Freemasonry consists of fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local fraternities of stonemasons, which from the end of the fourteenth century regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients. The degrees of freemasonry retain the three grades of medieval craft guilds, those of Apprentice, Journeyman or fellow (now called Fellowcraft), and Master Mason. These are the degrees offered by Craft (or Blue Lodge) Freemasonry. Members of these organisations are known as Freemasons or Masons. There are additional degrees, which vary with locality and jurisdiction, and are usually administered by different bodies than the craft degrees.
The basic, local organisational unit of Freemasonry is the Lodge. The Lodges are usually supervised and governed at the regional level (usually coterminous with either a state, province, or national border) by a Grand Lodge or Grand Orient. There is no international, world-wide Grand Lodge that supervises all of Freemasonry; each Grand Lodge is independent, and they do not necessarily recognise each other as being legitimate.
Reading Time: 2 minutes A Huddersfield community charity which supports men with mental health issues is overwhelmed at financial support from West Riding Masonic Charities.Platform 1, based in the town’s St George’s Square and which has a membership of 500 since its inception to years ago, has received a £10,000 grant as part of our Covid-19 response to assist valuable work in local communities.
Reading Time: 3 minutes The East Midland Chapter has recently been distributing money that was raised at our annual National Rally. This is a weekend hosted by a different Chapter each year. It was our honour to co-host with the West Midlands Chapter last July. The Rally is a weekend event where members from across the UK, and even from abroad get together and party. In total this event raised £18,000. East Midlands are distributing half and West Midlands the other half.
Reading Time: 2 minutes Crewkerne Freemasons and the Somerset Provincial Grand Lodge are sponsoring Donald Gray’s production of PPE ear protectors for NHS staff, care workers and others employed on the front line during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr Gray who is a member of the Parrett and Axe Lodge, whose meetings are held at the Masonic Hall in South Street, is making batches of the ear protectors on a 3D printer at his home near Yeovil.
Reading Time: 2 minutes Mental health support services in England and Wales are to receive a significant boost thanks to a generous £250,000 grant from Freemasons’ charity, in support of mental health charity Mind and its emergency appeal.
Reading Time: 2 minutes East of England air ambulance gets crucial protective equipment to help Covid-19 patients thanks to Cambridgeshire Freemasons