Freemasons from Birchington’s Minnis Bay Lodge No 8496 recently raised a substantial donation for Lupus UK, a registered national charity.
Lupus is an incurable immune system illness, probably genetic in origin, and mainly suffered by females. It can produce many symptoms and family doctors often fail to recognise it. It is acknowledged as being more common than leukaemia, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis and those conditions (and others) share a number of similar symptoms. As the illness develops, a number of major organs can be damaged in an irreversible way.
Lupus UK is the only national registered charity supporting people who have the illness, or those approaching diagnosis. They arrange medical talks, publish local newsletters, set up social occasions and fundraising events. They also publish a national magazine and operate a strong grant programme for research purposes and welfare.
The Minnis Bay Lodge, although relatively small in membership, raised the impressive sum of £5,136 for this very worthy cause. The Immediate Past Master – Malcolm Sadler – picked Lupus UK as his charity for his year in office as someone very close to him suffers from the illness. A number of fund-raising events were held throughout the year including a quiz night, various raffles, a golf charity day with an evening buffet dance and the Lodge Ladies’ Night.
The cheque was presented to Mrs Janine Hirsch from Lupus UK at the Birchington Centre on 7th October 2017.
The photo shows (from L to R): John Matthews, Ken Jarvis, Janine Hirsch, John Marshall-Redding, Malcolm Sadler, Mrs Dorothy Arthur, Mrs Lesley Watkins, Bob Arthur, Tony Hart and John Geach.
For more information about Lupus UK please visit: www.lupusuk.org.uk
Report and photo courtesy of: Jim Mason and Allan Chandler