Every year in the UK, hospices provide vital care to 200,000 people with terminal or life-limiting illnesses, as well as providing support for many of their loved ones, from managing someone’s pain to looking after their emotional, spiritual and social needs, hospice care supports the whole person, helping them to live their life to the full.
Earlier in 2018, the Masonic Charitable Foundation announced that £600,000 had been approved to support hospices across England and Wales this year. In July, hospices were invited to apply for grants towards core funding and £300,000 was allocated to each hospice that receives less than 60% funding from the NHS. The other £300,000 will be provided to individual hospices across England and Wales via Hospice UK, the national charity for hospice care. Contributions from Freemasons to hospices have exceeded £13 million in England and Wales since 1984.
The Derbyshire Provincial Grand Charity Steward, W Bro Michael Hitchcock accompanied the Provincial Grand Master for Derbyshire RW Bro Steven Varley when he visited the Ashgate Hospice on the 27th November at their invitation. Ashgate Hospice had received a grant of £1991 from the MCF and the staff at Ashgate were on hand to thank Derbyshire Freemasons for all their assistance over the years. This was just one of 237 grants to hospices around the country from Freemasons.
Michael Hitchcock of Derbyshire Freemasons commented: “ I’m very pleased we’ve been able to continue assisting Ashgate Hospice. They do an outstanding job helping people with terminal or life limiting conditions, as well as supporting their families through very difficult times “
Other grants made by the MCF in Derbyshire were Blythe House Hospice ( £800 ), Thornhill House ( £1331 ) and Treetops Hospice Trust Group ( £800 )
Derbyshire Freemasons are justly proud of their support for Hospices throughout the Province and as always are only too pleased to provide assistance for good causes.