave Lodges and Belgrave Chapter attended the Renal Unit to present a cheque for £3,600 in Nick's name, to help buy a second machine. Stephen Cross, Director of Legal & Corporate Affairs at the Countess of Chester Hospital, received the cheque from WBro George Mann APGM. Accompanying the group were WBro John Powis, Master of Belgrave Lodge; WBro Brian Rose, Almoner of Francis Columbine Lodge; WBro Keith Jones, Almoner of Belgrave Chapter; Mrs Jill Brickland; and her daughter Sophie Nicks. The Renal Unit hoped to buy two machines that year and already had the funds for one; the Cheshire Freemasons' cheque went towards the second.

Lightly edited from Cheshire Freemasons, "Chester Lodges Remember Nick Brickland and Support the Countess of Chester Hospital" http://www.cheshiremasons.co.uk/area-5-news/chester-lodges-remember-nick-brickland-and-support-the-countess-of-chester-hospital/