The Masonic Charitable Foundation recognises the importance of mental health support and over the past year, we have awarded grants totalling over £170,000 to four leading mental health charities.

The charities supported are working to make sure nobody has to face a mental health problem alone. They provide a range of support services, across the UK, with the aim to help millions of people each year.

As well as providing financial grants to mental health charities, the Foundation operates the Counselling Careline which provides Freemasons and their families with immediate access to specialist and experienced counsellors.

Young Minds

Young Minds received a grant of nearly £50,000 to fund peer-support groups for parents raising children with mental health problems.

The groups aim to bring together over 250 parents and carers each year, helping them to feel more confident, knowledgeable and less isolated when supporting their children’s mental health.

By providing a space where parents can talk openly about their experiences with others who understand, the project aims to improve the mental health and emotional well-being of parents.

You can read more about   Young Mind’s peer support groups here >>

Place2Be

Place2Be have used our £28,000 grant to fund a parent counselling service in schools across Lancashire. The new service called ‘A Place for Parents’ will work alongside the support that Place2Be offers to children experiencing mental health problems.

Place2Be is the leading children’s mental health charity providing in-school support and expert training to improve the emotional wellbeing of pupils, families, teachers & school staff.

A Place for Parents will help parents recognise and address the issues their children are facing, helping them to build more positive relationships with their children and create a happier, more stable home-life.

Bipolar UK

Bipolar UK received a grant of £60,000 to help fund the expansion of their Bipolar Support Line.

Bipolar UK is dedicated to supporting people affected by Bipolar disorder, whether they have the condition themselves or are a family member or friend. The Support Line plays a key role in helping people access the services on offer as well as providing advice and information on all aspects of the condition and how it affects their lives.

The Support Line has become increasingly popular, but insufficient resources means that the charity is not always able to meet this demand. This grant will help Bipolar UK to train and employee more staff, enabling them to reach more people in need.

Mental Health Foundation

The Mental Health Foundation received a grant of nearly £34,000 to part-fund their ‘World of Work’ programme which aims to improve employment opportunities for young people with learning disabilities.

Currently fewer than 7% of people with learning difficulties are in paid employment, yet 65% report that they want to work. The programme will help 60 young people aged between 16-18 access work experience and part-time employment after they leave education.

Through the World of Work programme, we hope that many more young people with learning disabilities will gain the tools they need to access the same opportunities and independence as their peers.

You can read more aboutWorld of Work programme here >>

Supporting Freemasons and their Families

As well as supporting projects around the country, MCF also offer a counselling service to Freemasons and their eligible family members (aged 17 and over).

Everyone feels low at some point in their lives and no matter what the cause; the Counselling Careline is here to support those who need to talk.

The Counselling Careline is a completely free and confidential service, operated by experienced counsellors who will listen and offer professional guidance.

For instant access to our Counselling Careline, call 020 7404 1550 and ask to speak with the grants team who will transfer you to the Careline. There are no application forms to complete and no financial assessment is required.