Every member who joins Freemasonry does so through a Lodge. There is a Lodge to suit everyone in terms of location and interests, and members are able to join more than one Lodge if they would like to. Groups of Lodges are organised on a regional basis into Provinces and come under the guidance of the Grand Lodge of that country, for example the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) which administers Lodges in England, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

There are more than 7,000 Lodges in England, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Lodges meet on average between five and six times a year and in a variety of locations from Masonic buildings to village halls. Lodge meetings generally last no more than an hour and a half and are followed by a dinner, or “festive board”, which provides an opportunity for members to relax and enjoy the company of others. Every Lodge follows the same structure of meeting and dinner. It is this structure that many Masons cite as one of the things they enjoy most about Freemasonry.

There are three levels of Freemasonry through which members progress, which are linked to the organisation’s symbolic origins in stonemasonry. A Mason starts as an Entered Apprentice, progresses to become a Fellowcraft and finally becomes a Master Mason. The progression to Master Mason takes on average between one and two years, and is dependent upon the size of the Lodge. The progression through these levels can be seen in much the same way as a person progressing through their career in other organisations: at each promotion there is a greater understanding and more involvement. Once a Master Mason, a member may progress to one of the senior roles in their Lodge, the highest being Master of the Lodge. The Lodge also has permanent positions such as Secretary and Treasurer.