Charities

Additional £50,000 for Asian Earthquake Victims - 21st October 2005 The President of the Grand Charity has approved a second emergency grant of £50,000 to the British Red Cross, to support the ongoing relief response to the South Asia Earthquake. This brings the total donation made to the British Red Cross to £100,000. The earthquake, which measured 7.6 on the Richter scale, has left more than 47,000 people dead and an estimated 3 million homeless. The difficulties associated with reaching some of the affected areas means many survivors have yet to receive any relief aid and there is concern that a second wave of deaths may hit the region. The Grand Charity was the first organisation to respond to the British Red Cross appeal with a donation of £50,000. This grant, in combination with the additional £50,000 announced today, will help to fund the cost of deploying an Emergency Response Unit and supplying much needed essential items like blankets, tents and kitchen sets to the survivors. Web Link: http://www.grandcharity.org

Children’s Hospices to receive support from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity Hospices across England and Wales are set for a funding boost as The Freemasons’ Grand Charity distributes £600,000 towards the operating costs of the widely respected services. Although children’s and adults Hospices have always been supported through the annual grant giving scheme, this year for the very first time a sum was set aside specifically to benefit the growing number of services dedicated to children. The money from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity will be shared between 220 hospices, with over half of the children’s services receiving more than £3,000 and each adult service receiving an average of over £2,600. The newly announced grants will take The Freemasons’ Grand Charity’s support for the sector to over £7 million since 1984. Web Link: http://www.grandcharity.org

Freemasons approve another £440,000 for national charities A General Meeting of The Freemasons’ Grand Charity has approved grants totalling £445,200. Fifteen non-Masonic charities supporting vulnerable people, youth opportunities and research into medical conditions will benefit from the money. The hundreds of Freemasons attending the meeting in Cardiff also heard how over £650,000 has been given over a three-month period to help distressed Masons and their dependants, as part of The Grand Charity’s ongoing support for the Masonic Community. Summary of Grants approved in October 2007 Medical Research  Leukaemia Research - £56,500  The Healing Foundation - £30,200 Vulnerable People  The Place2Be - £75,000 over three years  BIBIC - £30,000  Listening Books - £30,000 over two years  Aidis Trust - £20,000 over two years  SeeAbility - £15,000  The Challenging Behaviour Foundation - £12,000 Youth Opportunities  Marine Society and Sea Cadets - £47,000  Voice for the Child in Care - £40,000  Phoenix Futures - £30,000  Childhood First - £25,000  Happy Days Children’s Charity - £24,500 Religious Buildings  Guildford Cathedral’s West Window Appeal - £5,000  St Woolos Cathedral’s Rescue Appeal - £5,000 Web Link: http://www.grandcharity.org

Group Dinner raises money for WLMCF 2008 Festival At the Group Dinner on Wednesday 30th January 2008, £761.50 was raised for the West Lancashire Masonic Charities 2008 Festival. The Group Chairman wishes to thank all those brethren and companions who attended and contributed to this magnificant sum being raised.

Province of West Lancashire 2010 Festival At Provincial Grand Lodge on Monday 23rd May 2005, the Provincial Grand Master announced the opening of the 2010 Festival in aid of the New Masonic Samaritan Fund. This Festival will be the culmination of a sustained effort over the next five years by the Province of West Lancashire to accumulate funds for the New Masonic Samaritan Fund. The New Masonic Samaritan Fund (NMSF) was established in 1990 to provide assistance towards the cost of private medical treatment for Freemasons, Wives and Dependants of Freemasons and Widows and dependants of deceased Freemasons who have an identified medical need, face a long wait on the NHS and cannot afford private medical treatment. It is the only central Craft charity which provides assistance towards the cost of private medical treatment. It is hoped that Lodges and Chapters will consider this appeal when donating funds to Masonic charities at Installations, celebrations etc or general fund raising events. Please note that Lodges and Chapters who wish to qualify as Patrons or Grand Patrons can do so by subscribing the amounts shown below, either in one lump sum or from a total made up of several donations. Those who qualify will receive a certificate and be entitled to show 'Patron' or 'Grand Patron of the NMSF' on their Precept. Lodge/Chapter Patron £1,200 Lodge/Chapter Grand Patron £2,400 Individuals can help by becoming Members, Vice Patrons, Patrons or Grand Patrons of the New Masonic Samaritan Fund. The costs of each are: Member £100 Vice Patron £300 Patron £600 Grand Patron £1,200 Donations can be made at any time either as one off payment or regular Standing Order. For example a Standing Order of just £5 a month for the next five years and you will become a Vice Patron of the Fund. £10 a month will qualify you as a Patron which carries certain voting rights, and £20 a month will entitle you to become a Grand Patron. These donations must be continued for the full five years. Once you become a Member or subscribe as above you are entitled to receive a permanent Jewel, which can be worn at all Lodge and Chapter meetings. By gift aiding your donations the Fund receives a further benefit of 28p for each £1 from the Inland Revenue. Web Link: http://www.westlancsfreemasons.org.uk

