Promoting the Fraternity across the World
St Martin’s Lodge, 2812, from Bletchley, recently held their annual fun day for the Milton Keynes Young Carers, giving them a much needed day off from their busy life and duties. Held at the Herons Lodge Centre in Great Holm over 150 people attended and had an afternoon of live music, barbecue, drinks, animal petting zoo, bingo and bouncy castles.
Over the past five years Freemasons from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Valencia have been supporting a children’s summer camp and funding places for children to attend. This offers disadvantaged and underprivileged children the opportunity to undertake tasks, sports and cultural activities that they would otherwise be unable to afford. The cost of each child is paid for, in full, by the Masons so there is no cost to parents, the home, school or carers.
Corinthian Masonic Lodge member and former Elmhurst Elementary School teacher Kyle Foster spearheaded the resurgence of the Bikes for Books program.
Ian Kingsbury JP, provincial grand master for the Devonshire Freemasons, handed over the cheque to Miles Pomfrett, a trustee of the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust.
Miles said: ‘We’re most grateful for this donation which has gone towards the cost of a replacement all-terrain ‘workhorse’ vehicle, making life much easier for our volunteers.
Freemasons raise funds for Wimborne-based Leaf
£170,000 awarded to four leading mental health charities
A Bristol city farm has been given £38,125 by the Masonic Charitable Foundation to support their Urban Farmers Project which works with disadvantaged young people from local schools.The project, at St Werburghs City Farm in Ashley Vale, works with teenagers who are among the 10 per cent most disadvantaged in the UK.The programme was set-up to engage young people in activities that support greater health, wellbeing and personal development. They are encouraged to learn a range of skills, working with the land and with animals, as well as conservation work and practical building projects.The young people are aged between 14 to 19, with many come from low-income families, are often at risk of exclusion from mainstream education or are so-called ‘NEETS’ being neither in employment, education or training. Some have learning difficulties, mental health concerns, physical disabilities or have been in trouble with the police.The aim is to break cycles of negative behaviour among the young people and encourage them to finish their secondary education, enter higher education, find meaningful paid employment.The funding for the grant comes from Freemasons and their families across England and Wales.Kari Halford, Director of St Werburghs City Farm, said: “We’re very grateful for the generous grant from the Masonic Charitable Foundation for our Urban Farmers Project. “We offer practical outdoor activities that increase the confidence and wellbeing of disadvantaged teenagers so that they can overcome the challenges they face. “Thanks to the Freemasons we can employ our Youth Officer for three years, who will be working with more than 650 young people.”Christopher Williams, Deputy Chairman of Bristol Freemasons said: “We’re really pleased to be able to support the Urban Farmers Project. St Werburghs City Farm will now be able to continue their excellent work with hundreds more disadvantaged young people, adding to all those they have helped over nearly four decades. Many thanks to all the staff and volunteers for making us so very welcome when we visited.”
On Wednesday, 29th June, Brethren from Arenal Lodge visited El Preventorio children’s home in Real de Gandia to present another cheque for over 1600 euros…
Masonic Angels place 1,600th Laptops for KidZ computer
