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RAOB hands over thousands to help the Royal Cornwall Hospital’s Sunrise appeal

MEMBERS of the West Cornwall Provincial Grand Lodge of the Royal Antediluviaon Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) have handed over £4,396.59 to the Royal Cornwall Hospital’s Sunrise Appeal. The West Cornwall Province incorporates 12 lodges, including those in Penryn, Falmouth, Truro, Redruth, Camborne, St Ives, Penzance and one in St Just. Lodges ran raffles to raise money and donated 132 prizes for a raffle run by Robin Harris, Provincial Grand Primo 2014, a member of the Sur Lineal Jacobs Lodge which meets at the Boslowick Inn in Falmouth. Mr Harris also spent a day at the Asda supermarket in Penryn when he raised an additional £500 towards the appeal. Penryn community bingo also ran several raffles on his behalf as he is their caller. “Big thanks should go to my lodge, the Sir Lineal Jacobs, There are only seven members but between them they paid all my expenses for the year and donated many prizes for my end of the year draw,” said Mr Harris. Mr Harris, accompanied by several members of the West Cornwall Provincial Grand Lodge, presented the cheque to Tony Hill, representing the Sunrise Appeal.

Fundraisers donate £4,500 breathing machine to Alex Hospital

GENEROUS fundraisers have donated a £4,500 machine to a respiratory ward at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital. The Cough Up a Pound for CoughAssist campaign was set up last year by Redditch resident Bill Roberts, who suffers from myasthenia gravis (or MG) – a condition which damages the connections between the brain and the movement muscles and can affect swallowing and breathing. The CoughAssist machine, which has now been donated to the Alex Hospital, clears excess mucus from the airwaves by mimicking a cough.

Harrogate charity’s fundraising drive for new minibus £6k closer

A Harrogate charity’s fundraising drive for a new wheelchair adapted-vehicle is 6,000 steps closer, thanks to the Freemasons. Disability Action Yorkshire is seeking to replace its existing “minibus” with one that will be easier for its Claro Road care home staff to drive service users into town and on social activities. To achieve this, it is undertaking a number of initiatives, including having an entry in the London Marathon and applying to various organisations – including local Freemasons – for financial support. To this extent, Harrogate Harlow Lodge applied for a minor grant from the Province of Yorkshire West Riding’s Provincial Grand Master’s Fund, which supports a raft of good causes in its region each and every year. And this week members of the fraternity handed over a cheque to the tune of £6,000 to the charity’s Chief Executive, Jackie Snape.

Wisbech Freemasons donate £1,000 to Wisbech Community Car Scheme which helps elderly and disabled people get around

The Wisbech Lodge of Freemasons, The Lodge of United Good Fellowship, has donated £1,000 to the Wisbech Community Car Scheme. The scheme, manned by volunteer drivers, enables disabled, elderly and sometimes lonely people to get to medical appointments, visit relatives and friends and go shopping. Coordinator Maureen Robertson said: “It is only recently that I have learnt what Freemasons actually do and Wisbech is very fortunate that they are there, ready to assist wherever possible.”

Charity thanks Freemasons of County Durham for donation

A CHARITY has thanked the Freemasons of County Durham after they donated £500 to them. The 700 Club, which provides temporary accommodation and support services to vulnerable individuals, families and couples who are homeless, at risk of becoming homeless and/or are in condition of need, hardship or distress, received the cheque on Wednesday (April 15). Share article CEO of 700 Club, John Elliston, welcomed Kevin Williams, a representative of the Benevolent Committee of the Province of Durham and Ian Groves, benevolence representative for Barnard Castle Strathmore Lodge, to the 700 Club’s head office, in Darlington, to receive the cheque. The money will be used towards work of the Lodge Project, a facility developed by the 700 Club to offer emergency and short term transitional housing in Darlington.

Freemasons donate minibus to school for children with learning difficulties

Freemasons donated a new minibus to a school for children with profound and severe learning difficulties and autism. Freemasons come from several backgrounds but all raise money for different charities through numerous events including ladies weekends for their wives and partners. They auction items to raise cash at all social gatherings and make donations at each of their meetings.

Freemasons present eye hospital donation

Manchester Royal Eye Hospital (MREH) Charity received a £125,000 donation from the Freemasons this week to help fund a DNA Sequencer, in research designed to improve diagnosis of inherited eye diseases and improve understanding into the genetic basis of eye disease. Pictured from left to right are Grahame Elliot representing the Freemason’s Grand Charity, Sir David Trippier, provincial grand master for East Lancashire, Maurice Watkins CBE, chairman of MREH Charity and Susmito Biswas of MREH. Sir Trippier said: ‘Freemasons are delighted to have provided vital financial support for the most worthy cause of the eyesight of young children, a cause for which Manchester Royal Eye Hospital provides such superb facilities and expertise. We are also delighted to have been supported in this project by The Grand Charity.’

Freemasons donate £400 to Families For Autism charity

Families For Autism received a cash boost of £400 thanks to the local Freemasons. The Worshipful Master, Graham Barnard, and charity steward Peter Butler, of Southbourne Lodge 4006, presented the cheque to Mark Jones, director of the local charity. Graham said, “We are delighted to support this excellent Saturday club, which gives support and respite to the families of children who have this disability and encourage the children in further development.” Families For Autism launched on August 10, 2010 to provide support and understanding to children and young people on the Autistic Spectrum within the Eastbourne area. For more information, visit www.familiesforautism.com.

Freemasons’ lodge donates thousands to local charities

A host of charities in 1066 Country have benefitted from donations from the Freemasons. Charles McIlwrick, MBE and members of The Hadrain Lodge in Bexhill recently presented six cheques to local charities and organisations. ADVERTISING Charles was the Master of the Lodge until mid-November when he then handed over the reins to Bernard Stonestreet. During his year the Lodge managed to raise £3,500 through a variety of fundraising functions. A cheque for £600 had already been donated to Chestnut Tree Children’s Hospice Arundel. This was £300 from the Lodge and £300 match-funded from The Sussex Lodge Charities.