Relief Chest donations buy tents for Asian Earthquake Victims - 12th December 2005 Money given by Freemasons to the Asian Earthquake Relief Chest has been donated to the British Red Cross to fund the purchase of urgently needed winterised tents for homeless survivors. The donation, in combination with emergency grants, takes the total amount given through The Grand Charity to £150,000 and will ensure over 280 families enjoy better protection from freezing winter temperatures. The support announced today is made in direct response to the statement by UN Relief Co-ordinator Jan Vandemoortele that just one in four of the homeless survivors have a tent suitable for the winter conditions they now face. In recognition of the severity of the situation and the ongoing appeal for funds, the President of the Grand Charity has agreed a further emergency grant to take the donation to £50,000. Web Link: http://www.grandcharity.org

SUPPORT FOR RELIEF WORK OF FREEMASONS IN KENYA Following civil unrest in parts of Kenya, The President of the Freemasons’ Grand Charity has approved a grant of £10,000 to the District Grand Lodge of East Africa’s Grand Charity, complementing local relief efforts. Violent clashes and rioting following the results of the Kenyan Presidential election left hundreds dead and tens of thousands have been forced to flee their homes. Many families are now living in makeshift camps and are desperately in need of essential supplies like food, clean water and basic household items. The District Grand Charity has already made 1 million Kenyan Shillings (approximately £8,500) available through its own Fund for Internally Displaced People, supporting the immediate relief efforts of the Kenya Red Cross Society and Lodges in some of the areas most affected by the events. As part of this assistance, the Chairman of the District Grand Charity recently visited Jamhuri Camp in Nairobi to donate milk, bread, rice, beans and drinking water to 3,000 displaced people including children. The grant from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity will be used to increase the current support for Masons, their dependants and other needy individuals from the wider community. Web Link: http://www.grandcharity.org

£10,000 for food shortage relief efforts in Africa - 14th March 2006 The President of the Grand Charity has approved an emergency grant of £10,000 to the British Red Cross, to aid their urgent work to tackle the food shortages affecting populations across Southern, East and West Africa. At least 23 million people are facing serious food shortages for a combination of reasons and the situation is deteriorating rapidly. In Southern Africa an estimated 12 million people are in need of food aid following total crop failure and in the East and Horn of Africa more than 11 million people are facing food shortages due to severe droughts and the effects of past and ongoing conflicts. There are also fears of re-emerging food shortages in West Africa, a region affected by food security problems for several decades. The emergency grant to the Red Cross will help fund relief efforts across the continent including the provision of food aid, water, sanitation and seeds for planting. Web Link: http://www.grandcharity.org

£20,000 FOR BANGLADESH CYCLONE VICTIMS Following the devastation of parts of Bangladesh by Tropical Storm Sidr, The Freemasons' Grand Charity is supporting the relief work of the Red Cross with an emergency grant of £20,000. Around 1 million people are believed to have been affected by the storm which hit the Southern Coast of Bangladesh on 15 November, destroying homes, crops and infrastructure and triggering a tidal surge that swamped three coastal villages. The official death toll stands at over 3,100 people, but this is expected to rise as rescuers continue to recover bodies from amongst the debris. Some remote areas are still inaccessible and many survivors are without fresh water and food. The emergency grant approved by the President of the Grand Charity will help to fund the work of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, providing for the needs of some of the most vulnerable people affected by the storm, including the provision of blankets, food, shelter, medical supplies and basic healthcare. Web Link: http://www.grandcharity.org